There are only 16 days until the world’s best collide on the 2023 Mr. Olympia stage in Orlando, Florida from November 2-5. Among the top contenders battling for a Sandow trophy is Nick Walker, who previously finished third at the annual competition in December. In a recent Mutant and the Mouth Podcast on October 15, 2023, Walker revealed he weighs 271 pounds and teased his progress before stepping on stage next month, adding that he’s bigger and more conditioned than before.
In what has become increasingly clear: no one’s position is safe on the 2023 Mr. Olympia stage. Competitors discovered this uncomfortable truth quickly in Las Vegas last year when the former champion Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay was ejected from his throne. Instead, the more conditioned and chiseled Hadi Choopan won on the judges’ scorecards with Derek Lunsford and Nick Walker making appearances on the podium.
In lieu of a rest and rebound period, Walker decided to wager on himself at the 2023 Arnold Classic. Although he emerged as the on-paper favorite, Walker’s status was challenged in Columbus, Ohio by Samson Dauda, whose shape and leg volume carried him to a controversial victory.
You would think the loss to Dauda would discourage Walker but the setback only fired him up. Having worked on his aesthetics since the defeat, Walker carefully addressed his weaknesses and is confident he will become only the 18th man in history to be crowned Mr. Olympia.
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‘Bigger’ & ‘More Conditioned’ Nick Walker Talks 2023 Mr. Olympia Prep: ‘Diet Blows Dick’
With preparations in full swing, Walker intends to step on stage 5-6 pounds heavier than the 2022 Olympia.
“Yeah, I’m 271 now. Diet blows dick. Cardio is up. And we had some issues with the house thing,” shared Nick Walker. “I think you know with this year… with the way I’m looking and how I feel and everything, what Matt thinks… I’m going to be about 5-6 pounds heavier when all is said and done than last year’s Olympia.”
Not only does Walker believe he’s bigger with better conditioning, but he specified that his muscle maturity “is really kicking in now,” which will be essential to preventing Hadi Choopan from repeating as champion.
“And I feel like I’m bigger; I’m more conditioned, I feel like that muscle maturity is really kicking in now. So I’m having — you can tell the difference. You know what I mean. Yeah [grainy]. I feel like that’s kicking in now and I just – everything they wanted me to improve on I improved. People have to remember it was a short off-season. I did the Arnold because there wasn’t a lot I could do directly, but I did as much as I could,” said Nick Walker.
Walker shared that his cardio demands have increased with the big show rapidly approaching.
“We’re at 45 [minutes] fasted, and then a half hour after training. An hour and 10 minutes or something,” said Walker.
Competitors like Hadi Choopan and Brandon Curry have remained quiet working behind the scenes whereas Open stars Nick Walker and Derek Lunsford have been more transparent about their preps. In addition to physique updates and training sessions, Walker assessed the threat level of his rivals. Months ago, he dismissed Choopan’s chances, making it clear that either he or Lunsford would come out on top.
There is no shortage of contenders headed to The Sunshine State. Even with Big Ramy and Brett Wilkin pulling out, the night will be stacked with action with names such as Andrew Jacked and Michal Krizo making splashes. As for Walker, with fans doubting his potential, he plans to shock the world in just three weeks by taking out Lunsford and Choopan in one fell swoop.
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Watch the video from the Mutant and the Mouth YouTube channel below:
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