The 2026 Mr. Olympia is almost here, and reigning champion Derek Lunsford has set his sights on top challenger Andrew Jacked. Jacked enters Las Vegas off a career-best season, but Lunsford believes he's found a flaw in his rival's game, one he thinks could decide who leaves with the Sandow. 

Back in May, Lunsford and Jacked found themselves in a heated battle during the Olympia Battle event. The argument started after Lunsford had questioned Jacked’s decision to skip legs in favor of shoulders. 

However, this back-and-forth revealed something deeper about Jacked for Lunsford. The reigning Mr. Olympia recently made an appearance on Olympia TV, where he gave his honest assessment about his rival.  

"For me, it let me see the real mentality of who he is as a competitor," Lunsford told Olympia TV as reported by Generation Iron. "As a person, I’m not gonna judge, but as a competitor, I saw weakness, for sure."

But Derek Lunsford did not stop at that. He went on to point out that Jacked’s reluctance to follow his lead was a lack of effort. 

"I just felt like it was total disrespect, and it was a lack of effort. There’s a softness of a mentality that I got to witness firsthand right there."

The comments add another layer to an already closely watched rivalry. Jacked enters 2026 off a career-best season, having won both the Arnold Classic and Arnold Classic UK. 

Lunsford, meanwhile, defends the Sandow he reclaimed in 2025. Whether the training-room friction carries any weight on stage remains to be seen, but Derek Lunsford clearly hasn't stopped thinking about it.

Andrew Jacked vows to flip the script in Vegas 

The exchange adds another layer to a rivalry that's been brewing all season. Jacked didn't simply absorb Lunsford's trash talk from the event in May. He fired back with a warning that their history was about to change once they finally met on stage. 

Lunsford enters Las Vegas as the reigning Mr. Olympia, defending his Sandow against a loaded Men's Open field. Olympia organizers themselves have flagged Jacked, alongside Samson Dauda and Nick Walker, as among the biggest threats to his title. 

After Lunsford questioned Jacked for not doing leg exercises, Jacked did not hold back in his response. In the clip uploaded by Olympia TV of the event, Jacked did not hold back in his response. 

"He might be 5-0, but there will be a flip of the script this time around. Definitely will stop at 5-0."  Jacked said via Olympia TV, as reported by Generation Iron in May.

With prejudging Friday, September 25, and the champion crowned Saturday, September 26, this rivalry looks set to carry real weight once the two finally share the stage. 

Written by

Chionia Libania Colaco