The 1980 Mr. Olympia will always go down as one of the most remembered events in bodybuilding for many reasons. Apart from famous bodybuilders like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Frank Zane, Boyer Coe, Roger Walker, and many more, Mike Mentzer was one to look out for. It was known to all that Mentzer was always one of the best and toughest to defeat at any stage. However, the 1980 edition of Mr. Olympia was not a memorable one for Mentzer.
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Mike Mentzer were rivals when it came to bodybuilding and the Mr. Olympia. In a resurfaced video, the late bodybuilder was heard and seen sharing his distress about Arnold at the 1980 Mr. Olympia and confronting him.
Menzter mentioned that the atmosphere at the arena was different; as compared to all the other editions, it was negative and skewed. Everyone at the competition was acting strange, and there was tension in the air that Mentzer sensed.
Mentzer further mentioned that there were issues that came up in the room. Arnold was seen arguing with most of the fellow bodybuilders regarding the weight class. However, Mr. Heavy Duty never let any of that affect him, and he was more than sure he would win on that given day. Arnold, however, was seen arguing with Samir Bannout, after which Boyer Coe stood up as a gentleman and requested Arnold explain his reason for wanting two classes and end the relentless arguments.
Arnold, however, did not like the way Boyer Coe spoke. He snapped and called him a ‘baby.’ This did not sit well with Mentzer. Menzter, who was then involved, told Arnold, “Look! Boyer Coe said that as a gentleman. He doesn’t deserve that.” 7-time Olympia Arnold Schwarzenegger did not like the way Mentzer spoke to him. Arnold told Mentzer that everyone knew that he lost last year because he “had a belly.” Mentzer did not like what Arnie said, and he ran towards the Austrian Oak, which, as per him, scared him. He then made sure to make a point with Arnold and settle things up. He said in the video:
“I wagged my finger at him telling him his behaviour was reprehensible. That was not Boyer Coe who needed to grow up, but him. And, he couldn’t look me in the eye. He literally went from being a frantic hysterical adolescent to shrinking away like an injured child.”
During the competition, things became even more clear to Mentzer when he sensed that something was off. Menzter was placed fifth in the 1980 Mr. Olympia. This came as a shocker to him as well as to the other competitors and audience as well.
“My immediate gut-level reaction was laughter. I just started laughing. It was ludicrous to me. It was so obviously an incorrect decision.”
Most competitors and audiences felt that the organizers rigged this particular competition when they declared Arnold the winner. Later on, all magazines published articles stating that the decision was wrong and the competition was conducted incorrectly. It was after this that Mentzer took a decision on his bodybuilding career that left fans in utter astonishment.
For what reason did Mike Mentzer quit bodybuilding?
Mike Mentzer has caught probably every fitness freak’s eye for his revolutionary techniques in bodybuilding, but his loss during Mr. Olympia 1980 was disappointing to him.
Arnold Schwarzenegger was seen sitting with the judges and making an unexpected comeback on this stage. Even though criticized by the audience and other competitors, Schwarzenegger won the title. The mixed reception and outrage that Arnold’s victory received questioned the influential decision-making behind the verdict. He garnered enough support from his bodybuilding community and led his colleagues Zane and Boyer Coe to boycott the following year’s Mr. Olympia.
But the competition took place the following year, announcing Franco Columbu as the winner. This is when, much to the dismay and shock of the sporting field, Mentzer decided to part ways with his beloved sport. His teachings, though, are still practiced with the same rigor by bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts.
