Jay Cutler is still watching over the sport in retirement. After Derek Lunsford received backlash following his 2025 Mr. Olympia victory, talk about the current era has ramped up. On Dec. 20, 2025, Cutler gave his thoughts on the controversy, emphasizing that athletes don’t choose their placements.
Lunsford faced obstacle after obstacle en route to his second Olympia victory. Four weeks before stepping onstage, he tore his pec while incline dumbbell pressing. Despite the setback, he carried on. At the Olympia, Lunsford suffered a panic attack but regathered himself to lay claim to gold.
Some in the sport have deemed the results controversial. Shawn Ray and Lee Priest argued Hadi Choopan could have won. Dorian Yates stated that Lunsford’s build doesn’t represent the ‘ultimate male physique.’ Beyond that, there have been PMMA injection (polymethyl methacrylate) accusations leveled against the two-time champ.
Tensions over Lunsford representing the sport even reached Lee Haney’s desk. He came to Lunsford’s defense, noting that even though he lacks the stature of past champions, he serves as a great ambassador for the sport. Now, Cutler is giving his take on the ongoing drama.
Jay Cutler Gives Honest Opinion of Lunsford’s Mr. Olympia Win Controversy
In the video, Cutler shared that all bodybuilders believe their era was the best.
“A lot of social media discussion about the greatest eras. We all think our era is the best. The question is, which one is truly the best, and they love to compare. I saw Derek is a little bit on the defensive on him winning.
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I saw a really great post from Lee Haney this morning. He said guys, Derek is not the one who decides the championship.”
Cutler pointed to his 2007 Olympia victory against Victor Martinez, which many found controversial at the time.
“I did see some 2007 comments, which was very controversial for Victor winning. I always said, transparent about that, where, granted, I think I was better one night than the other one, but like in the end, the judges chose the winner.”
Moreover, Cutler insisted that fans continue to discredit some of the greatest victories achieved by Mr. Olympia champions.
“Everyone seems to even discredit even some of the greatest victories of the champions.
We hear more than ever now who could have beat Dorian Yates and his run, and then Ronnie, and obviously, Phil, I think was the most uncontested one, if any were. You’ve seen the judges now switch guys around.”
He highlighted that a group of judges score contests, not one individual:
“There’s no real protection. Although people think Hadi could have won, a couple of those. That’s what makes the sport. People don’t always understand that.”
“Remember, it’s not up to one judge. It’s a collaboration of them. Sometimes the judges have someone first, they might have that guy second, and then they just throw scores out, and they come to a tally. That’s why they have seven or 10 judges.”
He believes Lunsford, Samson Dauda, and Chinedu Andrew ‘Jacked’ Obiekea are top ambassadors of the sport, pointing to their unique strengths.
“There’s always tough decisions, like the Nick Walker and Derek Lunsford earlier in the year at the Pittsburgh show. We all have our favorites, but in the end, people have to understand that it’s their job. I think Derek, I think Hadi, I think Samson, I think Andrew Jacked, I think all those guys are great representations of what bodybuilding is because they all have unique traits.”
“Andrew has the height, and he has the tie-ins, where Hadi has got that crazy conditioning. Listen, we can’t help it if someone’s height isn’t what the norm was,” he adds.
Lunsford has clapped back against some of the drama spill-over post-Olympia. He and his coach, Chris Aceto, have denied the PMMA injection accusations. Lunsford shared that he wouldn’t pursue a career in bodybuilding if he planned to take shortcuts.
Taking a page out of Haney’s book, Cutler can appreciate what Olympia champions of today offer. He believes controversial results are unavoidable in a sport like bodybuilding.
RELATED: Chris Aceto on Dorian Yates Critiquing Derek Lunsford: ‘Respect Whoever Wins’
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