"You got to work with your strengths" - Jay Cutler breaks down the 2023 Arnold Classic and weighs in on Nick Walker

Jay Cutler has risen to become one of the most-respected voices in the bodybuilding world. After carving out a successful career as a professional in the sport, he has taken up the role of a mentor in recent years by using his various platforms to help younger athletes in the game.

The 2023 Arnold Classic concluded with a bang as Samson Dauda took the title home. However, it has raised a few questions regarding the judging on the show, with many believing that Nick 'The Mutant' Walker deserved the first place. In a recent episode of Jaywalking, Cutler had some words of advice for the young bodybuilder.

"If I could say anything, I did mention this to Nick, is you got to work with your strengths. His strengths is definitely outmuscling people. Unfortunately, he’s not going to overly shape a Samson or a Derek Lunsford."

Nick Walker definitely brought the most well-conditioned package to the Arnold Classic. This fact was even admitted to by the champion Samson Dauda and his coach. However, his symmetry and proportions were a little off.

Cutler added that the top three positions could've gone either way:

"The top three could’ve gone anyway in my opinion ... I had predicted Nick, and I thought nick could’ve won it. He could have but Samson looked incredible. Andrew made a huge impact, huge improvements. From the judges’ talk, Nick didn’t appear as full and round as maybe the Olympia, which he says he was better. I talked to him yesterday."

Although Cutler believes Walker could have gone home with the title, he takes nothing away from crowned champion Samson Dauda:

"I feel Nick is constantly improving. His shape has improved tremendously. He was the frontrunner going in. It didn’t go his way. He missed out on a huge payday to an unbelievable Samson. That was huge for him. He’s massive. Milos said he weighed around 290. Obviously, he’s a little taller."

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Jay Cutler believes there is an incoming "threat" of "taller guys" with the introduction of Samson Dauda and Andrew Jacked

The Open division of bodybuilding has historically seen athletes with average heights win more titles. This is primarily due to the issue of proportionality with taller athletes. However, Cutler believes there may be a surge of success for taller athletes in the near future, especially seeing the success Dauda and Jacked saw at the Arnold Classic.

"But is this the threat of the taller guys coming in now with him and Andrew Jacked who really people question he could’ve won or came in second or third."

Cutler praised Andrew Jacked for his performance at the Classic against some of the best bodybuilders in the world.

"Andrew didn’t have the overwhelming wow factor that he had in the earlier shows and I think because he was in such great condition standing next to those guys. It’s a different lineup. You can say so-and-so placed at the Olympia so I got past them and now I’m in this position. That’s not true though. It’s show to show. That can change dramatically."

With Mr. Olympia approaching, the top three finishers at the Arnold Classic will be looking to make significant improvements to try and dethrone Hadi Choopan.