Of all the greatest rivalries in bodybuilding, some of the most intense battles took place on stage with the GOAT Ronnie Coleman. The former police officer-turned-bodybuilder had more than just muscles and brawn to his credit.
He set forth the circle of bodybuilding by championing the monster-like physique as the standard aesthetic. Only one German Hulk came close to beating him, and that was Markus Ruhl. Coleman admitted to him years ago, according to an interview from 2012.
At the Mr. Olympia 2004 stage, Ruhl and Coleman locked horns to determine who was the most muscular. Ever since then, the moment took the internet by storm, with bodybuilding enthusiasts in awe of the giants’ size. In the end, Coleman ended up with the crown, but not before he admitted something to his onstage rival.
In a conversation with Nick Jones, Ruhl recalled the historic moment that gained him numerous fans over the years and strengthened the bond between him and Coleman. The stage was set, and they gave their best poses for the judges to pick a winner. However, admitted that standing next to the reigning champion was an honor.
By that time, Ruhl had already beaten the other bodybuilders in different poses. Dexter Jackson and Gunter Schlierkamp had taken the side stage as the German Hulk went ahead to stand next to Coleman.
“There was a pose where I stand next to Ronnie Coleman, and Triple H asked me ‘Markus, what kind of pose do you want to make next to Ronnie?'”
After some thought, Ruhl decided to bank on his size and musculature. He chose the ‘Most Muscular’ pose for the final showdown. The audience immediately cheered for him, and he later revealed how almost 80% of them expected him to win against Coleman. However, the judges chose otherwise. Ruhl recalled how the ‘King’ approached him later.
“But he is coming back to me on stage and he said ‘Markus I know you did it.’ I said no Ronnie, it’s totally alright. It’s an honor for me to be with you on stage to have to pose together, and I know I’m better than you!”
With that jibe, Ruhl ended up winning the hearts of bodybuilding fans and colleagues alike. While he remained the uncrowned German Hulk who lost to Coleman, that didn’t stop him from winning the hearts of the audience. As for Coleman, he was eventually overthrown by Jay Cutler in the following year.
Ronnie Coleman teamed up with Jay Cutler for a successful Arnold Classic event
The recent Arnold Classic UK witnessed onstage rivals Ronnie Coleman and Jay Cutler participate in a panel discussion. The duo indulged in some jokes and shared stories of their onstage camaraderie to inspire and entertain fans.
Towards the end of the event, Coleman was overjoyed to witness the turnout and greeted fans from all over the place who came to visit him and Cutler. After clicking a million photos with fans and interacting with several enthusiasts, the eight-time Mr. Olympia expressed his gratitude in an Instagram post.
He thanked them for keeping him active and kicking, crediting them for their support and encouragement.
