The 1999 Mr. Olympia

1999 Mr. Olympia: Ronnie Coleman and Flex Wheeler / Raymond Cassar for MuscleTime

The 1999 Mr. Olympia was the first Olympia staged in Las Vegas, its home nearly every year since. It showcased Ronnie Coleman at, arguably, his best. The same could be said of third-place finisher Chris Cormier. Drama was served when runner-up Flex Wheeler literally turned his back on the results. And it marked the Olympia debuts of future Mr. O’s Jay Cutler and Dexter Jackson. Capping off the century, this was arguably the greatest bodybuilding lineup ever assembled, and the following 1999 Mr. Olympia report by the the late Peter McGough captures all the Sin City excitement as it happened.

Like Siegfried and Roy, like abs and thighs, Las Vegas and the Mr. Olympia belong together: Both celebrate excess for the sheer excessive sake of it; both foster a larger-than-life philosophy decreeing that its standout attractions keep getting bigger and bigger and bigger; both revel in illusion and promote the fantasy that “life-changing gains can be yours,” which in truth only a gifted few can attain. So it really was only a matter of time before Joe Weider made the inspired decision to bring his bodybuilding flagship to the gambling capital of the world.

Staging the Mr. Olympia contest in Las Vegas was a spectacular success, for there has never been a more glamorous setting for the sport’s premier contest than the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, and there has never been a greater night for bodybuilding than what occurred there on October 23, 1999. A sold-out 5,000-capacity crowd at the hotel’s Event Center witnessed a thrilling extravaganza that culminated in Ronnie Coleman outmuscling 15 others on the road to Mandalay and his second consecutive Olympia crown, with the only apparent dissenter to the decision being a hyped-up Flex Wheeler. But like a braless bungee-jumping Dolly Parton, we’re getting a little ahead of ourselves here.

COPPING AN ATTITUDE

Since winning the 1998 Mr. Olympia contest against red-hot favorite Flex Wheeler, full-time cop (in Arlington Texas) Ronnie Coleman has added to his personable nature a confidence that suitably reflects his cast-iron self-belief without ever straying into arrogance or delusion. At May’s Night of Champions, he exercised that confidence when he went on stage and doffed his shirt in a “let’s see what ya got challenge” to Mr. O aspirant Kevin Levrone, who politely declined to similarly divest his threads.

Then at the Ms. Olympia contest, staged in Secaucus, New Jersey, on October 2 (three weeks before the Mandalay Bay musclefest), Ronnie again took the opportunity to rip off his shirt to show an astonished audience that, in tandem with his growing confidence, he had harnessed growing muscularity. Also present at that unveiling were several Mr. Olympia judges who gapped in awe at Ronnie’s wares, and it was difficult to discount the theory that the first round of the Mr. O contest had already taken place.

OF HAMS AND GLUTES

For this reporter, any doubts about the destination of the last Sandow of the century was removed as I watched a pivotal scene unfold in the pump-up area 15 minutes before prejudging for the 1999 Mr. Olympia contest was to begin. Already in the pump-up area was Flex Wheeler. All summer long, the Sultan of Symmetry had promised he would be bigger, rounder, and harder than for any previous contest experience. This declaration was made despite his decision not to recruit the contest prep services of Chad Nicholls, whose ministrations has served Wheeler so well when he won the ’98 Arnold Classic—most pundits selection as the Californian’s highwater performance.

At 243 pounds, Wheeler was bigger and rounder than the 232-pound package with which he dominated the ’98 Arnold, but no way was he as hard or as cut. As he went about his last-minute fine-tuning, it was clear that his hams and glutes in particular in comparison to his lofty ’98 standards were as soft as a Larry King interview. Wheeler knew full well that the condition of his glutes and hams would be the judge’s barometer as to whether he was in shape. In an interview in the November ’99 FLEX, he had stated, “When I first walk on stage, people are going to say, ‘Let’s see him turn around, then we’ll know if he’s really in shape.’ When I turn around, they’ll see my glutes and hams are shredded and full.”

