Whoever wins the 2026 Arnold Classic (AC) will be one step closer to the Mr. Olympia title. On Jan. 22, 2026, Lee Priest previewed the showdown between frontrunners Chinedu Andrew “Jacked” Obiekea, Martin Fitzwater, and Nick Walker. He predicted that Jacked could win if he came in at his best.
The 2025 Mr. Olympia was a telling event. Despite his status as a favorite, Nick Walker mistimed his peak to take sixth place. This was the lowest Olympia finish of his career, and he’s determined to right the ship in Ohio. Meanwhile, Jacked relished his breakthrough performance en route to bronze. Already, bodybuilding legend Jay Cutler has predicted he will win the next AC and Mr. Olympia.
Fitzwater also presented a stellar look in Vegas. He secured fifth place behind Samson Dauda. They rematched at the Prague Pro with “The Martian” edging him out on the scorecards. With a massive $750,000 reserved for the Men’s Open winner, discussions about who will win the AC are picking up steam.
Lee Priest on Showdown Between Jacked, Walker, and Fitzwater at the 2026 Arnold Classic
In the video, Priest said Fitzwater has a tough test ahead because he set the bar high in his last two outings.
“He set a standard when he came in looking good and like I said, if you’re a little bit off, people will be like you’re off, when technically you’re not really off, you’re just off from your very best,” said Priest.
“Martin looks great shape-wise, condition-wise when he’s on. But when Andrew is on, he’s got the same, but Andrew has that wow freak factor.”
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He argued that Jacked could win the contest, but envisioned a close battle between Fitzwater, Hadi Choopan, and Walker.
“If Andrew is on, he could win it. But I think the battle that others are on, it’s going to be between Martin, Hadi, Andrew, and Nick Walker to see where they place.
If Andrew is on, he could walk out and be like a Ronnie Coleman, where we look at him and go oh he’s won, who is second, third, and fourth? That’s if he’s at his best,” Priest said. “Any of those four could interchange.”
He compared the freak factor of Walker and Jacked, noting that it could come down to the judges’ personal preferences.
“Both Nick and him have that freak wow factor. Nick is a cartoonish freak, and Andrew is just a taller freak, where it makes his X-frame look a bit more than Nick’s. They are both freaky-looking, so it will just come down to the judges’ opinion on who they like in the end if they are both at 100 percent.”
Priest also predicted that Fitzwater has the tools to take home the victory. He emphasized that, unlike in his era, there are no ‘clear winners’ heading into bodybuilding contests. Looking at the lineup, he suggested that four different athletes could end up winning.
The 2026 Arnold Classic title is open for the taking. Returning champion Derek Lunsford will not defend his title. When the smoke clears, a new titleholder will emerge. The event takes place from March 5-8 in Columbus, Ohio.
Watch the full video from the Serious and Silliness Bodybuilding with John Livia YouTube channel below:
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