Talk to anyone who’s ever watched bodybuilding before and ask them if they’ve ever heard of Mr. Olympia. After giving you a funny look, they’ll proceed excitedly to tell you about this year’s competitors. They’ll probably also guess who’s going to take the title.
When it comes to the pinnacle of bodybuilding, Mr.Olympia is it. Since its inception in 1965, it’s grown from a simple show into the worldwide showpiece that we see today.
Over the years, we’ve seen iconic Mr Olympia winners such as Arnold Schwarzenegger take seven titles. We’ve seen battles between mass monsters such as Ronnie Coleman and Jay Cutler. We’ve even witnessed a fight nearly break out on stage back in 2014.
With six different winners in the past seven years, it’s hard to know who the judges are going to pick at each event. With the 60th anniversary of the Mr. Olympia 2024 event wrapped up, let’s look at each Mr. Olympia winner.
Every Single Mr. Olympia Winner In The History
Here’s the complete list of the Mr Olympia winners since it was founded in 1965. Each of the men on the list represents the best of bodybuilding in the years they won:
- Larry Scott (1965–1966).
- Sergio Oliva (1967–1969).
- Arnold Schwarzenegger (1970–1975, 1980).
- Franco Columbu (1976, 1981).
- Frank Zane (1977–1979).
- Chris Dickerson (1982).
- Samir Bannout (1983).
- Lee Haney (1984–1991).
- Dorian Yates (1992–1997).
- Ronnie Coleman (1998–2005).
- Jay Cutler (2006–2007, 2009–2010).
- Dexter Jackson (2008).
- Phil Heath (2011–2017).
- Shawn Rhoden (2018).
- Brandon Curry (2019).
- Big Ramy (Mamdouh Elssbiay) (2020–2021).
- Hadi Choopan (2022).
- Derek Lunsford (2023).
- Samson Dauda (2024).
The Complete List Of Mr. Olympia Winners
To keep things simple, we’ve listed every Mr. Olympia winner in chronological order using their first win. We’ve looked at their wins, general bodybuilding careers, and the things that make them so special. Without further delay, we present to you our complete list.
Larry Scott (1965–1966)
At the top of our list, Larry Scott holds the one and only title for the first Mr. Olympia winner. He took home the first-ever title when the Olympia was founded in 1965. Furthermore, he also won the following year’s competition before retiring in 1966.
Because of this, he’s widely regarded as The Golden Boy, the only bodybuilder to win and go undefeated.
Out of his many aesthetic qualities, he was perhaps most well-known for his huge arms, specifically his biceps. Even after 58 years, they’re still some of the best-shaped biceps we’ve seen on the stage. Go, Larry!
Sergio Oliva (1967–1969)
Sergio Oliva, better known as The Myth, dominated the stage in the late 1960s. Before his rise as a legend, he worked as a police officer in Cuba, where he was born and raised.
With three Mr. Olympia titles to his name, he was well-known for his impressive V-taper and large muscle mass. His training at the time tended to focus on large compound movements and high-volume workouts.
Interestingly, he was pretty much the only competitor in 1969 after the other athletes were forced to withdraw. He beat Arnold Schwarzenegger in a two-way fight for the title. This would be the only time Arnold would be beaten on the Olympia stage before his title run.
Because of this, Sergio is widely known as a legendary bodybuilder throughout history. He certainly set the standard in the late 1960s.
Arnold Schwarzenegger (1970–1975, 1980)
For most of us, Arnold Schwarzenegger needs no introduction. Alongside winning six titles, he went on to be a well-known American politician and Hollywood movie star. When lifting at 15, his love for bodybuilding grew from wanting to be the most famous bodybuilder in the world.
Nicknamed The Austrian Oak, Arnold won five titles in the early 1970s before taking a five-year break. Following this, he controversially won his sixth and final title in 1980. Critics claim he won due to popularity, with many booing at the title announcement after noting his poor conditioning.
In his prime, he was idolized for his huge chest and bulging biceps. He defined what is now known as the Golden Era of bodybuilding.