Well, they weren’t, and to compound matters, into the pump-up area at that very moment walked Ronnie Coleman, and even as he strode past you could see the striations in his glutes and hams flexing with every step he took. From head to toe, the raining champ looked like a walking anatomy chart, displaying more quality tissue than a Kleenex Factory on overtime. Ronnie being so on indicated that the jig was well and truly up for Flex, but he was to give the 1999 Mr. Olympia contest his all—and then some.

LET THE VEGAS CHIPS FALL WHERE THEY MAY

The 1999 Mr Olympia prejudging began at 1:05 PM and lasted two hours: as the event was played out, here’s a shorthand assessment of the combatants who composed the 16-man lineup. [Contest numbers were then determined randomly. Competitors are listed in their numerical order of appearance.]

PAVOL JABLONICKY:  237 pounds. Hardest guy in the contest with a physique responsible for more cuts than Michael Jackson’s surgeon. Sporting a bronzed metallic look to his tan, Paval had deep-set, rock-hard abs that he had a tendency to relax from time to time. Could do with more lat and shoulder width. Striations abounding on his chest, delts, and back. Later in the evening, he would execute a powerful routine to the accompaniment of a rousing classical soundtrack, but lack of callouts meant this Czech got bounced again.

JAY CUTLER:  255 pounds. With a 10-pound increase from his ’99 Arnold Classic fourth-place form, he was much fuller while still raining impressive hardness. The increase has brought his upper body more into balance with his always outstanding leg development. Back is wide but needs to add more thickness and detail. Could trim his obliques a little.

NASSER EL SONBATY:  280 pounds. Not on par with his best ever form at the 1997 Mr. Olympia, where he finished second. Didn’t seem as full across his chest and delts which made the sweep of his upper body taper less dramatic than we have come to expect.

MIKE MATARAZZO:  255 pounds. Three pounds up from his ninth place of last year. Harder and fuller than he’s ever been. Usually when Mike gets hard his showstopping biceps lose size. This time they remain showstoppers. Full thighs and good serratus, but needs more delt size and roundness. In the posing round, he provided the slam-bang routine complete with tongue protruding shots. The highlight was a groovy most muscular during which he attempted to lick his chin while jerking his head from side to side as if he were getting set to swivel it all the way around à la Linda Blair in The Exorcist.

CHRIS CORMIER:  253 pounds. Best he’s ever looked. Five pounds heavier than at the ’98 Olympia. Cormier was exploiting the momentum he earned from his breakout performances at the ’99 Ironman first and Arnold Classic third. Has now found the formula for retaining muscle size and sharpness as he dials in for a contest. Previously, he tended to be sharp but flat. Much thicker and wider in the back. Does a one-lat-at-a-time rear lat spread that builds into a pair of Cobra lats. Signature rolling abs pose brings the house down, and later in the evening he would do the same during his posing routine in which he shimmed his butt better than a Chippendales dancer. In fact, I hadn’t seen buns move so fast since that morning’s overcrowded breakfast buffet.

JEAN-PIERRE FUX:  275 pounds. Seems to has lost his way these last couple of years. Still has a big back and chest, but overall he lacks tie-ins between muscle groups and his distended stomach cannot be overlooked.

RONNIE COLEMAN:  257 pounds. A good seven pounds heavier than last year and the clear winner, although he was not as bone-dry or as rock-hard as in ’98. In comparison to ’98, his thighs are enormous with a greater sweep and his front delts have improved; plus, the pec anomaly is no longer present. Impressive split biceps. An awesome back double biceps on which muscle fights with muscle to hang onto his frame. A big, big lat spread that prompted Dorian “Backman” Yates to comment, “Ronnie looks like a cartoon character when doing back poses.” Ronnie would hitch up his trunks to expose ripped glutes. At every appearance, Ronnie would come on with a raising the roof gesture accompanied by the pronouncement, “Yup! Yup!”

DEXTER JACKSON:  217 pounds. Seven pounds heavier than for his third place at May’s Night of Champions. A great physique in terms of round muscle bellies, proportions, hardness, and condition. But when standing next to the bigger guys, he does get overpowered. Still ninth in his first Olympia is no mean feat.

