Flex Wheeler - the nicest pro you can ever meet,

[SF1900]

when you meet an ifbb pro bodybuilder, you cannot expect them to be nice. they are constantly being harassed and annoyed for autographs when walking down the street. as soon as they leave their home, the paparazzi is all over them, taking photographs and asking them a million questions. then their pictures are featured in the new york times, new york post, enquirer, etc. if i was getting harassed like this, id be in a bad mood, too.

[Croatch]

I like his story from back in the day about fending off 2 car jackers.  It was hilarious.  You can tell this guy lies so much, he believes his own bullshit.  Never a fan of his personality.  He'll never recover now.

[michael arvilla]

Just wait 20 years till the other pros are completely past their primes and washed up........   They'll b nice and downt to earth too.





Woossshhhhhhh

^this^ "Flex" was a cocky arrogant prick in his prime/heyday ...thought he could "bang" anyones g/f visiting golds gym in the early 1990's ....blatantly hit on them in front of everyone (this led to a confrontation at the "Firehouse" restaurant/after my girl told me he said "fuck your boyfriend meet me later"...I fucking went after him and Chris Cormier had to break it up ("you don't want to mess with him he's a black belt" ) Dillett and Strydom just watched....took it outside/lotta shoving yelling but that was about it........
Flex" was no one nice in his prime.....  fact  

[Hulkotron]

"Flex" getting dwarfed by Big Mike in that pic.

[Fortress]

Strydom was a great guy when I met him. We hung around a little.

We drove around LA in his badass car and found ourselves at his Crazee Wear warehouse at one point, where he proceeded to just give me a bunch of shit. When we ate at Firehouse, I SWEAR I have never seen a man eat so much. Gary was gigantic, too: he told me around 285. Hard as nails. His wheels were possibly the freakiest I have ever seen on a man standing over six feet. Only maybe Dillett's came close.

Just a gentleman with a big charisma.    

[Smokincrazy]

Arvilla owning Wheeler. Awesome story. Big Mike was ready to do work

[honest]

Strydom was a great guy when I met him. We hung around a little.

We drove around LA in his badass car and found ourselves at his Crazee Wear warehouse at one point, where he proceeded to just give me a bunch of shit. When we ate at Firehouse, I SWEAR I have never seen a man eat so much. Gary was gigantic, too: he told me around 285. Hard as nails. His wheels were possibly the freakiest I have ever seen on a man standing over six feet. Only maybe Dillett's came close.

Just a gentleman with a big charisma.    

I remember gary carrying a gun with him everywhere due to issues with the crackheads who sometimes used to just wash cars in the golds lot then ask for money, Gary wouldnt pay and it got all ugly, crackhead was dishing  him everywhere

[Rudee]

His wheels were possibly the freakiest I have ever seen on a man standing over six feet. Only maybe Dillett's came close.

Dilletts came close???  Dillett's legs were far superior to Strydoms.

[ESFitness]

Out of all the BBers I met in the 80's and 90's...

The nicest:  Ron Love, Vince Taylor, Mike Matarazzo and Gunter S.

Biggest assholes:  Ray, Wheeler, Titus, Ferrigno  

shit... it'd take me an hour to make a list of 'nice' and "asshole" pro's...

Titus was never an asshole to me. always got along with him really well. quite possibly because we're very similar. lol.. not exactly a good thing.

Flex always seemed nervous or shy or afraid of interacting with people... super stand-offish. always arrogant, but I never really knew him to be angry. at least not generally angry.. seem him angry sure, but not am all day thing.

[calfzilla]

I like his story from back in the day about fending off 2 car jackers.  It was hilarious.  You can tell this guy lies so much, he believes his own bullshit.  Never a fan of his personality.  He'll never recover now.

Go easy on him, he has a genetic kidney disorder.

[SaintAnger]

I like his story from back in the day about fending off 2 car jackers.  It was hilarious.  You can tell this guy lies so much, he believes his own bullshit.  Never a fan of his personality.  He'll never recover now.

Honestly, he had no choice other than to lie about the car jacking ninjas.

Basically, something yet-to-be disclosed happened in Flex's life that seriously impacted his ability to prep for the Olympia.  His supplement contract with Country Life mandated his participation in specific shows.  To avoid a lawsuit he would NOT have won against CLife, he did what he could:  he lied.

[ESFitness]

Honestly, he had no choice other than to lie about the car jacking ninjas.

Basically, something yet-to-be disclosed happened in Flex's life that seriously impacted his ability to prep for the Olympia.  His supplement contract with Country Life mandated his participation in specific shows.  To avoid a lawsuit he would NOT have won against CLife, he did what he could:  he lied.

??

you saying you know what it is but won't say?

I'd always heard that he was fat, couldn't handle the stress, would eat like it's offseason thinking he could pull it together at the last minute and realized he was fat and would embarrass himself, punched a wall and broke his hand and overdosed on painkillers.

and I believe the story he told involved Escrima or Kali sticks or whatever, not nunchukas.

