Mr Olympia 1996

Mike Matarazzo had to be taken to hospital for the Arnold Classic in 1993, Paul Dillett suffered a similar fate the following year and Flex Wheeler struggled with the dangerous consequences of dehydrating agents during the 1995 Euro Grand Prix Tour. Above it all hung the dire warning that Momo Benaziza's death during the 1992 Grand Prix Tour meant.
Dorian Yates had prepared for his title and nothing, neither a competitor nor the doping control - would change that!
This confidence in his ability to repeat his victory was shared by most professionals. The only competitors who believed they could prevent this happening were Kevin Levrone, Shawn Ray und Nasser El Sonbaty.

At the press conference, Kevin showed himself confident when he announced that the title was still open and that his goal was to win. This statement was followed by appreciative applause from Dorian Yates himself was cited. Dorian loves challenges.

In the run-up to the Mr. Olympias war Kevin Levrone inaccessible and difficult to find. He had a difficult year behind it. It felt as if the criticism he had received after winning the Arnold Classic in 1996 was still casting its shadow. But some things were also unchanged. Shawn Ray stayed true to his motto that he is the alternative to the mass demonstrations. Sometimes Shawn gets so caught up in his apple and orange comparisons that one wonders whether he is talking about Mr. Olympia or whether he wants to open a fruit stand.

When the Olympians marched on stage at 2:10 p.m., it quickly became clear that the doping controls and the temporary waiver of diuretics had their price.
Except for Shawn Ray, Nasser El Sonbaty, Paul Dillett and Dorian Yates, none of the participants were really in shape.
Kevin Levrone: While he competed in the Arnold Classic with about 113 kg, he was 4 kg lighter here, but not better. The hardness was still missing and the massive look - especially arms and shoulders - that carried him to victory at the Arnold Classic was also missing here.
Jean-Pierre Fux: With every mandatory pose by Jean-Pierre a horn sounded that reminded one more of a football game than of Swiss cowbells. He competed seven kilos lighter and better than the Arnold Classic, but his skin was still covered with a thin layer, which masked the real muscle hardness. In the basic position, Jean-Pierre was truly impressive - you had the impression that the first three rows had to be evacuated - but when he tensed it did not make the change that was expected. Strange.
Roland Cziurlok: One misfortune followed another. Shortly before the competition, there was an intestinal flu that cost Roland five kilos and a place in the top 10. He was weakened, easier and without the usual harshness. This brought a number of structural defects to the fore which negatively affected its placement.
Flex Wheeler: He had already mentioned in advance that he could not repeat his spring form and it was. Nevertheless, with a competition weight of 105 kg he was better than in 1995 (without test). His full muscle bellies and the balanced overall appearance were still there, but couldn't hide the form defects: the lower back, hamstrings and buttocks were too soft.
Charles Clairmonte: At 113 kg, he weighed just as much as last year. It was a little harder, but without the usual bulging muscles. However, his overall appearance was enough to get him in the top 10.
Paul Dillett: Big and tough, especially the legs, hamstrings and calves were very good. The upper body was a bit flat. The defined buttocks were amazing. Although he does not yet match Lee Labrada's presentation talent, his stage behavior showed the fruits of hard work. The front and back lat poses were more controlled than ever. Seemed like cramps a couple of times.
Aaron Baker: At 102 kg he was a bit too heavy and therefore could not intervene in the final battle. Nevertheless, his double biceps pose from behind is still a three-dimensional representation of the extra class.
Mike Matarazzo: At 113 kg, Mike was heavier and plumper than at the Night of Champions, but without the necessary toughness. His biceps and calves delight the audience, as does his posing.
Chris Cormien A harmonious body, which with 106 kg had the right weight, but not the hardness to place in the final. In the somewhat hectic first compulsory round he seemed lost in places.
Nasser El Sonbaty [disqualified] : Huge four kilos heavier than last year, he stepped on stage with 126 kg. He was plump, hard and in top form, even slight improvements in his back could be seen. Even so, his weakness, the back, is the strength of Dorian Yates. If he hadn't made a mistake somewhere in his preparation, he should have kept the $ 30,000 that was presented to him that evening. However, a positive result in the doping test nullified this.
Shawn Ray: At 93 kg it was a kilo heavier than last year, but lacked the hardness that made it stand out in 1994 and 1995. E.g. the Christmas tree shape in the back extension area is not there. Even so, he was better than the Arnold Classic, which made him one of the contenders for a top spot.
Dorian Yates: With 116 kg and better proportions than ever before, he also had the necessary toughness. The much-criticized right biceps (biceps torn off 1994) looked fuller than in 1995: only the plump muscles, especially in the leg area, were somewhat missing. However, his combination of mass, muscle details, harmony and hardness was unbeatable in this competition.
When the compulsory poses were completed at 3:35 p.m., the new Mr. Olympia was determined.
Mike Francois: With the number 13 car, his fate was probably under an unfortunate star. He looked light and told us that he hadn't weighed himself in two weeks, which led to the thought that maybe he had weighed himself but didn't particularly like the result. His midsection was slimmer, but so were his legs. It seemed as if he was 10 kg lighter than in 1995, without any unusual hardness providing compensation.
Ronnie Coleman: He had already shot his best powder in the spring, but still delivered considerable muscles with enormous hardness.

