Leading up to the 2008 Mr. Olympia on September 26-27 at The Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, we’ll break down some of the most intriguing potential matchups and subplots to the contest.
The ninth in our Olympia Dream Matchup Series pits the top two bodybuilders in the world against each other, each of whom enters the show on pace to be at their best ever: reigning Arnold Classic winner Dexter Jackson versus reigning Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler.
WHY WE WANT TO SEE IT: The top two competitors in the contest. The reigning Mr. Olympia versus the reigning Arnold Classic champ. Both of these guys have been competing in the Big O since 1999. With all of the precontest hype, both have developed a newfound respect for one another. As much potential as Heath and Wolf have, this era – however long it lasts – belongs to Cutler and Jackson.
WHAT WE WILL SEE: No question these two men will stand next to one another at some point, in the first callout of the prejudging and likely the last. Jackson’s lines against Cutler’s overwhelming size. Dexter will point out his conditioning, particularly from the back. Jay will try to overpower his smaller opponent. David vs. Goliath for the umpteenth time over the last decade.
SEE FOR YOURSELF: Cutler’s undisputed size advantage should give him the side shots. You could make a case for both guys from the front with fans of mass pulling for Jay and old schoolers going for Dex. Cutler has the thickest back in bodybuilding today, but Jackson has the most detailed and his glute-ham tie-ins are otherworldly.
OUR TAKE: As both have said, it will come down to conditioning. If Cutler is on, it’s his show. If he’s off, Dex is the likely Mr. Olympia. We love Jackson’s physique and think he’d be a great representative for bodybuilding, but it’s hard to imagine Cutler losing this year. As has been previously stated, Cutler feels slighted, and a Cutler with a chip on his shoulder is a dangerous one. While the 2007 version of Cutler would have problems with this year’s version of Jackson, if Jay looks like he did in 2006 – or much better, as we’re hearing – he’s virtually untouchable.
