1980: Arnold’s Comeback
After claiming the 1975 title, Arnold called it quits and pursued other ventures outside of bodybuilding. That was until the 1980 competition where Arnold secretly decided to join the event. Many observers saw that Arnold was building muscle mass, suggesting to many that he’d be returning to competition after a five year absence. Schwarzenegger explained simply that he was preparing for the movie Conan The Barbarian and was simply getting in shape for the film. But once it was clear that the Austrian Oak was fully intending a return, the competition at the time didn’t view him as much of a threat. Though still in great physical condition, Arnold wasn’t in the same form as he had been before his retirement. He lacked the the definition, size and ripped physique that made him a champion and everyone on hand knew it. Despite that, Arnold was victorious to the chagrin of many attendees and competitors alike. Many believed that the other men in the top five, Chris Dickerson, Mike Metzner, Boyer Coe, and Frank Zane, were all more deserving of the tittle that year. Many sited politics as the reason for the Austrian’s victory and some competitors would go on to boycott the 1981 event. There’s no arguing that this was perhaps the most controversial win in the competition’s history.
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