For the first time since Ronnie Coleman won the Sandow Trophy in 1998, someone had caught up with him. His rival was Jay Cutler, and whenever the two men hit their back poses head to head, it was clear how far Cutler had come. In an achievement many thought would never happen, Coleman, with his outrageous mass and stunning detail in the shoulders, mid-back and traps, was far from a sure winner in that pose.
But in the end, even that was not enough to end the reign of Coleman, who had won eight times in a row, thus matching Lee Haney’s record.
All in all, it can be said that this Olympia was about more than just injuries, drama and disputes. From the opening segment of the evening show, when powerlifter Gene Rychalik stepped onto the stage to break his own press record of 456.75 kg but had to give up on the attempt, the whole evening was wild. The narrow-waisted David Henry and Kris Dim missed the top ten, the least-noticed bodybuilder of the show, Darrem Charles, took ninth place (he could just as well have deserved third), and the top six was once again dominated by mass monsters: the mighty Dennis James in sixth, Gunter Schlierkamp in fourth, and of course Coleman and Cutler in the top two spots. (A very happy Victor Martinez was squeezed into fifth, and Gustavo Badell placed third for the second year in a row, an achievement he should be truly proud of.)
Next came the most unconventional round of all, judged by former Mr. Olympias (Larry Scott, Sergio Oliva, Frank Zane, Samir Bannout and Dorian Yates). A couple of technical difficulties spoiled the round, but in the end Gustavo Badell came out on top, becoming 25 thousand dollars richer for his efforts. Interestingly, during the round (which did not count toward the overall standings) Coleman lost a couple of poses to both Cutler and Badell, including the side triceps, which was also the decisive pose between him and Badell.
Other notable results at this biggest bodybuilding show, which celebrated its 40th anniversary: Jordan’s Mustafa Mohammad broke into the top ten, Branch Warren held his own, having won two pro shows the previous month, and came in eighth, and Melvin Anthony came in seventh. California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger also took the stage, along with Joe Weider, who received a prolonged ovation after the two had spoken to the crowds.
But when the show ended the same way as the previous seven, Coleman was thrown off his feet when the runner-up was announced, overwhelmed by his triumph. The chain of events that led there was anything but ordinary. This was a Mr. Olympia that, come what may, will be talked about in bodybuilding circles for a long time.
2005 MR. OLYMPIA RESULTS
1 Ronnie Coleman
2 Jay Cutler
3 Gustavo Badell
4 Gunther Schlierkamp
5 Victor Martinez
6 Dennis James
7 Melvin Anthony
8 Branch Warren
9 Darrem Charles
10 Mustafa Mohammad
11 Johnnie Jackson
12 George Farah
13 Chris Cormier
14 David Henry
15 Markus Ruhl
*The top six qualify for the 2006 Mr. Olympia
Did not make the top 15
Kris Dim
Alexander Fedorov
Craig Richardson
Ronny Rockell
Mike Sheridan
Quincy Taylor
Author: Flexonline.com
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