Throughout bodybuilding history, there have often been dominant champions. However, there have also been standout competitors who have challenged the dominance of these champions repeatedly. From Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sergio Oliva to Phil Heath and Kai Greene, some rivalries have been etched in the history of bodybuilding. However, the rivalry between eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman and four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler is perhaps the greatest in bodybuilding history.

After a spectacular but short-lived rivalry with Flex Wheeler, Massachusetts native Jay Cutler emerged as the biggest challenger for Ronnie ‘The King’ Coleman. Coleman and Cutler battled it out on the Olympia stage for four consecutive years before Cutler finally dethroned The King. Earlier, Flex Magazine uploaded a video from one of the incoming face-offs between the two bodybuilders. Unsurprisingly, the fans were left stunned.

A legendary posedown between Ronnie Coleman and Jay Cutler

The video starts with Jay Cutler and Ronnie Coleman standing on stage for a side-by-side comparison. The King started by flexing his massive quads, showing off the muscle separation, while Cutler showed how rock-hard Coleman’s quads were by slapping them. The three-time Arnold Classic winner then showed off his quads which Coleman acknowledged.

The two bodybuilding icons hyped up the crowd as the cheers got louder. After showing the legs, Coleman and Cutler transitioned into showing off their midsection. The two rivals finally finished posing by hitting the most muscular pose, showing off their ripped shoulders, traps, and biceps.

While Flex Magazine didn’t mention which year the video was filmed, most fans guessed it was from 2003. In 2003, Coleman equaled Dorian Yates’s record. He would win two more times before Cutler won his first title in 2006. The fans were also in awe of the two legends sharing the stage in their prime.

Stunned bodybuilding fans had nothing but praise 

While there are often conflicting opinions on bodybuilding posts, everyone in the comments section showed nothing but respect for the two champions:

“The greatest battle in bodybuilding history period!”

“Best and classiest rivalry in the business”

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“Two legends. Great rivalry.”

“Those guys are the best.”

“Class acts, both of them. I’ve always thought, can anyone hate Ronnie? It’s impossible, buddy!”

While Ronnie Coleman and Jay Cutler seemed like bitter rivals during their bodybuilding days, they became good friends over the years. In fact, not just fans but Cutler himself thinks he and Coleman had the greatest rivalry in bodybuilding. Cutler posted a comparison image of himself and Coleman on Instagram with the caption, “We changed the game. A rivalry that will never be duplicated.” Do you agree?

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