Nick Walker‘s dominant 2026 Tampa Pro victory is still rippling through the bodybuilding community. In an August 3 YouTube video, Lee Priest praised Walker’s waist control and argued he could take out Derek Lunsford and other top contenders at the upcoming Mr. Olympia.
Walker was out for redemption after missing the mark at the 2025 Mr. Olympia. He mistimed his peak and fell to sixth place, the lowest Olympia finish of his career. This set the foundation for his massive comeback, and his first stop came at the 2026 Arnold Classic.
There, he managed to push Andrew Jacked (Chinedu Andrew Obiekea) with an all-time best physique. While Walker finished runner-up, he considered the outing a triumph since he beat Hadi Choopan for the first time in his career. Looking ahead, Priest believes Walker’s win in Tampa and improved waist could be his ticket to the Sandow trophy.
Lee Priest Says Walker Can ‘Easily Push’ Lunsford & Others ‘Out of the Way’ at 2026 Mr. Olympia
In the video, Priest noted how well Walker managed to control his waist between comparisons and transitions. He added that Walker only relaxed his stomach after claiming the win:
“He controlled his waist very well. Then, all of a sudden when he gives his speech at the end, it’s like the contest is over; now he can let it hang out. Who gives a fuck? When he was competing in the comparisons, and in between, he held it tight where it should be. Now, he’s happy at the end, the pressure is off, so he lets it hang out? So, who gives a fuck?”
Priest emphasized that if Walker is just one percent better at the Olympia, he could push Lunsford and other top contenders out of the way:
“If Nick comes in like that, or even just say he does a one percent even tighter, if that’s possible. If Derek comes in like last year, and I didn’t think Derek was at his best last year when he won it; they come in not as hard and stuff like that, I think Nick can easily push them out the way,” said Lee Priest.
Following his dominant Tampa Pro performance, Walker’s self-belief continues to grow. Reflecting on the victory, he revealed that his new coach Prabh Dhaliwal has helped restore his confidence. In a bold prediction, Walker made it clear that he will be the winner of the 2026 Mr. Olympia.
Walker continues to prove himself as a world-class bodybuilder in the Men’s Open. Priest believes that with just marginal improvements, he could push the biggest names in the sport.
RELATED: Samson Dauda Calls Nick Walker a Top Threat for the 2026 Mr. Olympia: “It’s Common Sense”