By the time the contestants were preparing for the final, Yates was firmly in first place (which the contestants didn't know) and Nasser was five points behind Shawn Ray in second. This was followed, in order, by Levrone, Dillett and Wheeler. Both Nasser and Shawn Ray thought they would be in second place and fight for victory with Dorian. Kevin Levrone quietly stated that if he didn't get second place, he would rethink his bodybuilding future. After what he thought was a great injustice at the Arnold Classic, Flex Wheeler had only one wish "Kevin Levrone to hit - I don't like to imagine that I'm behind him again. "
Dillett regretted the fact that he never had the opportunity to measure himself against Yates and Nasser in a direct comparison. In his opinion he should have Ray und Nasser have to fight for second place, instead he feared the worst. His disappointment when he was called to place six was correspondingly great.

Shawn Rays fatalistic prediction that the freestyle never makes a difference anyway was refuted in his favor this time. He received 10 points in the posing round, which equated him with Nasser, who received 15 points here. In the pose down, Shawn beat Nasser by one point (12 to 13), which ultimately earned him the runner-up title and 20 extra grand.

At 10:15 p.m., the pose down began, which brought life to the place again.
Levrone tried to get between Dillett und Nasser to push but didn't get through and landed between Wheeler und Dillett. Yates At that moment he marched to the left side of the stage, whereupon Nasser followed him to the thunderous applause of the crowd.
When the challenger stood next to Yates, he made his way back to the right side of the stage. Nasser gestured "He doesn't want to play with me" and followed him a few seconds later to the other side. Even now, Yates left his position to go to the left (Yates stated after the competition that he had not seen Nasser on both occasions).
Eventually, however, Yates approached Nasser and there was a fireworks display of Most-Museular poses, which almost frenzied the audience. Five seconds later, Nasser set off on the march.

It all started after Paul Dillett's sixth place was announced. The Canadian giant stormed off the stage angrily, which was seamlessly adopted by Flex Wheeler, who finished fifth. Before he could leave the stage, however, he was hugged by Shawn Ray, which reversed roles from 1993 when it was Flex who prevented Shawn from leaving. The third frustrated exit was Kevin Levrone, who was just beginning to notice his fourth place.
So far it has only been loud boos, but that changed when Wayne DeMilia announced third place: Nasser El Sonbaty.

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The audience foamed with anger. Sweat formed on the foreheads of the judges and some of them wanted a bulletproof vest. Nasser immediately proved his qualities as a gentleman and gestured reassuringly to the audience and then put down a few poses that earned him a standing ovation, which was the last time Bertil Fox beim Mr. Olympia 1983 happened.
As expected it was too Shawn Ray Booed and because the audience was already in swing, received Dorian Yates same greeting when he received his fifth Sandow statue.

Among the finalists, Paul Dillett was certainly the one most likely to have cause for complaint. It's hard to understand why Paul wasn't placed ahead of Flex and Kevin, who were both way below their best. Of course, Paul's stage presentation was criticized, but factors such as presentation, tattoos and tan should only play an important role if two athletes are otherwise of equal rank.

You can be divided about a lot about this championship, but one thing is certain: the majority of the athletes were not in their usual form.
It doesn't take a lot of brainpower to see the link between the doping controls and this fact.
The good thing about it was that the participants seemed healthier and more active than in previous competitions. None of the athletes wanted to interrupt the pose down or simply left the stage - they fought until the end of the music.
Overall, the winner, Dorian Yates, was in his best form so far, although he did not show the full volume of the previous year. Dorian has apparently stabilized his weight around 116 kg and is now mainly busy working out the details.
He beats his opponents not only with mass, but with muscle quality.
However, the five-time Mr. Olympia has promised to defend the 1997 title with mass and class.

1 Dorian Yates
2 Shawn Ray
3 Kevin Levrone
4 Ken Wheeler (Flex)
5 Paul Dillett
6 Ronnie Coleman
7 Chris Cormier
8 Jean Pierre Fux
9 Charles Clairmonte
10 Michael Francois
11 Aaron Baker
12 Roland Cziurlok
13 Mike Matarazzo

DQ Nasser El Sonbaty

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Mr Olympia 1998

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