Many fans consider Flex Wheeler as one of the all-time greats of bodybuilding. Yet he never won the Mr. Olympia title. Wheeler went up against the likes of Dorian Yates and Ronnie Coleman and came up short every time. After Yates retired, Wheeler became the heir apparent for the Mr. Olympia throne. However, in 1998, Ronnie Coleman upset Wheeler and earned his first title.

In 1999, Flex would arrive on stage in the best shape of his life and heavier than Coleman. But to Wheeler’s surprise, the judges would award Ronnie the win. In a 2007 interview, Flex revealed his feelings about his defeat.

The judge’s decision surprised Flex Wheeler 

In a 2007 interview with Iron Man magazine, the bodybuilding icon revealed how it felt when Ronnie defeated him multiple times in a brief period. Flex said, “I thought the ’98 Olympia was gonna be mine. But Ronnie beat me by three points—three points, bro!”. The Arnold Classic winner would lose again at Joe Weider’s Pro World, held in London. However, the biggest surprise was the 1999 Mr. Olympia contest.

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“At the ’99 Olympia, I was 17 pounds heavier, in better shape than ever before, and Ronnie still slammed it with a perfect score.” Wheeler said during the interview. Flex already possessed one of the most symmetrical physiques ever and may have thought that a combination of size and symmetry would be enough to defeat ‘The King’.

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However, what surprised Flex the most was how Ronnie got a perfect score. Flex also recalled how something similar had happened in 1998. The interviewer said, “Wasn’t he (Ronnie, in 1998) behind you by, like, 17, at one point in the judging?”. Flex replied, “Yeah. Somehow, he bridged that gap.”

While the rivalry between Flex and Ronnie could’ve brewed for a few more years, it was not to be. The Arnold Classic winner‘s form slowly deteriorated as he dealt with health issues, and in 2003, Wheeler required a kidney transplant. 

The kidney disease that cut his career short

In 1999, Flex found out about his rare kidney disease called focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. The condition damages the filtration capability of a person’s kidneys. Among the symptoms is protein leakage through urine. Flex later revealed that even though doctors found the symptom when he was 14, they didn’t tell Flex to take any special precautions. Flex retired from bodybuilding in 2002.

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While Wheeler never won a Mr. Olympia title, bodybuilding fans still revere him. ‘The Sultan of Symmetry’ won four Arnold Classic titles and held the record for the most wins until 2014.