Nick Walker‘s future in the sport is being questioned after he decided to sit out of the 2024 Mr. Olympia. In a recent YouTube video shared on November 4, 2024, Lee Priest stated that Nick Walker doesn’t deserve the criticism he has received as of late and discussed if athletes have the right to pull out of contracted bodybuilding contests.
Nick Walker‘s career has been riddled with trials and tribulations. Last year, Walker was forced to abruptly withdraw from the 2023 Mr. Olympia due to a hamstring and calf tear. After a lengthy recovery, Nick Walker set his sights on competing at the 2024 New York Pro, where he intended to earn his ticket to the prestigious stage.
When it came time to take the stage, Walker was pushed by rising star Martin Fitzwater, who followed up on his promise to give him a run for his money. However, Walker ultimately pulled out the win only by a razor-thin margin of just one point.
Following Walker’s performance at the New York Pro, bodybuilding veterans began doubting his potential on the prestigious stage, which included four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler. Cutler initially believed Walker would shock everyone at the New York Pro, only to begin wondering if he could even place within the top three in the 2024 Mr. Olympia after seeing him on stage.
However, all this speculation would prove pointless when Nick Walker shocked the bodybuilding community and again pulled out of the prestigious competition. Walker and his ex-coach, Matt Jansen, stated the reason for not competing was that his body was not responding to prep and the two have since parted ways, sparking even more controversy.
Lee Priest Talks Suspensions/Fines, Fires Shots at ‘Spoiled Fans’ of Nick Walker: “People Are Fickle”
In a recent YouTube video, Lee Priest gave his thoughts on the backlash Walker has received, revealing he doesn’t deserve it. He also gave his opinion on whether athletes should get fined for withdrawing from contracted bodybuilding competitions.
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“Everyone is coming down on Nick. I think what it is, because Nick was so open and always put up these progress pictures, training pictures, people are fickle.
Once they see so much they start ‘He looks good, but oh, what about this now, what about that on him?’ They start getting nitty-picky. To me, if I was Nick, I’d just train covered up show my forearms and calves.”
Priest believes that everyone should be happy with what Walker chooses to share and shouldn’t be so critical of him.
“Listen, you should be happy that people show you their pictures when they do. But when they don’t, just be happy they posted a picture of them training or doing whatever. I think we’ve been spoiled so much and then when you don’t do it, it’s oh he’s not showing it, he’s an ass hole. I want to see an update. Come on now, just give him a break.”
However, Priest says athletes should be 100 percent committed to shows they sign up for.
“Listen, if you’re going to get ready for a show, you’ve got to be 100 percent in or not, not 98 percent. If you want to go into a show you got to be 100 percent. A week would go I’m dieting. I just didn’t feel it, I didn’t want to do it. We’d eat McDonald’s and now I’ll do it.”
According to Priest, who has dealt with similar issues Walker has faced, fans won’t be satisfied either way — whether an athlete pulls out of a contest or shows up looking less than their best.
“I went on the [online] boards just wanted to let my fans know I’m not going to be doing the Olympia but I’ll be at the Expo to meet you all and blah blah blah. The amount of hate I got, ‘I can’t believe this. We bought tickets to come see you, you’re letting us down.’ I’m like oh fuck, so I said to Kathy, I’m going to have to do it the fans are upset.
I did it. Next day, on the message boards, how could you go on stage looking like that? You let us down. I’m like fuck,” says Priest.
He revealed that he was suspended after a run-in with Wayne Demilia. In a different instance, Priest faced a fine of $5,000 instead of taking a year suspension.
“I went and spoke to Joe and I said listen Joe, can I sit this show out and just concentrate on the Olympia because I want to come in my best being like one of the youngest to do it at 22. Joe is like sure, that’d be great. So I didn’t do the show and I get a call from Wayne, ‘Why didn’t you do the show?’ I said Joe said I didn’t have to, Wayne is like ‘I run these fucking shows not Joe, you’re suspended.'”
“Then I got suspended another time and I really wanted to do the Olympia and my suspension was up like in November, but the Olympia was September. So I paid the five grand. You could either take the year off or the $5,000 fine” Priest explained.
Lee Priest isn’t the only one to give their thoughts on athletes being fined for breaking their contracts. Martin Fitzwater recently shared his thoughts on the Nick Walker and Matt Jansen drama, revealing he believes there should be action taken against anyone who doesn’t fulfill the agreements they signed up for.
As for Nick Walker, he is already discussing his comeback plans for next year. Having been unable to compete at the Mr. Olympia for two consecutive seasons, Priest believes fans should give him a break and just look forward to his comeback on the horizon.
Watch the full video from the Ron Harris Muscle YouTube channel below:
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