Who Was The Greatest Mr. Olympia Of All Time?

TOPIC: Who Was The Greatest Mr. Olympia Of All Time?

The Question:

The Olympia has been around for a long time now and has seen many faces take home the coveted Mr. Olympia Title. Now the question must be asked... Who is he, who is the best of all time? Now as opinionated as this may sound we would challenge you to seriously answer the following questions to see if you can be as unbiased as possible.

Who was the greatest Mr. Olympia of all time? Be as descriptive as possible.

Past Mr. Olympia Winners:

1. Arnold Schwarzenegger
2. Chris Dickerson
3. Dorian Yates
4. Franco Columbu
5. Frank Zane
6. Larry Scott
7. Lee Haney
8. Samir Bannout
9. Sergio Oliva
10. Ronnie Coleman

How long do you think a Mr. Olympia should be able to hold the title?

What was the most controversial Mr. Olympia? What facts can you give to support this answer?

Bonus Question: Would you like to see weight classes added to the Mr. Olympia Competition? Why?

Show off your knowledge to the world!

The Winners:

1. BurningHeart View Profile

1st Place - BurningHeart
View This Author's BodySpace Here.

Introduction

With the Mr. Olympia contest just around the corner the bodybuilding community is once again getting in the Olympia spirit. This event has been running since 1965 and is approaching the 31st annual Mr. Olympia.

Through the many years the contest has running there have been 10 Mr. Olympia titleholders. Each had their unique characteristics and fanbase. Thus the question that must be asked is which one was the greatest? Depending on your definition of "great" that answer could vary significantly. Hence to form a correct and unbiased opinion of the greatest Mr. Olympia we must define the actual meaning of great.

The word "Great" has many official definitions, the two that apply to the Mr. Olympia are:

• Unusually or comparatively large in size or dimensions.
• Distinguished; famous.

And because we are examining the greatest Mr. Olympia:

• Number of Mr. Olympia's won.
• Number of Mr. Olympia's won in a row.

Now that we can put an accurate description on the word great, we are able to evaluate which Mr. Olympia winner was the greatest. In this article we will be going over each contestant's achievements and how they apply to the three definitions of greatness. Once the million dollar question has been decided, we will then discuss the length of reigns in the Mr. Olympia, the most controversial Mr. Olympia, and should they add weight classes to the competition. Let's get started!

Part 1:
Who Was The Greatest Mr. Olympia Of All Time?

Let's evaluate the 10 Mr. Olympia winners...

Larry Scott: 1965, 1966 Winner

Notable Achievements & Facts

• First Mr. Olympia winner
• One of the first bodybuilders to make it to mainstream media
• Retired at only 28 years of age
• (8) -- 1st place bodybuilding contests won; (1) -- 3rd place; (1) -- 9th place

Sergio Oliva: 1967, 1968, 1969 Winner

Notable Achievements & Facts

• Won the 1968 Mr. Olympia unopposed
• Only man to ever beat Arnold Schwarzenegger in the Mr. Olympia
• Known for his amazing measurements, 28 inch waist, 22 inch arms, and 58 inch chest
• (19) -- 1st place bodybuilding contests won; (6) - 2nd places; (1) - third; (2) - 4th places; (1) - 7th place; (2) - 8th place

Notable Achievements & Facts

• Perhaps the most popular bodybuilder in history
• Has a bodybuilding competition dedicated to himself, the Arnold Classic
• Propelled bodybuilding in the mainstream, co-staring in the bodybuilding movie, Pumping Iron
• Became an action movie star, California state governor
• Won the 1971 Mr. Olympia unopposed
• (19) - 1st place bodybuilding contests won; (3) - 2nd places

Franco Columbu: 1976, 1981 Winner

Notable Achievements & Facts

• Holds doctorates in chiropractic and nutrition
• Competed in and won the 1977 World's Strongest Man competition despite the fact he broke his leg in one of the events and was unable to complete every event
• Co-starred in the bodybuilding documentary, Pumping Iron
• (14) - 1st place bodybuilding contests won

Frank Zane: 1977, 1978, 1979 Winner

Notable Achievements & Facts

• Holds a Master's Degree in Experimental Psychology
• Thinnest waistline out of all Mr. Olympia winners
• One of three people to ever beat Arnold Schwarzenegger in a bodybuilding competition
• Considered to have one of the best proportioned physiques in bodybuilding history
• (20) - 1st place bodybuilding contests won; (3) - 2nd places; (1) - 3rd place; (3) - 4th places

