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 might not be a 100% correct evaluation of Nick “The Mutant” Walker however I really feel there’s sufficient basis right here that we must always at the least ask the query. I’d prefer to depend on two contests to make my argument. The primary could be the 2024 NY Professional and the second could be the 2025 Mr. Olympia. There are different exhibits that I could discuss with and/or statements made through social media and press conferences, however I really feel the strongest emphasis comes from the 2 contests I discussed. And usually I’d not use the time period paper tiger to discuss with a High 6 Olympian, however this case is totally different.
If Nick had really earned a spot within the High 6 I wouldn’t dare ask this query. Being a High 6 Olympian is a really huge deal. Again within the day, moving into such a class may imply large monetary upward mobility. Being High 6 met you have been in placing vary of successful the Sandow. Have a look at Brandon Curry. He made the High 6 in 2018 and received the Sandow in 2019. The distinction between a champion like Brandon getting High 6 in 2018 and Nick Walker getting High 6 in 2025 is that Nick didn’t deserve it. And curiously, Curry and Burton each acquired 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 performed for the Nick comeback? If Nick had misplaced the New York Professional in 2024, I don’t assume 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 stated I took nice consolation in figuring out 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 phenomenal physique, one other man has the genetics of a fridge. Now we’ve seen guys with unhealthy genetics earn prime honors however not in opposition to guys which can be put collectively like Martin and are available excellent situation. Very similar to I stated ending the primary paragraph, I imagine that there’s a concerted effort within the business to maintain Nick Walker as being much more harmful than what he’s. We’ve got seen from the 2024 New York Professional that he’s very a lot beatable. However I feel there may be one other contest that basically sealed the deal for his home of playing cards.
And naturally I’m speaking in regards to the 2025 Pittsburgh Professional. The Pittsburgh Professional is fascinating as a result of for this specific contest like for the 2024 New York Professional this was alleged to be Nick’s huge comeback. It didn’t assist that after he introduced, different huge names like Martin, and even larger but, Derek, stated they’d compete. Pittsburgh has at all times had particular significance on the earth of bodybuilding particularly for the reason that creation of the NPC. As a variety of open bodybuilders used to go to Pittsburgh to visitor pose, when the competition introduced it had open skilled bodybuilding, this was a recreation 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 in opposition to ferocious competitors. So when he plaCED second he couldn’t dwell with that. that the frustration of not with 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 stated 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 stated it elsewhere, that Pittsburgh’25 would be the greatest Nick Walker will ever be capable to obtain. If I’m fallacious, then let me be fallacious. I’d like to be fallacious. I’d like to be disproven, however in my humble opinion, I imagine that the 2025 Pittsburgh Professional look was Nick Walker’s greatest look so far and can in all probability be his greatest look when it comes to his profession. Although he positioned second in Pittsburgh after which went on to win his third New York Professional title, he seemed much better in Pittsburgh than he did in New York. He seemed higher in Pittsburgh than he seemed on the 2025 Olympia. If he had gone to the 2025 Olympia wanting like he seemed in Pittsburgh, I feel he may have been as excessive as fourth. The truth of the matter is he got here in wanting like trash and there are totally different causes behind that.
What I feel Pittsburgh represented to him was the truth that the judges, the game, the business, was not going to provide him the win simply to make him joyful. That may have labored on the 2024 New York Professional in opposition to the comparatively unknown Martin Fitzwater, but it surely wasn’t going to work in Pittsburgh in opposition to a former Mr Olympia champion and present yr’s reigning Arnold Traditional champion. I feel that Pittsburgh rattled Nick Walker fairly a bit, however I nonetheless don’t assume that it was as unhealthy because the 2024 New York Professional and the 2025 Mr Olympia. As a result of in Pittsburgh he was combating for the title. He seemed 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 imagine that the hazard that he represented, the ability that he represented, was very a lot an phantasm. I don’t assume he was aggressive in any respect on the 2025 Olympia, and I feel he acquired 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 almost all followers need to see as Mr Olympia. It could be akin to Markus Ruhl having received a Sandow. The man was a freak and folks liked seeing him on stage, however that’s not 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 inventive 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 unhealthy aesthetics. It’s simply not one thing that’s possible in my view. So subsequently for that purpose I’d 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 will be the perfect, however actually won’t ever be. He may completely win some smaller titles. However even the 2026 Arnold Traditional it’s seeking to be an all-out battle. If he can content material himself with going to those exhibits and strolling away with some good prize cash, offered he seems to be his greatest, and offered that his ego can be okay with him being prime six, then he may write his personal ticket. He may make lots of of hundreds of {dollars} in prize cash and doubtlessly thousands and thousands 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 assume that’s inside his vocabulary. I perceive that each competitor that competes is competing to win. That’s an awesome principle, however the actuality of the matter is that he’s not going to be Mr Olympia. It’s extremely unlikely. And if there may be any risk and he desires to cling to that, that’s superb, however the best way that the man talks is solely beginning to sound comical. Not solely can’t he beat Derek, however he’s having a really exhausting time beating Martin, Hadi, Andrew, Samson. This isn’t an individual that may dominate any of those opponents. And that’s very telling as a result of he’s being marketed as any person who’s going to hit the bottom operating and clear home. That isn’t 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 shifting ahead. Subsequently, if he continues to be marketed the best way that he’s marketed, I must say the man is a paper tiger.
However what do you say? do you assume that he’s simply hit a streak of unhealthy luck? As a result of if that’s the means you assume I’ve information for you, the streak has lasted years. This isn’t a streak. This man is on the best way down and in the event that they maintain advertising him like he’s a prime prime man, I really feel like he’s a paper tiger. However anyhow, sufficient of what I feel. I look