FLEX WHEELER:  243 pounds. Thirteen pounds heavier than for the ’98 Olympia, Flex, with his great lines and full muscle bellies, looked tremendous in the biceps, triceps, and delts, and front thighs were impressively cut. Chest a bit flat and he was not nearly as sharp overall as his ’98 Arnold form. His upper back resembled the machinations of a squirming snake pit, but from the lumbar region on down, Flex smoothed out to the extent that, whereas Coleman took every opportunity to hitch up his trunks and show off his striated glutes, Flex made a habit of adjusting his trunks to cover his butt.

MARKUS RUHL:  274 pounds. Four pounds heavier than his Night of Champions fourth-place form, and not as hard nor as dry as he was at that outing. His back, particularly, lacked the detail he’s exhibited previously, and an ungainly stance in certain poses counted against him. Still the German wunderkind has the physical weaponry, temperament, and onstage presence to become an Olympia star. He may have expected better than 12th in his Olympia debut, but Ronnie Coleman couldn’t even crack the top 15 in his Olympia baptism in ’92.

KEVIN LEVRONE:  252 pounds. The Maryland Muscle Machine is still trying to find the “Ripped and Full” formula. In finishing second at the ’99 Arnold, he was, at 237 pounds, cut but somewhat flattish. Now 15 pounds heavier, he had the required muscle fullness but not the sharpness, particularly in his front thighs and hams. Still has those outrageous delts and triceps. Back was wide and thick but lacking deeply grooved detail. In the days before the contest, Kevin was earning rave reviews from those who saw him, but the impetus did not carry over to the judging panel.

SHAWN RAY:  213 pounds. Two pounds lighter than last year, he still lacked the velvet crispness he displayed circa ’96. His signature serratus, Xmas tree and front-thigh cross-striations were still impressive, but not as sharp as they have been. He’s always competitive and he slugged it out to the end. He has now finished in the top five in the last 10 Olympias.

LEE PRIEST:  220 pounds. Five pounds lighter than for his seventh-place finish at the ’98 Olympia, Priest looked a little over-depleted, particularly in shoulder width and thickness, where he seems to have lost size. Still has his great double biceps and the best forearms in the business. Overall, not the hardest he’s ever been. His posing to the Superman theme received one of the loudest ovations of the evening, although, as far as the judges were concerned, Priest could be excused for thinking their pens contain some kryptonite.

ERNIE TAYLOR:  238 pounds. Weighing nearly the same as he did for last year’s eighth-place finish, England’s best had been struggling all year with the debilitating rotator cuff problem that seriously inhibited him from going heavy on pressing movements—a factor that showed up in a decrease in his normal chest and delt size and thickness. Ernie was scheduled to have the rotator cuff operated on two weeks after the Olympia. For all that he still has those astonishing triceps that hang from his arms like a stripper off Drew Carey, and he still retains one of the most friendly dispositions found among the pros.

MILOS SARCEV:  245 pounds. Thighs and abs supercut, and very tight and balanced overall, with minuses being long and flattish biceps and a back not as sliced as other body parts. The symmetrical package Milos presents often makes one wonder why he doesn’t score higher. Perhaps it’s because, in an age of freaks, he doesn’t have a body part that people rave about. Again he served up a stunning posing routine.

PAUL DILLETT:  282 pounds. Much sharper than his winning form at May’s Night of Champions, the Canadian was in his best shape since his fifth spot at the ’97 Olympia. Front double biceps outstanding, and his thighs and hams were full and cut. Back looked watery. In the past, his presentation has been criticized, but this was his best ever.

ROLLING THE DICE: ONE TO SIX

From the get-go, it was clear that Coleman, Wheeler, and the fast-improving Cormier would, in that order, fill the top three spots, with Levrone, Ray, and El Sonbaty involved in a dogfight for fourth, fifth, and sixth.

Coleman, Wheeler, and Cormier were duly called for the first comparison of the symmetry round. As they lined up, it was evident that, while Flex had the more pleasing shape, in terms of his silhouette presented, Ronnie filled in his bigger silhouette with much more muscle and detail. Thus, it was that the first round went to the defending champ with Wheeler and Cormier in second and third, respectively.

