One of the most iconic rivalries in bodybuilding came with Jay Cutler battling long-time champion Ronnie Coleman. The former had to fight tooth and nail before finally dethroning the eight-time winner in 2006. And he did so with a lot of hype.
In a recent post, Cutler revealed an unseen glimpse of his jacked physique from 2006. Bodybuilding veteran and good friend Milos Sarcev shared the pictures with him to remind the icon of the good old days. Back then, weeks before Mr. Olympia took place, fans were curious about what Cutler would bring to the stage.
The photoshoot that the pictures were a part of was organized in California by popular fitness photographer Chris Lund. Known for his work for Flex Magazine, the artist previously worked with Coleman, Sarcev, and many other bodybuilding icons.
Cutler had been training in California when he got the opportunity to pose for the magazine. Back then, enthusiasts would often be curious to see the final stages of progress before bodybuilders made it to the Olympia stage. And in the case of Cutler, the all-time debate of whether or not he’d beat his onstage rival was the talk of the town.
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“As much as I was confident going into 2006 when I showed up at this shoe probably at my biggest and best condition I knew it was game on.”
The rest was indeed, as Cutler mentioned, history. The year 2006 marked a crucial shift in the bodybuilding world when Coleman finally broke his winning streak, and Cutler was crowned the new Mr. Olympia. The duo always shared a respectful relationship and grew closer over the years. But before that, the champion had someone to thank.
“Thanks @milossarcev for posting this and also for leaking my images to create a great buzz prior.”
While he was at his peak in 2006, Cutler had differing opinions about his physique the previous year. Something changed within the span of a few months, and the icon recalled that during a TikTok reaction video.
Jay Cutler did not approve of his 2005 physique
Back in the early 2000s, the Mr. Olympia stage would always have athletes share a fun camaraderie. Cutler and Coleman would often tease each other while posing. In an old footage from 2005, the former recalled their relationship.
Disapproving what he brought to the stage, Cutler mentioned that he wasn’t fully conditioned enough to beat his rival. While his legs were his USP, other parts could’ve used some work. Nevertheless, he went on to win the next year with a bigger and better physique.
