Kai Greene vs Phil Heath – Whose Side Are You On

Every superhero has an arch nemesis.
And in the bodybuilding world if we cast reigning and defending four-time Mr. Olympia Phil Heath in the role of Superman, then the dubious role of Lex Luther falls to the man who has been the primary threat to the crown since he ascended to the throne, none other than “The Predator” Kai Greene. And while the deeply insightful, and often philosophical, Greene can hardly be categorized as a “villain”, the divide between the two athletes, their camps, and their fan bases certainly has a bit of a Good vs. Evil narrative to it.

On one side you have King Phil, whose meteoric rise to the top of the sport couldn’t have happened more perfectly if it was scripted. Back in 2003 a raw but talented Phil Heath took to the bodybuilding stage for the first time at the NPC Northern Colorado, where none other than future four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler just so happened to be the evening’s featured guest poser. Right then and there Cutler famously anointed Phil as a future Mr. Olympia – and twelve years, one pro card, and four Sandow trophies later not only has Jay’s prediction come to fruition, but Phil has evolved to become the global face of the sport, and firmly cemented himself as bodybuilding’s version Superman, while everyone else in the sport tugs on his cape and tries to desperately to catch up.

On the other side of the coin we have Kai Greene, whose journey to the pinnacle of the sport has taken him down a long, dark road that played a complex role in developing his Predator persona. Raised on the streets of Brooklyn, Kai was forced to fight, scratch, and claw his way out of a place where only the Fearless survive – using the gym and bodybuilding as outlets to provide small sparks of light in a world that was otherwise filled with darkness. Unlike his counterpart who seemed to have the proverbial stars align and seas part for him to make a direct sprint to the throne, the world placed boulder after boulder in Kai’s path at each and every turn. But instead of breaking his spirit and causing him to give up, Kai channeled his rage, using each rock as a stepping stone on his own personal path to greatness.

Kai v Phil – TIME FOR WAR – Bodybuilding Motivation Video

A few weeks from now these two mighty advisories will find themselves in an all too familiar position as they square off for the fifth straight year on the Olympia stage.

Only this time the stakes will be higher than they’ve ever been before, with both men standing at a fork in the road, their legacies determined by which path they take. With a win Phil will find himself in exclusive company as one of only four athletes in the history of bodybuilding to have claimed five Olympia titles. And perhaps more importantly he becomes the author of his own destiny, continuing his quest to rewrite the records books by becoming the greatest champion the sport has ever seen.

For Kai, this year’s showdown against his arch nemesis might just be the defining chapter in his legacy. Should he managed to do the impossible and pack a Kryptonite punch powerful enough to knock King Phil from his throne he’ll launch himself into the record books as one of the sacred few to ever hold the title of Mr. Olympia. However, if he comes up short and finds himself relegated to the bridesmaid position once again his window of opportunity will officially slam shut, and he will join the ranks of an infamous club in bodybuilding of great athletes who ended their careers one Sandow Trophy short immortality.

Both are champion athletes, and both deserve huge respect for where they are in their sport, but with such a divide in the 2 camps, the question is; whose side are you on?

Kai Greene vs Phil Heath
Kai Greene vs Phil Heath