Well into his retirement, Lee Priest‘s prime physique is still lauded by the bodybuilding community. Recently, Jay Cutler and former Gold’s Gym owner Ed Connors discussed Priest’s physique at 20 years old, and labeled him as the greatest bodybuilder of all time.
Priest began competing at just 13 years old and quickly emerged as a star in the Australian bodybuilding circuit. He eventually made his way to America and found remarkable success. While he was five feet three, he managed to give giants of the Open class a run for their money.
Before setting his posing trunks down, Priest picked up three victories in a row at the 2006 NOC New York, PDI Night of Champions, and the 2013 NABBA Mr. Universe. At 52 years old, he’s remained in stellar shape, with big-name voices in the sport paying respect to his legendary career.
Jay Cutler and Ed Connors Name Lee Priest as the ‘Greatest Bodybuilder of All Time’
In a recent YouTube video, Cutler and Connors explained why they believe Priest was the greatest competitor in the history of the sport. Connors mentioned that if Priest were two inches taller, he would have been a long-standing Mr. Olympia champion.
“Who do you think is the greatest bodybuilder of all time?” asks Cutler.
“Like you, I’ve said Lee Priest because I knew of what he was doing at his age when I met him. I mean I’ve never met a 20-year-old that looked like Lee. Proportion-wise, if he had been two inches taller he would have been Mr. Olympia for years but he was just short enough in the legs, the proportions weren’t quite perfect.”
“He had 21 and a half inch biceps at 5’3″ and 215 pounds,” explains Ed Connors.
Connors added that Priest loved to eat and ballooned up to 270 pounds when he wasn’t prepping for contests.
“I would be at the firehouse and I was ‘Oh there’s Lee Priest,’ and the person I’m with would say that’s not Lee Priest. He was maybe 270. He loved to eat. No, again, had the 212 class been around, maybe that would have been his key to success,” he stated.
Priest renewed his IFBB Pro card recently but hasn’t given fans a concrete plan on a potential comeback. He’s also dealt with chest and triceps atrophy in retirement, which could stall a return on the horizon.
Lee Priest still trains consistently and boasts exceptional longevity. For Cutler and Connors, he remains their greatest bodybuilder of all time.
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Watch the full video from the JayCutlerTV YouTube channel below:
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