The 2025 Mr. Olympia contest goes down in less than seven weeks. In a recent YouTube video shared on August 26, 2025, bodybuilding veteran Lee Priest discussed how the Nick Walker, Derek Lunsford rivalry will play out onstage.
Heading into this season, there was considerable doubt surrounding Walker. He pulled out of the last two Mr. Olympias: once due to a hamstring tear and again because his body wouldn’t respond to prep. Despite the inactive period, Walker bounced back at the 2025 Pittsburgh Pro, taking second place behind Lunsford. However, controversy about the result has persisted.
To earn passage for the Mr. Olympia, Walker dominated the New York Pro. With the rivalry between Lunsford heating up, Priest discussed how it could affect the standings at the biggest show of the year, where a $600,000 prize will be on the line.
Lee Priest Gives Take on Nick Walker, Derek Lunsford Rivalry Ahead of 2025 Mr. Olympia
In the video, Priest suggested that Walker and Lunsford don’t hate each other. He argued there won’t be bad blood afterwards unless the winner is undeserving.
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“I wouldn’t say they hate each other. There would be that tension, like I want to beat you, and he wants to beat him.
So, there would be that there and you’d be looking at each other but in the end, once it’s all said and done, they are still mates. As long as whoever beats whoever deserves to beat them, then that’s okay.”
Regardless of the outcome, Priest said both competitors should remain professional and congratulatory.
“You go to some shows, and someone can be a little out of shape and they win, then you can be a bit fucking disgruntled, like how the fuck did that happen? But if he’s the better man on the day, I’m sure Nick would congratulate him. If Nick beats Derek and he’s better than Derek, then I’m sure Derek would have no problem congratulating Nick.”
“We’ve seen it with Hadi. His fans are like death threats and shit. Flex Lewis got death threats, Derek got death threats — it’s only bodybuilding, it’s just a competition, people. Don’t take it serious where you need to wish death on their family.”
If Lunsford and Walker hit the stage at 100%, Priest said the decision will ultimately boil down to the judges.
“You can’t talk the talk and not walk the walk. If you’re going to talk like that and be that confident, you’re going to come in looking your best, and if you do that, like I said, if Derek comes in 100 percent, Nick comes in 100 percent, congratulations to both of you.
You both look fantastic. You’re both great, but then it’s just up to the judges. Whoever beats who, you can’t get mad at each other. If you’ve both done 100 percent training and dieting, and done everything the best you can do, and judges put one over the other, then you can’t hate on that person. It’s not him doing it, it’s the judges. That’s bodybuilding,” shared Lee Priest.
Priest has been candid about who he sees making waves on the Mr. Olympia stage. All in all, he believes four athletes could plausibly win the Sandow trophy in 2025, which includes Samson Dauda, Hadi Choopan, Lunsford, and Walker.
Although the Walker-Lunsford rivalry is heated, Priest believes it’s mostly performative for fans. The world will find out who comes out on top when the Mr. Olympia returns from October 9-12 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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Watch the full video from the IFBB AMA YouTube channel below:
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