Nick Walker bounced back in a major way at the 2026 Arnold Classic. On March 8, he reflected on finishing in second place and congratulated Chinedu Andrew ‘Jacked’ Obiekea on the biggest victory of his career.
Despite being counted out by practically the entire bodybuilding community, Walker didn’t let outside noise affect his performance. He brought a significantly improved physique from the Mr. Olympia, with many taking notice of his lights-out back double biceps pose. Walker’s legs, specifically his hamstrings, were by far the best of the show, which was surprising considering he tore his hamstring before the 2023 Mr. Olympia.
Walker battled with Jacked and Hadi Choopan in the final callout and nearly secured his second Arnold Classic title. He lost to Jacked by five points on the official scorecards, but left Columbus, Ohio, with his head held high. Check out his official statement following his silver medal finish at the 2026 Arnold Classic below:
Nick Walker Takes 2nd Place 2026 Arnold Classic Finish In Stride, Andrew Jacked Extends His Respect
In the post, Walker stressed that runner-up wasn’t the placement he wanted, but he was extremely proud of the look he presented onstage.
“Didn’t get the outcome I wanted, but got so much more than that, finally put a look on a stage that I can honestly say I’m extremely proud of and happy with and that for me is a win in itself, thank you to everyone that has shown me nothing but love and support throughout this entire week and this prep.”
He said the Arnold Classic title went to ‘one of the best guys in the industry,’ and he was happy to see how far Jacked has come in the Men’s Open.
“Extremely happy for @andrewjacked probably one of the best guys within this industry and I’m extremely proud of him to see how far he’s even come!!!!!!!! More post to come so stay tuned,” Walker said.
Jacked paid Walker respect for their memorable battle in Ohio.
“Always a pleasure sharing the stage with you bro, you told me to get my shit together and I’ve been working onnit Only Real Bros pushes their broskis positively ✊🏾#respect looking forward to another dance on stage again #blessings The Mutant ✊🏾✊🏾🫡🫡🫡” Andrew Jacked shared.
Since Walker was unable to win the Arnold Classic, he is now tasked with qualifying for the 2026 Mr. Olympia, set for Sept. 24-27 in Las Vegas, Nevada. As of this writing, it’s unclear if he’ll consider rematching Jacked at the upcoming Arnold Classic UK.
After his latest performance, Walker restored the momentum he lost at the Mr. Olympia. Should he announce his next bodybuilding contest, Fitness Volt will have the story.
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