Top Men’s Open stars are in a rebuilding phase following the 2025 Mr. Olympia. On Nov. 22, industry experts Shawn Ray and Bob Cicherillo explained why Nick Walker should skip the 2026 Arnold Classic. In addition, they revealed whether Samson Dauda has made a mistake pursuing a 350-pound physique.
The Mr. Olympia completely shook up the top of the Men’s Open division. Although Samson Dauda entered the event as the reigning champion, he left Vegas in fourth place. After constant calls for Dauda to improve his conditioning levels, his commitment to change backfired. When he stepped onstage, the Nigerian native appeared downsized, especially his quad sweeps.
Walker’s night did not go according to plan either. He mistimed his peak and dropped to sixth place despite his status as a frontrunner ahead of the contest. Since that night, he fired his coach, Kyle Wilkes, and has decided to navigate his career solo. Moving forward, Ray and Cicherillo discussed what lies ahead for both Open contenders.
Bob Cicherillo, Shawn Ray Discuss What’s Next for Walker and Dauda
In the video, Ray called Dauda’s mission to reach 350 pounds a recipe for disaster.
“He figures the answer to the solution is getting bigger and he’s aiming at 350 pounds bro, what do you make out of that?” asks Cicherillo.
“It’s a recipe for disaster if he plans on showing up in Ohio because he just will not give his body enough time to rest and recover. Is he trying to put on this extra weight and compete in Ohio?” asks Ray.
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He specified that if Dauda wants to grow to 350 pounds, then he won’t be competing at the 2026 Arnold Classic.
“If he is intent on going to 350 pounds, he figures he’s got to put on more mass, a mistake in my book, but we’ll get into that later. Then, he is certainly not going into the Arnold, because you’re not going to go up to 350 and come down in another month or two; it would be a disaster. I’m going to speculate and say he is now going to focus on the Olympia. Let’s just go with that for now.”
“Bigger is never better,” adds Cicherillo. “I think it’s a mistake.”
As for Walker, Ray advised him to sit out and use the time to correct the mistakes that cost him at the Olympia.
“My decades of experience tell me he should shut it down for health reasons. This is not a healthy sport. It’s a dangerous game that he’s playing at the highest stakes because it’s the biggest prize in bodybuilding history.”
“If you’re going to go all out and roll the dice, commit to it now. So, committing to it now means he’s staying on the diet, he’s staying laser-focused, he’s trying to correct the mistakes. If he does that for the next several months, he does put himself in the hunt and the conversation.”
Ray warned that if Walker competes at the Arnold Classic, his chances at the 2026 Olympia plummet. He went as far as to suggest “The Mutant” would finish in 10th place.
“It’s everything or nothing because after the Arnold Classic, his receptors are going to be shot, and he can forget about the Olympia coming up in 2026. I’d write him off.
He wouldn’t even be in the conversation. You predicted eighth last year, I predict he might be 10th in 2026, if he does the Arnold Classic this year.”
Other bodybuilding veterans have been honest about Walker’s current position in the Men’s Open. Former 1983 Mr. Olympia winner Samir Bannout described his issues as ‘fixable.’ He believes that with proper training and nutrition, Walker can streamline his waist to present a more balanced physique.
The 2026 Arnold Classic competitors list will be out soon. Ray and Cicherillo argue it’d be more advantageous for Walker and Dauda to skip the prestigious event this time around.
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