Dorian Yates thinks Flex Wheeler is the greatest bodybuilder who never won the Mr. Olympia competition.

“[Wheeler’s] career was very up-and-down,” Yates remarked during a conversation with physician Peter Attia.

Bodybuilders of all stripes hold Kenneth “Flex” Wheeler in high esteem. But only one man can win the Sandow trophy every year, and in Wheeler’s heyday, Yates was considered an unassailable structure.

Flex Wheeler: The Mr. Olympia Who Never Was

Yates and Attia discussed bodybuilding history among a host of topics during an Aug. 20, 2024 episode of Yates’ podcast, Shadow Talk.

Attia: “Who do you think is the greatest bodybuilder to have not won the Mr. Olympia?

Yates: “There are several. Kevin Levrone was good; Shawn Ray was good. If I had to single someone out, I’d say Flex Wheeler.”

Yates’ praise fits nicely on the pile constructed by other bodybuilding legends. Seven-time Mr. “O” Arnold Schwarzenegger once regarded Wheeler as one of the most impressive athletes he’d ever seen; Ronnie Coleman, who won the title eight times, said Wheeler was his strongest competition.

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“Wheeler had amazing genetics,” Yates continued. “The Shadow” explained how he saw Wheeler’s career as inconsistent, which in his mind hampered his potential.

It’s worth noting that Wheeler was involved in a near-fatal car accident in 1994 during the peak of his career, which he says resulted in fractures to his C4 and C5 vertebrae, a broken collarbone, and other injuries. This caused him to miss the 1994 Mr. Olympia, but he made his return in 1995, where he finished in eighth place.

Flex Wheeler’s Mr. Olympia Career

Wheeler, known by his nickname as the “Sultan of Symmetry,” never won the Olympia. He came close to the Men’s Open title several times, though:

1993: 2nd

1995: 8th

1996: 4th

1998: 2nd

1999: 2nd

2000: 3rd

2002: 7th

The Sultan found success elsewhere in his time, winning four Arnold Classic titles between ’93 and 2000.

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Long in the tooth: Wheeler, who celebrated his 59th birthday on Aug. 23, 2024, remains active in the bodybuilding scene as a body transformation coach and motivational speaker. Had the cards fallen differently, Wheeler may have had his own bodybuilding dynasty.

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Featured Image: @officialflexwheeler / Instagram

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