Chris Dickerson: 1982 Winner

Notable Achievements & Facts

• A 30-year bodybuilding career, known for being heavily muscled
• First African-American, Mr. America
• Oldest Mr. Olympia winner at age 43
• (31) - 1st place bodybuilding contests won; (16) - 2nd places; (4) - 3rd places; (5) - 4th places; (1) - 5th place; (1) - 6th place; (1) - 8th place; (1) - 11th place

Samir Bannout: 1983 Winner

Notable Achievements & Facts

• Introduced the term "christmas tree" to the bodybuilding world by his lower back definition
• A 17-year professional career
• (6) - 1st place bodybuilding contests won; (3) - 2nd places; (2) - 3rd places; (3) - 4th places; (7) - 5th places; (6) - 6th places; (3) - 7th places; (3) - 8th places; (3) - 9th places; (4) - 10th places; (11) - 11 + places;

Lee Haney: 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991 Winner

Notable Achievements & Facts

• Joint record holder for most Mr. Olympia wins (8)
• A 25-year career, one of the most well known bodybuilders
• (19) - 1st place bodybuilding contests won; (2) - 2nd places; (3) - 3rd places

Dorian Yates: 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 Winner

Notable Achievements & Facts

• Known for his back muscles and exercises
• One of the biggest (size-wise) professional bodybuilders
• (14) - 1st place bodybuilding contests won; (2) - 2nd places; (1) - 7th place

Ronnie Coleman: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 Winner

Notable Achievements & Facts

• Joint record holder for most Mr. Olympia wins (8)
• One of the biggest (size-wise) professional bodybuilders
• Holds the most total IFBB wins (25)
• (15) - 1st place bodybuilding contests won; (1) - 2nd place; (5) - 3rd places; (4) - 4th places; (5) - 5th places; (7) - 6th places; (1) - 9th place; (1) - 11th place; (1) - 15th place

Ronnie Coleman Wallpaper 2006 Mr. Olympia Competitor. Photo By SecondFocus. 1600x1200 - 1280x1024 - 1152x864 - 1024x768 - 800x600 480x640 - 320x240 - 240x320 - 160x160 - 160x120 - 128x128

Greatness

We have gone over each Mr. Olympia winner, their achievements in the bodybuilding and outside world. Now it's time to take a look on how they compare to one another using the definitions of "Greatness."

Mr. Olympia Chart: Comparisons Of "Greatness"

Dorian Yates

There you have it, based on the definitions of great and the most Mr. Olympia wins and most consecutive wins, Dorian Yates is officially the greatest Mr. Olympia as of 2005 results.

Bio (From Bodybuilders.com):

Dorian has won 5 Mr. Olympia's in a row. He is the biggest of the professional bodybuilders and when beside him makes all other bodybuilders look small. His nickname is the 'Shadow'.

Dorian Andrew Mientjez Yates was born April 19, 1962 in England. Dorian was raised in Hurley, in rural Staffordshire. When he was a teenager, his family moved to Birmingham - Britain's second largest city. During these times, Dorian got himself into trouble, and was sentenced to six months at Whatton Youth Detention Centre.

It was here that Dorian earned an instant reputation as the strongest and fittest of Whatton's 300 inmates. This gave him new respect for himself. Whatton was the wake up call for Dorian. If he did not do something, he would end up in and out of prison all of his life. Dorian resolved that he would not be back.

In January 1983, Dorian met his future wife Debbie Chin. Their son Lewis was born in May 1984. Today, Dorian owns the Temple Gym in England. Currently lives in Walmley, Sutton Coldfield, England. He has two boxer dogs named Conan and Samson.

Part 2:
How Long Do You Think A Mr. Olympia Should Be Able To Hold The Title?

The Mr. Olympia winner should not be limited to a certain amount of time being able to hold the title. Just like in most sports, the champion's reign is not limited to a certain number of years. If the current holder of the Mr. Olympia title can stay in shape for 10 or more years ahead of the competition, he should be allowed to hold that title.

Being Mr. Olympia is not a government elected office. It is a competition, and in a competition there should be no pity rules, which limit the current titleholder to a certain number of years before he must forfeit the title. Besides the longer a bodybuilder keeps a winning streak, the more anticipation and media exposure the Mr. Olympia competition will get. Long title holders are great for any sport, bodybuilding is no exception.

