The Mutant could’ve competed anywhere after his outing at the 2026 Arnold Classic. Although he didn’t win the contest he looked absolutely phenomenal. He was backed by his good friend Guy Cisternino, who although was not his coach officially might as well have been because everybody believed that Guy helped him get to the best condition of his entire career. Maybe even better than when he was with Matt. The 2026 Arnold Classic was a defining moment for Nick Walker and that is why I say it doesn’t really matter where he would have competed afterwards. It’s because he more than likely would have prevailed against anyone. But there’s a reason why I believe he chose Tampa. I think that last year at Pittsburgh it was heartbreaking for him. Nick Walker is a very emotional guy. Actually I would say he’s more emotional than most competitors. And that’s both good and bad. It’s good in the sense that it makes him really appreciate the stage. It makes him really take any contest that he enters seriously. You will never see Nick Walker totally off or looking sloppy because of that respect. I attribute that respect to him being emotional. Being emotional does not mean you’re crazy. Being emotional means that you are led largely by your heart. That’s not a bad thing in my humble estimation. Where it can be a bad thing is when being emotional can be a detriment, is when your heart makes decisions that are not rational. There you can have a problem. I’m going to say something and I’m going to be very clear about it. Nick Walker competing in Tampa is about a lot more than just qualifying for the Mr Olympia.  I think we can see his emotions in his desire to do this particular competition.

For starters, Tim Gardner puts on one hell of a production. People come from all over the world to compete in the Tampa Bay Area because of his guidance and his vision. Tim has always been a pioneer and a leader amongst promoters. This is why he gets mobbed wherever he goes by screaming fans. Everybody wants to talk to the guy, give him a high five, or ask him for his autograph. He’s almost like a celebrity promoter at this point. And the reason why is because he loves the sport of bodybuilding. He has a close connection to Jake Wood, the owner of the Olympia, but he also has a very very good relationship with Pittsburgh. As a result of that political connectedness that he has and as a result of the allegiance that so many fans have to his contests, this is why he is able to put on world-class productions. Nick Walker is entering one of the best shows in professional bodybuilding but he’s not doing it because of the light show, he’s not doing it because of the promotions, he’s not even doing it because of the prize money, either. He’s doing it because Tampa is Derek’s backyard. Again he’s doing this with emotion. But why does he care so much about Derek? It wasn’t Derek that beat him in Columbus earlier this year, that was Andrew Jacked. So what is the obsession with Derek?

Well, to answer that question you have to understand what has been going on in the sport. Last year Nick Walker was supposed to win in Pittsburgh. He was supposed to be the man. This was the first time that the president’s show was offering pro bodybuilding. Derek didn’t seem to have any interest. It really seemed like the Pittsburgh Pro was Nick’s contest to lose. And then all of a sudden, Lunsford appeared and denied Nick Walker the win. It wasn’t bad enough that Derek had a Sandow to his name and he had none, but then on top of that Derek came into the show to essentially rain on his parade. He had already won the Arnold Classic so what did he need to do with Pittsburgh? Well what he needed to do with Pittsburgh was totally crush Nick Walker. And that is because Nick Walker has a tendency to run his mouth and while running his mouth he made comments suggesting he was going to be Derek at the Olympia. So instead of waiting until the Olympia, Derek just went to Pittsburgh and kicked his ass there.

This year, Nick is not going to be able to battle with Derek anywhere because he’s doing the smart thing in preserving himself for the Olympia. He lost the title once before and he doesn’t want to lose it again. So the next best thing for Nick in my humble estimation is to go to Derek’s hometown and defeat everybody, creating a tremendous amount of curiosity for whether or not Nick could repeat it in Las Vegas. This is why I think Nick did not choose to potentially win his fourth New York Pro or go back to Pittsburgh where Derek would not be present. The reason why he wants to win Tampa is because his heart, his emotions, have gotten the best of him.

That being said, competing in Tampa also presents quite a gamble. For starters it’s a contest very close to the Olympia, so the fact that Nick is bringing his best to a show this close to the biggest show in bodybuilding is problematic. Is he going to be able to do it again when it really counts? Aside from that, is the fact that if he doesn’t win for whatever reason is he going to be able to qualify elsewhere? And is he even going to want to? Because although emotions are the reason why he’s doing Tampa, emotions could also be the reason that he gives up if he doesn’t win. Imagine him taking second place in Columbus and then second place in Tampa, a much lesser stage. Then what? is he going to go to Texas? Or would he just give up? I mean nobody is even contemplating the sheer possibility that Nick could lose Tampa, but it is a possibility. It may not be a likely possibility but it is a possibility. And as you read this article it is the day of the 2026 Tampa Pro.

As far as I’m concerned, if you’re a top six Olympian and you want to play this game, you want to go out and compete. I have no problem with that, but do it after you have a qualification. I think that Nick waited far too long. Now granted, if he had his druthers he would have won in Columbus and that would have been it. But that didn’t happen. I just hope that he is able to win in Tampa – otherwise that may be the end of the line for 2026. And what about James Hollingshead? What about guys like Jo Palacios? Or Charles Griffin? These guys are not going to Tampa just for the heck of it. They want to go to the Olympia just as badly as the next man. And if they bring their A Game who’s to say they can’t beat Nick Walker if he’s even slightly off.

I mean people are getting downright livid at the mere suggestion that Nick could lose. But even the greatest bodybuilders with the greatest physiques on the planet, have lost if they’re off. I don’t wish it on Nick, but it is a possibility. I would say that he will more than likely win but how he wins is another story. If he wins by the skin of his teeth, it’s almost like a bit of a letdown especially if Derek’s in the audience watching. You know Lunsford is just going to be smiling from ear to ear and playing the major psych out on Nick. The only way this works out is if Nick Walker takes the stage in commanding fashion and dominates the competition from beginning to end. Anything short of that could cause a reaction with those emotions of his. And it may not be pretty.

What do you think is going to happen in Tampa? I’m going to say The Mutant will probably win. I’m not going to say what Nick Miller says on his videos (that he has a 90% chance of winning), but I will say that he will probably win. I will be curious to see how he wins, though, and I will also be curious to see what he’s able to do from Tampa to Las Vegas.

As always I hope you enjoyed reading my article, here, at IronMag. I look forward to reading your feedback in the comments. Please be sure to copy and paste a link to this article on all your social media feeds. It is bound to generate lively conversation.

Author Bio:

Christian I. Duque is the owner of StrengthAddicts.com, a physique and strength website founded in 2008. He has worked for a number of bodybuilding websites, including RX Muscle and Muscular Development. Christian has written nearly 1,000 published articles for IronMag Blog, as well as articles for StrengthAddicts, RX Muscle, and others. By day, he is also a licensed attorney practicing in the areas of family law, immigration, and criminal defense.