When it comes to the golden age of bodybuilding, that is the mid-90s, two very significant figures have an unspoken rivalry going on with each other. On the other hand, where the 6x Mr. Olympia champion fixated only on his training and preferred talking about himself, the controversial bodybuilder often than not shared his criticism in magazines.

In a recent event on the Internet, a light was shed upon the last rivalry between Dorian Yates and Shawn Ray and the entire matter that was explained. Let’s delve deeper to find out what truly was the matter.

The unspoken rivalry between Dorian Yates and Shawn Ray

The bodybuilder turned philosopher Paul Baxendale recently took to his Instagram and shared a few pictures of Dorian Yates and Shawn Ray onstage flexing their physique. He used the post to enlighten the audience about what truly happened between the beasts. He started the caption by talking about Dorian Yates and how he’d rarely talk about any other pro bodybuilders apart from himself in the Temple Gym after his workout.

The 6x Mr. Olympia champion was only concerned about his workout. He knew a lot of the other athletes criticized him, but he never let any of it get to him. Baxendale wrote in the caption, “Dorian always let his physique do the talking anyway although we did enjoy hearing him speak about some of the guys criticizing him and knowing come September he’d walk out and take another Sandow.” 

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Shawn Ray, on the other hand, constantly criticized Yates without having had a decent conversation with him and that led to some serious banter in Yates’ career that particular year. As Baxendale mentioned in the caption, “Shawn’s criticism shot him in the foot as when he said Dorian was only good enough for guest posing because his days as Mr. Olympia were over after his bicep tear, that year the audience booed him as he walked off-stage!” However, things turned around after their retirement.

Turning dynamics between Shawn Ray and Dorian Yates

After the show, Yates was all pumped up with anger. Baxendale wrote in the caption, “The comments probably added even more fuel to an already laser focused and fired up Dorian determined to return in ’95 even better, bigger, better proportioned and better conditioned than ever before!” However, once they retired, they got to know each other, and they turned out to become great friends.

Ray was even known to stay at Yates’s house during a trip to the UK. They finally started respecting each other for the different characters they had and on an end note, Shawn Ray even stated, “It wasn’t until later when I finally ended up training with him after Dorian had retired, that I understood what ‘intensity’ really meant!” What is your take on the relationship between Dorian Yates and Shawn Ray?

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