The 2026 Mr. Olympia saw heartbreak and dreams come true in Las Vegas, Nevada. In a September 30 video, judge Terrick El Guindy recapped the event and broke down the poses that helped turn Nick Walker into the new champion.
Heading into this year’s ‘Super Bowl of Bodybuilding,’ Walker was largely counted out. His drop to sixth place at the 2025 Mr. Olympia soured fans and bodybuilding veterans about his future chances. Despite the doubts, “The Mutant” bounced back with an impressive silver medal finish at the 2026 Arnold Classic.
From there, he mapped out his next contest. With a new coach in his corner, Walker dominated the 2026 Tampa Pro and earned his Olympia qualification. For months, the bodybuilding community was adamant that he couldn’t win the Sandow unless his rivals missed the mark. That turned out to be completely false. Walker beat an improved Derek Lunsford and Samson Dauda to make history. With time to digest the outcome, El Guindy explained how his stage presence was key to victory.
Terrick El Guindy on Nick Walker’s Best Poses at the 2026 Mr. Olympia
In the video, El Guindy noted that Walker improved his width and thickness to pick up the biggest win of his career.
“The Mr. Olympia is Nick Walker. Yes, he did it. Nick Walker has won the biggest bodybuilding show in the world. His name is now in the history of our sport. Nick Walker has done it. Yes, physically, he has the most amazing arms. The biceps, the triceps, when you look at his back double biceps, which was dominated by Derek Lunsford in previous years, Nick Walker developed thickness, detail, and width.”
He argued that the sport has not seen a back double biceps pose like his, suggesting that even past Mr. Olympias with dynasties lacked his level of detail:
“I think from the lower half in the hamstrings from the back double biceps, we haven’t seen anything like it in years. I don’t even think some of the Mr. Olympias in the past that have had dynasties have had the hamstrings that he has and the thickness on the lower half on the back double biceps and the back lat spread.”
El Guindy also spoke on Walker’s powerful side poses, along with his abdominals and thigh shot.
“He is good at bodybuilding. He wins the side chest; he wins the side triceps. How about the abdominals and thighs? Everybody is talking about lines and shape. He might have one of the smallest waists if you just measure it. Yes, when he hits the abdominals and thighs, there’s that thickness, but the waist itself is small.”
Having faced doubts for years, El Guindy praised him for proving everyone wrong.
“Why is Nick Walker different? Because never in the history of our sport have we had one competitor with so many doubters. Everybody, experts, fans, other competitors, they said you will never do it. You can never win the Mr. Olympia. Nick Walker doesn’t have the tools to win. People need to be off for Nick Walker to win the event. Nick Walker has proven everybody wrong,” said Terrick El Guindy.
Though some Mr. Olympias opt to take time off after making history, that won’t be the case for Nick Walker. In a post-event interview, he said that he plans to compete at the upcoming 2027 Arnold Classic, scheduled for March 4-7 in Columbus, Ohio. Should he earn the victory, he’d become a two-time Arnold Classic champ.
The future looks bright for Nick Walker. Fans look forward to seeing the reigning Mr. Olympia step onstage in just a few months.
