How the Mr. Olympia Almost Belonged to the Rock [Video]

The deal was so close you could smell it: Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson says he was cooking up a nearly done deal to purchase and refurbish the Mr. