Shahriar Kamali, better known as King Kamali, is turning his attention to the highly anticipated 2026 Tampa Pro. In a July 20 YouTube video, he offered his top two Men’s Open predictions and revealed his sleeper pick ahead of the event.
“We’re going to see some surprises, but Nick will win.”
Nick Walker heads into Tampa as the clear favorite on paper. However, his momentum took a huge hit at the 2025 Mr. Olympia after mistiming his peak. His drop to sixth place was the lowest Olympia finish of his career, but he bounced back at the 2026 Arnold Classic.
Walker wasn’t able to claim gold, but gave the champion Chinedu Andrew ‘Jacked’ Obiekea one of his toughest battles. For a moment, “The Mutant” considered shutting down his season, but had a change of heart. He’s since teamed up with a new coach and intends to qualify for the Olympia with a statement win in Florida.
King Kamali Talks 2026 Tampa Pro, Shares Top 2 Men’s Open Predictions
Find his predictions from the video below:
- Winner — Nick Walker
- Second Place — Jo Palacios
In the video, Kamali predicted that Walker will likely win the Tampa Pro and gain momentum heading into the Mr. Olympia.
“I already foresee it now. Nick’s pictures that I’ve seen coming up in the past couple of days, these updates, he looks fantastic. Nick is on point. I think Nick is going to make some runs at this and make people go holy shit, maybe he’s going to be in front at the Olympia,” he shared.
Though he credited Palacios for his size, Kamali doesn’t think he’s ready for Walker:
“Jo’s body is much improved from last year. It’s much bigger. He’s a white guy with a big waist now but he’s put on these massive shoulders, and if he brought up those legs to match his shoulders, which I don’t think he completely has, it’s going to be a good show for him, but I don’t think he has the firepower for Nick,” King Kamali shared.
He added that Charles Griffen is the biggest sleeper threat on the roster.
“The biggest sleeper in the show, in my opinion, is Charles Griffen. Charles is dangerous man. He’s sucked in and he’s got that 1990s face. I saw a little video of him. He’s sucked in.”
Walker has been open about the changes he’s made to his preparations. Unlike previous seasons, he has scaled back drastic cardio, which could translate into a fresher physique onstage. He aims to reduce fat primarily through training and diet.
Public confidence in Walker is high heading into his next show. The 2026 Tampa Pro is set for July 30 to August 1 in Tampa, Florida.
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