Mr.Olympia History
1960s
The popular bodybuilder Scott won the Mr. Olympia in 1965 and 1966. After winning in 1966, Scott went on to retire, making him the only Mr. Olympia champion in history to have never lost in a Mr. Olympia contest.
He competed in the first Mr. Olympia in 1965 at the age of 21, making him the youngest participant in Olympia history. Harold Poole also retains the distinction of being the only guy to take part in all three of the first Mr. Olympia competitions.
Sergio Oliva's victory in the 1967 Mr. Olympia signaled the beginning of a new era in bodybuilding competition. "The Myth" Oliva, who stands 5 feet 10 inches and weighs 240 pounds, had an unanticipated amount of muscle mass and definition, including a "V"-shaped upper torso that tapered down to a tight waist.
Arnold Schwarzenegger suffered his lone Mr. Olympia defeat in 1969 when he lost against Oliva by a score of four to three. Oliva went on to win the tournament in 1967, 1968 (uncontested), and 1969.
1970s
At the 1970 Mr. Olympia, where he had placed second the year before, Schwarzenegger overcame Oliva, and he repeated the feat in 1971 (this time with only one rival). In 1972, he again defeated Oliva, and then he won the following three Mr. Olympia contests, including the 1975 contest, which was featured in the 1977 documentary Pumping Iron along with other well-known bodybuilders like Lou Ferrigno, Serge Nubret, and Franco Columbu, who would later win the 1976 and 1981 contests.
A dual weight category system was in operation from 1974 to 1979, dividing athletes into two groups: "Heavyweights" (those weighing over 200 pounds) and "Lightweights" (those weighing under 200 pounds). The overall champion would subsequently be chosen by a competition amongst the winners of each division.
Schwarzenegger announced his retirement from competitive bodybuilding after winning the 1975 contest; Pumping Iron also included this event.
The events in 1977, 1978, and 1979 were won by Frank Zane.The first time the Sandow trophy was given out was in 1976.
1980s
After a five-year break, Schwarzenegger returned from retirement to win the Olympia once more in 1980. Schwarzenegger entered the contest rather late, so his rivals were unaware of his plans to compete (he claimed to be practicing for his "Conan" movie). Most opponents and onlookers believed that he lacked strength and conditioning and shouldn't have defeated Chris Dickerson or Mike Mentzer, making his sixth victory particularly contentious. The following year, some athletes pledged to skip the competition, and Mentzer announced his permanent retirement.
Franco Columbu won the subsequent year for a second time. Samir Bannout won his lone title in 1983, and Chris Dickerson won his lone title in 1982, becoming the first openly gay Mr. Olympia.Lee Haney then won the first of his 8 consecutive Mr. Olympia championships in 1984.
1990s
After his final Mr. Olympia triumph in 1991, Haney ended his career as a competitive bodybuilder.Dorian Yates, who finished second to Haney the year before, won the championship six times in a row from 1992 to 1997. When Dorian won the title of Mr. Olympia, he combined previously unseen mass with what came to be known as "granite hardness," changing the competition.
Bodybuilders were reportedly using growth hormones in the 1990s, and as a result, they began to compete with larger bodies. Journalist Lou Schuler questioned if Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman competed "naturally" or took hormones in a 2016 article for Men's Health.
After his triumph in 1997, Yates gave up professional bodybuilding after suffering a number of injuries. Ronnie Coleman, who finished ninth in 1997, stunned everyone in 1998 by taking home the first of eight straight victories because to a significantly improved physique. After winning in 1997 and suffering from a number of ailments, Yates gave up professional bodybuilding. With a significantly improved physique in 1998, Ronnie Coleman, who finished ninth in 1997, astounded everyone by winning the first of eight straight championships.
In order enable professional bodybuilders to compete at the top levels in their latter years, a separate Masters Olympia tournament was established in 1994.
2000s
Ronnie Coleman tied Lee Haney's record by winning the Mr. Olympia contest eight times in a row. The mass monster era was started by Coleman, who went by the moniker "The King" and is largely regarded as the best bodybuilder in Olympia history. Coleman came back in 2006 to attempt to break the record for Olympia victories but was unable to defend his crown and instead came in second to Jay Cutler, who won his first title after trailing Coleman for four years in a row. In 2007, Cutler successfully defended his title. One of the most intense rivalries in the history of the contest was put to an end when Coleman, who finished in fourth place, declared his retirement from competing.
Dexter Jackson defeated Jay Cutler in 2008 to win the title of Mr. Olympia.Jay Cutler came back and won it back in 2009.
2010s
In 2010, Cutler came back to win his fourth Mr. Olympia title, making him the fifth contestant in Olympia history to do so. Phil Heath defeated Cutler to win the championship in 2011, starting a winning streak that continued until 2018.Kai Greene and Heath's competition was the focus of the Olympia from 2012 to 2014, with Heath taking home all three victories and Greene finishing in second.
A brand-new category named Classic Physique was launched in 2016. The first champion in the Classic Physique discipline was Danny Hester.
In 2017, Heath won the Mr. Olympia for the eighth time in a row, with Mamdouh Elssbiay coming in second. Heath equaled Arnold Schwarzenegger for second most Olympia victories with his triumph in 2017; Lee Haney and Ronnie Coleman each have eight victories.
In 2018, Shawn Rhoden defeated Phil Heath, ending Heath's seven-match winning streak.Brandon Curry won the Mr. Olympia competition for 2019.
Wheelchair Olympia, a new division, was introduced in 2018.
2020s
Phil Heath made a comeback in 2020 to try for a record-tying ninth title, but Mamdouh Elssbiay won the Olympia and took home the victory.For the second time in 2021, Elssbiay triumphed.In 2022, Hadi Choopan won the competition.
