After placing 6th at the Mr. Olympia 2025, Nick Walker is training to compete. And Derek Lunsford had a prediction for “The Mutant” on the Menace Podcast.

When the reigning Mr. Olympia was asked if he “sees Nick possibly winning the Arnold?”, he said, “If the other guys are off, yeah, he could win….Nick has to bring his Pittsburgh look and those other guys have to be a little bit off, I think.”

Earlier this year, Derek Lunsford didn't have an easy time winning the Pittsburgh Pro. He was tied with Nick Waller on the scorecards, leading to a tie-breaker round. As long-time veterans noted at the time, Waller was a fan favorite.

But he won't have it easy though at the Arnold. In the same podcast, Lunsford added, “I’m looking at probably Hadi because I see him being the most complete of them all. But then you have Andrew, who has been a fav favorite since the Olympia. Those are the two I see in the top two”.

The Arnold Classic 2026 will be an exciting event featuring elite bodybuilders such as Nick Walker, Hadi Choopan, and Andrew Jacked. The winner not only gets a confidence boost for the upcoming Mr. Olympia but also receives a $750,000 prize.

Derek Lunsford’s plan for the future competitions

In the podcast, Derek Lunsford revealed that he could participate in other bodybuilding competitions, like the Arnold Classic, in the future, outside of Mr. Olympia.

He said, “I’ll probably guest pose at the Pittsburgh Pro and then compete in the Olympia. However, I really enjoyed doing the Arnold Classic this past year, and I could foresee myself doing that show again in the future. Who knows? I don’t know what 2027 is going to bring, but I can see myself doing more than just the Olympia in the future”.

He also revealed his plan to secure another Mr. Olympia title. “Definitely focusing on the areas like Milos mentioned. People have been talking about arms, chest for the last couple of years. I’ve been improving them year to year. So I think focusing on those areas is going to help. Getting that muscle maturity, that density, and getting better mind-muscle connection”.

So, who do you think has the scope to win the $750,000 from the Arnold Classic in 2026?

Written by

Supradeep Dutta

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar