by Christian Duque
The latest physique update from Nick Walker sent shockwaves throughout the sport of bodybuilding. As you guys know, I’m not a huge supporter of The Mutant’s ulra-sensitive skin. The thought of Mr O blocking people because they’re too honest, is a throwback to the old Phil Heath that was hated by so many people. You can’t be Mr Olympia and do that. That creates drama, especially when you do that to a member of the media. In any event, putting my slight bias towards his attitude, the guy’s most recent physique updates command putting him in the conversation for Top 3.
I know that for many of you, Nick has already won the Olympia. I mean the way you guys talk about him, like he’s the messiah bodybuilding has been waiting for. C’mon, y’all are smoking crack if you actually believe that!! I wasn’t convinced the guy had a real shot at cracking the Top 5. It’s a VERY competitive year. There’s still rumors circulating that Big Ramy might come back. Brandon will be in the mix, Derek is there, Hadi is FINALLY there. You have some real talent Martin Fitzwater. The Martian is not messing around, and what’s even better, is that he remains under the radar. Another killer in the mix is William “The Conqueror” Bonac. And what about Andrew Jacked? I didn’t think Nick was a favorite for going Top 3. I’m still not predicting it, but I can see it happen. He’s really taking it next level.
The suspense was definitely growing since Nick stopped posting daily updates and promised the next time he’d be seen would be in Vegas. The fans’ anticipation has been the talk of the town. People are once again glued to the message boards, the Facebook Groups, and Reddits. Why? Because they can’t stop thinking about what Nick is going to bring. And to his credit, Nick isn’t trying to come in like someone he’s not. He’s got mass, veins (the good and the bad), thickness and can get shredded. Nick isn’t a guy who’s scared of a little pain. I give him that. He’s a disciplined dude. But he does have shortcomings. Although he may not get scored down for the varicose veins, they are unsightly. Nick also has an issue with his midsection. I don’t know what’s caused the level of distention I’ve seen, but something’s up. The Mutant downplays this. I’ve also noticed his camp playing it down. Many will rebuttal the issue by saying that it’s the product of troll photographers and media snapping shots in between poses. I mean who flexes their abs for a rear pose? The rear poses are for back shots, rear doubles, but no one should be photographing bodybuilders from the front during those poses. There’s also a level of technology out there that can present athletes in a less than accurate light. The fact of the matter is, we’re not talking about any AI weirdness or photoshop effects. Nick can look pregnant onstage. It’s not a smear job – he needs to work on this. And he may be addressing this. The update shots look exceptionally good.
The photos were clearly hand-picked, presenting their subject in the most favorable light – literally. These shots employ some pretty heavy goon lighting. The average bodybuilding fan may not be privy to this, but good lighting can be employed to really exaggerate the crispness and the shape of a bodybuilder. Lighting is key and these shots may alter the look of Walker. Most fans aren’t privy to these tricks and it’s actually better that way. Let them believe! But we know better. Bodybuilding writers and the kind of hardcore fans that read IronMag know that goon lighting can be as powerful as Photoshop. That said, Nick is still firing on all cylinders and that’s a great thing! We’re three weeks out and some guys are way behind schedule. Nick posting photos most definitely sent shockwaves throughout the competitor roster. Don’t for a second think it didn’t. And even though he’s employing some little tricks of the trade, that killer physique is his. This update was cold. It was like a mic drop. Nick Walker and whoever is in his camp, they’re on the ball. They know what they’re doing and I have to give them that. This is some serious old school psych-outs and manipulation tactics. And rest assured, guys like Samson, Martin, Hadi, and Derek as well as their people have studied these shots. How can they not? That’s part of doing your homework. I mean there’s people out there speculating Nick fell off his program. These pictures end those careers. If you’re a holdout Nick Walker hater, these photos make it difficult to keep to your position.
Could Nick Walker actually win the 2025 Mr Olympia? Well, one thing’s for sure, he’s now in the conversation. He is just now reaching a category in quality where even I’m starting to run the virtual comparisons. Nick/Samson, Nick/Martin, Nick/Hadi, and Nick/Derek. I know I keep leaving Andrew Jacked out, but I don’t see him in the Top 4. But even Nick/Andrew, all these guys are studying the guy. He also happens to be the most hyped of the Olympia competitors. That’s really what commands the promos. You want to promote an event with major draws. The hope is the major draws will sell more tickets. And you also can’t ignore the audience. When Nick and Hadi take the stage, their LOUDASS FANS will lose their minds. This is a fact. And this is part of what makes watching the Olympia, the Arnold USA, and other massive events around the world so much fun to watch. Some of these fans will get pretty PISSED. No joke!
And if Nick loses, the world is going to hear about it. He’s not just going to ride off into the sunset and go back to Tampa (or wherever the hell he lives). I’m not saying he’ll storm off the stage, destroy his 6th place medal onstage, or slap the taste out of a judge’s mouth like that lunatic did some years ago somewhere in Europe. But Nick will be all drama. He’ll do all the podcasts. And conspiracy theorists will run wild. The truth is Derek had him beat in Pittsburgh (sorry, not sorry) and that wasn’t even near his best. Derek at 100 destroys Nick at 100, but these update shots… Man! These photos have changed a lot for me. I don’t know gents, Nick Walker is growing physique-wise, mindset-wise, he’s definitely taking this Olympia prep seriously. I bet you he’s even studied his competitors body language. This is, after all, the biggest title in bodybuilding. Can you even begin to imagine how much every single pro bodybuilder wants an Olympia win? Nick is actually within reach. He can’t leave any stone unturned.
Just to reiterate, I’m not predicting Nick for Top 3, but I’m now saying that it’s definitely in the conversation. I wouldn’t consider it a bad or lame prediction. It has teeth. It has merit. I’d say it’s a pretty good prediction. My only issue is what will happen next, what will Nick look like on game day, and how is Nick going to endure the rounds if he gets moved around in such a way where he thinks he’s losing. The old wisdom that dead center = a win, is no longer accurate. Obviously being first call-outs will determine the top spots, but where these guys stand on the stage no longer really means anything. If Nick can stay sane and rational, if he can go the distance, that will definitely increase his chances.
As always, your opinion is the one that costs most. I look forward to reading your feedback in the comments. Please be sure to copy and paste a link to this article on all your social media feeds. It’s bound to generate some lively conversation.