When stripped down to basics, bodybuilding is all about “Show us the muscle,” and the muscularity round represents the real battlefield. Here’s how this humble scribe saw the first and only crucial muscularity comparison between the top three:

front double biceps: Coleman 1, Wheeler 2, Cormier 3

front lat spread: Coleman 1, Cormier 2, Wheeler 3

side chest: Coleman 1, Wheeler 2, Cormier 3

back double biceps: Coleman 1, Wheeler 2, Cormier 3

rear lat spread: Coleman 1, Cormier 2, Wheeler 3

side triceps: Wheeler 1, Coleman 2, Cormier 3

abs and thighs: Cormier 1, Coleman 2 , Wheeler 3

This personal analysis shows Coleman beating Wheeler in six out of seven poses, while Wheeler beat Cormier in four out of seven poses, meaning Cormier was closer to Wheeler than the latter was to Coleman. Okay, this isn’t rocket science. On the other hand, the final scoresheet showed that Coleman had straight firsts, Wheeler straight seconds, and Cormier straight thirds. Levrone, Ray, and El Sonbaty were fourth, fifth, and sixth, respectively, separated by only five points, which is like three marathon runners finishing within a few yards of each other.

WHEELER DEALER

As the 1999 Olympia contest rumbled toward its climax, it became clear that Flex Wheeler was the one person not willing to accept the inevitability of a Coleman victory. In the comparison rounds, he exuded the air of a man who was not there for second place—at one point during an ab comparison with Coleman, he slowly mimicked the counting of his well-defined three sets of abs, before drawing attention to Ronnie’s ab formation which is basically two rows.

Flex’s belief that the race was not yet run was further exemplified by his posing routine, in which he gave the most energized and entertaining performance of his career. In contrast to his usual choice of posing to a smoochie ballad, he picked a fast-paced track with a thumping beat, during which he hit a dazzling array of dramatically synchronized shots. The finale saw Flex slowly descending to a full split that had the women in the audience screaming and the men wincing. At the end of the routine, he punched the air as he cavorted around the stage shouting, “Mine! Mine!”

As an observer who has questioned how badly Flex Wheeler wants an Olympia crown, I was frankly impressed by his competitiveness and never-say-die spirit. Flex truly gave off the vibe that he could win this thing.

As the top six prepared for the posedown, Flex started to limber up with some calisthenics as if he were going into a 12-round bout with Mike Tyson, who, coincidentally, was across the Strip that very night at the MGM Grand, getting ready to punch-out Orlin Norris’s right kneecap. With the audience roaring its approval, Flex, in what was the most physical Olympia posedown ever, took it to Ronnie, at one point looking the champion up and down as if to say, “You ain’t got nothin’, sucker.”

VEGAS BLUES

There were some boos as Nassar El Sonbaty was announced in sixth, but he graciously accepted his awards and quietly left the stage. Afterward, he couldn’t understand how he had finished behind Ray and Levrone, and would not accept the viewpoint that he was not at his best. Such resistance is what makes Nasser the warrior he is.

Shawn absorbed fifth with a gleaming smile and, postmortem of his placing, the fastest lip in the West, unlike previous years when he has made a bigger stink than a skunk with a hygiene problem, was almost tranquil. “I didn’t get the reward I had hoped for, but it doesn’t discourage me from taking part in the adventure and excitement of being at the Olympia. Very few people get to compete at this level, and I’m happy that the Olympia is in Vegas. This is where it belongs. If I sound a little content, it’s my maturity in realizing that my real goal is to get in shape, get my photo shoots done, and promote and market myself from there. Whatever the judges decide is out of my hands.”

Say, what? This is like watching Howard Stern morphing into Nelson Mandela but patience, grasshopper, like death, taxes, and Robin Williams overacting, some things in life are inevitable; and true to form, the veteran of the Olympia lineup soon reverted to type: “I’m still complaining about the system. The continuing frustration that the judges seem to have a lifelong tenure. I see the same names continuing to judge me all the time. And I have to ask if the judges are so professional, what are they doing dragging out the symmetry round for so long [45 minutes]? Let’s get to the meat and potatoes—the muscularity round. That’s why we’re here, to see muscle. That’s why the fans come here, to see muscle.”

