Derek Lunsford and Nick Walker Lead 2026 Mr. Olympia Prejudging in a Four-Man Race for Gold

The 2026 Mr. Olympia is unfolding in Las Vegas, Nevada. During the first day of the competition on September 25, top Men’s Open competitors Derek Lunsford, Nick Walker, Samson Dauda, and Andrew Jacked battled it out through several callouts, vying to take the prestigious Sandow trophy. Every callout is in our 2026 Mr. Olympia prejudging report.

Derek Lunsford came in as the defending champion, with Sandows from 2023 and 2025 already on his shelf. His lights-out rear double biceps and lat spread continue to be his calling cards.

Nick Walker hit the stage with high confidence, hands on hips, ready to perform. After a sixth-place finish last year, there were doubts about his ceiling in the Men’s Open, and he silenced them throughout the first day of the show. He and Lunsford spent the most time center stage. “The Mutant” didn’t miss with his peak; between poses, he showcased grainy muscle fiber and kept his waist tight and in control. Walker’s muscle hardness set the tone as soon as prejudging kicked off, and he looked comfortable, almost unbothered, as he reacted to Steve Weinberger’s callouts. 

Although Andrew Jacked kept a low profile on social media leading up to the contest, his physique spoke loudly onstage. The Nigerian mass monster, standing at 6’2″, has packed on quality muscle since his Olympia debut in 2022, moving from eighth to fifth to third. He made sure to leverage his imposing stage presence, particularly with his front-facing poses. 

The Top Contenders Emerge 

• Derek Lunsford
• Nick Walker
• Samson Dauda 
• Andrew Jacked

Lunsford made his presence known from the second he walked out, with the crowd roaring in the background. His stoicism was noticeable, and he concentrated to highlight his strengths during each posing transition. Again, Lunsford’s back detail and sheer width catapulted him into contention. 

Walker’s world-class side poses carried him through prejudging. He and his new coach, Prabh Dhaliwal, balanced a tightrope; Walker came in bursting full but didn’t sacrifice an ounce of conditioning. His tighter waist gave his physique more top-down symmetry, turning him into a true threat to Lunsford’s crown. 

Samson Dauda‘s redemption neared its full completion on Friday evening. The 2024 Mr. Olympia dropped to fourth last year when he looked flat, and this time he listened to the judges’ criticism and brought the size back. His front relaxed pose and hamstring drop from the side were unique strengths that helped him make a statement in the final callout. 

Andrew Jacked, unbeaten since last year’s Olympia and the 2026 Arnold Classic champion, didn’t tire in the comparisons. His chest striations took his most muscular pose to the next level, cementing his status as a frontrunner for the Sandow. 

What This Means Heading Into the Finals

The final callout featured two different types of physiques. Dauda and Jacked stood tall with bigger muscle bellies and proportions, while the stockier contenders, Lunsford and Walker, used density, freak factor, and dry conditioning to stake their claim. 

For Lunsford, simply holding on and coming in slightly tighter is the game plan. Nick Walker needs to present the exact package he brought to prejudging and maintain his core between poses. Jacked and Dauda could use more fullness from the back to be more competitive and make a play for gold. 

Tension is in the air, and the judges have a tough call on their hands looking ahead. Our 2026 Mr. Olympia predictions had Lunsford first and Jacked second before a pose was hit.

2026 Mr. Olympia Recap:

Every division as it was crowned is on our 2026 Mr. Olympia live updates page, and the full placings for all 12 divisions are in our Olympia database.