All eyes are on Nick Walker after his dominant Tampa Pro victory. In an August 5 YouTube video, head judge Steve Weinberger called Nick Walker a top-five threat at the 2026 Mr. Olympia.
“I was very impressed with Nick’s actual overall shape. I think he has improved on his waist. His shape looked the best it’s ever looked.”
Nick Walker had questions to answer after a disappointing end to his 2025 season. He fell to sixth place at the Mr. Olympia after mistiming his peak. The setback spurred real changes in his camp. Walker fired Kyle Wilkes and prepared for the 2026 Arnold Classic without a coach.
The risky decision paid off; Walker presented one of his hardest and most complete packages to date. Ultimately, he took second place behind Andrew Jacked, but beat Hadi Choopan for the first time in his career. After earning his qualification in Florida, “The Mutant” has the bodybuilding world discussing his chances in Vegas.
Steve Weinberger Praises Nick Walker’s Improvements, Says He Needs to Be Fuller at 2026 Mr. Olympia
During the interview, Weinberger emphasized that Walker can still improve his chest detail and back hardness.
“I felt he could have been a little harder in the chest and a little harder in the back. He might have been a little flat, worrying about his shape. If he can find that happy medium, he’s going to be someone to deal with.”
“He needs to be a little bit fuller.”
He added that Walker controlled his midsection ‘beautifully’ in Tampa, improving on one of his biggest weaknesses.
“He held it in beautifully. That midsection stayed in and it was really very well controlled,” explained Steve Weinberger. “What we saw maybe a just a little bit harder in the back and the chest. A little more striations in the chest and a little more depth in his back.”
According to Weinberger, Walker is in contention to fight for a top-five spot at the 2026 Mr. Olympia. He believes his back double biceps and side chest are among his strongest poses:
“I feel it does, yes. I feel he will be fighting in that top five spot, for sure,” he said. “I think he’s got a really good side chest. He’s got a really good back double biceps. He’s got a good front double biceps, but I think his side chest and back double biceps are awesome. His side tricep is excellent too.”
Some bodybuilding veterans believe Walker has the tools to dethrone Derek Lunsford. King Kamali suggested that Lunsford and Choopan are ‘scared as shit’ following Walker’s Tampa Pro win. However, he stressed that Walker might struggle against bigger contenders like Jacked and Samson Dauda.
Time will tell if Walker can finally nail down the one bodybuilding title that’s eluded his grasp. The 2026 Mr. Olympia will take over Sin City from September 24-27. Fitness Volt will have comprehensive previews and live coverage of the action.
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