Why did Nick Walker lose? He needs to stop being a "Mutant", says the legend

Forget "mutantism". The era of 'freaks' in the battle for the Mr. Olympia title may be over for good. Veteran Toney "X-Man" Freeman sends this hard and, for many, controversial truth to Nick Walker after his disappointing performance at Olympia 2025. While Walker finished sixth, Freeman clearly explains why defending champion Derek Lunsford is "Superman" and the face the sport needs to grow - and why Walker's style can no longer compete with him.

Lunsford: The face of the sport as "Superman"

Freeman spared no praise for the reigning champion. According to him, Lunsford dominated the stage not only with his muscles, but also with his overall impression.

"Derek looked amazing," Freeman said. "As the night progressed, he seemed to get even better, while the others were getting normal. By the end, he looked like a cartoon character. I don't know what he did, but I could see the density. He was getting tougher."

Freeman stressed that Lunsford, who is only in his third or fourth year in the Open, still has a huge amount of room for improvement.

"He's still super young. I expect him to be even tougher next year, and the year after that, too."

But the most important observation was about Lunsford's role for the sport itself.

"Someone like Derek, he's like Superman. He's got a classic look, great skin, nice V-shape... That's the kind of guy you put at the forefront if you want the sport to grow."

Walker's "mutant" thing isn't enough for the title

In contrast, "X-Men" was much more critical of Nick Walker. Although he acknowledged Walker's popularity, he considers his direction a dead end in the title fight.

"Nick was just trying to be a monster instead of trying to be more aesthetic," Freeman said.

Freeman argued that although diehard bodybuilding fans "love freaks," that type of character cannot be the face of the sport to the wider public and potential big sponsors.

"We bodybuilding fans love Nick. We love the 'freak' side of him. But if you're trying to present this thing to the world, you need someone who's a little more aesthetically pleasing," Freeman explained. "It's about perception. Disney or Nike doesn't appreciate the Nick Walker character... You need Superman."

Aesthetics trumps substance

Freeman's assessment clearly points to a trend that may have started Lunsford's first title. Judges (and perhaps the business behind the sport) are no longer looking for just the biggest monster on stage, but the complete package of aesthetics, symmetry and likability. According to Freeman, Nick Walker needs to rethink his approach if he really wants to win Sandow's statue.