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 vital growth in and of itself as a result of it is a non Massive 3 present. In bodybuilding, the three largest contests (the Olympia, Arnold Basic, and NY Professional [formerly the Night of Champions]) are the place issues like this normally occur. The Prague Professional, nevertheless, 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, putting 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 using 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 realized nothing from shedding the Arnold to Derek simply months after successful the Sandow, jumped into Prague after getting annihilated in Las Vegas. Simply as I mentioned after 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, but it surely’s fairly one other to truly place greater and win exhibits. Again in 2024 when Martin bought 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 could have occurred on the 2024 NY Professional, its significance is essential as a result of it exhibits simply how arduous beating sure rivals is. In any occasion, the rivalry was born as a result of Nick didn’t need to hear a few man who was higher than him taking 2nd to him. I might inform that it pissed Walker off to continuously be requested about Fitzwater. It type of stole his thunder, however I didn’t really feel unhealthy for him as a result of he walked away with the title and the bag. The subsequent 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 utterly achieved away with. And never at some random present, both. This occurred on the Olympia stage. That just about sealed the deal. And what’s fascinating 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 and so they’re each pals. That mentioned, Martin is pals with everyone. 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 arduous to hate a man like that. And that’s one more reason why I feel it makes him so extremely harmful. Only a few months in the past, Martin was seen as a powerful High 10 competitor with great potential, however the final two exhibits have solidified him as a high contender for the 2026 Olympia title. I’m unsure if he’s confirmed for the 2026 Arnold Basic, however I might see him getting a powerful High 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 price 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 could doubtlessly burnout.
The subsequent man Martin must finest in open competitors can be Derek and it could occur in Columbus. I completely assume Martin can beat Derek and/or Hadi. Andrew Jacked will current a special problem, however Martin can beat him, too. Proper now, there’s nobody that stands in The Martian’s method and that’s very vital as a result of it means he might win a Sandow as early 2026. Think about if Martin was capable of be Mr. O.
I wrote about this in an article for StrengthAddicts the place I raised some extent made by Joe Pietaro of MuscleSport Magazine. In a current 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 feel if Martin received the Sandow, he’d maintain the title for years. He’s that good now and may be even higher. I feel the wins in opposition to Walker on the Olympia and Dauda in Prague will set Martin aside from these guys for good.
Do you assume 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.
