Like with any sport, no one can truly predict a bodybuilding show. Right when fans think one competitor is a sure bet to take home the top prize, the judges can throw a curveball into the mix and crown an unexpected winner that no one saw coming.
The sport is filled with these types of upsets. We’ve seen David beat Goliath and young upstarts take down longtime champs on the biggest stages. And we here at BarBend are reliving 10 of the biggest upsets in bodybuilding history below.
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10 of the Biggest Upsets in Bodybuilding History
- Frank Zane Defeats Arnold Schwarzenegger (1968)
- Arnold Schwarzenegger Beats Sergio Oliva Sr. Twice (1970)
- Lenda Murray Is Crowned Ms. Olympia (1990)
- Ronnie Coleman Topples Flex Wheeler (1998)
- Günter Schlierkamp Shocks Ronnie Coleman (2002)
- Dexter Jackson Beats Jay Cutler Twice (2003, 2008)
- Jay Cutler Beats “The King” (2006)
- Shawn Rhoden Ends Phil Heath’s Reign (2018)
- Shaun Clarida Becomes the 212 Olympia Champ (2020)
- Natalia Abraham Coelho Defeats Sarah Villegas (2022)
Frank Zane Defeats Arnold Schwarzenegger at the 1968 Mr. Universe
Even though Sergio Oliva was the reigning Mr. Olympia in 1968, Arnold Schwarzenegger was beginning to build his reputation as the next big thing in the sport — he just needed some signature wins to really cement his arrival.
Unfortunately, that win wouldn’t come at the 1968 IFBB Mr. Universe contest. Even though Schwarzenegger was by far the biggest man in the lineup, the 21-year-old didn’t display enough definition and hadn’t yet mastered the art of posing. As a result, the judges went with the much smaller but better-conditioned Frank Zane, who eventually won a trio of Mr. Olympia titles. Schwarzenegger placed second on that evening, marking the second of only three losses he suffered in his career.
“Arnold wasn’t ready to win yet,” Zane told Bodybuilding.com years later about his win that night. “He was just a big smooth guy without a tan. I didn’t see him as competition in that show.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger Defeats Sergio Oliva Sr. Twice in 1970
After Schwarzenegger suffered his third career loss at the 1969 Mr. Olympia to Oliva, the two found themselves on the same stage again at the 1970 Mr. World show in Columbus, OH. By this time, though, the 23-year-old Schwarzenegger was a far more refined poser with a leaner overall physique.
In a shocking upset that was broadcast on ABC television, “The Austrian Oak” took home the win over the far more established Oliva. Not only that, but Schwarzenegger went on to defeat him again for his first Mr. Olympia title less than one month later.
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“[Oliva] was the dragon I had to slay to get to the top,” Schwarzenegger wrote in his newsletter in 2023. “His body was incredible […] It took everything I had to beat him at the Mr. World and then the Mr. Olympia in 1970.”
As a side note, the 1970 Mr. World was actually the contest that led to Schwarzenegger and show promoter Jim Lorimer agreeing to join forces and promote together, eventually leading to the creation of the Arnold Classic.
Lenda Murray Wins Her First Ms. Olympia Over Bev Francis
When six-time Ms. Olympia Cory Everson announced her retirement in 1989, she left the door open for top contender Bev Francis to finally climb bodybuilding’s highest mountain and take the title the following year.
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Francis looked great as expected at that year’s Ms. Olympia, but 1989 North American Amateur winner Lenda Murray showed up with more muscle than Francis and even better conditioning. That was enough for the judges to name Murray the new Ms. Olympia in her very first appearance in the contest, a rarity in bodybuilding. She would go on to win eight of those titles before retiring in 2004.
Ronnie Coleman Defeats Flex Wheeler at the 1998 Mr. Olympia
In 1998, injuries forced six-time Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates to retire, leaving the title vacant for a new generation of hungry competitors. Athletes like Kevin Levrone, Shawn Ray, and Nasser El Sonbaty were among the favorites, but the smart money was on Flex Wheeler to win his first Olympia title that year in Madison Square Garden.
Unfortunately for Wheeler, Ronnie Coleman finally found his groove.
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Coleman finished in ninth place at the previous Olympia and wasn’t considered much of a threat by ’98 — but he was now working with coach Chad Nicholls and had scored multiple victories leading up to the big show. With a refreshed strategy, some added momentum, and an improved physique, the stars aligned perfectly for Coleman to come out on top. And as fans know, he would win the next seven Olympias, keeping Wheeler’s hands off the Sandow for the rest of his career.
Günter Schlierkamp Defeats Reigning Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman in 2002
As happy as fans were when Coleman became the face of the sport in 1998, it seemed that change was in the air by 2002.
Coleman won that year’s Mr. Olympia and went on a post-show tour of contests to rack up some more victories. One of those shows was the GNC Show of Strength, where he faced off against several top stars, including Günter Schlierkamp, who finished the Olympia in fifth place in 2002.
The reigning Mr. Olympia rarely lost non-Olympia contests in that era, but on this day, Schlierkamp came in much improved and was able to pull off the upset.
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“When the emcee said, ‘History is made tonight,’ that’s when I knew it was mine. I almost fainted,” Schlierkamp said of his victory. “I fell to my knees, crying, and thumped the stage. Then Kevin Levrone [who was not competing] rushed the stage and tried to pick me up. I don’t remember much more after that. It was much later when I realized I had won 100 grand.”
While this seemed to foreshadow that Coleman’s Olympia reign was in danger, “The King” bounced back in a big way in 2003. He somehow packed on even more muscle while still keeping his conditioning in check. He easily retained his title in what may have been the most dominant performance in bodybuilding history.
Dexter Jackson Defeats Jay Cutler Twice
The Show of Strength contest hosted another major upset in 2003, but this one didn’t involve Coleman. That year’s Arnold Classic champion, Jay Cutler, was coming off a second-place finish at the Olympia and went into the show as the overwhelming favorite. What many fans didn’t expect was for the much smaller Dexter Jackson to show up in even better shape. “The Blade” got the nod over Cutler and took the overall win, marking just the second victory of his career at that point.
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History repeated itself five years later at the 2008 Mr. Olympia when Jackson came into that contest at his all-time best. Cutler was once again off the mark, and Jackson dethroned the reigning Mr. Olympia to become the 12th man to hold bodybuilding’s biggest championship. Though Cutler took the title back in 2009, his rivalry with Jackson still stands out as one of bodybuilding’s most intriguing.
Jay Cutler Usurps “The King” at the 2006 Mr. Olympia
Cutler wasn’t only getting beat in these upsets — he caused one as well. In 2006, Coleman aimed to surpass Lee Haney’s record of eight Mr. Olympia victories. However, rumors spread that he had suffered a lat injury leading up to the contest that had severely hampered his training. (He denied any injury.) Meanwhile, Cutler was hitting a groove in the gym and planned on matching Coleman’s size with his own level of definition.
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After five years of chasing Coleman, Cutler was finally announced as the new Mr. Olympia, while “The King” looked on in defeat. The new Mr. Olympia was showered with cheers from the crowd as a new dynasty began. Coleman, for his part, retired just a year later.
Shawn Rhoden Ends Phil Heath’s Reign at the 2018 Mr. Olympia
More than a decade after Coleman’s exit from the stage, it was Phil Heath’s turn to chase down Haney and Coleman. But as the seven-time Mr. Olympia prepared to tie two legends of the sport with his eighth Mr. Olymia crown, he was also dealing with abdominal injuries that required surgery after the show.
Though compromised, Heath still managed to out-pose all of his opponents on the stage that year except Shawn Rhoden, who had impeccable conditioning. Every time the two went into the abs and thigh pose, the difference was glaring. The judges gave Rhoden his only Mr. Olympia title that year, while Heath took the runner-up spot.
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The two never faced each other again after that night. Heath missed the 2019 contest and returned in 2020, finishing in third place. Rhoden couldn’t compete after his 2018 victory due to an investigation into sexual assault. He passed away in 2021.
Shaun Clarida Slays the Competition to Win the 212 Olympia Title
It was generally assumed that the 2020 212 Olympia title would come down to a battle between Kamal Elgargni — the 2019 champ — and Derek Lunsford. Though Shaun Clarida had his fans, not many expected the 5’2″ underdog to be a big threat to either man. But doubters never stop the “Giant Killer” from going all in, and Clarida showed up in Orlando, FL, with nothing but victory on his mind.
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In the first surprise of the contest, Lunsford actually finished in fourth, behind the late George Peterson. The second surprise was even bigger: Clarida beat out the favored Elgargni for the top prize by a single point. Clarida topped Elgargni again in 2022 for his second 212 Olympia win.
Natalia Abraham Coelho Ends Sarah Villegas’ Reign at the 2022 Women’s Physique Olympia
Most of the recent women’s Olympia champions have kept a firm hold on their number-one status, including Ms. Olympia Andrea Shaw and Figure Olympia winner Cydney Gillon. Looking to keep the trend going, Sarah Villegas had won the last two Women’s Physique Olympia titles going into the 2022 contest and had her eyes on a dynasty of her own.
That changed when a bigger and more conditioned Natalia Abraham Coelho stepped onto the stage in 2022. The battle was close during both prejudging and the finals, but Coelho managed to edge out Villegas in one of the biggest upsets of the weekend.
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Though the decision was a shock to fans, it could also be a glimpse into a rivalry that could define the division moving forward.
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Featured Image: @mrolympia08 on Instagram
