Nick Walker 2025 Olympia Drama
Emotional bodybuilder fires coach & longtime friend right after contest.
By: Jeremy Fox CNC, CPT
Updated: November 9, 2025
The news broke fast. Nick Walker, one of bodybuilding’s biggest stars, has fired his coach just days after the 2025 Mr. Olympia.
The split with longtime mentor Kyle Wilkes (who says he was left “in the dark”) is being called one of the biggest shake-ups of the Olympia season. Just as surprising, Walker has announced he’s going it alone and not hiring another coach.
The question on everyone’s mind is what went wrong, what happens next, and does this mark the end of Walker’s elite trajectory?
The Backstory
Nick Walker burst onto the pro scene as a phenom. He earned the nickname “The Mutant” thanks to his freakish size and seemingly unstoppable growth.
But over the past couple of years, he’s hit multiple roadblocks, including injuries, withdrawing from competitions, and underwhelming finishes.
Wilkes, a respected coach in the bodybuilding world, had carved out a strong reputation working with top athletes. He has also coached Walker on and off over the last five years, helping bring arguably his best package to the stage.
Their partnership seemed like a good match. Yet after Walker’s 6th-place finish at the 2025 Olympia, the good times came to an abrupt end.
The Drama
On the surface, the story isn’t that newsworthy. Bodybuilders and coaches part ways all the time. But behind the scenes, social-media posts reveal a more dramatic narrative.
A cold call from Walker ended the partnership, leaving Wilkes to publicly express surprise. On an episode of the Unracked Podcast, Kyle appeared understandably upset that he hadn’t been given direct feedback earlier, despite having worked together for hundreds of hours and shared years of friendship.
Wilkes also responded with a lengthy statement on his Instagram account, emphasizing sacrifice and integrity.
On the other side, Walker has not been as open or direct about the situation. He posted an ambiguous rant on his Instagram two days after the contest, titled OLYMPIA WEEKEND FEELS.
In the post, Nick highlights the emotions and disappointment, while alluding to Wilkes’ inexperience as a reason for the prep being “deff not what we wanted”.
Walker also vaguely discussed his decision to coach himself in a recent YouTube video using phrases like “I’m doing my own thing right now,” and “Sometimes you just gotta take matters into your own hands.”
Clearly, the split was abrupt and emotionally charged. Walker apparently went so far as to unfollow Wilkes on social media, which is childish to me.
For Walker, it seems like a knee-jerk reaction to the feelings of defeat. For Wilkes, it’s a bitter ending to a once-promising collaboration.
Coaching Fit & Strategy
Walker is no rookie. He’s built one of the most massive physiques of the current era. Reaching this point means he has a deep understanding of how his body responds to training and diet.
For that reason, I understand his desire to self-coach. I actually made the same decision at the height of my amateur bodybuilding career.
As an elite athlete in a solo sport, Walker is highly competitive and motivated to be the best in the world. He’s a classic Type A personality who wants to take control of his own destiny.
Yet at the Olympia level, athletes often rely on someone with more experience in contest prep and proven credentials as a coach. Without that external feedback, even world-class competitors can stray or let their egos get the better of them.
This isn’t the first time Nick Walker has abruptly fired a coach either. He’s had a rocky relationship with renowned coach Matt Jansen, whom he let go shortly after dropping out of the 2024 Olympia due to having trouble “getting his body where it needed to be.”
Whether Walker’s self-coaching move is smart or reckless depends on the next 6-12 months. Can he stay grounded, self-assess honestly, and execute at the highest level without oversight?
What Comes Next
Walker now finds himself at a crossroads. He’s chosen to coach himself, reclaim his autonomy, and rewrite his narrative. If successful, this could become a defining chapter: a self-made comeback to contender status. If not, it could mark the beginning of a decline.
From my own experience as a former self-coached bodybuilder, I can attest that it’s effective when you’re self-motivated, quantitative, and humble. It fails when you rely on external influence, intuition, or let ego lead.
Walker has the talent and knowledge, but the margin for error in Men’s Open is razor thin.
Another option would be hiring a new coach. It looks unlikely at the moment, as Walker doesn’t seem to trust his legacy to anyone but himself. But a new coaching dynamic could be precisely what he needs to break through.
Broader Implications for Bodybuilding
This split is more than a news story. It speaks to the underlying challenges in professional bodybuilding:
- The power struggle between coach and athlete in an era of superstar personal branding
- The financial stakes of a $600,000 prize for first place in Mr Olympia Open Bodybuilding
- The pressure on athletes to win or risk losing relevance
The question is, can a top bodybuilder succeed without a coach in today’s competitive landscape?
Walker’s story could spark a self-coaching revolution. Or it could be a cautionary tale about the dangers of overconfidence in sports.
Looking Ahead
Walker’s sudden split stems from frustration, unmet expectations, and a desire for control. Whether it’s the spark that reignites his career or the misstep that derails it, one thing is clear: the 2025 Olympia drama may mark a turning point for Walker.
I’m genuinely rooting for his comeback. But having coached many athletes, I know there’s a thin line between winning everything and losing it all.
Stay tuned — this story is far from over.
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