A moment of sportsmanship stood out at the 2026 Arnold Classic. Andrew Jacked, the new champion, made sure to thank one of his rivals, Nick Walker. Their mutual respect provided a sharp contrast to the heated rivalries that dominated the event.

Chinedu Andrew “Jacked” Obiekea thanked Nick Walker after he bagged the $750k record prize money, beating Nick Walker and Hadi Choopan.

Despite the bodybuilding world thriving on rivalry, 'Jacked' reminded everyone that there's a strange little brotherhood that is holding it all together.

“Nick is one of the people who pushed me to be here. I remember he told me that when I had everything in order, I would be a dominant force. That’s why I have always been on Nick’s side,” Jacked said, acknowledging the influence Walker had on his journey.

Walker quickly returned the respect, "Extremely happy for @andrewjacked probably one of the best guys within this industry and I’m extremely proud of him to see how far he’s even come!!!!!!!! More post to come so stay tuned,." Walker wrote.

However, not everyone on the stage had shared the mutual respect that Jacked and Walker showed.

, stating, "I Hate Nick Walker — I Refuse to Be Fake".

The two reportedly had several moments where the feud between them would show, and it even escalated backstage, where Fitzwater allegedly shoved Walker after the event.

The camaraderie between the ‘Mutant’ and ‘Jacked’ stood in sharp contrast to the weekend’s tensions, as Martin Fitzwater’s actions drew attention for all the wrong reasons, appearing sour not only toward Walker, but toward fans as well.

Martin Fitzwater's the Arnold Classic fallout

Martin Fitzwater, who finished in the fourth position at the Arnold Classic 2026, shook everyone's hand except Walker's. He even made some strong remarks, saying, "I refuse to be fake."

Following the result, Fitzwater turned sour toward his fans and stated that he would be inactive on social media after his loss.

The bodybuilder even reportedly asked fans to refrain from congratulating him, stating that otherwise he would block them.

Fitzwater even lost a sponsor, Elev8 Foods, which said it had parted ways following the incident. However, bodybuilding veteran Lee Priest did back him.

Yet, with the 2026 Arnold Classic behind us, those who didn't qualify for the Olympia are looking ahead at other upcoming shows.

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Written by

Proma Chatterjee

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi