Did Arnold Schwarzenegger ever lose a Mr. Olympia? All you need to know

Arnold Schwarzenegger is a bodybuilding legend. The bodybuilder turned actor turned politician is a seven-time Mr. Olympia winner. His accomplishments in the bodybuilding field are known worldwide. However, have you ever wondered if he has lost a Mr. Olympia title?

Schwarzenegger was dominant in the Mr. Olympia contests. The Terminator actor won the title six straight times from 1970 to 1975. Following his sixth title win, the bodybuilder announced his retirement.

However, Schwarzenegger returned to the competition and won another title in 1980. But not many know that 1970 was not the year Schwarzenegger made his debut in the tournament.

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Arnold Schwarzenegger’s maiden and only defeat in Mr. Olympia

Arnold Schwarzenegger made his Mr. Olympia debut in 1969. He lost his maiden attempt at the title to Sergio Oliva.

A three-time Mr. Olympia winner himself, Oliva was called the Myth. It was the Myth who handed Schwarzenegger his first defeat.

Interestingly, this was the Cuban-American bodybuilder’s last victory in his three-title run. Falling prey to the Myth’s final win, Schwarzenegger settled for silver in 1969.

Interestingly, Arnold once recalled competing against Oliva. Speaking about his defeat to the Myth, the Austrian Oak said he was intimidated by his physique.

Speaking in an interview, he said that Oliva was ‘huge’:

“I understood why they called him The Myth. It was as if I’d walked into a wall. He destroyed me. He was so huge; he was so fantastic, there was no way I could even think of beating him.”

Despite his loss, Arnold Schwarzenegger said he carried immense respect for Oliva. The bodybuilder said that he was in awe of the Myth’s physique.

The former Governor of California also revealed that he had already “settled for second place before walking out on the stage” with Oliva. Reportedly, the Myth had a 59-inch chest and a 27-inch waist, compared to Arnold’s 57-inch chest and 30-inch waist.

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Arnold Schwarzenegger’s comeback

Having lost the Mr. Olympia title to Sergio Oliva in 1969, Schwarzenegger returned stronger to win his maiden title in 1970. Oliva finished second.

Following this, the Twins actor began his epic run of six consecutive titles. Notably, the legendary Austrian defeated Oliva yet again in 1972.

Unlike earlier events, the 1972 championship blew up as many experts cried foul play. Following this, the Myth stayed away from the competition. He didn’t return until 1984, when he finished eighth.

For anyone still wondering, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s record in the competition was the best at the time. He holds a 7-1 record, which is pretty incredible.

Although short-lived, the rivalry between the Austrian Oak and the Myth is considered one of the best in the competition’s history.

Following this, Schwarzenegger began to step away from the bodybuilding field and started focusing on other areas. He went down as one of the most decorated bodybuilders in history when he hung up his boots.

Schwarzenegger played various roles after this as an actor, film producer, businessman, and politician. He was even named among the ‘100 most influential people in the world’ by Time magazine twice (2004 and 2007).