From Hollywood to the UFC, Arnold Schwarzenegger has been promoting bodybuilding in every field.

While talking to Theo Von on 'This Past Weekend' about his career, life, and future, Arnold Schwarzenegger revealed that in his quest to promote fitness, he preached everywhere, even to the UFC fighters.

"They didn't realize that bodybuilding is something that you just get a healthier and stronger body for whatever you do. You maybe need it for tennis, you maybe need it for your biking, you maybe need it for your uh whatever sport, you know, like UFC fighters are working."

Schwarzenegger explained that early perceptions of bodybuilding framed it as an activity centered on aesthetics rather than on building a fitter lifestyle. His efforts were to shift the narrative by promoting weight training as an essential activity for strength and endurance across all sports.

According to the seven-time Mr Olympia, weightlifting should be a part of different sporting disciplines because including strength training in your routine will enhance your performance. His reference to UFC fighters is proof that resistance training has found its way into modern athletic preparation. Strength training is seen as a primary requirement rather than an add-on.

Schwarzenegger's contribution to popularizing bodybuilding and fitness cannot be ignored; it is because of his efforts that all fancy hotels, schools, and military bases have a gym. In fact, his popularity goes beyond bodybuilding and has reached the UFC.

In 2013, after Canadian MMA star Georges St-Pierre successfully defended his title against Johny Hendricks at UFC 167, he shared a fan moment with Arnold Schwarzenegger. The minute he laid eyes on the Terminator, he dropped to his knees and cried,“NO, no, no, my idol. Oh, my god!”

Schwarzenegger politely shook his hand and thanked him for an entertaining fight before asking him to take care of himself. But his impact doesn't end there.

Arnold Schwarzenegger helped Conor McGregor recover from an injury

In 2013, when UFC champion Conor McGregor was celebrating his comfortable wins over Marcus Brimage and Max Holloway, he tore his ACL in the third round of the fight with the latter. The injury took McGregor to Arnold Schwarzenegger's physiotherapist, Heather Milligan, who helped him return to the octagon by July 2014.

Later, McGregor was all set to fight Jose Aldo at UFC 189 in July 2015, but the Brazilian fighter pulled out of the fight due to a rib injury, and Chad Mendes was brought in as a replacement. 

However, eight weeks before the fight, the Irish beast tore 80% of his ACL. And when Schwarzenegger learned of this injury, he insisted that Milligan help McGregor so that he could be ready for the fight on time.

He even visited McGregor in his Las Vegas residence. Later, Conor McGregor would go on to tell how Schwarzenegger's support helped in his recovery. 

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Written by

Ruwa Javed

Edited by

Ashvinkumar Patil