On Episode 189 of the Cutler Cast, four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler spoke and made it quite clear which era he believes had the better bodybuilders.

While speaking with Milos Sarcev, Cutler noted that bodybuilders in the modern era lack the combination of mass and conditioning that 90s and even early 2000s icons like Ronnie Coleman showcased on stage.

“Do you remember when Flex Wheeler used to wear those skin-tight shirts?" Cutler recalled.

"It was like, someone took, you know, when you blow up a balloon… that was his shoulder. Blow up another one. That's his bicep. That's how much separation was between each muscle," said Jay Cutler.

He also added that Flex “looked ridiculous. I mean everything, the calves, the legs.” Milos Sarcev agreed and highlighted how fans compare Flex Wheeler to the 6-time Classic Physique Olympia winner Chris Bumstead.

"Chris could maybe even take him on a photo, but you know what I mean? In real life, they were not even in the same universe," said Sarcev. That's when Jay Cutler added, "Pictures can’t tell the story."

And the man himself, Flex Wheeler, is on the same page with Jay Cutler and Milos Sarcev.

Flex Wheeler revealed what set the 90s apart

Following Mr. Olympia 2025, Flex Wheeler appeared on The Menace podcast and said that bodybuilders in his time were better in terms of shape compared to current competitors.

He stated, "I do agree when I look at the current My. Olympia and the last few Mr. Olympias, we were just in better shape. We were more peeled," explained Wheeler.

"I don’t know if it’s that we had less distractions or whatnot, but I don’t understand why the sport hasn’t progressed," he added.

And it's not just former champions like Jay Culter or Flex Wheeler. Reigning Mr. Olympia, Derek Lunsford, got a ton of backlash from fans for claiming the current era is the best.

Yet, what is your take on the matter that the sport has not evolved?

Written by

Supradeep Dutta

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi