Just three weeks ahead of a crucial event like Tampa Pro, it's only natural that trash talk among rivals reaches fever pitch. But for Charles Griffen, the stage is more a playground than a battlefield.

The 5'9" bodybuilder believes the competition will go down to the wire against Nick Walker. Yet, he has confirmed that there are no hard feelings between the bodybuilders.

In a recent interview with Beyond The Stage TV, when asked whether he had a message to share with Walker, Griffen didn't hesitate to clear the air.

"It's nothing but love, man, I swear. I wish I could talk s*** about Nick, I wish," Griffen said in a clip from the podcast shared on Instagram, before he threw light on the genuine connection between the rivals built on mutual respect.

"When I was going through my s***, I disappeared, Nick is the only pro that reached out to me, (saying), 'You good bro?'"

That simple, yet thoughtful gesture was not lost on Griffen, who quipped,

"When that happens, me and Nick walk into the stage, it's all love. Let's do the thing."

That said, what are the experts' opinions on Tampa Pro 2026?

Nick Walker has a clear coast, experts say

Men's Open beast, Charles Griffen, known for his massive back, is an imposing name in the event. However, Nick Walker, having secured second place in the Arnold Classic this year in starring fashion, will be a favorite to win the title in Florida.

In fact, in the latest Voice of Bodybuilding episode, veteran bodybuilders Shawn Ray and Bob Cicherillo argued that sweeping the stage should be no challenge for 'The Mutant', especially given his conditioned, tight waist.

"It looks like he’s been maintaining pretty damn good conditioning, and that’s the best thing a guy like Nick can do because it will keep that waist as small as he can possibly keep it," Bob Cicherillo said.

Ray agreed with that sentiment: "On paper, these guys shouldn’t be able to stand next to him. It shouldn’t be close. He should win this running away."

Still, some issues need to be addressed before the contest scheduled for July 30-August 1, including his blockiness and lack of quad sweeps, as Cicherillo pointed out.

Yet, not only Ray and Cicherillo but also Chris Cormier favor Walker for the Tampa Pro title, making his case stronger. Can Nick Walker outclass the stage once again before the 2026 Mr. Olympia?

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Written by

Proma Chatterjee

Edited by

Yash Kotak