Discussions around bodybuilder Nick Walker are heating up for the 2026 bodybuilding season. In a YouTube video from June 8, 2026, Chris Aceto questioned Walker’s decision to hire a new coach and stressed that the upcoming Tampa Pro won’t be an easy win.
After mistiming his peak and finishing sixth at the 2025 Mr. Olympia, Walker’s stock was at an all-time low. He parted ways with his ex-coach, Kyle Wilkes, and prepared for the Arnold Classic on his own. The decision paid off, and Walker claimed silver against an all-time best Chinedu Andrew ‘Jacked’ Obiekea in Ohio. It was a milestone moment for “The Mutant,” who celebrated his first victory over Hadi Choopan.
Walker hinted that he might take a break from competing following the performance. The Detroit Pro passed by. The New York Pro and Pittsburgh Pro came and went… yet Walker had not targeted another event. Just recently, he hired a new coach and confirmed his Tampa Pro entry. With the show approaching, Aceto opened up about Walker’s latest career moves.
Chris Aceto Questions Nick Walker’s Decision to Hire Coach, Warns 2026 Tampa Pro ‘Not a Slam Dunk’
In the video, Aceto raised questions about Walker’s decision to hire a coach, especially after showcasing a career-best look at the Arnold Classic.
“I can’t get over the idea that you’d want to even change anything, other than what you did at the Arnold.”
“So, I mean, the Arnold was Nick’s all-time best, by far. All you need to do is replicate that or you don’t even need to replicate it because you were standing next to the best Andrew Jacked ever. You were standing next to, maybe not his best, well, not his best, but a good Hadi Choopan.”
He explained that if Walker can replicate his Arnold look at the Olympia, it would be among his strongest packages:
“Even if you didn’t replicate that, even if you came within the bodybuilding guesswork of three percent of that, and on a different stage, it’s still going to translate into Nick’s all-time best because you’re not standing next to Hadi Choopan and Andrew Jacked.”
Though Aceto labeled Walker the heavy favorite, he doesn’t believe the show will be a cakewalk. Based on physique updates, Jo “The Machine” Palacios could be his toughest test onstage:
“Nick is definitely the heavy favorite, but it’s hard to go into a show and blast everyone off the stage. Maybe I’m speaking too soon. Nick is pretty damn impressive.”
“It’s not going to be a slam dunk for Nick Walker. If you want to mark my words on anything, mark those,” adds Aceto.
The 2026 Mr. Olympia qualification period began on September 15, 2025, and runs until August 30, 2026. Should Walker claim gold at the Tampa Pro from July 30 to August 1, he’d be on the verge of his fourth appearance at the prestigious contest.
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