After his six titles, he used his exposure as an iconic bodybuilder to propel himself to Hollywood fame. During this time, he established the Arnold Classic which many now consider one of the best competitions.
If we had to pick someone who put bodybuilding on the map, it would be Arnold. He had one of the most complete physiques we’ve seen, paving the way for many young bodybuilders today.
Franco Columbu (1976, 1981)
Alongside being a two-time Mr. Olympia winner, Frank Columbu was well-known as Arnold Schwarzenegger’s training partner. In 1976, he won his first Mr. Olympia title, with most putting this down to his deep, striated chest muscles.
After suffering an injury in 1977 while competing in the World’s Strongest Man, Frank won his second title in 1981. At 5′5″ and less than 200 pounds, he was one of the smaller bodybuilders on stage. However, he definitely had enough size on his frame to make him a worthy Mr. Olympia winner.
Frank Zane (1977–1979)
When people think of the Golden Era they often think of Frank Zane. Even though he was under 200 pounds, he competed in a time where the emphasis was on aesthetics over size. This led him to three consecutive Olympia titles between 1977–1979.
Out of his many achievements, he was most well-known for sporting the second smallest waist of any Mr. Olympia. This even led him to beat Arnold in the 1968 Mr. Universe competition.
While he wasn’t the biggest, he’s surely up there on the list of legendary bodybuilders. He continues to be recognized as the pinnacle of symmetry and flow.
Chris Dickerson (1982)
In the early 1980s, Chris Dickerson won his one and only title, making him the first bodybuilder to do so. This puts him on a small list of six bodybuilders who now share the same achievement.
Alongside this, he was the first African American and openly gay Mr. Olympia. Among many, he was well-known for his balanced physique. Following his title, he went on to win the Masters Olympia (50+) in 1994.
Samir Bannout (1983)
Samir Bannout, nicknamed The Lion of Lebanon, was the first Middle Eastern bodybuilder to win the Mr. Olympia title. He joins the list with Chris Dickerson as one of only six bodybuilders to win the title once.
Perhaps the most unique thing about Samir’s win is that it was his first-ever pro win. To many, he’s regarded as the last Golden Era bodybuilder before the mass monsters moved in.
Samir was best known for his posing and conditioning. He had a balanced physique that was often underrated by many.
Lee Haney (1984–1991)
Lee Haney, known by some as Hercules, dominated the late 1980s into the early 1990s. He won eight consecutive Olympia titles, putting him in the joint first position for the most wins. Alongside being one of the biggest bodybuilders of all time, he’s known for training other well-known athletes like Evander Holyfield.
As a dominant bodybuilder in the late 1980s, his physique was known for having a perfect mix of symmetry, definition, and mass. To us, he’s a living bodybuilding legend.
Dorian Yates (1992–1997)
Dorian Yates, known as The Shadow, is regarded by many as the first bodybuilder to start the mass monster era. This marked the start of size over aesthetics, nudging fellow bodybuilders to pack on as much size as humanly possible.
Weighing over 30 pounds more than Arnold on stage, Dorian certainly redefined the meaning of huge. Because of this, he dominated the Olympia stage in the 1990s, winning six consecutive titles.
Alongside his size, he brought a new level of mass that’s still hard to find today. He pushed the boundaries of human physiology and we definitely do thank him for it!
Ronnie Coleman (1998–2005)
Ronnie Coleman, also known as The King, comes a close second behind Arnold when it relates to bodybuilding stardom. With eight Olympia titles, he ties the current record with Lee Haney for the most titles and most consecutive wins.
After starting his career as a police officer, he quickly became known for his huge size and larger-than-life personality. Many know him for his heavy lifting and famous catchphrases such as “Yeah, Buddy!” and “Lightweight, Baby!”.
Alongside his titles, he was the first bodybuilder to win the Olympia and Arnolds titles in the same year. While his past life has started to catch up with him, he remains a legend that will never be forgotten.
