Actor Danny Trejo stays true to his character and generally does not mince words. The world might see Arnold Schwarzenegger as its hero, but Trejo feels differently.

In a recent video clip, the Machete actor raised a highly controversial point regarding the seven-time Mr. Olympia. He claimed that Lou Ferrigno was the real deserving Mr. Universe.

"Schwarzenegger was full of steroids," Trejo said flatly. "Lou didn't. Everybody knows it. Arnold perfected the use of steroids in bodybuilding. That's why he f***** everybody."

It might come off as a bold charge against Schwarzenegger, but Arnie has himself been vocal about his steroid use in his competitive years. During a 2023 interview with Men's Health, he confirmed the same.

"One hundred milligrams a week" of testosterone and "three Dianabol a day, so that was 15 milligrams a day." He specified the amounts and claimed that he used these under a doctor's supervision.

Schwarzenegger has always claimed that steroids were comparatively very recent during that era and were being experimented with by everyone, and he has zero regrets using them.

Well, Trejo is not completely wrong, but every coin has two sides, so do Trejo's claims.

Why Danny Trejo's Arnold Schwarzenegger Criticism Hinges on One Lou Ferrigno Question

Danny Trejo's argument does have some very factual, complicated points, per se. There is absolutely no speculation about Arnold Schwarzenegger using steroids, but his claim about Lou Ferrigno is not that easy to verify.

The Brooklyn Native won consecutive IFBB Mr. Universe titles in 1973 and 1974 before he challenged the Austrian Oak at the Mr. Olympia level.

Weighing around 275 pounds during the season and contest, Ferrigno had a frame and muscularity that, in terms of sheer size, was bigger than Schwarzenegger's.

Ferrigno, however, has never spoken about using any kind of substances. That has ignited immense debates among bodybuilding fans.

But one thing is clear: Schwarzenegger's edge over Ferrigno was not only physical. One of the most memorable scenes from Pumping Iron shows Schwarzenegger having a conversation with Ferrigno's parents while eating breakfast, and it was the morning of the 1975 Mr. Olympia.

Schwarzenegger, well known for his mental and psychological warfare, spoke about securing his sixth consecutive title, projecting absolute confidence while subtly planting seeds of doubt in the Ferrigno camp.

Later, he claimed another Olympia crown while Ferrigno finished third. Steroid or not, Schwarzenegger knew how to get into his opponent's head.

Trejo may have reignited the debate, but whether Ferrigno could have defeated Arnie on a level playing field will remain unanswered!

Do you think steroid usage should be more strict, or do you believe in enhanced games? Let us know in the comments!

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Written by

Proma Chatterjee

Edited by

Ashvinkumar Patil