Mr. Olympia is the most significant event in the sport of bodybuilding. The biggest and best of athletes grace the stage to determine who reigns supreme. Since 1965, ownership of Mr. Olympia has passed hands only three times. Currently, Jake Wood is the sole owner, but in 2020 Patrick Bet David along with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson were also interested in purchasing the organization, which would have changed the course of the sport as we know it.
Joe Weider was a bodybuilder who, alongside his brother Ben Weider, established the Mr. Olympia organization in 1965 to allow amateur Mr. Universe winners to continue competing and earning money. Since then it has grown into a worldwide sensation that attracts attention not only during the weekend of the event but 365 days a year.
Over the years, Mr. Olympia has become the symbol of excellence and showcases the world’s top bodybuilders. The Sandow trophy is considered the most prestigious and sought-after title in bodybuilding and plays a crucial role in promoting the sport.
Patrick Bet-David and Bradley Martyn Discuss ‘The Rock’ Almost Purchasing Mr. Olympia Organization
Having attracted many supporters throughout the year, when the Mr. Olympia organization when up for sale, it’s no surprise that many people jumped at the opportunity. This included Patrick Bet-David, a multi-millionaire and massive podcaster who has always had a passion for bodybuilding. He has interviewed some of the sports greatest legends such as Ronnie Coleman and Phil Heath.
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In a recent podcast on YouTube, Patrick Bet-David discusses when he tried to purchase the Mr. Olympia organization as well as revealing that Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson was also attempting to buy Mr. Olympia.
“Three years ago I met with the CEO of Mr. Olympia and I made an offer to buy Mr. Olympia because I wanted to buy Mr. Olympia. This was three months or four months before Jake Wood buys Mr. Olympia,” said Patrick Bet David.
“Wasn’t The Rock going to buy Mr. Olympia?” asks Bradley Martyn.
According to PBD, Mr. Olympia made a “mistake” not selling to The Rock.
“Yeah, I think The Rock was going to buy Mr. Olympia. Yeah, The Rock, and yeah, him and Danny Garcia were going to buy Mr. Olympia.
They were all involved and they were getting into it and all this stuff. I think Mr. Olympia made a mistake not selling to The Rock. It would have been great for The Rock to buy Mr. Olympia for the brand.”
PBD Reveals Had He Taken Ownership Of Mr. Olympia Classic Physique Would Have Been the Front Runner
Had either of these men successfully made the purchase for the organization, Mr. Olympia could have made major changes including what division was given the Mr. Olympia title. Men’s Open is the division that truly holds the honor of being named Mr. Olympia, although other categories have gained traction including Classic Physique. As the name suggests, this category boasts symmetrical and balanced physiques that Patrick Bet-David considers the ideal look for the sport.
“The bodybuilders would have much rather of had The Rock buy Mr. Olympia. Anyways, what I wanted to do with Mr. Olympia was flip it, meaning, you know Cbum right now who Christopher Bumstead has got this incredible freakin physique, what a physique this guy has got right?”
“Twenty-two million followers on Instagram, and he’s just a ‘Hey, man I appreciate it, thank you.’ The way he talks, you see how the way he talks, this super chill likable guy.”
“6’1′ 235… right? And he doesn’t compete in the main Mr. Olympia, he competes in the other one, Classic. He doesn’t go compete with the bigger guys. He goes and competes with the Classic. Well, guess what? What if Mr. Olympia changed actually the standards.”
He further elaborates why the Classic Physique is the better option to represent the best bodybuilders in the world. This includes addressing the elephant in the room which is men dying due to the use of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) that they feel pressured to use to be named the best of the best.
“It’s no longer about who is the biggest and who is this, what if we actually used data and symmetry and we put it on a system and who has the symmetrical – Frank Zane, Serge Nubret, Arnold-type of a physique? What if we made that look the look to win the Mr. Olympia instead of the freakin Jean-Pierre Fux, Paul Dillett, or all these guys that were coming up.”
“I think it’s still, leaving others big is the reason why guys are dying and these guys are dying in their early 40s late 30s because they feel like they have to put so many things in to be able to compete at the highest level and they are getting crushed.”
Bet-David quickly acknowledges that the athletes in the Men’s Open are nothing to scoff at and still deserve respect for their incredible achievements.
“This is not taking anything away from the Open bodybuilders, the guys who have gone to insane levels, it’s insane but it’s just like we also have to go like who is drawing the traffic now at this point? People are coming to see Chris Bumstead and the people that he’s competing against,” explains Bradley Martyn.
Wrapping up the discussion, Martyn shares his favorite physique of all time.
“Of all time, I gotta go with Arnold. Arnold, Zane,” said Martyn. “And Serge had a great physique too. But like I said, those are all the older guys.”
Then also, too, of the newer guys, obviously I liked Ronnie because it was so absurd but Flex Wheeler. He was like right there before which was interesting because he never won an Olympia because Ronnie came in,” he said.
Winning the Mr. Olympia title is a testament to an athlete’s dedication, hard work, and exceptional physique. It requires years of disciplined training, and strict nutrition, highlighting the significance of the demanding challenge.
As for the Mr. Olympia brand as a whole PBD believes they made a mistake by not accepting a buyout from The Rock. He also held firm to the idea that Classic Physique should hold the title of Mr. Olympia. Interestingly, Arnold Schwarzenegger also said last year that the Open Mr. Olympia title should be awarded to the Classic Physique winner.
RELATED: Arnold Schwarzenegger Says Open Bodybuilding Is ‘Dangerous,’ Classic Physique Is the Future
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