Jay Cutler (2006–2007, 2009–2010)
Jay Cutler, born Jason Isaac, strangely never had a bodybuilding nickname. Despite this, he’s widely known for having legendary battles with Ronnie Coleman over several years.
Before winning his first title, he placed second to Ronnie for four consecutive years. After dethroning The King, he won the following year before winning two more after coming second again.
In the mass monster era, Jay was one of the few people who could really match Ronnie for sheer size. Many people believe he would have won many more titles if he wasn’t competing at the same time as Ronnie.
Dexter Jackson (2008)
Dexter Jackson, nicknamed The Blade, was known for his crisp conditioning and aesthetic proportions. While he only won one Mr. Olympia title, he’s widely regarded as one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time. He competed for 22 years, earning him the title of one of the most consistent bodybuilders ever.
Alongside Ronnie, he’s one of only a few athletes to win the Mr. Olympia and Arnold Classic titles in the same year. To us, he’ll continue to be a bodybuilding icon for generations to come.
Phil Heath (2011–2017)
Phil Heath, known as The Gift, won seven consecutive Mr. Olympia titles from 2011–2017. He ties the award for the second most Olympia wins with Arnold Schwarzenegger.
He is known for having some of the best bodybuilding genetics, showing his physical potential in his early basketball career. His stage physique was symbolized by symmetrical muscle bellies that were full and well-proportioned. In his prime, his phenomenal posing routines really left no choice as to who was the winner on stage.
After placing 2nd and 3rd in his last Olympia appearances, he decided to take an indefinite break from the sport. He remains in shape, so who knows what the future will hold for The Gift?
Shawn Rhoden (2018)
Shawn Rhoden, known as Flexatron, won his one and only Olympia title in 2018, dethroning Phil Heath. While he tried to compete the following year, he was banned by the IFBB after rape allegations were made.
During this, the IFBB stated that the legal matters needed to be taken care of before he could return to the stage. Tragically, he passed away in 2021, suffering from a heart attack.
When on stage, Shawn was known for his well-balanced physique that prioritized aesthetics over size. Some believe that he helped to focus the Olympia judging back on conditioning rather than just mass.
With no new information, who knows if Shawn would have won more titles if he was still alive? However, we do know that he’ll go down as an iconic figure of the modern era.
Brandon Curry (2019)
Brandon Curry, nicknamed The Prodigy, joins the list of five bodybuilders to win only one Olympia title. As an active competitor, this can, of course, still change. Alongside this, he is one of only a few bodybuilders to win the Olympia and Arnold in the same year.
His popularity on the stage stems from his upper-body thickness and impressive arms. He’s also known as one of the most consistent Olympia competitors, placing in the top five in the last six years.
At 41 years old, Brandon may be coming to the end of his career as a bodybuilder. With so many unknowns in this year’s Olympia, he has every chance of shocking some big names.
Big Ramy (Mamdouh Elssbiay) (2020–2021)
Mamdouh Elssbiay, better known as Big Ramy, is an Egyptian mass monster who holds two consecutive Olympia titles. As you can probably guess by his nickname, he’s one of the biggest bodybuilders ever to have walked on stage. At 5′9″ tall with 300 pounds of stage weight, he certainly has a lot of muscle on his frame.
While he is still renowned for his sheer size and mass, he hasn’t competed since the 2022 Mr. Olympia. We’re not sure what the future holds for this mass monster.
Hadi Choopan (2022)
Hadi Choopan, known as The Persian Wolf, holds one Olympia title. However, this could change shortly if his recent updates are anything to go by.
His single 2022 title was won in one of the most competitive fields of all time. In 2023, he came a second behind Derek Lunsford, losing by five points.
Hadi’s physique is regarded by many as one of the most conditioned on stage. After competing as a 212 competitor, he bulked up while keeping his trademark conditioning. This is a weight class where he had to weigh 212 pounds or less.
Because of this, he’s known as a smaller competitor who combines muscle mass with excellent proportions and conditioning.
