Every sport has its own way of marketing itself. For Mr. Olympia, they take a different approach by awarding honorary ambassador titles to celebrities and legends of the sport.

Over these years, several noted stars have received the honor, and some of the names might take you aback. Here's a look.

Dave Bautista

Back in 2023, Dave Bautista was named the honorary ambassador of Mr. Olympia. Following the announcement, Bautista commented, “Bodybuilding changed the direction of my life.”

'The Animal,' as he is known in the WWE community, also expressed gratitude that the federation gave him a chance to represent the sport that changed his life.

Shaquille O’Neal

“Shaq is everywhere.” Well, this phrase truly made its way into the bodybuilding world in 2020, when the 4x NBA title winner was chosen to be an honorary ambassador of Mr. Olympia. “In recent years, Shaq has become an enthusiastic supporter of Olympia Weekend,” said Chief Olympia Officer Dan Solomon.

Including Shaq in the bodybuilding scene was an unconventional move. It also proved to be a phenomenal strategy to increase Mr. Olympia’s viewership during the COVID era.

Lee Haney

2021 marked the comeback of the greatest of all time, Lee Haney, not as a competitor but as an ambassador. “I am forever grateful for the opportunity to compete at the greatest event in the world, and I’m humbled by this incredible honor,” he said at that time.

What’s even more interesting is the fact that the 2021 edition of Mr. Olympia took place in Orlando, the very same place where Haney broke Arnold Schwarzenegger’s record by winning his 8th Mr. Olympia title back in 1991.

Jay Cutler

For the 2019 season, they brought out arguably the most socially active bodybuilding champion, Jay Cutler, as the honorary ambassador. Being a four-time Mr. Olympia, he was a staunch rival of Ronnie Coleman, and he finally defeated him back in 2006.

After being named the 2019 honorary ambassador, he said, “This is an incredible honor. The Olympia is a big part of my journey, and it has changed so many lives in such a positive way.”

Chris Bumstead

Lastly, it’s none other than the biggest bodybuilding phenomenon of modern times, six-time Mr. Olympia champion Chris Bumstead, who was recently named the honorary ambassador of the sport. He is the latest member to receive this responsibility.

Despite retiring from active competition in October 2024, Bumstead's election as the Mr. Olympia Honorary Ambassador, speaks volumes about his contribution to the sport.

Who else would you like to watch joining this list?

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Written by

Suryakant Das

Edited by

Souvik Roy