Nick “The Mutant” Walker has his eyes on the prize. As an International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) rookie, Walker won the 2021 Arnold Classic and captured a fifth-place end in the 2021 Mr. Olympia. Now, the 28-year-old bodybuilder is hungry to perform so rather more.
In an Oct. 17, 2022, episode of the Real Talk With Ares podcast on YouTube, Walker hopped on the show to debate his future and goals as a bodybuilder. In the method, Walker maintained that he plans to rise to the highest of the game as an all-time great. At the identical time, he knows that he has some worthy battles ahead.
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Before he discussed what might lie ahead within the years to return, Walker described what he feels is a loaded field on the 2022 Mr. Olympia. To the athlete, it’s not only two-time reigning champion Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay that the bodybuilding sphere should control in Las Vegas, NV, on Dec. 16-18, 2022.
In reality, he thinks your entire placing of the 2021 edition of the Olympia is perhaps due for a shake-up.
“That is the Olympia of all Olympias immediately,” Walker explained. “I’ll inform you this, as confident as I’m, I’ll all the time be confident, but this just isn’t going to be easy for anyone. That’s just reality here. I don’t think anyone’s placing from last 12 months is protected for this 12 months. After all, we now have the heavy hitters, but you furthermore mght have some dark knights that may rise and shock the world.”
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Naturally, Walker outlined, intimately, who he thinks will be “dark knights” in Las Vegas this December. Considered one of them is the 212 Olympia champion from 2021 in Derek Lunsford — who recently made the official transition to the Men’s Open division. Though, Walker also seems to understand the skills of Samson Dauda, Hunter Labrada, and Hadi Choopan.
“Now, I see Derek [Lunsford] day by day just about,” Walker began. “Let me inform you something. If that dude nails it, nobody is protected. You will have Samson [Dauda], he nails it, and nobody is protected. You bought Hunter [Labrada], who’s looking mighty large. You bought Hadi [Choopan], after all.
Walker would save his final praise for the top-two finishers from 2021, two titans/champions of bodybuilding — Elssbiay and Brandon Curry.
“[There’s] Brandon [Curry]; we don’t know what to anticipate from him, but Brandon is all the time Brandon, right?” Walker exclaims. “Then Ramy [Elssbiay], who looks like he’s already got the cheekbones popping. He’s able to go. That is going to be one in every of those Olympias where you may have to be [expletive] peeled and prepared and full. That is that show where they are saying, ‘You’re not going to nail your peak every show.’ Well, that is one you bought to nail. That is the one.”
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As for his personal future, Walker is aiming high. Few bodybuilders have enjoyed such stellar debut seasons as Walker. After forgoing a defense of his title on the 2022 Arnold Classic to focus exclusively on December’s Olympia, it seems Walker is treating that initial flourish like a primary step.
Depending on how he fares on the 2022 Olympia, the athlete even alludes to a reality where he could attempt to stack more Arnold Classic titles again.
“I didn’t compete all 12 months last 12 months … that did take a big toll,” Walker said. “But now that I’m only doing one show, like I said, I’ll see how I feel. If I do rather well on the [2022] Olympia, and I’m running off a high, I’ll go do the Arnold [in 2023]. If things don’t go the way in which I planned and I’m just not in it, I’m going to take a break. It’s all going to depend upon how I feel.”
Walker seems to know a rare position he’s in. He’s limiting his variety of competitions per 12 months for one good reason — he’s attempting to construct a long-lasting legacy on the back of bodybuilding’s most prestigious events.
“… I need to win as many Arnolds and Olympias as I can. At this point in my profession, I don’t need to compete all 12 months long. I need to do the highest two big shows … Then, once I’m able to call it for my profession, I’m ready. But I need to do it on my terms. If I win one Olympia and two Arnolds, that’s going to be remembered perpetually.”
Featured image: @nick_walker39 on Instagram