“The Mutant” is hungry for one more Arnold Traditional title.
Nick “The Mutant” Walker wasn’t at all times a hulking phenom — one among trendy bodybuilding’s prime rivals. Then he received the 2021 Arnold Traditional (AC) throughout his Worldwide Federation of Bodybuilding and Health (IFBB) Professional League rookie 12 months, and he’s seemingly solely turn into extra excessive profile by the day ever since. A fifth-place outcome on the 2021 Mr. Olympia was a becoming cherry on prime for an athlete who appeared like the following huge factor within the sport. Now, after a podium performance at the 2022 Mr. Olympia, Walker will likely be losing no time getting again on the mass warpath. He’ll return to a few of his roots to do it.
On Jan. 12, 2023, the Arnold Sports activities Competition revealed that Walker would compete on the 2023 version of the Arnold Traditional. The competition is at the moment scheduled for Mar. 2-5, 2023, in Columbus, OH, the place, unsurprisingly, a number of different established superstars already plan to assemble. A stacked area seemingly received’t intimidate Walker, who appears to be on a decided mission to make it two vaunted AC titles in three years.
Walker’s AC return announcement got here shortly after the Arnold Sports activities Competition introduced that this 12 months’s first-place prize cash would be upped to $300,000 for the Men’s Open winner. That compensation is nearly thrice Walker’s victory winnings of $130,000 in 2021, partly signifying the large speedy progress of the competitors and its significance.
In a fast publish on his Instagram, Walker tersely however effectively elaborated on the information of his return to the AC. He shared an image from his successful efficiency on the 2021 iteration with a caption of “run it again,” with apparent intentions of overcoming his elite friends on the Columbus, OH, stage once more.
Walker will face no scarcity of worthy challengers to etch his identify because the Arnold Traditional winner for the second time in three years.
For instance, two-time winner William Bonac will search his third profession AC crown (2018, 2022), a feat solely 4 different bodybuilders have completed within the contest’s 33-year historical past. On the similar time, a more moderen ascending star like Samson Dauda will even be vying for the momentous championship. Different notable confirmed names up to now embrace Kamal Elgargni and Akim Williams.
Notably, a bunch of relative newcomers in Derek Lunsford, Blessing Awodibu, and Michal “Križo” Križánek introduced plans to skip the tentpole contest. Every of the three athletes made a distinction that they’d desire to get some relaxation earlier than focusing most of their efforts on an improved efficiency on the 2023 Olympia in November. Lunsford, particularly, because the 2022 runner-up in his Males’s Open debut, might need essentially the most sensible probability of reaching these lofty targets.
On the time of this text’s publication, it’s unclear if one other two-time AC victor (2019, 2022) and the reigning champion, Brandon Curry, will come again to defend his title.
The 2023 Arnold Traditional is already shaping as much as be a battlefield if bulletins like Walker’s anticipated look imply something. With the brand new 12 months up and rolling, March’s competitors will seemingly be a memorable addition to bodybuilding lore.
Featured picture: @nick_walker39 on Instagram
