Zane Watson talks about the results of the Mr. Olympia 2020 compared to previous years.
When it comes to bodybuilding, especially the Mr. Olympia, everyone has their own opinion of who should have won. When enough people agree and speak up about it – that can create genuine controversy. Victor Martinez vs Jay Cutler at the Olympia 2007 is a prime example. So it comes as somewhat refreshing that the Mr. Olympia 2020 seemed to avoid controversy completely. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Zane Watson makes the case for 2020 being the best judged Olympia competition of an era.
Zane Watson was not competing at the Mr. Olympia 2020 – but as a man passionate about the sport he of course made time to watch the weekend event. That’s why we asked him during our interview for his thoughts on the results, who had the best physiques, and what it means for the next year of the sport.
When it came to the best physiques and the results of the Olympia 2020, Zane Watson didn’t have a single complaint. In fact, he believes that it was the best judged Olympia of his entire life. Every single victory felt well earned. This was a surprise to Watson – as this rarely ever happens. Not to say that the judges often get the scores wrong but on an individual level the audience has personal favorites. In this moment, for this year, it seems that many fans, Watson included, were on the same page as the judges.
This is a far cry from the past few years. In 2019, while many fans agreed with Brandon Curry as the Mr. Olympia champion – there were major athletes like Dorian Yates and Ronnie Coleman who felt he didn’t hold up to past generations’ excellence. In 2018, Shawn Rhoden won – but fans of Phil Heath felt he was robbed. In 2017, Big Ramy fell short to Phil Heath in a moment that many thought should have been Ramy’s first Olympia a victory. Luckily, he was later able to pull it in and become the current champ in 2020.
This conversation about judges vs fan expectation begged the question – how do pro bodybuilders deal with the decisions and the fan outcry that can crop up? Bodybuilding is ultimately a subjective sport. It’s been common for bodybuilders to become upset over a loud group of fans or even a media outlet expressing their analysis and opinion about the Olympia results.
Zane Watson understands the sentiment. Pro bodybuilders dedicated their life to the sport. So if another athlete or an outcry of fans harshly critique the bodybuilder – it can sting. But that’s the problem that comes with a subjective sport. It’s unavoidable. Watson tries his best personally to not worry about other people’s opinions. You can’t silence them. It will always happen. What is more important is what the judges think and having a close selection of trusted friends to judge your physique. It helps ground you and help you improve.
You can watch Zane Watson talk about the Olympia 2020 and judging in the sport by watching our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!