They told Serge he couldn't do the 1975 Mr Olympia in S. Africa - the focus of Pumping Iron.
They told him when he arrived - "You cannot compete".
He didn't diet or train for those last 12 days. Then, they told him, the day before the O, that he could do it afterwards. He lost 12 pounds in those 12 days.
Would Serge nubret have won in 1975 with 12 pounds more muscle and leaner?
And, was it sabotage on the part of the filmmakers to make it a Lou/Arnold showdown?