Mr. Olympia - wikipedia Mr. Olympia Mr. Olympia is the title awarded to the winner of the professional men 's bodybuilding contest at Joe Weider 's Olympia Fitness & Performance Weekend -- an international bodybuilding competition that is held annually by the International Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness ( IFBB ). Joe Weider created the contest to enable the Mr. Universe winners to continue competing and to earn money. The first Mr. Olympia was held on September 18, 1965, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York City, with Larry Scott winning his first of two straight titles. The record number of wins is eight, held by Lee Haney ( 1984 -- 1991 ), and Ronnie Coleman ( 1998 -- 2005 ). Shawn Rhoden currently holds the title. The film Pumping Iron ( 1977 ) featured the buildup to the 1975 Mr. Olympia in Pretoria South Africa and helped launch the acting careers of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno. There is also a female bodybuilder crowned, Ms. Olympia, as well as winners of Fitness Olympia and Figure Olympia for fitness and figure competitors. All four contests occur during the same weekend. From 1994 to 2003 and again in 2012, a Masters Olympia was also crowned. Contents 1 History 1.1 1960s 1.2 1970s 1.3 1980s 1.4 1990s 1.5 2000s 1.6 2010s 2 Qualifying 3 Winners 4 See also 5 References 6 External links History 1960s The 1965 and 1966 Mr. Olympia were won by Larry Scott, a famous bodybuilder of the time. Scott subsequently retired after his 1966 victory. Harold Poole holds two Mr. Olympia distinctions. One is that he is the youngest ever competitor to have participated in the Olympia. In 1965 he competed in the first Mr. Olympia at the age of 21. The other is that he was the only man to compete in all three of the initial Mr. Olympia contests. He was runner - up in the 1965 and 1966 shows. Arnold Schwarzenegger The 1967 Mr. Olympia, won by Sergio Oliva, heralded a new era in bodybuilding competition. At 5 ft 10 ins and 240 lbs Oliva, nicknamed `` The Myth '', displayed a level of muscle mass and definition, including a `` V '' shape of a large and a well - formed upper - body that tapered down to a narrow waist, unlike anything seen in prior competitions. His upper arms measured nearly 22 inches and his chest measured at 55 inches, which tapered down to a reportedly 28 inch waist and two 31 inch legs. Oliva would go on to win the Mr. Olympia competition in 1967, 1968, and 1969 -- where he would defeat Arnold Schwarzenegger four to three, marking Schwarzenegger 's first and only loss in a Mr. Olympia competition. 1970s Schwarzenegger defeated Oliva at the 1970 Mr. Olympia after finishing second the year before. At 6 ′ 2 '' and 240 lbs, he was able to match Sergio Oliva for size in his upper arms, chest, and back. However, contest judges deemed that Schwarzenegger 's extra definition and muscularity over Sergio Oliva were substantial enough to award him the title. Schwarzenegger successfully defeated Oliva again in 1972. Schwarzenegger went on to win the next three Mr. Olympia competitions, including the 1975 Mr. Olympia competition, which was highlighted in the 1977 docudrama Pumping Iron and featured other notable bodybuilders such as Lou Ferrigno, Serge Nubret, and Franco Columbu, who would go on to win the 1976 and 1981 competitions. From 1974 until 1979, a dual weight division system was used, splitting competitors into two categories : `` Heavyweights '' ( over 200lbs ) and `` Lightweights '' ( under 200lbs ). The winners of each division would then compete against each other to decide an overall champion. After winning the 1975 competition, Schwarzenegger announced his retirement from competitive bodybuilding ; this was also depicted in Pumping Iron. Frank Zane Frank Zane won the 1977, 1978, and 1979 competitions. While not as physically massive as previous competitors such as Schwarzenegger, Oliva, or Ferrigno, Zane developed his physique to highlight symmetry aesthetics and definition. As such, Zane was able to defeat opponents who exceeded his own muscle - mass but lacked his level of muscular definition. 1977 was the first year the Sandow trophy was awarded. 1980s In 1980, Schwarzenegger came out of retirement to win the Olympia yet again. Schwarzenegger had been a late entry into the competition, and his competitors did not know of his intentions to compete. The following year, Franco Columbu was victorious. Chris Dickerson won the 1982 competition, Samir Bannout won the 1983 competition, and Lee Haney won the 1984 competition. This was the start of 8 straight titles by Lee Haney. 