Ronnie says he was better than Dorian

[SF1900]

Ronnie was bigger, Yates was better. You won't get any arguments from anyone who's judged both of them, Dorian made everyone look smooth from the judges table or up close or a few feet away such was his condition. It's what allowed him to continue to win as his body broke, genetically up close his conditioning was on another level. He beat all of them with one arm and a blown out waist because off it.

This whole idea that Dorian was "grainy" is just a buzzword, like when they said the quads are "feathered." What does grainy even mean? Ronnie looked grainy at times. Ronnie was ripped, shredded, striated, grainy, whatever. Add whatever word you want, a prime Ronnie was bigger than Dorian and just as ripped, shredded, striated, grainy, or whatever silly word people want to use.

[Grape Ape]

At Ronnies best condition, Yates was bigger with equal condition.

At Ronnie's biggest, Yates was big enough with better condition.

[Humble Narcissist]

Both had weird, Frankenstein looking bodies with little flow or symmetry between body parts.

[beakdoctor]

At Ronnies best condition, Yates was bigger with equal condition.

At Ronnie's biggest, Yates was big enough with better condition.

No

And

No.

[wes]

I predict at  minimum an over 800 page thread for this topic.

[tacobender]

Both had weird, Frankenstein looking bodies with little flow or symmetry between body parts.

Yates body was darn near perfect except for his biceps which were horrible. Ronnie had a huge physique. His traps were insane like a giant piece of beef on each side by far the best ever, but his abs were horrible as were his calves, no shape it’s a draw.

[tacobender]

Wasn’t there stories of Dorian doing some behind-the-scenes gay shit and limos or something. I think Cormier talked about that.

[SF1900]

Yates body was darn near perfect except for his biceps which were horrible. Ronnie had a huge physique. His traps were insane like a giant piece of beef on each side by far the best ever, but his abs were horrible as were his calves, no shape it’s a draw.

Dorian’s chest was not the best either. Probably on the smaller side.

[Grape Ape]

No

And

No.

Great response.

93 Yates weighed more than Ronnie did in 98/99.

And Yates always could have come in 10-15lbs heavier, if he deemed it necessary.

[beakdoctor]

Great response.

93 Yates weighed more than Ronnie did in 98/99.

And Yates always could have come in 10-15lbs heavier, if he deemed it necessary.

Yeah, sure. He could've gone up 10 to 15 lbs, because  he was known for holding back. He never gave it his all. He just left those 10 to 15 lbs off just because he felt like it. Right.  He could've raised his game. He really wanted his olympias to be controversial. Makes sense.

[Grape Ape]

Yeah, sure. He could've gone up 10 to 15 lbs, because  he was known for holding back. He never gave it his all. He just left those 10 to 15 lbs off just because he felt like it. Right.  He could've raised his game. He really wanted his olympias to be controversial. Makes sense.

You would think someone who is arguing so confidently would actually be informed on the subject.

Of course he gave it his all, and that including overdoing it due to being obsessed with conditioning.  Yates' own words were that he knows he overdid it and overdieted to hit condition, and could have come in heavier without sacrificing it.  He has said this on multiple occasions.  Meaning, even in his most dominant wins, he could have been better.

Regardless, he was still heavier than 98/99 Ronnie, with equal condition.

[beakdoctor]

You would think someone who is arguing so confidently would actually be informed on the subject.

Of course he gave it his all, and that including overdoing it due to being obsessed with conditioning.  Yates' own words were that he knows he overdid it and overdieted to hit condition, and could have come in heavier without sacrificing it.  He has said this on multiple occasions.  Meaning, even in his most dominant wins, he could have been better.

Regardless, he was still heavier than 98/99 Ronnie, with equal condition.

Its funny. When someone doesn't like my response,  They say Im 'arguing' as if it doesn't take two to argue.

Im aware of the facts. Whether he could've competed at a higher weight but over dieted or he couldn't hold his size to achieve the condition he wanted, the end result is the same: he didn't step on stage at that size.

Both of them had ugly, huge, muscular ripped physiques. This isn't a battle of aesthetics. And Ronnie was bigger. He was better at Dorian's own game. And if pressed Id say Ronnie had better aesthetics to boot.

Im not 'confident' I just haven't heard a compelling counter point. Im not an ifbb judge and they've never been on stage at the same time while at their respective all time best.

In my own personal opinion NO ONE beats 03 Ronnie. Its not specific to Dorian.  Though Dorian comes the closest. But not Arnold, Not Sergio, Not Haney, Not Heath and no one since then either. Ronnie 03 is the GOAT. I haven't seen anything to make me change my mind. Least of all some hypothetical "we'll Dorian could've came in at 285 and ripped."

[Grape Ape]

Its funny. When someone doesn't like my response,  They say Im 'arguing' as if it doesn't take two to argue.

Im aware of the facts. Whether he could've competed at a higher weight but over dieted or he couldn't hold his size to achieve the condition he wanted, the end result is the same: he didn't step on stage at that size.

Both of them had ugly, huge, muscular ripped physiques. This isn't a battle of aesthetics. And Ronnie was bigger. He was better at Dorian's own game. And if pressed Id say Ronnie had better aesthetics to boot.

Im not 'confident' I just haven't heard a compelling counter point. Im not an ifbb judge and they've never been on stage at the same time while at their respective all time best.