A disappointed Kevin Levrone left the stage upon which he had anticipated so much glory with his fourth-place awards. He also finished fourth in ’98, and on that occasion spoke bitterly of bad judging and impending retirement. But this year, eerily echoing Shawn Ray, the rancor disappeared and he instead spoke sadly and without accusation. “My physique was the way I wanted; the result wasn’t the way I wanted. I wouldn’t have done anything differently; it just seems the judges are not rewarding my type of physique. Word was out that I look great, but they overlooked me early on [he was seventh at the end of the first round], and after that I couldn’t catch up. No point in getting frustrated. I’ve been in this position before. It’s time to smell the coffee. Do I keep coming back for the torture of finishing fourth or fifth? For me, the whole point of bodybuilding is to be Mr. Olympia, and after tonight I know it’s never going to happen. After eight attempts, I feel my ambition of holding a Sandow is now all shot. It hurts, man.” [Levrone was second in the next Mr. Olympia and, for the fourth time, in 2002, but he never won.]

CHRIS BEATS THE PANTS OFF ‘EM

In contrast to the athletes who placed sixth through fourth, third-placed Chris Cormier was elated with his showing. At the banquet, dressed in spangly red pants that only someone called the Real Deal could get away with, he enthused, “I know people always used to think, Yeah, Cormier is good, but he’ll never do any better than sixth or seventh at the Olympia. But even when I started bodybuilding way back in the ’80s, I knew I had the potential to crack the top three at the Olympia. My problem is I was always losing too much muscle getting ready for a contest, and I’d go on stage over-depleted at 240 pounds. I didn’t get it right until this year’s Arnold, when I was 254 pounds and I was third behind Nasser and Kevin. Tonight, I was 253 and I beat both of the guys who finished ahead of me at the Arnold. When I got the first callout in both rounds, I was totally buzzed. From here, I’ve got Flex and Ronnie to aim for. And my next contest will be the 2000 Arnold, which I intend to win.” With that, he was off into the Las Vegas night or, taking the pants into account, for an audition for the road production of the Village People Meet the Wizard of Oz.

COLEMAN WINS IT, WHEELER LOSES IT

As jubilant Chris Cormier left the glare of the spotlight, only Ronnie and Flex remained to await their fate. There really was no doubt that Ronnie was the winner, but still Flex was prepared to go eyeball to eyeball with the champ and see who would be the first to blink. In truth, you have to take your Gold’s Gym cap off to Wheeler.

There has probably never been another bodybuilder apart from Arnold himself who could, despite not being in top form, still be supremely competitive by virtue of his God-given shape, muscle bellies, and fair amount of chutzpa. Bodybuilding is, as been so often stated, the art of illusion, and with the likes of Lance Burton and Siegfried and Roy only a cab ride away, Wheeler was aiming to become the Houdini of muscle with the strategy that, if successful, would see him escape with his first Sandow. His goal was to convince the judges by sheer force of will and charisma not to believe what their eyes told them and instead nominate him as the 1999 Mr. Olympia. He had already convinced certain sections of the audience and even seemed to have gotten to Ronnie a little, who at that point looked a little bit nervous for a guy headed for a straight-first win.

Ominously, as zero hour approached, the magician had fallen for his own illusion, and thus the last Olympia of the century was primed for an explosive conclusion. I had a pretty good view of the episode that was about to take place, because I was on stage standing behind Ronnie and Flex, this by virtue of being one of those selected to present the second-place medal, check, and certificate to the runner-up.

With the audience hushed in expectancy, Wayne DeMilia broke the tension. As he barked, “In second place…Flex Wheeler!” At this, the audience thundered their approval (there were very few boos), and the now two-time champ dropped to the floor in what is threatening to become his traditional “officer down” victory pose. Wheeler, well, unlike last year when he knelt to congratulate the prostrate Coleman, he began to pace up and down, biting his lip. He then went to the back of the stage and turned his back to the audience, which some sections interpreted as bad sportsmanship and thus began booing.