1990s Haney retired from competitive bodybuilding after his last Mr. Olympia victory in 1991. Having placed second to Haney the previous year, Dorian Yates won the competition six straight times from 1992 until 1997. He retired after his final Olympia victory. Dorian is given credit for revolutionizing the sport during his reign as Mr. Olympia by combining larger mass than seen before with what was dubbed `` granite hardness ''. The 90s were given the nickname `` The Growth Hormone era ''. Dorian was the first Mr. Olympian to experiment with the hormone, which had succeeding bodybuilders packed with size. Subsequently, judging in professional bodybuilding competitions started placing greater emphasis on muscle mass, with many bodybuilding traditionalists commenting that muscle mass had now become the most important factor to winning, even greater than that of symmetry, aesthetics, and proportion. Yates retired from competitive bodybuilding after his 1997 victory. Flex Wheeler seemed to be the heir apparent but Ronnie Coleman surprised everyone with a new improved physique in 1998, winning 8 consecutive titles. In 1994 Joe Weider decided to add a separate Masters Olympia competition for professional bodybuilders to continue to compete at the highest levels in their later years. 2000s Ronnie Coleman Ronnie Coleman won the Mr. Olympia competition eight consecutive times, tying the record set by Lee Haney. Coleman returned in 2006 to defend his title but instead placed second to Jay Cutler, who won his first title after four consecutive years of finishing second to Coleman. Cutler successfully defended his title again in 2007. Coleman came in fourth place and announced his retirement from competition. In 2008, Dexter Jackson defeated Jay Cutler and became Mr. Olympia. In 2009, Jay Cutler became the third Mr. Olympia in history ( the others being Arnold Schwarzenegger and Franco Columbu ) to reclaim the title and the only Mr. Olympia in history to reclaim the title after having lost it, by returning on stage and defeating the reigning champion Dexter Jackson who placed third in 2009. 2010s In 2010, Cutler returned to claim his 4th Mr. Olympia title, becoming just the fifth competitor in Olympia history to win the title more than 3 times. In 2011, Phil Heath defeated Cutler for the title, beginning a winning streak that would last until 2018. From 2012 to 2014, the Olympia was dominated by the rivalry between Kai Greene and Heath, with Greene taking 2nd place and Heath 1st three years in a row. In 2016, Heath won his sixth straight title, while Greene did not compete in either the 2015 or 2016 Olympia. The 2008 Mr. Olympia winner Dexter Jackson took the 2nd place in 2015 while Shawn Rhoden was runner up in 2016. Heath won his seventh - consecutive Mr. Olympia in 2017, with Mamdouh Elssbiay ( better known as Big Ramy ) taking second. With his 2017 win, Heath tied Arnold Schwarzenegger for second most Olympia victories, behind Lee Haney and Ronnie Coleman who won eight. Shawn Rhoden defeated Phil Heath in 2018, snapping Heath 's streak of 7 straight victories. Shawn Rhoden is the first Jamaican to win the Mr. Olympia. Qualifying In 2011, days after the conclusion of the 2011 Olympia Weekend, Chairman of the IFBB Professional League Jim Manion amended the qualifying rules as follows : Top five in each division at the Olympia. Top three in each division at the Arnold Classic / International. Top two in each division at the New York Pro. 1st place at all other competitions, even the Amateurs World Championship Competition. The IFBB Professional League and Mr. Olympia 2016, LLC may offer special invites. Winners Year Award Overall Heavyweight Lightweight Venue 1965 Larry Scott Heavyweight category not held. Lightweight category not held. New York, United States 1966 $1,000 1967 $1,000 Sergio Oliva 1968 1969 1970 Arnold Schwarzenegger 1971 Paris, France 1972 Essen, West Germany 1973 New York, United States Arnold Schwarzenegger Franco Columbu $2,500 Pretoria, South Africa 1976 $5,000 Franco Columbu Ken Waller Columbus, United States 1977 $5,000 Frank Zane Robby Robinson Frank Zane 1978 $15,000 1979 $25,000 Mike Mentzer 1980 $25,000 Arnold Schwarzenegger Heavyweight category not held. Lightweight category not held. Sydney, Australia 1981 Franco Columbu Columbus, United States 1982 Chris Dickerson London, United Kingdom Samir Bannout Munich, West Germany 1984 $50,000 Lee Haney New York, United States 1985 Brussels, Belgium 1986 $55,000 Columbus, United States Gothenburg, Sweden 1988 Unknown Los Angeles, United States 1989 Rimini, Italy 1990 $100,000 Chicago, United States 1991 Orlando, United States 1992 Dorian Yates Helsinki, Finland 1993 Atlanta, United States 1994 1995 $110,000 Chicago, Illinois, United States 1997 Los Angeles, United States 1998 Ronnie Coleman New York, United States 1999 Las Vegas, United States 2000 2001 2002 2003 $120,000 2005 $150,000 2006 $155,000 Jay Cutler 2007 2008 Dexter Jackson 2009 $200,000 Jay Cutler 2011 Phil Heath 2012 $250,000 2013 2014 $275,000 2015 $400,000 2016 2017 2018 $400,000 Shawn Rhoden Ranking Mr. Olympia champion Year ( s ) Number of wins Overall Heavyweight Lightweight 1st Ronnie Coleman 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005 8 0 0 1st Lee Haney 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1991 8 0 0 3rd Arnold Schwarzenegger 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975 ( overall & heavyweight ) and 1980 7 0 3rd Phil Heath 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 7 0 0 5th Dorian Yates 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, and 1997 6 0 0 6th Jay Cutler 2006, 2007, 2009, and 2010 0 0 7th Frank Zane 1977 ( overall & lightweight ), 1978 ( overall & lightweight ), 1979 ( overall & lightweight ) 0 7th Sergio Oliva 1967, 1968, and 1969 0 0 9th Franco Columbu 1974 ( lightweight ), 1975 ( lightweight ), 1976 ( overall & lightweight ), and 1981 0 9th Larry Scott 1965 and 1966 0 0 11th Chris Dickerson 1982 0 0 11th Samir Bannout 0 0 11th Dexter Jackson 2008 0 0 11th Shawn Rhoden 2018 0 0 15th Robby Robinson 1977 ( heavyweight ) and 1978 ( heavyweight ) 0 0 16th Kenny Waller 1976 ( heavyweight ) 0 0 16th Mike Mentzer 1979 ( heavyweight ) 0 0 Ranking Mr. Olympia champion Years Number of consecutive wins Overall Heavyweight Lightweight 1st Lee Haney 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1991 8 0 0 1st Ronnie Coleman 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005 8 0 0 3rd Phil Heath 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 7 0 0 4th Arnold Schwarzenegger 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975 ( overall & heavyweight ) and 1980 6 0 5th Dorian Yates 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, and 1997 6 0 0 6th Frank Zane 1977 ( overall & lightweight ), 1978 ( overall & lightweight ), 1979 ( overall & lightweight ) 0 6th Sergio Oliva 1967, 1968, and 1969 0 0 8th Jay Cutler 2006 and 2007, 2009 and 2010 2 ( twice ) 0 0 9th Larry Scott 1965 and 1966 0 0 10th Franco Columbu 1974 ( lightweight ), 1975 ( lightweight ), 1976 ( overall & lightweight ), and 1981 0 See also Ms. Olympia References Jump up ^ `` Archived copy ''. Archived from the original on 2012 - 11 - 22. Retrieved 2012 - 12 - 06. CS1 maint : Archived copy as title ( link ) Jump up ^ `` Mr Olympia : Through the Years ''. Protein Hunter. Retrieved 2016 - 06 - 09. Jump up ^ http://www.muscleandfitness.com/athletes-celebrities/news/mr-olympia-prize-money-hits-record-high-1mm Jump up ^ http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2205393-mr-olympia-2014-results-winner-highlights-prize-money-and-twitter-reaction Wayne, Rick ( 1985 ). Muscle Wars : The Behind - the - Scenes Story of Competitive Bodybuilding. New York : St. Martin 's Press. pp. 93, 95, 250, 257. ISBN 0 - 312 - 55353 - 6. OCLC 12107650. External links Official website ( 1 ) History of Mr. Olympia Mr. Olympia -- Site with pictures and results ( in Bulgarian ) Mr. Olympia competitions 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1984 1985 1986 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Mr. Olympia winners Scott 1965 1966 Oliva 1967 1968 1969 Schwarzenegger 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 : ( Overall : Schwarzenegger ) ( LW : Columbu ) ( HW : Schwarzenegger ) 1975 : ( Overall : Schwarzenegger ) ( LW : Columbu ) ( HW : Schwarzenegger ) 1976 : ( Overall : Columbu ) ( LW : Columbu ) ( HW : Waller ) 1977 : ( Overall : Zane ) ( HW : Robinson ) ( LW : Zane ) 1978 : ( Overall : Zane ) ( HW : Robinson ) ( LW : Zane ) 1979 : ( Overall : Zane ) ( HW : Mentzer ) ( LW : Zane ) Schwarzenegger ( 1980 ) Columbu ( 1981 ) Dickerson ( 1982 ) Bannout ( 1983 ) Haney 1984 1985 1986 1988 1989 1990 1991 Yates 1992 1993 1994 1995 1997 Coleman 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 Cutler 2006 2007 Jackson ( 2008 ) Cutler 2009 Heath 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Rhoden 2018 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mr._Olympia&oldid=864190942 '' Categories : Mr. Olympia Professional bodybuilding competitions Recurring sporting events established in 1965 Olympia Weekend Hidden categories : CS1 maint : Archived copy as title All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from May 2013 Articles with Bulgarian - language external links Talk Contents About Wikipedia Azərbaycanca Беларуская ( тарашкевіца ) ‎ Български Català Čeština Cymraeg Deutsch Ελληνικά Español فارسی Français 한국어 Հայերեն Hrvatski Italiano עברית ქართული Lietuvių Magyar Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Polski Português Română Русский Slovenčina Српски / srpski Suomi Svenska தமிழ் Українська 24 more Edit links This page was last edited on 15 October 2018, at 17 : 50 ( UTC ). Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: who holds the record for most mr olympia
Answer: Lee Haney