In my own personal opinion NO ONE beats 03 Ronnie. Its not specific to Dorian.  Though Dorian comes the closest. But not Arnold, Not Sergio, Not Haney, Not Heath and no one since then either. Ronnie 03 is the GOAT. I haven't seen anything to make me change my mind. Least of all some hypothetical "we'll Dorian could've came in at 285 and ripped."

If your Ronnie 03 is all time best, that would change my response, and if I missed that, it's my bad.

Yates was heavier than Ronnie's 98/99, which other folks consider his best.

Ronnie's 03 was cartoonish. And he was heavier than Yates 93.  I do believe he would look soft compared to Yates 93.  But Ronnie was most definitely bigger, and the edge Yates had in conditioning and hardness might have been irrelevant in the eyes of the judges.

I have seen them both live competing at the Olympia.  I can't say what subsequent versions of Ronnie looked like, but I can say that all the stories about Yates in person are true. He did not look real.  It was ridiculous.  The photo I think that shows how "3D" he was live best is one that's a MM of him from the side that's been posted here, but I can't find it.

[Royalty]

Dorian’s weakest pose

[beakdoctor]

If your Ronnie 03 is all time best, that would change my response, and if I missed that, it's my bad.

Yates was heavier than Ronnie's 98/99, which other folks consider his best.

Ronnie's 03 was cartoonish. And he was heavier than Yates 93.  I do believe he would look soft compared to Yates 93.  But Ronnie was most definitely bigger, and the edge Yates had in conditioning and hardness might have been irrelevant in the eyes of the judges.

I have seen them both live competing at the Olympia.  I can't say what subsequent versions of Ronnie looked like, but I can say that all the stories about Yates in person are true. He did not look real.  It was ridiculous.  The photo I think that shows how "3D" he was live best is one that's a MM of him from the side that's been posted here, but I can't find it.

Fair enough.

03 is what I consider to be Ronnie's best. Others say 98/99 which I don't agree with. Especially 99 with obvious gyno. Like you said 03 is cartoonish. Outlandish.  I don't think any other bodybuilder will ever compare to that.

Even the guys today, who are supposedly bigger (they all exaggerate their weight) don't have that look. Clownish maybe.

I never saw Doz in person but the difference between photos and video illustrates your point well. I can only imagine seeing him in person during his prime emphasizes your point even moreso.

[Hulkster]

When Ronnie was ON he was from another planet. his biceps had biceps lol

[Hulkster]

 

[obsidian]

The only BB who could ever beat a prime Ronnie was Phil Heath.

That photo is sick! Morphed? Looks unreal.

[obsidian]

Dorian’s weakest pose

Sick legs!

[obsidian]

This whole idea that Dorian was "grainy" is just a buzzword, like when they said the quads are "feathered." What does grainy even mean? Ronnie looked grainy at times. Ronnie was ripped, shredded, striated, grainy, whatever. Add whatever word you want, a prime Ronnie was bigger than Dorian and just as ripped, shredded, striated, grainy, or whatever silly word people want to use.

Dorian looked like rock. It's all about the skin texture, details, lines and cuts. He had extremely deep cuts in his legs from the side. His calves looked massive from all angles. With deep lines.

Ronnie also had details and lines, but he did not have the same carved out of stone look that Dorian possessed.

[obsidian]

Yeah, sure. He could've gone up 10 to 15 lbs, because  he was known for holding back. He never gave it his all. He just left those 10 to 15 lbs off just because he felt like it. Right.  He could've raised his game. He really wanted his olympias to be controversial. Makes sense.

It’s not really about that. When these guys peak for a show, they have to make the best call they can in real time. At that level, one wrong meal or drink can throw everything off. It’s easy to say in hindsight that he over-dieted, but they can’t just fast-forward or rewind their prep like a movie. They have to nail their peak for prejudging and the finals.

Yes, Dorian probably over-dieted and could have come in heavier — but it didn’t matter. No one on stage was anywhere near the size of prime Ronnie. Even slightly over-dieted, Dorian’s size still dominated the lineup.

[obsidian]

Its funny. When someone doesn't like my response,  They say Im 'arguing' as if it doesn't take two to argue.

Im aware of the facts. Whether he could've competed at a higher weight but over dieted or he couldn't hold his size to achieve the condition he wanted, the end result is the same: he didn't step on stage at that size.

Both of them had ugly, huge, muscular ripped physiques. This isn't a battle of aesthetics. And Ronnie was bigger. He was better at Dorian's own game. And if pressed Id say Ronnie had better aesthetics to boot.

Im not 'confident' I just haven't heard a compelling counter point. Im not an ifbb judge and they've never been on stage at the same time while at their respective all time best.

In my own personal opinion NO ONE beats 03 Ronnie. Its not specific to Dorian.  Though Dorian comes the closest. But not Arnold, Not Sergio, Not Haney, Not Heath and no one since then either. Ronnie 03 is the GOAT. I haven't seen anything to make me change my mind. Least of all some hypothetical "we'll Dorian could've came in at 285 and ripped."

Ronnie's 99 was better than 03. He was huge in 03, but sacrificed detail and shape. 03 was not his best appearance.

[affeman]

Both had weird, Frankenstein looking bodies with little flow or symmetry between body parts.