I was standing level with Wheeler and, unlike the audience, could see his face. It appeared that he was filling with emotion and was on the verge of tears. Ten or 15 seconds passed and he seemed to have regained his composure a little, but I still had the feeling he was thinking of walking off. I shouted above the crowd, “Flex! Flex! Get this done.” Approaching him, I said, “You put up a terrific performance, don’t let it end badly.”

Whether he heard me or not, I don’t know, but he turned around and with a stern face let the medals be placed around his neck and accepted the check and certificate. Then he took the medals off and went to the front edge of the stage. For one nervous moment, it seemed as if he had been taking tantrum lessons from Diana Ross and was going to throw the medals into the audience or at the judges. By now, a cacophony of boos was raining down on him as he laid the medals on the floor and pointed to the second place certificate while thumping his chest and shouting, “I’m number one!” He then scooped up the medals and turned to give Ronnie a brief hug before leaving the stage.

As Wheeler hurried from the backstage area, [FLEX writer] Jim Rosenthal caught up with the agitated runner-up and elicited the following comments: “I don’t agree with the decision. I didn’t agree with what happened last year either. If that’s what they feel—so they said it, so it’s done. In my heart, I feel like I’m the true Mr. Olympia. I feel like I’m the best. I believe in myself. But they believe differently. Theirs is bigger than mine, and that’s it. The show is over—forget about it.” Then he left the stadium.

Y’ALL COME FIRST

As Flex departed the scene Ronnie was surrounded on stage by his soulmate Vicky Gates’s family and was basking in the glow of a second Olympia triumph. He told an ecstatic crowd, “All the people who show up here are the ones who make the sport. We wouldn’t have a sport if it wasn’t for y’all. Y’all are the most important people in the world for me. I love all of y’all, and I thank all of y’all sincerely from the bottom of my heart. I will be at the banquet, and I’ll be the last one to leave, taking pictures, signing autographs, doing what the Lord permits me to do. Of course, I couldn’t do this without Vicky Gates and Chad Nichols, who guides Coleman’s contest prep. I love y’all from the bottom of my heart. God bless all of y’all. Good night. It’s time to eat.”

That Ronnie Coleman did indeed love y’all was graphically illustrated at the banquet when absolute bedlam broke out as he entered. He good-naturedly acquiesces to every request for a photo or autograph to the extent that it took him an hour before he could sit down and eat. Afterward, clutching his second Sandow, the world’s most badass (we’re talking striations) cop, said, “I knew what it took to win this title in the first place, so I knew what it would take to repeat. Why change what works? I looked exactly like I wanted to. All my goals were achieved.” And his newfound serene confidence? “Yes, I’m much more confident than I used to be because (big smile) I’m Mr. Olympia, baby!”

When you’ve just celebrated a half-century on the planet and someone calls you baby, ya gotta love them. And indeed it does seem that everybody just loves the current Mr. Olympia. Perhaps it’s because he had to take more lumps and come from further back in the field than any previous Mr. Olympia, and thus the regular gym rat finds it’s easier to identify with a guy who wasn’t born with a silver dumbbell in his mitt. Or maybe it’s the simple perception that although Ronnie Coleman has proved himself to be a fabulous bodybuilder, it’s equally apparent to everyone he’s an even better man.

1999 MR. OLYMPIA RESULTS

October 23, 1999 / Mandalay Bay Events Center / Las Vegas, Nevada

1. Ronnie Coleman ($110,000)

2. Flex Wheeler ($50,000)

3. Chris Cormier ($40,000)

4. Kevin Levrone ($30,000)

5. Shawn Ray ($20,000)

6. Nasser El Sonbaty ($15,000)

7. Paul Dillett ($13,000)

8. Lee Priest ($12,000)

9. Dexter Jackson ($11,000)

10. Milos Sarcev ($10,000)

11. Mike Matarazzo

12. Markus Ruhl

13. Ernie Taylor

14. Pavol Jablonicky

15. Jay Cutler

16. Jean-Pierre Fux

1999 MR. OLYMPIA SCORECARD

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This article originally appeared in the 2000 January FLEX magazine under the title “Ronnie Rocks Vegas!”

MORE RONNIE OLYMPIA WINS

The 1998 Mr. Olympia

The 2001 Mr. Olympia

The 2005 Mr. Olympia