It was 2006. The Orleans Arena in Las Vegas was vibrating. If you were there, or even if you were just watching a grainy rip of the pay-per-view on a forum later that night, you felt the shift. For eight years, Ronnie Coleman wasn't just the champion. He was a force of nature. A ghost in the machine that no one could catch. Then, the announcer said the words that changed bodybuilding forever: "And the new..."
Jay Cutler had done it. But the story of Ronnie Coleman on Jay Cutler isn't just about that one night in Vegas. It’s a decades-long saga of two guys who basically redefined what a human being can look like while remaining surprisingly tight behind the scenes.
The 2006 Upset That Nobody (And Everybody) Saw Coming
Ronnie was going for number nine. One more Sandow and he’d stand alone, surpassing Lee Haney and cementing himself as the undisputed GOAT. But his body was screaming. By his own admission in later interviews, Ronnie’s back was failing him. He was in so much pain he could barely stand through the mandatory poses.
Jay, on the other hand, was tired of being the "bridesmaid." He had placed second to Ronnie four times. Think about that. Most guys would have folded. Most guys would have assumed the judges were never going to let the King fall. But Jay went to a "dark place." He spent $50,000 a year on food. He bought whole cows. He ate every two hours, around the clock.
When they stood side-by-side in '06, the "Quad Stomp" heard 'round the world happened. Jay was fuller. Ronnie was fading. When Jay won, Ronnie didn't storm off. He stayed. He showed class. But years later, on podcasts like Club Shay Shay, Ronnie admitted he still thinks he won. He’s a competitor. That’s how they're wired. Honestly, you've gotta respect the confidence even if the judges saw it differently.
💡 You might also like: What Channel is Champions League on: Where to Watch Every Game in 2026
Different Breeds: Training Styles Compared
They weren't just rivals in terms of points; they were philosophical opposites in the gym. Ronnie was the "human forklift." We're talking 800-pound squats and deadlifts for reps. His workouts were legendary for the sheer, raw volume and the "Light weight, baby!" screams that echoed through Metroflex Gym.
Jay was different. He was scientific, almost surgical. While Ronnie would take long rests to recover for the next heavy set, Jay moved fast. He’d rest for 45 seconds to a minute. He didn't care about the world record for the heaviest deadlift; he cared about the tension on the muscle.
Key Differences in Their Approach:
- Rest Periods: Ronnie took 2+ minutes on big lifts. Jay stayed under 60 seconds.
- Philosophy: Ronnie relied on powerlifting roots. Jay focused on "volumizing" the muscle through constant tension.
- Social: Ronnie was the quiet officer from Texas. Jay was the businessman from Massachusetts who understood the "hype" machine before social media even existed.
The "We Look Horrible" Moment
There's a famous throwback photo Jay posted a while back from a guest posing event in 2005. They were both in the "off-season," weighing well over 300 pounds. Ronnie’s comment on the post? "We are both out of shape and we both look horrible."
It was a classic Ronnie moment. It shows the level of perfection these guys demanded. To any normal person, they looked like superheroes. To Ronnie, if he wasn't stage-ready with striations on his glutes, he was "horrible." This mutual respect—and mutual high bar—is why their rivalry never turned into the petty drama we see in sports today.
📖 Related: Eastern Conference Finals 2024: What Most People Get Wrong
Why Jay Wasn't "Happy" After Winning
This is the part that trips people up. Jay has said on record that he wasn't entirely satisfied with the 2006 win. Why? Because he felt he didn't beat the best Ronnie Coleman. Jay wanted to take down the 2003 version of Ronnie—the 287-pound monster that looked like an alien.
By 2006, Ronnie was injured. Jay knew it. Even though he finally got the trophy, there was a part of him that felt he’d won a war of attrition rather than a peak-to-peak battle. It takes a certain kind of integrity to admit that the man you just dethroned might have still been the better athlete at his peak.
Life After the Stage
If you see them together now at the Arnold Classic or guest appearances, it's all love. Jay often helps Ronnie navigate the stage, literally holding his arm as Ronnie deals with the mobility issues stemming from those years of heavy lifting. It’s a bittersweet sight for fans. You see the cost of greatness, but you also see a brotherhood that transcends the trophies.
Ronnie has gone through dozens of surgeries. Jay, miraculously, stayed relatively healthy. They represent two different paths of the "mass monster" era.
👉 See also: Texas vs Oklahoma Football Game: Why the Red River Rivalry is Getting Even Weirder
What You Can Learn from the Coleman-Cutler Era
If you're looking for actionable takeaways from how these two operated, it's not about the 800-pound squats. It's about the mindset.
- Persistence over ego: Jay lost four times before he won. Most people quit after the first "no."
- Know your body: Ronnie’s "go for broke" style won him 8 titles but cost him his mobility. Jay’s "calculated volume" preserved his health. Choose your path wisely.
- Respect the competition: You don't have to hate your rival to beat them. In fact, Jay says training near Ronnie and seeing him at guest poses was the only thing that kept him motivated.
The era of Ronnie Coleman on Jay Cutler wasn't just about muscle. It was the last time bodybuilding felt like a clash of titans that could actually stop the world.
To really understand the nuance of their rivalry, you should watch the 2006 Mr. Olympia finals footage side-by-side with the 2003 finals. Look at the "back double biceps" pose specifically. You'll see exactly where Ronnie’s dominance began to slip and where Jay’s relentless "cow-eating" bulk finally filled the gaps.