Nick Walker‘s coaching drama has the bodybuilding community curious about what lies ahead. On Oct. 14, 2025, coach Chris Aceto discussed the possibility of coaching Nick Walker after he recently parted ways with Kyle Wilkes.
Momentum was firmly in Nick Walker’s corner ahead of the 2025 Mr. Olympia. His freak factor, huge back, and improved legs were on display in physique updates he issued ahead of the contest. What gave him even more momentum was tying Derek Lunsford on the Pittsburgh Pro scorecards despite leaving the show in second place.
To qualify for his third Mr. Olympia, Walker claimed gold at the New York Pro. However, when the time came to stand against the best of the Open class, he tumbled in sixth place after mistiming his peak. He and his coach stopped working together in the show’s aftermath, with Aceto being the latest to address the fallout.
Chris Aceto Says He ‘Knows What’s In Nick Walker’s Head,’ Discusses If He’ll Coach Him in Future
While speaking in an Rx Muscle – Truth In Bodybuilding YouTube video, Aceto was asked if he’d coach Walker. He explained that he doesn’t know but said his ‘hands are pretty full.’
“I don’t know… my hands are pretty full, and I mean that. I wanted to see what’s going to happen going forward with Derek. You got Andrew Jacked. You got Good Vito, Ramon, Ali, meaning it’s like in real estate, how many buildings do you need?”
He’s unsure if he’d guide Walker, but does understand why Walker has switched coaches in pursuit of his best physique.
Level Up Your Fitness: Join our 💪 strong community in Fitness Volt Newsletter. Get daily inspiration, expert-backed workouts, nutrition tips, the latest in strength sports, and the support you need to reach your goals. Subscribe for free!
“I don’t know [if I’d coach him]. Switching coaches is always problematic, but the flip side is, I can understand when you’re trying to be your absolute best. I know what’s in Nick’s head.”
“You’re like I can be so much better. I think that’s an attribute of a bodybuilder. To look at the results, and say, Oh gosh, I could have been a lot harder, I could have been this, I could have been that, but when you’re not happy with the way you look, I guarantee you will not improve anymore.”
He also explained that judging can impact how Walker performs at shows. In one-on-one comparisons, he argues Walker is stronger, whereas against a group of different physiques, he’s often seen as the odd man out.
“Nick’s most muscular, he beats everyone. But when there’s six, it starts to, the idea of the way you’re judging changes a little bit,” he said. “You have five different physiques to choose from, so in this day, like at that Olympia, he was quote, I said he was kind of like the odd-man out. Did he have a ton of muscle? Yes. Was he in good condition?
Yes. There was just different physiques up there, especially in terms of standing relaxed in the lineup. The three best physiques in the Olympia, standing relaxed in the lineup, in this order, would be Derek, Hadi, and Andrew.”
Bodybuilding veterans have been vocal about Walker’s future in the sport. Shawn Ray and Bob Cicherillo, who predicted Walker would be out of the top five at 2025 Mr. Olympia, shared that he should target the final two Olympia qualifiers of the 2026 season.
Whether Chris Aceto will ever coach Nick Walker appears unlikely at this point, but not impossible. Considering “The Mutant” has switched coaches often throughout his career, many believe that if he teams up with an established guru, it could be a game-changer for his career.
Watch the full video from RxMuscle — The Truth in Bodybuilding YouTube channel below:
Relive every moment from the 2025 Mr. Olympia, including prejudging, highlights, expert analysis, and full results. Explore our Olympia hub: FitnessVolt.com/olympia. For minute-by-minute coverage, follow our Live Blog.
You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and
YouTube for even more content.
