On Episode 304 of The Menace Podcast, host Dennis James was joined by Milos Sarcev and Chris Cormier, and they wasted no time talking about the biggest bodybuilding show of the year. On September 27, Nick Walker became the 2026 Mr. Olympia, while last year’s victor, Derek Lunsford, was forced into third place. But did the previous champion deserve to drop down to third?
With Nick “The Mutant” Walker taking both the People’s Champion award, and the $600,000 jackpot after his successful weekend in Las Vegas, The Menace Podcast felt that inconsistency in front of the judges may have been Derek Lunsford’s downfall. “His abs were washed out on Friday,” claimed Dennis James of Lunsford’s performance in pre-judging. “And he had it more crisp on Saturday.”
Milos Sarcev noted that Lunsford had improved in certain areas, including his ability to showcase his abs in the final. “This time he had it,” observed “The Mind.” Both James and Sarcev agreed that after the prejudging process, Nick Walker and Derek Lunsford appeared to come out on top. “Nobody really expected the change that Samson was going to make overnight,” added Sarcev, explaining why Samson Dauda ultimately earned second, dropping Derek Lunsford down to third. The panel also discussed the possibility that Dauda’s confidence may have been lacking on Friday, but after making some tweaks, he then put himself right into the mix during the final.
Were the Olympia Judges Right to Put Derek Lunssford in Third Place at the 2026 Olympia?
“I think that was the best Samson, ever,” observed The Menace, justifying the fact that he placed ahead of Derek Lunsford. Milos Sarcev added that Lunsford had put in a valiant performance at the Olympia but could not match up to The Mutant on the night.
Still, the panel noted that the difference between the top four athletes (Nick Walker, Samson Dauda, Derek Lunsford, and Andrew Jacked) is now so close that depending on the show and the day, either man has a chance of beating the other. “It’s going to be the hardest thing, for Nick to win that again next year,” said James. “He can do it. We already know he can, now. But it’s going to be super hard because these guys are all so close.”
To see this conversation in full on The Menace Podcast, where the panel also discussed the latest bodybuilding news and results, check it out on the Muscle & Fitness YouTube channel.