by Christian Duque
Merriam-Webster defines a paper tiger as “being one that’s outwardly highly effective or harmful however inwardly weak or ineffectual.” This will not be a 100% correct evaluation of Nick “The Mutant” Walker however I really feel there’s sufficient basis right here that we should always at the least ask the query. I’d wish to depend on two contests to make my argument. The primary can be the 2024 NY Professional and the second can be the 2025 Mr. Olympia. There are different reveals that I could discuss with and/or statements made by way of social media and press conferences, however I really feel the strongest emphasis comes from the 2 contests I discussed. And usually I might not use the time period paper tiger to discuss with a Prime 6 Olympian, however this case is completely different.
If Nick had really earned a spot within the Prime 6 I wouldn’t dare ask this query. Being a Prime 6 Olympian is a really huge deal. Again within the day, entering into such a class might imply great monetary upward mobility. Being Prime 6 met you have been in hanging vary of successful the Sandow. Take a look at Brandon Curry. He made the Prime 6 in 2018 and received the Sandow in 2019. The distinction between a champion like Brandon getting Prime 6 in 2018 and Nick Walker getting Prime 6 in 2025 is that Nick didn’t deserve it. And curiously, Curry and Burton each bought shafted to maintain Walker’s outwardly presence intact in 2025.
In a really possible way Nick missed his Mark each in 2023 and 2024 when he dropped out of the Olympia’s these years. 2024 represented his comeback and the followers have been delighted to see him again within the combine. The issue is he didn’t anticipate the extent of resistance that he would get from Martin in New York.
Many commentators, myself included, believed that it was as clear as day that Martin ought to have emerged with the victory. However what would which have executed for the Nick comeback? If Nick had misplaced the New York Professional in 2024, I don’t suppose that he had the psychological resolve to attempt to win one other contest. He needed to make his comeback and he needed to be victorious. That being mentioned I took nice consolation in realizing that I used to be not the one one of many opinion that Martin ought to have received. Martin has a much more aesthetically pleasing physique, much better construction, and a significantly better sense of move and symmetry than Walker. That as a lot couldn’t be any extra clear. One man has a fantastic physique, one other man has the genetics of a fridge. Now now we have seen guys with dangerous genetics earn prime honors however not towards guys which can be put collectively like Martin and are available excellent situation. Very like I mentioned ending the primary paragraph, I consider that there’s a concerted effort within the trade to maintain Nick Walker as being much more harmful than what he’s. Now we have seen from the 2024 New York Professional that he’s very a lot beatable. However I feel there’s one other contest that basically sealed the deal for his home of playing cards.
And naturally I’m speaking concerning the 2025 Pittsburgh Professional. The Pittsburgh Professional is attention-grabbing as a result of for this specific contest like for the 2024 New York Professional this was presupposed to be Nick’s huge comeback. It didn’t assist that after he introduced, different huge names like Martin, and even greater but, Derek, mentioned they might compete. Pittsburgh has all the time had particular significance on the earth of bodybuilding particularly because the creation of the NPC. As numerous open bodybuilders used to go to Pittsburgh to visitor pose, when the competition introduced it had open skilled bodybuilding, this was a sport changer.
Because of this Nick was doing a comeback present with guys that both beat him throughout the board or beat him within the hearts and minds of the followers. Nonetheless he was up towards ferocious competitors. So when he plaCED second you understand he couldn’t stay with that. You understand that the frustration of not having the ability to win a present that he had ready for as a lot as he had should have been completely insufferable for him. And one factor that have to be mentioned is that he labored with Kyle Wilkes for that present. That was the perfect Nick Walker I had ever seen. And I’ll say it on file, as I’ve mentioned it elsewhere, that Pittsburgh’25 would be the greatest Nick Walker will ever be capable of obtain. If I’m fallacious, then let me be fallacious. I might like to be fallacious. I might like to be disproven, however in my humble opinion, I consider that the 2025 Pittsburgh Professional look was Nick Walker’s greatest look up to now and can in all probability be his greatest look by way of his profession. Though he positioned second in Pittsburgh after which went on to win his third New York Professional title, he appeared much better in Pittsburgh than he did in New York. He appeared higher in Pittsburgh than he appeared on the 2025 Olympia. If he had gone to the 2025 Olympia trying like he appeared in Pittsburgh, I feel he might have been as excessive as fourth. The truth of the matter is he got here in trying like trash and there are completely different causes behind that.
