Mr. Olympia has witnessed many icons who’ve stood the test of time and earned the title of GOAT. Chris Bumstead, being one of them, has dominated the Classic Physique category for five consecutive years now. Yet, amidst all the competition, the champion has always respected his rivals – particularly the one who started it all.
Breon Ansley had snagged the throne before Bumstead could learn the ropes of the Classic Physique championship. Both were touted as fierce rivals, with a lot of banter between them. Yet, Ansley later planned to move on to the 212 division, and both competitors buried their hatchets for a stronger friendship.
In a recent playful moment between the two, Ansley shared a throwback from 2021 where he and Bumstead stood to pose for the camera at the championship.
The men gave their best during the competition, although the Canadian bodybuilder ended up winning the title. However, while sharing the photo on his Instagram stories, Ansley made a mistake.
While the photo was from 2021, the Californian mistakenly identified it as a glimpse from 2019. Reminiscing about the good old days, the icon shared the photo, albeit getting confused about the timeline. He later admitted his fault.
“@cbum actually corrected me guys. These Olympias sometimes run together on me; so in honor of 2021.”
Not only did Bumstead correct his rival on the timeline, but he also didn’t miss an opportunity to tease him about the mistake. Sharing the photo on his Instagram story, along with Ansley’s miss, the Canadian icon laughed:
“Easy to lose track we’re getting old.”
All jokes aside, the men have always supported each other through various competitions. While they were the biggest onstage rivals, Bumstead’s growth didn’t cause any malice between them. In fact, the five-time Classic Physique champion once even admitted how important Ansley was to his growth as a bodybuilder.
Chris Bumstead confessed about his ‘only true rival’ – Breon Ansley
In a candid conversation on the PBD podcast, Bumstead pondered whether or not any of his competitors were quirky enough to keep him on his toes. And one of the top prospects was Ansley himself. The 6’1 Californian kept Bumstead away from the title in 2017 and 2018.
Their camaraderie and rivalry kept Bumstead motivated to hustle harder. He admitted that Ansley, at one point, was his only true rival who pushed his buttons harder. However, it led him to keep winning the title consistently to date. That’s why Bumstead is the GOAT of the Classic Physique Division in bodybuilding.
