Lee Priest believes Nick Walker could face one of his biggest tests at the 2026 Tampa Pro. In a YouTube video from June 11, 2026, he previewed the showdown between Walker and rising threat Jo Palacios, emphasizing that it could be a close contest.
Walker is clawing his way back into the Mr. Olympia title picture. When he performed at the 2025 Mr. Olympia, he missed the mark and fell to sixth place. He used the setback as fuel and returned at the 2026 Arnold Classic looking better than ever.
Despite the improvements, “The Mutant” settled for second place behind Chinedu Andrew ‘Jacked’ Obiekea. The loss had major implications, as Walker missed out on $1 million in prize earnings. There was doubt about whether he’d compete again in 2026, but he recently confirmed his entry for the Tampa Pro. Walker also revealed Prabh Dhaliwal as his new coach ahead of the contest.
While still early in his career, Jo Palacios continues to prove himself as a top prospect. He clinched his IFBB Pro card after winning the 2023 NPC Mr. USA Overall title. With his Pro debut coming soon, Priest broke down his chances against Walker.
Lee Priest Discusses Whether Nick Walker Can Lose the 2026 Tampa Pro
In the video, Priest shared that Walker is already in shape leading into the contest.
“We’ll find out come Tampa. Nick is looking really good now. The guy doesn’t have to tweak too much. Nick is looking in pretty good shape now. My grandmother could give him chicken breast, rice, and a bit of tren, and get him in shape,” Lee Priest shared.
He believes Walker’s margin of error is small; if he misses his peak, Palacios could pull off the upset.
“I think maybe Nick has competed more, so Nick probably has a little bit more of that polish. We’re judging on Jo’s last show; we haven’t seen how Jo is going to look now with the added size. It could be close. If Nick fucks up, Jo is going to be right there.”
“Normally, when Nick is in a show, it’s someone like Nick and someone else; there’s no one comparable, but Jo and him are pretty comparable on freaky size and that freaky type of look. It’s going to be interesting.”
Priest isn’t the only bodybuilding veteran questioning Walker’s chances. Chris Aceto raised concerns over Walker hiring a new coach ahead of the Tampa Pro. He stressed that the event won’t be a slam dunk for Walker when they hit the stage.
The winner of the Tampa Pro will earn their qualification for the biggest show of the year. The 2026 Mr. Olympia takes place from September 24-27 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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