Part 3:
What Was The Most Controversial Mr. Olympia? What Facts Can You Give To Support This Answer?

Without a doubt the most controversial Mr. Olympia competition was in 1980. Arnold had retired from bodybuilding five years earlier and no one had any idea what would happen at the 1980 contest.

Arnold boarded the plane to Australia for the Mr. Olympia competition. Everyone thought he was visiting to do commentary or was an IFBB promoter or official. This was not the case. Arnold had been invited to join the Mr. Olympia contest as a special invitee. The contest promoter is allowed to invite one person that has no qualifications to join the competition. This is how Arnold was "snuck" in the competition.

During judging Arnold showed up with a noticeable lack of conditioning behind his other competitors. Despite what was thought to be a sure loss for Arnold, the judges deemed him the winner. To this day it is debated that Arnold won that night because of his celebrity status and increasing popularity.

Part 4 - Bonus Question:
Would You Like To See Weight Classes Added To The Mr. Olympia Competition? Why?

No, I would not like to see weight classes added in at all. The IFBB had once had weight classes, and it was proven then that they do not work out.

People argue that the competitors should have an equal shot at becoming Mr. Olympia. I fully agree with that statement, however I do not think that an equal shot means downplaying someone because they are more aesthetically pleasing in the eyes of the judges. Mr. Olympia is not about free rides, it is the Superbowl of bodybuilding. I believe that only the best should be declared winners of this competition, even if it means one will be chosen over the other because of a height or weight advantage.

In a sport that is so dependant on your looks, and so competitive as you can have two bodybuilders with the exact same proportion and muscle size there needs to be a clear cut way to declare a winner. This clear cut way would be declaring the bigger person (as in frame) the winner. That is how bodybuilding works; the more pleasing one's physique is to the judges the more points they win.

Whether genetics plays a role in it or not, we shouldn't try to measure this factor. Until there is some definite way to measure someone's genetics and hard work, the more aesthetically pleasing physique should be the winner.

References:

1. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achievements_of_Arnold_Schwarzenegger
2. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_Schwarzenegger
3. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Dickerson
4. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorian_Yates
5. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franco_Columbu
6. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Zane
7. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Scott
8. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Haney
9. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Olympia
10. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronnie_Coleman
11. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samir_Bannout
12. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergio_Oliva
13. www.bodybuilders.com/arnold.htm
14. www.bodybuilders.com/dickerson.htm
15. www.bodybuilders.com/dorian.htm
16. www.bodybuilders.com/haney.htm
17. www.bodybuilders.com/ronnie.htm
18. www.bodybuilders.com/scott.htm
19. www.bodybuilders.com/sergio.htm
20. www.bodybuilders.com/zane.htm
21. www.dictionary.com
22. www.ifbb.com/contestresults/mrolympia/
23. www.schwarzenegger.it/

What Do Other Forum Members Say?

ronjr28: BodySpace

"The greatest Mr. Olympia of all time? That's like asking who is the greatest super bowl team of all-time. If we are talking about greatest Mr. Olympia for the sport of bodybuilding, there is no doubt the one and only Arnold Schwarzenegger. Arnold made quantum leaps for the sport back at a time when bodybuilding was looked at in a totally different light.

If we talk pure numbers, we have Arnold, Dorian, Haney, and Coleman. Coleman should break Haney's record with his ninth straight title this year. If we compare the physiques of these four during their time, Haney and Coleman were and are ahead of their time. At any point in the sport, when have we had so many Olympias where the contenders were going for second place? When your peers constantly state that you are from another planet, its obvious to me and should be to everyone else that Mr. Ronnie Coleman is the greatest of all time.

Since 1998, the man has been unbeatable. With people talkin' about criteria changing and things of this sort, it sickens me because the only reason its an issue is because he's about to win nine straight and ALOT of people don't like it for different reasons.

Dorian won a couple of Olympias that he had no business winning, and physique wise wasn't the most pleasing to the eye. Arnold's quads and hams didn't exist compared to rest of his physique. Point being, everyone has their weaknesses and strengths. Bottom line, Ronnie Coleman is the greatest of all time, period! Anyone should be able to hold on to the Mr. Olympia title for as long as they bring the best physique to the stage when the lights go on.

For as hard as these guys work, how could you put a limit on that? This isn't a political office. 1980 Olympia was the most controversial in my opinion. It was so obvious to everybody Arnold had no business winning that year. He won because of the fact that he is Arnold Schwarzenegger, period. I think there should be weight classes incorporated in the Olympia. It would make for a more exciting event and make for a better overall situation for the competitors as a whole."

