A Small Fall in Coleman’s Impressive Reign.

When a bodybuilding fan hears the name Ronnie Coleman the response is undoubtedly focused on the man’s greatness. He’s an eight time Mr. Olympia winner and is arguably considered to be the best bodybuilder to ever compete in the sport. That’s some pretty high praise when you considered the greats that came before him like Lee Haney, Dorian Yates, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. But Coleman had that aura of a man who was unbeatable and the massive size to back up that claim.

But like all champions, your time on top will always be numbered and the same was true for Coleman. His eight year Olympia streak would eventually come to an end in 2006, losing out to Jay Cutler in the process. After ruling the open weight class for eight straight years it seemed that it was time for Coleman to step aside for the next generation. But there was signs that the bodybuilding great may have been on the road of decline just one year before.

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In 2005 Puerto Rican bodybuilder Gustavo Badell seemed to be in tip top condition. During the challenge round of the 2005 Mr. Olympia, Badell proved that he was a force to be reckoned with and gave top bodybuilders in the game, Coleman and Cutler included, the biggest scare of their bodybuilding careers to that point. Though the competition may have been massive in size and completely shredded, Badell came to the show with a physique that many observers thought could beat out both Jay and Ronnie in the finals.

Though he would go on to take third place that year, Badell still proved he could compete with the best in the business including the great Ronnie Coleman. Take a look at Badell as he dominated the competition during the challenge round.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guqeFIgFiy8

Who do you think had the best physique at the 2005 Mr. Olympia? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.