The 62-year-old self-made bodybuilder Dorian Yates delighted bodybuilding fans with a rare video of him sharing the stage with the eight-time Mr. Olympia Lee Haney. The video, from 1991, marked Yates’s debut at the prestigious Olympia stage, where he faced off against Haney. The latter won his eighth consecutive Sandow Trophy in 1991 and never competed since.

Now, the English bodybuilder has shared a snippet from the competition on his Instagram page, with the caption, “My Debut Olympia, 1991.” It was a significant moment for him because he had just come off a victory at the Night of Champions the same year and earned his Olympia qualification. Throwing it back, Yates had lots to say about his rival, Haney.

Dorina Yates praised his once competitor, Lee Haney

Yates felt primed for Olympia’s success after winning the Night of Champions earlier that year, and thus he entered the Super Bowl of bodybuilding in a bid to dethrone the reigning champion, Lee Haney. Yates recalled his second-place finish and stated, “This was actually the last time in my career where I wouldn’t be placed first!… The right man won and for me, this was the start of my Olympia career.”

Yates then delved into the challenge of adding muscle mass and then cutting down for the Olympia, given the short time frame. On the other hand, he was educating himself with the help of magazines and Mike Mentzer’s philosophy, which helped him develop a physique that led to him being crowned six times in a row. Subsequently, as the Olympia drew nearer, it seemed inevitable that the competition would come down to Yates and Lee Haney. Yates acknowledged Lee’s stage presence and the maturity of his muscle development, indicating that Lee was poised to potentially win his eighth Mr. Olympia title and secure a place in bodybuilding history. On the other hand, Lee Haney remained undefeated since he opted out of competing in the 1992 Olympia, while Yates also maintained his unbeaten record by skipping the 1998 Olympia, where Ronnie Coleman claimed the championship.

After coming across the video that turned back the clock, fans were hooked on the clip and shared their thoughts about the legends.

Fans were amazed to see Yates’s physique

Many bodybuilding enthusiasts praised Yates’s unique hairstyle and his overall appearance. “The mullet and look, would always say you are an underrated Olympia winner and one of my favorites, a true trailblazer,” stated a user. Fans noted that Yates had better-developed and more defined leg muscles, saying, “Yates looked much better his legs were far more developed and cut Haney saw the writing on the wall.”

Another asserted that Lee Haney was the most accomplished bodybuilder of all time and wrote, “Lee Haney is the most complete bodybuilder ever. The greatest to ever do it.” The online community appreciated the Shadow for showing sportsmanship and a respectful attitude toward his opponent. “The approach you have and the respect with which you are talking about your opponent just goes to show how great of a champion you really are…you sir are a great man and inspiration. Two of the greatest to place a foot in the Olympia stage,” quipped a fan.

Meanwhile, one fan humorously remarked, “Once you (Dorian Yates) fixed your haircut you started winning.” Many still believe that Haney could have defeated Yates in the following year, “I honestly think Lee would have beat Dorian again the next year (with some added size on his quads) ……..Dorian is still my favorite human ever.” 

Do you also think that Haney could have defeated Yates if he hadn’t withdrawn his name from the competition? Let us know in the comments.