[Super Natural]

I bumped into Flex at the 2000 Mr. O (I was on a work conference in Vegas and our hotel was right next to the Mandalay bay - our free day coincided with the PJ and expro) Flex actually came across as a real dick to me   but in his defence he was competing/dehydrated...maybe his attitude has changed since his health issues...
Lou Ferrigno was a crunt too (as stated by others) saw him palm some kids camera away who tried to take a picture.

The nicest pro I ever met was Gary Strydom we chatted about all kinds of stuff not just bodybuilding and he seemed really interested in other people too not just himself.

Other down to earth friendly Pros I’ve met was Francis Bennifatto (Real funny character - very passionate about BB even to this day, bit like talking to yoda when it came to training lol...and Mike Matarazzo may he PIP   met him at the 2000 Mr O too took time to chat and seemed really down to earth.  

[Super Natural]

was the biggest douche in golds when he was full of test back in the 90s. angry arrogant mofo

100%

[The Ugly]

^this^ "Flex" was a cocky arrogant prick in his prime/heyday ...thought he could "bang" anyones g/f visiting golds gym in the early 1990's ....blatantly hit on them in front of everyone (this led to a confrontation at the "Firehouse" restaurant/after my girl told me he said "fuck your boyfriend meet me later"...I fucking went after him and Chris Cormier had to break it up ("you don't want to mess with him he's a black belt" ) Dillett and Strydom just watched....took it outside/lotta shoving yelling but that was about it........
Flex" was no one nice in his prime.....  fact  

Don't wanna mess with these types, Mike. If they can chop inch-thick pine in half, just imagine what this could do to the human neck. Plus, the "kee-YA!" alone is enough to demoralize even the toughest of men.

[Parker]

^this^ "Flex" was a cocky arrogant prick in his prime/heyday ...thought he could "bang" anyones g/f visiting golds gym in the early 1990's ....blatantly hit on them in front of everyone (this led to a confrontation at the "Firehouse" restaurant/after my girl told me he said "fuck your boyfriend meet me later"...I fucking went after him and Chris Cormier had to break it up ("you don't want to mess with him he's a black belt" ) Dillett and Strydom just watched....took it outside/lotta shoving yelling but that was about it........
Flex" was no one nice in his prime.....  fact  

Was this pic taken before or after he stole your girlfriend the incident?

[michael arvilla]

Was this pic taken before or after he stole your girlfriend the incident?

Pic was taken "PTTFMG" "(Pre-Trying-To-Fuck-My-Girl") in Massachusetts....Cormier was very nice (apologizing for "Flex" and inviting me to the club he bounced at that night/Roxy/Roxbury" or something like that/put us on the guest list) "Flex" was an incredible bodybuilder (one of the most genetically gifted of all time) but was shit (imo) as a human being

[njflex]

Pic was taken "PTTFMG" "(Pre-Trying-To-Fuck-My-Girl") in Massachusetts....Cormier was very nice (apologizing for "Flex" and inviting me to the club he bounced at that night/Roxy/Roxbury" or something like that/put us on the guest list) "Flex" was an incredible bodybuilder (one of the most genetically gifted of all time) but was shit (imo) as a human being

he looks pretty pissed getting his pic taken..

[Mr.1derful]

Don't wanna mess with these types, Mike. If they can chop inch-thick pine in half, just imagine what this could do to the human neck. Plus, the "kee-YA!" alone is enough to demoralize even the toughest of men.

History would indicate that it would be Flex that would need to concern himself with his neck.  The only thing tough about Flex was his talk. 

[Mr.1derful]

Honestly, he had no choice other than to lie about the car jacking ninjas.

Basically, something yet-to-be disclosed happened in Flex's life that seriously impacted his ability to prep for the Olympia.  His supplement contract with Country Life mandated his participation in specific shows.  To avoid a lawsuit he would NOT have won against CLife, he did what he could:  he lied.

He was weak willed, didn't train hard and cheated on his diet.  Case closed.

[The Abdominal Snoman]

Is that Vissy right behind Flex in the black shirt? Is Vissy a time traveler?

[The Ugly]

History would indicate that it would be Flex that would need to concern himself with his neck.  The only thing tough about Flex was his talk. 

This was a serious reply to my post?

[Parker]

He was weak willed, didn't train hard and cheated on his diet.  Case closed.

Charles Glass said differently about training. Charles had said that he told Flex told to stop training that heavy. This was back in 92-93. And remember he trained with Chris Cormier, who was known for training very heavy. And Chris has never said Flex was weak.

[The_Iron_Disciple]

Great stories, guys !! Keep em comin !!


Have met a TON of pros, myself. At work now, but will try and post a few stories later.

[The_Iron_Disciple]

Strydom was a great guy when I met him. We hung around a little.

We drove around LA in his badass car and found ourselves at his Crazee Wear warehouse at one point, where he proceeded to just give me a bunch of shit. When we ate at Firehouse, I SWEAR I have never seen a man eat so much. Gary was gigantic, too: he told me around 285. Hard as nails. His wheels were possibly the freakiest I have ever seen on a man standing over six feet. Only maybe Dillett's came close.

Just a gentleman with a big charisma.    

Do you remember what he ate, Fortress ? Curious.