1998 – The year Ronnie Coleman started to dominate bodybuilding.
1998 was a very important year for the sport of bodybuilding. It would be the start of Ronnie Coleman‘s bodybuilding dominance, and it would last for eight years.
Up to 1998, Ronnie Coleman was a regular top-ten bodybuilder, only winning three shows from the 36 he competed in until 1998. Meanwhile, Kevin Levrone won 19 shows, and Vince Taylor won 17.
The shows up to 1998 were dominated by Kevin Levrone, Dorian Yates, Vince Taylor, and several other stars.
Coleman had an incredible physique, but he did not have the final stage-ready look that Kevin Levrone, and Flex Wheeler presented, especially close to 1998.
During the 1997 European tour, after the 1997 Mr. Olympia, Kevin Levrone was dominating every event, winning six out of the seven events he participated in. Levrone only placed second at one event during the tour, and that was the Russian Grand Prix, which he would lose to Ronnie Coleman.
Kevin Levrone helps Ronnie Coleman start his dominance
According to Kevin Levrone, Coleman was never dry enough when it was time to step on stage.
Levrone explained at one of his seminars (watch video), that during the European tour in 1997, Kevin invited Coleman to his room the night before the Russian Grand Prix. Kevin explained that he had already beaten Coleman six consecutive times, so he decided to drink some vodka with Coleman. Kevin explains that Coleman was hesitant at first, but then he enjoyed having a few shots of vodka.
The next day, Kevin was in shock when he saw Coleman, as he was bone dry. Kevin asked Coleman what he did, and Coleman explained that he went to his hotel room and slept till the morning.
Levrone could not beat Coleman in Russia, and from that day forward, Coleman would go on to dominate the sport of bodybuilding by winning 24 out of 31 shows, including eight consecutive Mr. Olympia titles, until he retired in 2007.
Levrone also explained that after Ronnie Coleman’s 1997 Russian Grand Prix victory, Flex Wheeler also helped Coleman with his contest prep.
Ronnie Coleman and Kevin Levrone’s contest history
The bodybuilding results between Ronnie Coleman and Kevin Levrone are a great indication of the shift in dominance in 1998. Before 1998, Coleman was nowhere to be seen, but from 1998 onwards, Coleman would be the man to beat.
Ronnie Coleman
1992
Chicago Pro Championships – IFBB, 11th
Night of Champions – IFBB, 14th
Olympia – IFBB, Did not place
1993
Chicago Pro Championships – IFBB, 6th
Grand Prix France – IFBB, 4th
Grand Prix Germany – IFBB, 6th
Niagara Falls Pro Invitational – IFBB, 6th
1994
Grand Prix France – IFBB, 3rd
Grand Prix Germany (2) – IFBB, 3rd
Olympia – IFBB, 15th
San Jose Pro Invitational – IFBB, 4th
1995
Canada Pro Cup – IFBB, Winner
Grand Prix France – IFBB, 4th
Grand Prix Russia – IFBB, 6th
Grand Prix Ukraine – IFBB, 3rd
Houston Pro Championships – IFBB, 6th
Night of Champions – IFBB, 3rd
Olympia – IFBB, 11th
1996
Canada Pro Cup – IFBB, Winner
Florida Pro Invitational – IFBB, 2nd
Grand Prix England – IFBB, 5th
Grand Prix Germany – IFBB, 5th
Grand Prix Spain – IFBB, 5th
Night of Champions – IFBB, 2nd
Olympia – IFBB, 6th
1997
Arnold Classic – IFBB, 4th
