Heads are still spinning after the crazy results of the 2025 Pittsburgh Pro. On May 11, 2025, bodybuilding legend Phil Heath discussed the show’s aftermath. He explained that after a tough decision, the judges favored the aesthetics and shape of Derek Lunsford over the freak factor and conditioning of Nick Walker.
The Pittsburgh Pro was easily one of the most stacked Open contests of the 2025 bodybuilding season. After missing out on the last two Mr. Olympias, Nick Walker was out for redemption and delivered an all-time best package.
The event was incredibly close, with the scorecards dead even. In the overtime confirmation round, Lunsford got the victory over Walker. He became the first Open Pittsburgh Pro champion and claimed a $100,000 prize. The competition was filled with memorable moments, prompting Heath to do some post-show analysis.
Phil Heath Reveals Whether Nick Walker Got ‘Robbed’ at the 2025 Pittsburgh Pro, Says He Didn’t Fade Against Derek Lunsford
In the recent YouTube video, Heath revealed that he had Walker beating Lunsford in a few poses. He shared that Lunsford wasn’t able to replicate the near-flawless physique he brought to the Arnold Classic.
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“They both came out very, very impressive. When they were actually going head-on, I had Nick beating Derek in some shots. Derek was not the same Derek that we saw previously at the Arnold Classic this year, but he was able to recover toward the end of prejudging.”
“It really is a toss-up because you had the strengths of Derek. He’s a little bit shorter. He’s very wide from the back double biceps and the back lat spread. He’s actually very full and crisp.”
He mentioned that Walker managed to significantly improve his abs and thigh shot and controlled his stomach throughout posing transitions.
“Then you have Nick, who was able to keep his stomach in check even during the abs and thighs pose, which in my opinion, was much improved. He had that v-taper we haven’t seen in quite some time.”
“They both presented a ton, and going into the night show. I was not prepared for any of this. I thought they were going to come out and do their routines and do the confirmation rounds. But they switched it,” explained Heath.
Heath thought Lunsford made up ground from the prejudging into the finals, which led to him getting the nod from the judges.
“I felt like Derek recovered obviously enough for the judges to give him the nod. It was so freakin close. I was thinking, they are going to judge the posing routine which they normally don’t do, then I thought they’d have to judge the freakin pose down which they normally don’t do. They usually have a clear-cut winner.”
“Derek’s improvement from the morning to that night was probably the deciding factor, along with that sudden death,” he shared. “In that overtime, in that extra frame, I felt like Derek did improve for himself enough, while Nick, he didn’t fade. He actually held on. Either you go with freaky size and conditioning or more polished and a different aesthetic look with Derek.”
Heath could see the pain on Walker’s face and said even the best athletes in the world feel like they have been robbed of victories at times.
“I can see the devastation, I could see the pain, I could see a person that just gave everything he had and just felt like he got robbed.
We all have felt that. You’re going to feel like you got robbed sometimes, but that just means there’s an opportunity to see how bad you want that bigger title.”
While it wasn’t the result Walker was hoping for, the setback hasn’t halted his Olympia ambitions. A day after competing in Pittsburgh, Walker confirmed his entry for the upcoming 2025 New York Pro, set for May 17 in Teaneck, New Jersey.
Fans are expecting another big performance from Walker on the horizon. The 2024 New York Pro goes down in less than one week, giving Walker a little time to bring an even better physique.
RELATED: Coach Hany Rambod Critiques and Rates Nick Walker’s Physique, Offers Advice to Improve
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