It may come as a surprise, but Flex Wheeler, the uncrowned prince of bodybuilding, started his career with martial arts in mind. A student of the martial arts legend Bruce Lee, Flex’s venture into bodybuilding was unplanned. It was Lee’s “body aesthetics” that motivated him to pursue sports with more sincerity. As the “Sultan of Symmetry” attempts to re-introduce himself over social media, the fans recall how “unlucky” he had been in his bodybuilding career.
And as soon as the post was shared that detailed Flex’s body, the comment sections flooded with fans’ reactions. While many expressed their regret for him not winning “Mr. Olympia,” the emotions ran high!
The recent post from Flex Wheeler takes fans down the memory lane
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From starting a career as a police officer, Wheeler soon shifted his focus to becoming a professional bodybuilder. Adopting the nickname “Flex,” he took the professional stage for the first time in 1983. Though he could not secure a win till 1989, he did not give up trying. His passion and determination are hands-down one of the most extraordinary tales in the bodybuilding stage. As the yesteryear legend shares a throwback picture to re-introduce himself, the fans could not help but agree with what he wrote, “often imitated, but never duplicated.”
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Winning 4 Pro Ironman, Arnold Classic, German Grand Prix, and French Grand Prix is never a cakewalk. But Flex always aimed to secure the highest pedestal, the title of “Mr. Olympia.” However, that dream remained a dream. Even though it has been years, fans can not get over the fact that he did not win. One of his fans expressed regret, “Should have one Mr O then. Definitely robbed”
Smitten by his well-conditioned body, while one user remarked, “Best symmetry to EVER do it! 🤙🏼🙌🔥,” the other one announced, “Anything and anybody else is a derivate. 💯” The man who was once hailed as the best by bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger narrowly missed the Mr. Olympia title three times (1993, 1998, 1999). Though he could have returned to the stage to claim what was unfinished, his health stood as the biggest blockade.
Fans express similar feelings for Wheeler
Decades may have passed since Wheeler walked the professional stage, but the memories remain fresh. A predator when it comes to competing, it’s not just Wheeler who holds the regret of not clenching Mr. Olympia title. As one user remarked, “Should have been Mr Olympia several times over,” others can not help but nod in agreement. A pioneer in body aesthetics, Flex, as one of his fans points out, was undeniably “The best of all times!!”
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Even though Flex could never claim the title for himself, his dominance on the stage was hard to miss. Considered amongst the “bodybuilding elites,” his legacy continues to date. As one of his fans rightly remarked, he is “Definitely the goat.”
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What do you have got to say about this? Do you, too, think Flex has been “robbed” of his titles? Feel free to express yourself in the comments section!