by Christian Duque
The 2025 EVLS Prague Professional represents a elementary change of the guard within the pecking order of Males’s Open Bodybuilding. This can be a important growth in and of itself as a result of it is a non Large 3 present. In bodybuilding, the three largest contests (the Olympia, Arnold Traditional, and NY Professional [formerly the Night of Champions]) are the place issues like this often occur. The Prague Professional, nonetheless, marks the primary time that Martin Fitzwater positioned forward of 2024 Mr. Olympia Samson Dauda. And it was no fluke. Martin was chomping at his heels in Vegas, inserting only one spot behind him on the 2025 Olympia.
Then Dauda – foolishly for my part – determined to throw his hat into Prague. On the Prague present, Fitzwater was defending his title, and driving excessive from his fifth place end on the O. He’d lastly defeated Nick Walker and the bodybuilding press was lastly giving him the love he deserved. Samson, who clearly discovered nothing from dropping the Arnold to Derek simply months after successful the Sandow, jumped into Prague after getting annihilated in Las Vegas. Simply as I mentioned once I reported on the announcement, “Samson is making a mistake.” And a mistake is precisely what he made. However the mistake for Dauda proved to be a blessing for Fitzwater. And right here’s why.
It’s one factor to be higher within the followers’ eyes, nevertheless it’s fairly one other to truly place greater and win exhibits. Again in 2024 when Martin received robbed at that 12 months’s New York Professional, everybody knew he beat Nick Walker. I mentioned it, Shawn Ray mentioned it, Bob Cicherillo mentioned it, too. And there have been so many extra pundits that couldn’t make heads or tails why the judges gave Walker the third largest title in bodybuilding when Martin was a lot extra deserving. In one other article I simply wrote for IronMag titled “Is Nick Walker A Paper Tiger?” I delve deeper into the concept “The Mutant” is pumped up and propped up by the game for monetary achieve. In actuality, he’s not that harmful.
No matter might have occurred on the 2024 NY Professional, its significance is essential as a result of it exhibits simply how exhausting beating sure rivals is. In any occasion, the rivalry was born as a result of Nick didn’t need to hear a couple of man who was higher than him taking 2nd to him. I might inform that it pissed Walker off to consistently be requested about Fitzwater. It type of stole his thunder, however I didn’t really feel dangerous for him as a result of he walked away with the title and the bag. The following 12 months, after many enhancements, Nick and Martin confronted off on the Pittsburgh Professional. Once more, Nick positioned forward of Martin. That mentioned, the 2025 Pittsburgh was the very best Nick has ever introduced. Later that 12 months, Martin positioned forward of Nick on the 2025 Olympia. Lastly, he beat him and one thing tells me, Nick won’t ever place forward of Martin once more.
The 2025 Olympia marked a change of the guard between Fitzwater and Walker. Walker’s greatness, the phantasm of his dominance was fully completed away with. And never at some random present, both. This occurred on the Olympia stage. That just about sealed the deal. And what’s attention-grabbing is that in a really possible way the 2025 EVLS Prague Professional was one other symbolic change of the guard as a result of I believe Samson won’t ever place forward of Martin once more, both. One man’s star is rising, whereas one other man’s star is plummeting. It’s unhappy as a result of they’re each Hosstile sponsored athletes they usually’re each pals. That mentioned, Martin is pals with all people. He’d prolly be pals with Nick, if Nick Walker wasn’t such an asshole.
The Martian is a super-likeable man and he’s real. It’s exhausting to hate a man like that. And that’s one more reason why I believe it makes him so extremely harmful. Only a few months in the past, Martin was seen as a powerful Prime 10 competitor with super potential, however the final two exhibits have solidified him as a high contender for the 2026 Olympia title. I’m undecided if he’s confirmed for the 2026 Arnold Traditional, however I might see him getting a powerful Prime 3 there – if not successful it outright. At this level, all Martin must do is place rather well in Columbus or NY and he’ll proceed to be a high contender for the 2026 O. Guys like Nick Walker are yesterday’s information, and on the charge Samson’s going, he’s not too far behind. He insists upon not getting with a high coach and he appears content material competing to the purpose he might probably burnout.
The following man Martin must finest in open competitors can be Derek and it might occur in Columbus. I completely suppose Martin can beat Derek and/or Hadi. Andrew Jacked will current a distinct problem, however Martin can beat him, too. Proper now, there’s nobody that stands in The Martian’s method and that’s very important as a result of it means he might win a Sandow as early 2026. Think about if Martin was in a position to be Mr. O.
I wrote about this in an article for StrengthAddicts the place I raised a degree made by Joe Pietaro of MuscleSport Magazine. In a latest interview with Phil Heath, Pietaro raised the purpose that bodybuilding had not had a dominant Mr. Olympia since Heath’s day. He identified how the title handed by single-year winners in 2018 and 2019. He then pointed to Ramy’s brief reign, adopted by extra single-year winners in Choopan, Lunsford, and Dauda. With Derek successful again the title, who’s to say how lengthy he’ll maintain on to it. The game misses the times of getting a dominant Mr. O.
Martin is structurally flawless, has nice steadiness and symmetry, and brings in nice muscularity. He’s additionally a conditioning freak. I believe if Martin received the Sandow, he’d maintain the title for years. He’s that good now and will be even higher. I believe the wins towards Walker on the Olympia and Dauda in Prague will set Martin other than these guys for good.
Do you suppose we’ll ever see Nick Walker or Samson Dauda place greater than The Martian in lively competitors once more? I say no. I say Martin’s star will proceed to soar. However what do you say? As all the time, thanks for studying my article, right here, at IronMag. I stay up for studying your suggestions within the feedback. I additionally hope you’ll copy and paste a hyperlink to this text on all of your social media feeds. It’s sure to generate energetic dialog.