Can Nick Walker win the 2026 Arnold Basic?
In Episode 265 of The Menace Podcast, host Dennis James and his common visitors Milos Sarcev and Jose Raymond mentioned Nick Walker’s probabilities of attaining an upset and successful the 2026 Arnold Basic in March. And, regardless of Walker’s disappointing finish to 2025, the brand new yr is right here for the taking agreed the panel, however he would possibly want to look at his weight.
Nick Walker’s skilled bodybuilding story has definitely had its ups and downs. The person they name “The Mutant” gained the Arnold again in 2021 however has since constructed up a historical past of skipping competitions. Nonetheless, he made an impactful return to the stage in 2025 with an superior displaying on the Pittsburgh Professional, lacking Olympia qualification on the slimmest of margins because of Derek Lunsford. However whilst runner-up, Walker’s physique was a lot improved and he earned Mr Olympia qualification shortly after, taking a file third victory throughout Might’s New York Professional. Regardless of this monstrous momentum, Walker solely managed sixth place on the 2025 Mr. Olympia in Las Vegas, nevertheless, and has famous that he did not get his peak on level in Sin Metropolis. With The Mutant now readying for the 2026 Arnold in March, the Menace Podcast panel felt that there might but be extra highs to return within the story of Nick Walker.
How Can Nick Walker win the 2026 Arnold Basic?
Throughout the present, Dennis James identified that whereas Walker is wanting nice on Instagram and feeding his followers with spectacular content material, the proof will actually come when Walker steps onto the stage. “I nonetheless imagine that Nick Walker has a shot at successful the Arnold,” mentioned the host. Milos Sarcev and Jose Raymond agreed with the statement as James continued. “If anyone is off, and Nick Walker is on, I nonetheless imagine he can win The Arnold.”
A few of these different rivals that can have to be “off” on the night time embrace Hadi Choopan, who gained the 2024 Arnold Basic in each the U.S. and the U.Okay., and Martin Fitzwater who gained the Prague Professional in October.
So, what does Walker must do, to impress the judges? “If he’s beneath 250 (kilos), peeled, like he was at The Arnold (in 2021), I believe he can win the Arnold,” James defined. “It doesn’t matter if (the opposite rivals) are ‘on’ or not.”
Jose Raymond advised his friends that he had heard Walker was nearer to 270 kilos throughout his disappointing Mr. Olympia efficiency. “He can carry the scale, however the abdomen, the management isn’t there,” added Dennis James. Milos Sarcev then noticed that the variety of judges comparisons and the size of time that Walker should keep conditioned on stage might be one other key issue that might decide Walker’s remaining place. If The Mutant can take this suggestions and switch it right into a constructive, the large man might conceivably punish his opponents in Columbus, OH, come March.
To observe the complete present, the place the gang additionally mentioned the observe of posing and different topical bodybuilding information, see under:
