Jay Cutler stole the show at the Olympia during his prime after battling the odds and beating Ronnie Coleman. He went on to win the title four times throughout his career before finally hanging up his posing trunks. However, his journey witnessed a hiccup in 2008 when he lost to Dexter Jackson before making an epic comeback the following year.
In 2009, bodybuilding enthusiasts saw the emergence of a brand new version of Cutler, flaunting more conditioning than ever. His ripped muscles and the iconic quad stomp proved to be no match against the defenders Jackson and Phil Heath.
In a recent post, Cutler reminisced about the moment with a glimpse from the past in the form of a magazine cover. Featuring him, Jackson, and Heath, FLEX Magazine sent waves across the community for their editorial concept in 2010.
The cover featured Cutler ripping apart a previous Olympia preview cover, capturing the perfect mix of feral emotions and strength. The idea was a tongue-in-cheek reference to a previous cover featuring Heath and Jackson sharing half and half of the page.
View this post on Instagram
“This was the first FLEX cover after my comeback win, featuring me tearing apart the Olympia preview, which featured @philheath and @mrolympia08 as the front runners…”
The jaw-dropping conditioning on Cutler’s quads stood out in his career. Since his USP pose on stage was the quad stomp, where he would flaunt his strongest set of muscles in their full glory, he made sure to point that out in the caption as well.
“They weren’t ready for the quad stomp ;)”
The trip down memory lane was not exclusive to Cutler since many of his fellow bodybuilders joined the discussion. While fans were impressed by the detail and machismo exuding from the cover, there was a variety of responses.
Phil Heath, Sergio Oliva Jr., and several others join the bandwagon in admiring Jay Cutler
The cover was iconic due to its creativity, Cutler’s transformed physique and the camaraderie shared between all three bodybuilders. Heath immediately gushed about the cover and commented:
“We gotta chat about this someday. S**t was wild.”
The cover also featured Figure’s New Queen Nicole Wilkins-Lee, which Oliva Jr. pointed out.
“Nicole Wilkins being the size for Olympia figure is the craziest part”
Many complimented the creativity and thought it was Cutler’s best cover art.
“EPIC COVER!! One of your best!!”
Some even had the same issue preserved to date.
“I still own that issue believe it or not 14 years on.”
Finally, one fan wished for a return of creative magazines like those.
“I wish these magazines were still in print. It’s just not the same anymore.”
Drowned in nostalgia and wistful feelings, there was no denying that the bodybuilding community celebrated Cutler for the champion that he was. And now, at 50, the people still respect him for keeping in shape for decades.
