Phil Heath comments on Pittsburgh Pro 2025

The Pittsburgh Pro 2025, described as "clearly one of the most charged contests in the Open category of the 2025 bodybuilding season," produced a thrilling battle. According to Phil Heath, seven-time Mr. Olympia winner, the judges ultimately favored Derek Lunsford's aesthetic and shape over Nick Walker's massive preparedness.

Highlights of the competition and Heath's observations

Nick Walker, who was looking to return to the top after missing the last two editions of Mr. Olympia, showed great form. He said the competition was "incredibly even, with ties on the scorecards" and the winner was ultimately decided by a "tiebreaker".

Heath commented on the opening comparison:

"They both put in very, very impressive performances. When they went straight at each other, in some of the shots I saw Nick beating Derek. Derek was not the same Derek we saw earlier at the Arnold Classic this year, but he was able to recover towards the end of the prejudging."

Derek Lunsford became the first Pittsburgh Pro champion in the Open category and took home a $100,000 cash prize.

Heath on Lunsford's strengths:

"It's a really tough decision because you have Derek's strengths. He's a little bit smaller. He's very wide in his back biceps stance and the width of his back. He's really very full and sharp."

Heath praised Walker's improvement:

"Then you have Nick, who was able to keep his abs under control even during the belly and thigh pose, which I thought was much better. He had that V-shape that we haven't seen in him for a while."

According to Heath, Lunsford secured the win by improving between the semifinal judging and the final.

"I felt that Derek had obviously recovered enough for the judges to give him the green light. It was so damn close," Heath said. "I was wondering if they were going to judge a loose lineup, which they don't normally do, then I thought they were going to have to judge a damn sitdown, which they don't normally do. They usually have a clear winner."

Heath added:

"Derek's improvement from morning to night was probably the deciding factor, along with that sudden death (extra comparisons)." He continued: "In that overtime, that extra round, I felt that Derek had improved enough for himself, whereas Nick - he didn't fade. He actually held his own. You either go with insane size and conditioning, or a sleeker and different aesthetic with Derek."

Heath also showed sympathy for Walker's feelings:

"I see the devastation, I see the pain, I see a guy who gave it his all and just feels like he's been robbed. We've all experienced that at some point. Sometimes you'll feel like you've been robbed, but that just means there's an opportunity to see how badly you want that bigger title."

This contest, "full of memorable moments", confirmed that fights on the professional scene are getting more exciting and the differences between the best are minimal. Fans can look forward to more exciting contests in the coming season.