Lee Priest recently took to YouTube to harshly comment on the current state of professional bodybuilding in 2026. Not only did he suggest moving the popular Classic Physique division to the amateurs, but he also questioned the future plans of one of the biggest stars of the moment, Nick Walker.
Arnold Classic 2026 shuffled the cards
This year’s Arnold Classic brought a huge surprise to the Men’s Open category. Although Hadi Choopan was considered the main favourite, he only finished third. The final turned into a battle of monsters – Nick Walker and Chinedu Andrew “Jacked” Obiekey. Andrew Jacked made history when he won by just five points and took home a cheque for $750,000.
Although Nick Walker took “only” silver, he left Columbus feeling like a winner. Fans immediately began speculating about his next steps, but Walker himself made it clear that he was in no hurry. That got Lee Priest thinking about what’s next for the Open star.
Abolish Professional Classic Physique and 212, says Priest
In his video, Priest first called for the Classic Physique and under 212 pound divisions to move exclusively to the amateur level. He said the professional “premier league” should be reserved for only the best in the Men’s Open category.
“I’ve said before that it’s time to get rid of Classic and 212. Let’s go back to one single category so that only the absolute cream of the crop get to the top,” Priest said. “I think it’s time to leave the Classic and 212 in the amateur divisions. But once you get your pro card and go to the big leagues, there should be just one category again.”
Walker’s form and the mistake that cost him the win
Priest acknowledged that Walker could have easily won this year’s Arnold Classic had he controlled his mid-body better.
“He was probably one of the best Nicks we’ve ever seen. Well, except for the moments when he relaxed his stomach on the podium. When he kept it braced it looked great, but during transitions or walking on stage he just didn’t control it. If he could have controlled that, he probably would have won the Arnold,” Priest assessed.
Priest was also critical of Walker’s decision not to race at the upcoming Detroit Pro, which could have given him an early qualification for Olympia and plenty of time to prepare. That way, Priest said Walker will have to do some other competition, ideally as close to the Olympia date as possible.
Will Nick Walker skip Mr. Olympia 2026?
When the question was raised as to whether Walker might skip this year’s Olympia altogether, Priest called it a real possibility.
“Yeah, I think so. Olympia is still Olympia, but a lot of people say it doesn’t have the prestige it did in the Weider days. Now it’s just ‘the next big competition’. A lot of the prestige and mystique has gone away, so the Arnold Classic is on the same level now,” he explained his perspective.
Priest isn’t the only one commenting on Walker’s future. Head judge Steve Weinberger recently pointed out that if Walker wants to succeed on the Mr. Olympia stage, he needs to work on his posing and add volume to the front of his thighs.
Only time will tell if we will see Nick Walker on the Mr. Olympia 2026 stage. The most famous bodybuilding event of the year is scheduled for September 24-27 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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