Nick Walker Believes Derek Lunsford is His Predominant Impediment to a 2023 Mr. Olympia Victory

Walker would not assume extremely of defending champion Hadi Choopan’s possibilities for a repeat.

Written by Robert Zeglinski Final up to date on April 18, 2023

There are nonetheless months to go before the 2023 Mr. Olympia in Orlando, FL, however among the prime contenders for the Sandow Trophy are already posturing for his or her title possibilities. The 2022 Mr. Olympia third-place finisher Nick Walker not too long ago shared an attention-grabbing outlook on the subsequent version of bodybuilding’s headline contest.

Throughout the Apr. 17, 2023, YouTube episode of The Mutant And The Mouth, Walker mentioned the 2023 Mr. Olympia outlook along with his co-host Man Cisternino. Not solely did the celebrity Walker specific doubt in defending champion Hadi Choopan’s chances at a repeat, he painted Derek Lunsford because the athlete to beat within the Males’s Open division.

To clarify his rationale and confidence in his possibilities for the 2023 Olympia, Walker broke down a part of the aftermath of the 2022 iteration. Though he had shortcomings, Walker expressed he believes that Choopan and Lunsford completed on the prime as a result of they had been finally comparable of their respective physique compositions.

“I believe I’ve a shot of successful any present that I do,” Walker mentioned. “For the [2022] Olympia, I imply, the 2 those who had been in entrance of me had been Hadi [Choopan] and Derek [Lunsford], and I believe they’re very comparable. I believe that’s why they had been one and two.”

For Choopan, no less than, this was the place the endorsements from Walker ended.

Whereas he respects his peer’s accomplishments, expertise, and pedigree, Walker shared a quite frank evaluation of Choopan including one other Olympia trophy to his mantel. Though Choopan completed forward of Walker and all the discipline of opponents on the 2022 Olympia, he doesn’t imagine he’ll be a repeat think about November. That’s as a result of Walker famous that he and Lunsford may very well be headed for a fantastic battle.

It may very well be the beginning of a aggressive, back-and-forth rivalry in the modern Men’s Open division.

“Pay attention, I really like Hadi [Choopan] however I don’t see him repeating for my part,” Walker mentioned. “And Derek … he might proceed to beat me now that he has a full low season really to place the work in and put dimension on now, so we’ll see … Folks don’t perceive, Derek [Lunsford] is just not small by any means. Like, he’s an enormous man and he’s obtained nice form.”