"That kid has an incredible mind!"

When Jay Cutler and Miloš Šarčev sit down at the same table, you can be sure you’ll get the most expert analysis possible. In a recent broadcast, the two men took a detailed look at this year’s incredibly close Mr. Olympia 2026 competition. Although each of them has a slightly different view of the ideal bodybuilder physique, they were absolutely clear on one thing—Nick Walker brought a physique this year that was simply unbeatable.

Jay Cutler, who served as Walker’s unofficial mentor during the final stages of his preparation, made no secret of his immense enthusiasm for his protégé. He knows full well how difficult it is to handle the pressure of enormous expectations and the need to overcome last year’s serious injury.

Cutler: “He cut himself off from the world and brought absolute focus.”

“Nick and I talked a lot about mindset before the competition. I told him to delete Instagram, stop worrying about predictions, and focus solely on bringing granite to the stage. And he did just that,” Cutlerrevealed on a podcast. “That guy has an incredible mindset. When he stood on stage next to Samson and Derek, he looked massive, but above all, he had uncompromising toughness. His muscle density and the definition of his back muscles were in a completely different league. This is exactly what you want to see from an Olympia champion—an absolute freak factor combined with flawless conditioning.”

Šarčev in Shock: Breathtaking, Freaky Details

Miloš Šarčev is known for his long-standing preference for more classic lines and aesthetics, which he confirmed with his recent enthusiasm for Wesley Vissers in the Classic Physique division. But when it comes to the Open division, Šarčev fully respects the rules of the game—and those rules dictate extremes.

“You know I’m always looking for symmetry and shape. But when you look at what Nick showed this year, you just have to tip your hat. That separation in his quads, those thin layers of skin, and that vascularity... it’s just insane,” said the legendary Šarčev, assessing Walker’s form. “Samson Dauda looked incredible—his 140 kilos of lean mass is a historic milestone—but in the back poses and in the detail of the hamstrings, Nick simply outclassed him. Walker achieved the best possible dehydration and showed us the true meaning of the word ‘conditioning.’ It was devastating.”

In the end, both legends agreed that if Nick Walker maintains this level of preparation and mental toughness, it will be extremely difficult for any challenger to take the title back from him in the coming years.