“Idol and Inspiration Forever!”: Ronnie Coleman’s Unseen Footage From Bodybuilding Prime Inspires Fans

Bodybuilding legend Ronnie Coleman won the Superbowl of Bodybuilding eight times. However, surprisingly little footage of his legendary championship run is available on the internet. So, The King himself shared a rare backstage video of himself putting on a tan before stepping on the show. The video showed Coleman with a stage-ready physique, up close.

The footage captured Coleman from every angle as he moved around to help the lady put on the tan. Ronnie Coleman even hit a front double biceps pose so that she could ensure she didn’t miss a spot. The Texas policeman’s physique looked like it was carved out of granite, nearly every fiber visible even when he didn’t flex them.

“RARE backstage footage. The Final Touches before going on stage…” the bodybuilding icon wrote in the caption. Ronnie Coleman wore pink posing trunks in the video which indicated that the footage was from the 199 Mr. Olympia. In 1999, The King defended his title for the first time against a stacked roster of challengers and wore pink trunks at the finals.

The former Arnold Classic champion won the Sandow in 1998 but proved himself a formidable champion the following year. In 199, Coleman defeated Mr. Olympia veterans like Nasser El Sonbaty, Flex Wheeler, Kevin Levrone, and Shawn Ray. All of these bodybuilders placed in the top 5 of bodybuilding’s most prestigious contest long before Coleman even cracked the top 10.

Ronnie Coleman continued to dominate the stage until Jay Cutler dethroned him in 2006. The King didn’t mention which show or year the footage originated from and instead had a quiz for his loyal fans. “Can you guess the year & show?!“ asked the 60-year-old and fans were quick to reply.

Ronnie Coleman left fans wonderstruck

The eight-time champion’s physique astonished a fan who proclaimed him the greatest of all time. “Idol and inspiration forever!! The real Rocky Balboa! Good old days for pre-contest coloring…much better than spray lol @ronniecoleman8 you are and will be always the best Champion in stages and in life. Thanks for the inspiration,” wrote the fan gratefully. “Easily knocks out any other Mr. O,“ wrote one fan. The King’s incredible physique inspired the fans’ imagination. “Man Ronnie looked like a supervillain from a comic or a movie,“ wrote one fan. Meanwhile, others answered the 60-year-old’s question.

“The year was ‘yeah buddy‘ and the show was ‘lightweight baby’,“ wrote one inventive fan. The fan weaved Ronnie Coleman’s two iconic catchphrases into one statement. However, others were straightforward with their answer. “1999 Mr. Olympia,“ commented a fan. Another fan recalled an infamous statement Coleman made while addressing Jay Cutler’s challenge later in his career. “I think Jay Cutlers smokin’ c***k and ain’t in his right mind,“ quoted the fan.

The rare video gave fans an up-close look at The King during his prime and they were beyond impressed. What did you think of the footage? Tell us in the comments.