BenTav05: BodySpace

"Who was the greatest Mr. Olympia of all time? Be as descriptive as possible.

Frank Zane who was the three time champ back to back to back (77, 78,79). This guy beat Arnold the Great Schwarzenegger for Mr. Universe in 1968. In his best shape, his body was superb - Fully ripped with no bloated abs... fully in shape. He a great person who has had great success with no just bodybuilding, but teaching people how to be healthy - that makes him a role model

How long do you think a Mr. Olympia should be able to hold the title?

Well, this is a hard question - I believe there should be a limit of 5 years. I have nothing against Ron Coleman, but I don't want him to keep winning. Bodybuilding is about variety of physiques, not just one main look.

What was the most controversial Mr. Olympia? What facts can you give to support this answer?

I believe Jay Cutler could have won so many years, but in 2001 was his best shot... since he had the best body, but his confidence and posing onstage was not as great at Ron Coleman. He beat Coleman in symmetry and muscle definition, but not posing.

Bonus Question: Would you like to see weight classes added to the Mr.

Olympia Competition? Why

Yeah, because at some point - a man who weighs 200 - can't compete with a super big dude like Ron Coleman, who has good genetics and uses great products from BSN (even though Bodybuilding.com products are pretty good)."

Eric_Crim_CFT: BodySpace

"If you go through all the past Mr. Olympia's you can not deny the fact that each of these men have put in countless hours of training and learning about every aspect of bodybuilding. When I looked through the list the obvious names popped out, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ronnie Coleman. Although if you go through the list and read all of the names and think about which Olympias they won I think that without a doubt Frank Zane would have to be the greatest Mr. Olympia.

I will give a brief description of Frank Zane's life so you can further understand why I think that Frank Zane deserves this title on bodybuilding.com. Well first off Frank Zane won the Mr. Olympia title in 1977, 1978, and 1979 along with another 150 titles throughout his 22 year bodybuilding career.

Physically I think Frank Zane represents the ideal healthy and fit body. Not to say that the bodybuilders today are not fit it is just that generally the bodybuilders we see in the IFBB already have a large frame when they start bodybuilding and are blessed with good genetics for the sport. I think Frank Zane almost represents a model you would see in an Anatomy class to show the location of each muscle.

The level of vascularity and muscle striations seems to be even unmatched today. During the years in which he won the Olympia's he had next to perfect obliques and ungodly striations in his chest which in turn shows that Zane knows about lifting and even more about nutrition.

When looking to decide who you think is the best Mr. Olympia of all time I don't think it is fair just to look at their amount of awards I feel it is important to look at their contributions to the body building world. Frank Zane has been writing for Muscle and Fitness magazine since 1963 and has written a couple of books relating to nutrition and training.

The most recent media coverage I have seen of Frank Zane is I saw him on The Gym which airs on FitTV where he gave a speech to trainers followed by helping at a charity event on Muscle Beach in California. I just find it amazing that nearly 30 years after winning his Mr. Olympia Frank Zane continues to contribute to the body building world.

On a side note that I found important Frank Zane has received a BA in Education along with an MA in Experimental Psychology. I know this doesn't pertain to the Mr. Olympia, but I feel education is an important part of life which most people overlook. Personally I think if we stop learning then we stop living because I feel that everyone should have a desire for knowledge.

As for the question of how long should a Mr. Olympia be able to hold the title I believe as long as the judges think that the previous Mr. Olympia is the best competitor on stage then I think they should be able to hold the title as long as they can remain the most fit.

Finally I think the most controversial Mr. Olympia is last years just because I feel that overall Jay Cutler represented a more symmetric body while Ronnie Coleman was overpowering size wise. Although I think that Jay will be able to pull off the Olympia this upcoming year and start his reign over the body building world!

BONUS QUESTION:

I don't feel like they should add any weight classes because I feel that the people who don't know much about the body building world like to see the guys that are bigger than life and this will give them something to shoot for."

Vicsteele: BodySpace

"Most would argue that Arnold is, it's an obvious answer since he took BB into the mainstream. Arnold made people get up and go to the gym. Looking back at the competition that existed, it didn't have the quality of contenders that there are today. Big Lou only competed once and could have possibly beaten Arnold had he competed again. Sergio was robbed by the judges when Arnold won.

