The bodybuilding world knows Jay Cutler and Ronnie Coleman as two of the best onstage rivals to have battled it out. Each presented an aesthetic that would make the other push harder to be better. Yet, as Coleman won eight Mr. Olympia titles back-to-back, Cutler felt like he couldn’t see past the wall his rival had created.
In his recent YouTube video, he recalled the first time he met Coleman when they were rising in popularity. He already knew he’d be facing some tough competition from Coleman after witnessing how he’d been training at his Metroflex Gym.
Eventually, the duo went up against each other for the first time on stage in 2000. Cutler tried his best to beat his competitors’ package before finally going directly up against Coleman the following year. However, no matter how much he tried to up his physique level, he couldn’t match up to him.
In the video, Cutler and his good friend Dave Bourtlet had set out on a walk while recalling the good old days. Back then, the rivalry between Cutler and Coleman was so fiery that the entire bodybuilding world felt divided. Bourtlet recalled:
“I took it so personal back then, I remember the animosity…just between you and Ronnie, he was the enemy.”
Cutler remembered how intense things had gotten at one point, where he knew he had to give it his all to win the title. Despite other competitors presenting their best, his eyes were locked in on the Texas native.
“That’s how it was…that was the biggest obstacle.”
But even then, their camaraderie on stage was iconic enough for everyone to remain entertained throughout the championship. When they retired, they grew closer and became one of the most dynamic bodybuilder pairs in the industry.
Jay Cutler Wistfully Recalls the First Time he Came to Know of his Long-term Onstage Rival
Even before Coleman won his first-ever Mr. Olympia, something about his physique was unique enough for Cutler to look out for him. Sometime around 1996, the latter recalled how he made sure to pay a visit to the Metroflex Gym in Dallas just to see how intense Coleman’s preparation was.
The eight-time Mr. Olympia, at the time, was just on the verge of growing popular among the common folk. Yet, Cutler was quick to notice how large his biceps were, which gave him an edge over other competitors. Eventually, when the duo came face-to-face, Coleman had already grown stunningly larger with impeccable conditioning that won him several titles.
