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This is very big news!! And you guys know my position when it comes to reporting on news of this sort. I don\u2019t want to throw shade at other bodybuilding publications, but some of them are more concerned with being the first to talk about something, even if they\u2019re largely playing catch-up and find themselves retracting themselves all the time. Those platforms are often more concerned with chasing hits than getting the story right. They will often rely on clickbait and fake news to seal the deal. Please don\u2019t ever ask me to tell you what sites I\u2019m talking about. I feel like it happens more and more.<\/p>\n
ANYWAYS, Martin \u201cThe Martian\u201d Fitzwater is doing the 2026 Olympia!! And how do I know? Because it came from Martin himself in a social media video. This video is also key because it includes his good friend Brett Wilkin. We\u2019ve noticed how vocal Brett has been for Martin and the friendship is a matter of record. Martin has been through a lot, but he\u2019s bounced back each and every time. And up and comers definitely see The Martian. Let\u2019s not forget that Tonio \u201cThe Predator\u201d Burton dropped the gauntlet just days ago. Martin is very much a top competitor and it\u2019s clear that even in his somewhat short absence he continues to command interest from the competition, as well as the media.<\/p>\n
During different parts of this year, I\u2019d argue that Martin was the most talked about bodybuilder in the sport. There were entire weeks where The Martian got more attention than did Derek, Andrew, or even fan favorites like Nick Walker. The fact of the matter is you\u2019ve got guys who as much as I like them as writers, have it in for him. By this point for Ron Harris or Giles \u201cTiger\u201d Thomas to say they don\u2019t have an axe to grind with the Top 5 Olympian would almost be comical. It goes back to the Prague Pro and it\u2019s just gone south from there. Others maybe aren\u2019t so hostile to Fitzwater, but they see the potential in working with him. Why? Well because Martin has become so talked about, any mention of him on a title is going to generate hits. It\u2019s a sad state of affairs because the vast majority of times his name gets used, is to trash him. He\u2019s a guy who wears his heart on his sleeve and a guy the fans really like. That\u2019s because unlike with the other famous guy, with Martin, the fans feel like they\u2019re interacting with a friend. There\u2019s none of the arrogance with The Martian. These outlets could try to promote the guy, celebrate his accomplishments, but instead they hyperfocus on bringing him down. And that\u2019s exactly what happened after the 2026 Arnold Classic. You had all these vultures descending on a story and milking it. They didn\u2019t stop until Martin lost most of his sponsors.<\/p>\n
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