Looking at who is the best I would have to say Yates. Yates competed again guys who could have easily been Mr. Olympia if it wasn't for him. Guys like Kevin Levrone, Shawn Ray, Paul Dillett, Flex Wheeler and Nasser El Sonbaty. I still believe that any of these guys in the shape they were in then can take the Mr. Olympia title today.

Big Ronnie is an animal but his competition is no up to par as those guys were when Yates competed. Other than Jay and maybe Dexter or Gustavo. The competition is just not there. The other guys are in great shape but they are not Mr. Olympia caliber contestants.

The fact that Yates beat guys like Levrone, Ray and Wheeler makes him the greatest ever because all of them could have and should have been Mr. Olympia.

How long do you think a Mr. Olympia should be able to hold the title?

Mr. Olympia should remain Mr. Olympia until he gets beaten or decides not to compete. If you are the best in the world then second best doesn't deserve the title until he can beat you. The title of this competition is Mr. Olympia, not Mr. Olympias.

What was the most controversial Mr. Olympia? What facts can you give to support this answer?

When Arnold beat Sergio the first time they competed against each other. Sergio truly should have won but Arnold was given that Olympia because of his popularity and not because he was the best bodybuilder that day.

Bonus Question: Would you like to see weight classes added to the Mr. Olympia Competition? Why?

No. This is the best of the best, not the best of a given weight class or category. Only one person can be named Mr. Olympia so that person has to beat everyone, not just people in his weight class.

Man of Steele VICSTEELE

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hogibear: BodySpace

"I like the fact that this question is the greatest Mr. Olympia of all time. For in fact, if the question were to be the most popular Mr. Olympia then Arnold Schwarzenegger would win hands down. It could also be argued that Arnold was the greatest Mr Olympia and in essence the greatest bodybuilder of all time by the unmistakable presence of his charisma and gregarious personality.

However, I would nominate Frank Zane as the greatest Mr. Olympia. Zane possessed a physique that has never been equaled and never will be in bodybuilding history. He epitomizes the ideal physique. He looked like a statue in his relaxed pose. His Vacuum pose can not be duplicated by any current professional bodybuilder.

The winners today are out of touch with the mainstream and even hardcore fans. They are ruining their physiques for the sake of size. Zane never let weight be a factor except for in 1982. If he had stuck too his original formula he would have beat Chris Dickerson. He boycotted the 1981 Olympia, which Franco won undeservedly. Everyone knows that Platz should have won, for the fiasco in Sydney. Frank made a mistake but probably would have been relegated to second or third to Franco.

In 1983, his last Mr. Olympia he was bested by Bannout, Dickerson and Makkawy. I believe his greatest shape was at the 1980 Olympia, where he placed third and was reported to have smashed his trophy.

Frank Zane is also my choice because he represents an ideal in both physical and mental terms. Having a Masters in Experimental Psychology is no small feat. Also my hat goes off to him for having such a beautiful wife namely Christine. He also is an avowed practitioner of archery which is a past time I enjoy as well.

The winner of Mr. Olympia from 1977-79 is without a doubt the greatest Mr. Olympia of all time. He is also from a commercial standpoint the most marketable entity in bodybuilding because his physique is truly a work of art.

The most controversial Mr. Olympia.

The most controversial Mr. Olympia was the 1980 Mr. Olympia . I remember calling my best friend and training partner with the results and he did not believe because of course Arnold was retired. Looking back at an old Muscle Builder/Power, Arnold was seen flexing in front of the Sydney Opera House the venue for the contest. This was in the ad promoting the contest Arnold received a special invitation to enter and for all practical purposes could even enter today for the facts are any past winner can enter.

However, the entry of Arnold was very deceptive especially to Zane because Arnold assured him he was only there for commentary for NBC sports. Nonetheless Arnold won. I believe Frank Zane should have won. If not Frank Zane then Mike Mentzer. Whom as a result disappeared from the bodybuilding stage as a result of this.

The question of Weight classes.

Weight classes should be reinstituted but not just over and above 200 pounds. There should be weight classes as in the amateurs all the way from bantamweight to Super Heavy weight . With the winner of each class being given the title of Mr. Olympia. This would increase the r number of representatives for the sport and level the playing field.

I do not believe that the number of wins should be limited.

I would like to thank moderators for having these contests I hope to win some No 2 I can't wait for the results of this years MR. Olympia I'm sure Ronnie will win again."