Different times, different rules. Arnold faced legends (and I still think Arnold was way overrated if the Weider's favorite butt-boy/charisma thing isn't taken into account). But at the time the judging was pretty different from what happened from the 80s on. Haney faced a lot of competitors who had great physiques but who had glaring weaknesses from a pure muscular point: Paris, Gaspari, DeMey, Strydom, Christian, etc.....Labrada was the best but he was too short. Otherwise, he would have taken 1989 and probably 1990.
Yates had the fiercest competition of them all. Most of his runner-ups had this quality physiques with a shitload of mass (even Ray would look like a monster if he had been competing in the 70s). Coleman' Os had the shittiest field of them all. A half-Levrone coming in 2nd twice, c'mon. Gustavo, Dennis James, Gunter, etc.......