Men’s Open bodybuilder Nick Walker is on track to compete at the Mr. Olympia for the first time in over two years. In a recent Instagram post shared on September 5, 2025, he broke down his top five picks for the prestigious contest.
Heading into 2025, doubts about Walker’s chances of redemption were brewing. Despite that, he made a statement in his return at the Pittsburgh Pro. Though he didn’t win the event, he pushed Derek Lunsford in a sudden-death tie-breaker round, proving he was more than capable of holding his own against the best.
Walker rerouted his Olympia qualification plan as a result. A week later, he won a third title at the 2025 New York Pro. The victory gave him and his coach, Kyle Wilkes, months to prepare for his Olympia comeback. Hitting the scales at 286 pounds, he’s expected to bring his biggest and freakiest look ever in just five weeks.
Nick Walker’s Top 5 Picks for 2025 Mr. Olympia
Find his picks from the Instagram reel below:
- Winner — Nick Walker
- Second Place — Samson Dauda
- Third Place — Hadi Choopan
- Fourth Place — Derek Lunsford
- Fifth Place — Martin Fitzwater
Even with Lunsford’s big win over Dauda at the 2025 Arnold Classic, Walker’s not convinced; he has the former two-division Mr. Olympia taking fourth place. As for the top three, he sees himself finally winning the Sandow, with Dauda and Choopan securing positions on the podium.
Bodybuilding veterans have been laying out their opinions for the biggest event of the year. Lee Priest hasn’t given official predictions, though he has labeled four frontrunners, which include Dauda, Lunsford, Choopan, and Walker.
Former 1983 Olympia winner Samir Bannout also followed suit, offering his own picks. He pegged Dauda, Choopan, and Lunsford as his major favorites. He and Bob Cicherillo also cautioned that if Dauda brings a new level of condition, like he displayed during a guest posing in Romania, shorter athletes such as Choopan, Walker, and Lunsford could be overlooked.
Open legend Jay Cutler joined the discussions as well. He stressed how challenging it is for Mr. Olympia winners to leave the sport on top. As for his picks, he named Lunsford, Choopan, Dauda, and Walker as the top names likely to shake up the event.
This will be Walker’s first Mr. Olympia contest since 2022, where he claimed third place. Fans look forward to seeing him back in action this October 9-12 in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he’ll have another chance to etch his name into the Sandow trophy.
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