Grand Prix Czech Republic – IFBB, 4th
Grand Prix England – IFBB, 5th
Grand Prix Finland – IFBB, 3rd
Grand Prix Germany – IFBB, 5th
Grand Prix Hungary – IFBB, 6th
Grand Prix Russia – IFBB, Winner
Grand Prix Spain – IFBB, 7th
Ironman Pro Invitational – IFBB, 3rd
Olympia – IFBB, 9th
San Jose Pro Invitational – IFBB, 6th
1998
Grand Prix Finland – IFBB, Winner
Grand Prix Germany – IFBB, Winner
Night of Champions – IFBB, Winner
Olympia – IFBB, Winner
San Francisco Pro – IFBB, 2nd
Toronto Pro – IFBB, Winner
1999
Grand Prix England – IFBB, Winner
Olympia – IFBB, Winner
World Pro Championships – IFBB, Winner
2000
Grand Prix England – IFBB, Winner
Olympia – IFBB, Winner
World Pro Championships – IFBB, Winner
2001
Arnold Classic – IFBB, Winner
Grand Prix New Zealand – IFBB, Winner
Olympia – IFBB, Winner
2002
Grand Prix Holland – IFBB, Winner
Olympia – IFBB, Winner
Show of Strength Pro Championships – IFBB, 2nd
2003
Grand Prix Russia – IFBB, Winner
Olympia – IFBB, Winner
2004
Grand Prix England – IFBB, Winner
Grand Prix Holland – IFBB, Winner
Grand Prix Russia – IFBB, Winner
Olympia – IFBB, Winner
2005
Olympia – IFBB, Winner
2006
Grand Prix Austria – IFBB, 2nd
Grand Prix Holland – IFBB, 2nd
Grand Prix Romania – IFBB, 2nd
Olympia – IFBB, 2nd
2007
Olympia – IFBB, 4th
Kevin Levrone
1992
Chicago Pro Championships – IFBB, 3rd
Grand Prix England – IFBB, 2nd
Grand Prix Germany – IFBB, Winner
Night of Champions – IFBB, Winner
Olympia – IFBB, 2nd
1993
Grand Prix England – IFBB, 3rd
Grand Prix Finland – IFBB, 2nd
Grand Prix France – IFBB, 5th
Grand Prix Germany – IFBB, Winner
Grand Prix Spain – IFBB, 3rd
Olympia – IFBB, 5th
1994
Arnold Classic – IFBB, Winner
Grand Prix England – IFBB, 2nd
Grand Prix France – IFBB, Winner
Grand Prix Germany – IFBB, 2nd
Grand Prix Italy – IFBB, Winner
Grand Prix Spain – IFBB, 2nd
Olympia – IFBB, 3rd
San Jose Pro Invitational – IFBB, Winner
1995
Grand Prix England – IFBB, 2nd
Grand Prix Germany – IFBB, Winner
Grand Prix Russia – IFBB, Winner
Grand Prix Spain – IFBB, Winner
Olympia – IFBB, 2nd
1996
Arnold Classic – IFBB, Winner
Grand Prix Czech Republic – IFBB, 2nd
Grand Prix England – IFBB, 4th
Grand Prix Germany – IFBB, 3rd
Grand Prix Russia – IFBB, 5th
Grand Prix Spain – IFBB, 4th
Grand Prix Switzerland – IFBB, 3rd
Olympia – IFBB, 3rd
San Jose Pro Invitational – IFBB, Winner
1997
Arnold Classic – IFBB, 8th
Grand Prix Czech Republic – IFBB, Winner
Grand Prix England – IFBB, Winner
Grand Prix Finland – IFBB, Winner
Grand Prix Germany – IFBB, Winner
Grand Prix Hungary – IFBB, Winner
Grand Prix Russia – IFBB, 2nd
Grand Prix Spain – IFBB, Winner
Olympia – IFBB, 4th
1998
Grand Prix Finland – IFBB, 2nd
Grand Prix Germany – IFBB, 2nd
Night of Champions – IFBB, 2nd
Olympia – IFBB, 4th
San Francisco Pro – IFBB, Winner
Toronto Pro – IFBB, 2nd
1999
Arnold Classic – IFBB, 2nd
Grand Prix England – IFBB, 3rd
Olympia – IFBB, 4th
World Pro Championships – IFBB, 3rd
2000
Arnold Classic – IFBB, 3rd
Olympia – IFBB, 2nd
2001
Grand Prix England – IFBB, Winner
Olympia – IFBB, 3rd
2002
Arnold Classic – IFBB, 5th
Grand Prix Australia – IFBB, 4th
Olympia – IFBB, 2nd
2003
Arnold Classic – IFBB, 5th
Olympia – IFBB, 6th
Show of Strength Pro Championships – IFBB, 3rd
