2003 Ironman - WHEELER's last show

[Nether Animal]

Actually looks better than I expected..

[Nether Animal]

Also Aaron Baker's comeback that never went anywhere. He still looked damn good.

[ratherbebig]

BOOM! lights out

[Parker]

Actually looks better than I expected..

This is where Flex's carbon copy, Melvin Anthony, placed ahead of him.

[Mr Anabolic]

I was there.  That was the last pro show I ever attended.

For some reason, I don't remember Wheeler looking that good.  

[njflex]

he looks full of oil and offseason..his abs were no pun intended'blurred lines'after 96/98 or so,,depending,he tried to play the size game to no vail so he blew up his delts and arms and took out all the crisp condition he was known for early on..

[Simple Simon]

[njflex]

i watched it you know for what it is 'last hurrah'better than ronnie went out'torn'and all...he looks alot less'filled',he was always soft lower body half mostly anyway.great shape..

[Bevo]

2003 but says "2002"

[illuminati]

  How much oil in Flex's Arms.!!

[Bevo]

This is where Flex's carbon copy, Melvin Anthony, placed ahead of him.

Melvin is so overrated,  never was a good bber, would see him train all the time in the early 2000's, dexter was much better, Melvin had better structure though

[Parker]

Melvin is so overrated,  never was a good bber, would see him train all the time in the early 2000's, dexter was much better, Melvin had better structure though

Dex had told Melvin to not go up in body weight, due to his structure. Like Flex, he looked better in the 220-230 range. Melvin didn't listen. So, he made up for conditioning with his dancing. And look now, Dex out lasted him.

[Ronnie Rep]

Flex at his worst destroys 95% of today's pros.

[Parker]

Flex at his worst destroys 95% of today's pros.

And that is saying something.

[MCWAY]

Melvin is so overrated,  never was a good bber, would see him train all the time in the early 2000's, dexter was much better, Melvin had better structure though

He won several shows and placed top 6 at the Olympia twice. How is that "never a good bodybuilder"?

[Nether Animal]

MM 96 vs 03

[Bevo]

He won several shows and placed top 6 at the Olympia twice. How is that "never a good bodybuilder"?

According to wiki he won the "2003 cross dresser challenge"

He had all the tools to be better than that, in a way he never lived up to the hype coming out

[Parker]

He won several shows and placed top 6 at the Olympia twice. How is that "never a good bodybuilder"?

Melvin could have been top 3, if not won it all and have been a multi Arnold winner. As was said, he had all the tools, but he was lazy. He joked about his diet, and came in smooth for most of his contests.

[Bevo]

Melvin could have been top 3, if not won it all and have been a multi Arnold winner. As was said, he had all the tools, but he was lazy. He joked about his diet, and came in smooth for most of his contests.

Exactly

[FREAKgeek]

Arms are overpowering the torso.

[Danimal77]

Arms are overpowering the torso.

They always did.

[Never1AShow]

I was looking up Jay Cutler and when I saw him win the 2003 Ironman in Long Beach or Redondo Beach and realized this was Flex Wheeler's last real IFBB Pro show. Flex took 3rd here.  I never realized it until now, but I was at Flex's last show.

I recall Cutler coming out and eveyone was like "Holy Christ, he makes everyone else look like kids"

Also apparently Aaron Baker was there making a comeback.

[Taffin]

PIP Nether Animal

[Matt]

I was looking up Jay Cutler and when I saw him win the 2003 Ironman in Long Beach or Redondo Beach and realized this was Flex Wheeler's last real IFBB Pro show. Flex took 3rd here.  I never realized it until now, but I was at Flex's last show.

I recall Cutler coming out and eveyone was like "Holy Christ, he makes everyone else look like kids"

Also apparently Aaron Baker was there making a comeback.

Aaron Baker made an appearance in the Battle for the Olympia 2002 DVD, during Tommi Thorvildsen's segment, starting at the 3:32:20 mark here:

I thought it was funny how he said "But first I have to put on some size first." 

At the time, I knew Baker was 42 in the video, and I thought that was amazing how good he looked - he also looked young in the face. I think photos of Aaron when he was over the age of 50 were posted on here, and he looked great.

I seem to recall he is a Pastor now, living in Hawaii...but I could be wrong.

As for Aaron's comeback - I had no idea that it was a good 4.5 to 5 years since his previous contests. So not only was he coming back over 40 - he had a pretty significant layoff in there.

I think he was always staying in pretty good shape...but to get himself contest ready at 42-43...that's very impressive.

[Hulkotron]

Strange cocoa puffs on Flex abs