“Almost Got In Fight”: First-Hand Witness of Phil Heath- Kai Greene Rivalry, Bodybuilding Legend Misses Those Competitive Days in Sport

In the world of bodybuilding, contenders compete with each other to emerge victorious on stage. However, sometimes the intensity of these competitions transcends the realm of stage and becomes a hot topic. Among the most legendary clashes in bodybuilding history, is between 7x Mr. Olympia Phil Heath and the formidable Kai Greene. These athletes were not just trying to win the title but also wanted to leave a special mark in the history of bodybuilding.

Their rivalry was about more than just muscle feats. It left a lasting impact on the community. Recently, veteran bodybuilder Samir Bannout reminisced about the feud between Greene and Heath, recalling the kind of competitiveness these athletes brought to the sport.

Samir Bannout on the rivalry between Phil Heath and Kai Greene

In the recent episode of The Muscle Maturity Podcast on YouTube, former Mr. Olympia Samir Bannout and John Hansen discussed “Phil Heath Rivals, Dangerous Rebounds, Intensity not Heavy Weight.” Additionally, the 68-year-old revealed that he witnessed their competitions up close, and revealed the passion and excitement of those days.

“There was a major rivalry you know, I mean they both have a different kind of physique but they were both impressive and they clashed you almost got in fight you know but yeah I kind of like these days of bodybuilding,” stated Bannout in the video. He further went on to describe the difference between their physique and their mindset.

When asked if Greene should have beaten Heath in a few contests, Bannout leaned toward Greene at times for his quality. However, The Gift’s consistency and resilience, built on his overall physique, led him to clinch consecutive victories. In 2011, Greene was placed third in the Olympia. After that, he consistently came second for the next three years. Meanwhile, Heath had earlier revealed his mindset while competing against Kai Greene.

The dream killer’s strategy against Kai Greene

In a podcast with Chris Williamson, ‘The Gift’ cleverly said that he felt that this was his chance to defeat his rival, Kai Greene. He said, “I was getting ready for the 2013 Mr. Olympia and I had a feeling that that was my opportunity to close the door on Kai Greene”.

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Heath shared his strategy during his third Olympia show prep. He said sometimes one needs to train with anger to achieve goals. The 7x Mr.Olympia combined the preparation of 2011 and 2012 with 2013 and ended the rivalry with Greene. And just like a true champion, he turned his fear of losing into a driving force, propelling him to train harder and claim victory as the champion.

Do you also agree with Samir Bannout that the passionate competition that Heath and Greene brought to the stage is missing nowadays?

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