Flex looked like shit in the 1997 BFTO; he was soft and small in the video and was vowing great things to come at the Arnold in 1998. Flex is not only a liar, he is a STUPID LIAR THAT NO ONE WITH A BRAIN WOULD BELIEVE IN A MILLION YEARS. It's amazing that he came up with such a stupid story to explain why he couldn't compete. The real reason why he couldn't compete is because he was a weak-minded SOB who couldn't handle the pressures that came with being Mr. Olympia. He squandered some of the best genetics in the history of the sport because he LOVED TO EAT MCDONALDS right before a show. Rumor was, he would call Chris Cormier crying about how he just ordered the entire menu at Mickey D's a couple of weeks before the Olympia in 1998.
Yeah he was living and relying solely on his genetics to carry him along , I suppose when things come to you so naturally and easily , you tend to take the path of least resistance all of the time , he had flashes of brilliance followed by years of threading water , could have beat Dorian if he was focused and disciplined , relied on beating Ronnie as a given and when push came to shove and really tried to beat Ronnie , Ronnie was beyond him catching him
I recall how he said he sabotaged his own contest prep in 1998 for fear of winning
he won so many shows already , I honestly believe he figured Dorian wasn't competing he could lollygag his prep and still beat everyone , he never counted on a super dry & hard as nails Ronnie and he paid the price , his genetics couldn't carry him out of this one.