What I feel Pittsburgh represented to him was the truth that the judges, the game, the trade, was not going to provide him the win simply to make him joyful. Which may have labored on the 2024 New York Professional towards the comparatively unknown Martin Fitzwater, but it surely wasn’t going to work in Pittsburgh towards a former Mr Olympia champion and present yr’s reigning Arnold Basic champion. I feel that Pittsburgh rattled Nick Walker fairly a bit, however I nonetheless don’t suppose that it was as dangerous because the 2024 New York Professional and the 2025 Mr Olympia. As a result of in Pittsburgh he was combating for the title. He appeared his greatest. He had come there to do the enterprise of bodybuilding and that’s precisely what he did. Whereas on the 2024 New York Professional and the 2025 Mr Olympia I consider that the hazard that he represented, the ability that he represented, was very a lot an phantasm. I don’t suppose he was aggressive in any respect on the 2025 Olympia, and I feel he bought his ass handed to him on the 2024 New York Professional. So in actuality what are we speaking about right here? Are we speaking a few future a future Mr Olympia?
Nick Walker won’t ever win the Mr Olympia. He doesn’t have the aesthetics, he doesn’t have the body, he doesn’t have the form of physique that the majority followers wish to see as Mr Olympia. It could be akin to Markus Ruhl having received a Sandow. The man was a freak and folks cherished seeing him on stage, however that isn’t Mr Olympia high quality. The underside line is that Nick Walker will solely be Mr Olympia for promotional functions, for posters, to construct up hype, however he’s by no means going to be the perfect. Not in a subjective sport that focuses a lot, that hyper focuses a lot, on issues like aesthetics, symmetry, and creative move. I do know that artwork is within the eye of the beholder, however you may’t put a mass monster on the prime spot and particularly not a mass monster with dangerous aesthetics. It’s simply not one thing that’s possible in my view. So due to this fact for that motive I might additionally lean extra in the direction of calling Nick Walker a paper tiger.
In the long run I’m not making an attempt to be a hater by elevating this query however I feel that 2026 and past goes to show very making an attempt for a man that thinks he could be the perfect, however actually won’t ever be. He might completely win some smaller titles. However even the 2026 Arnold Basic it’s seeking to be an all-out struggle. If he can content material himself with going to those reveals and strolling away with some good prize cash, supplied he seems to be his greatest, and supplied that his ego can be okay with him being prime six, then he might write his personal ticket. He might make tons of of hundreds of {dollars} in prize cash and doubtlessly tens of millions of {dollars} over the remainder of his profession in contracts with complement corporations and the like. However he must cease speaking like somebody who’s going to win the O and I don’t suppose that’s inside his vocabulary. I perceive that each competitor that competes is competing to win. That’s an important principle, however the actuality of the matter is that he’s not going to be Mr Olympia. It’s extremely unlikely. And if there’s any chance and he desires to cling to that, that’s positive, however the way in which that the man talks is solely beginning to sound comical. Not solely can’t he beat Derek, however he’s having a really onerous time beating Martin, Hadi, Andrew, Samson. This isn’t an individual that may dominate any of those rivals. And that’s very telling as a result of he’s being marketed as any person who’s going to hit the bottom working and clear home. That’s not who Nick Walker is correct now. I don’t know if he ever represented that stage of hazard, however he definitely doesn’t signify it now. And he’s definitely not going to be representing it transferring ahead. Subsequently, if he continues to be marketed the way in which that he’s marketed, I must say the man is a paper tiger.
However what do you say? do you suppose that he’s simply hit a streak of dangerous luck? As a result of if that’s the approach you suppose I’ve information for you, the streak has lasted years. This isn’t a streak. This man is on the way in which down and in the event that they hold advertising him like he’s a prime prime man, I really feel like he’s a paper tiger. However in any case, sufficient of what I feel. I look