Bodybuilding veteran Lee Priest isn’t holding back following the 2025 Mr. Olympia. In a recent YouTube video on Oct. 27, he argued that Derek Lunsford was in guest posing shape and thought his front lat spread made him look like a ‘waterlogged beached whale.’
The 2025 Mr. Olympia delivered huge upsets and historic triumphs. In the headliner, Derek Lunsford reclaimed the Sandow trophy, becoming only the second Open bodybuilder in history to win it back after losing it. He overcame Hadi Choopan and an all-time best Andrew Jacked in the finals.
The results received mixed reactions. For Priest, he thought the nod should have gone to either Choopan or Jacked. He wasn’t the only bodybuilding veteran to suggest as much; Shawn Ray also stated that ‘The Persian Wolf’ did enough to earn the victory. Taking a closer look at the outcome, Priest explained why he wasn’t overly impressed with Lunsford’s performance.
Lee Priest Critical of Derek Lunsford’s Shape at 2025 Mr. Olympia, Compares His Front Lat Spread to Jacked’s
In the video, Priest noted that Lunsford lacked wow factor onstage in Vegas.
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“It’s just because he’s got good balance and shit. I don’t think he was in greater shape all over. To me, looking at him is one of the least impressive up there. I don’t get that wow factor from looking at him. Eh, he’s a bodybuilder,” Priest said.
In the front lat spread, he said the two-time Mr. Olympia looked like a ‘waterlogged beached whale.’ Conversely, he pointed to Jacked’s muscle striations in the same pose:
“His front lat spread, there’s a video of him and Andrew doing a front lat spread together. Andrew has got all the lines through his chest. He [Lunsford] just looks like a waterlogged beached whale doing a fucking lat spread.”
He thought Lunsford looked in guest posing shape at Mr. Olympia. He advised the champ to focus less on prayer and more on training for conditioning.
“Guest posing shape,” said Priest. “Come on, it’s Mr. Olympia, you’re meant to be the best of the best. You’re meant to be at your best at the Mr. Olympia. Get it right on the day, you’re a professional. Maybe if you put more time into training and dieting than you do praying.”
“What’s going to work better? Sit there, praying for getting in condition or getting on the treadmill and getting on the stepper, and dieting. What’s going to work?”
The last time Lunsford won the Mr. Olympia, he took the entire season off to focus on his title defense. However, he might not follow that same route again. Judge Terrick El Guindy confirmed that Lunsford will compete at the 2026 Arnold Classic.
The stakes are sky-high, with the winner poised to walk away with a $750,000 prize purse. Though Lunsford hasn’t announced his entry, he’d be the clear favorite heading into Columbus, Ohio.
Watch the full video from the IFBB AMA YouTube channel below:
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