Hadi came very close in the 2024 Olympia, coming second behind Samson Dauda. After pre-judging, the judges couldn’t separate them. In the end, he lost by just three points.
We know that he’ll be back with his trademark conditioning for next year’s event!
Derek Lunsford (2023)
While he doesn’t have a bodybuilding nickname, Derek Lunsford is the one champion on our list who holds a specific title. He is the only bodybuilder to hold the Olympia title in two separate divisions. In 2021, he won the 212 title before winning the open Olympia in 2023.
In his recent win, Derek swapped places with Hadi to take the Sandow trophy home. With 225 pounds of competition weight, many regard Derek as the winner to cement the switch from size to balance.
Like Hadi, Derek is a smaller Olympia champion who focuses on good proportions and great symmetry. While he dropped down to third at the 2024 Mr. Olympia, he remains one of the favorites for future years.
Samson Dauda (2024)
Samson Dauda, known as The Nigerian Lion, won the 60th anniversary Mr. Olympia 2024 title. At 32 years old, this marked his first Olympia title win after several years around the top ten placings.
In a closely fought battle, he edged out Hadi Choopan who ended up in second place yet again. He was tied for first place until the finals where he came through to win his first title.
Samson is regarded by many as having one of the most impressive structures of any modern bodybuilder. At 5’11” and 330 pounds in the off-season, it’s easy to see why. His physique combines a great structure with large muscle proportions to give a commanding stage presence.
With this being his first title, we’re excited to see what he will bring next year!
A Quick Recap Of The Mr. Olympia History
In 1964, the International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation (IFBB) was created by Ben Weider and Joe Weider. Their principal aim was to promote and support bodybuilding as a professional sport. After seeing issues with the current shows, the Weider brothers aimed to create their own competition at a higher standard.
In the following year, the first Mr. Olympia competition was held at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York. At this time, it was known as Joe Weider’s Olympia Fitness and Performance Weekend.
Since its early days as a new competition, it quickly gained attention. Legendary bodybuilders such as Sergio Oliviar and Arnold Schwarzenegger won multiple shows, increasing exposure and the show’s popularity with it.
In the present day, it’s widely known as the global pinnacle of professional bodybuilding. Athletes from across the world compete with the sole aim of winning the Mr. Olympia title. While hundreds of athletes have trained for an Olympia competition, only 19 have won.
With this, it remains the standard when it comes to the top level of bodybuilding.
Conclusion
After starting as a simple bodybuilding competition, Mr. Olympia quickly grew into what you see today — a pioneer of bodybuilding shows and a full-blown expo weekend. As the competitors push the boundaries of human physiology, it’s crazy to wonder just how far they can go. While standards keep changing, we continue to be excited about what’s next.
While we can’t predict the future, we don’t think they’ll be stopping anytime soon. With a huge increase in prize money and a new 2024 champion, the iconic Mr. Olympia event keeps getting better.
Frequently Asked Questions
Even with 19 winners, the title for the most Mr. Olympia wins is a draw between two bodybuilders. It’s held by Ronnie Coleman (1998–2005) and Lee Haney (1984–1991). Each of these historic bodybuilders holds an impressive eight titles each.
Even more surprising is the fact that the same men above hold the same joint title. Ronnie Coleman and Lee Haney both won the title in eight consecutive years. With this, it looks like they can’t be separated.
Arnold Schwarzenegger is one of the most iconic winners due to his other roles as a film star and politician. He won the title six times before coming back five years later for a controversial seventh.
In 1969, Arnold Schwarzenegger made his first Olympia attempt, losing to three-time champion Sergio Olivia. He came back the following year to win the title at 23 years and 65 days old. This is a record that’s still held today.
The oldest Mr. Olympia winner is Shawn Rhoden, winning the Mr. Olympia title at an impressive 43 years old. What’s even more impressive is that he dethroned the seven-time champion Phil Heath. Unfortunately, Shawn recently passed away in 2021.
Resources
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About the Author
Chris Marshall, MSc, PT Personal Trainer
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