We’ve always wondered how the current crop of Open guys would fare against the best in the world two decades ago, and that includes bodybuilding legend Flex Wheeler. In a post shared via Instagram on October 15, 2024, he explained why he believes Derek Lunsford would struggle to crack the top five at the Mr. Olympia during the 2000s.
The 2000s were a magical time in bodybuilding. Fans witnessed groundbreaking talents on stage, from eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman and four-time titleholder Jay Cutler to 2008 winner Dexter Jackson and Chris Cormier.
Two decades later, we still have jaw-dropping athletes setting the standard in the Men’s Open. In 2023, Derek Lunsford, despite coming from the 212 category, put on slabs of muscle to clinch the Mr. Olympia title against Hadi Choopan and Samson Dauda. And while he came up short on the 2024 Mr. Olympia stage in third place, discussions are still raging about how he’d perform against the lineups back in the 2000s.
Flex Wheeler Says Derek Lunsford Would Have Trouble Making Top 5 at Mr. Olympia in 2000s: “It Was Just a Different Era”
According to ‘The Sultan of Symmetry,’ Derek Lunsford would struggle to make the top five at the Mr. Olympia in the 2000s.
“Back in the 2000s… that was a tough era because you had Jay, you had Ronnie still competing, you had Dexter, you had some formidable opponents, it would probably be very difficult for him to crack even the top five back then. It was just a different era.”
Wheeler emphasized that Lunsford’s size would likely hold him back from success during this era because bigger men were reaching their primes. Size undoubtedly played a role in Lunsford losing his title at the 2024 Mr. Olympia, as the taller Samson Dauda brought an undeniable package, with comparable conditioning to the other finalists.
“You had big men who were in their prime. He’s a small guy who is like carrying a ton of muscle and he’s done all he can for his physique but when you have a bigger man who has everything you have and maybe a smaller waist, that’s just what bodybuilding is all about,” shares Flex Wheeler.
Some in the sport, such as Dorian Yates, believe the Men’s Open class standards have changed since the 1990s-2000s. He contends that top athletes today are missing forearms and calves, unlike during his time competing atop the Men’s Open division for six consecutive years.
As a former Mr. Olympia and the current number three bodybuilder in the world, it is possible that Derek Lunsford could have found success against mass monsters in Flex Wheeler’s era. However, Wheeler isn’t convinced he would have the size to push into the top five at the prestigious contest.
RELATED: Derek Lunsford Talks Shorter Bodybuilders VS Taller And His Game Plan To Win 2024 Mr. Olympia
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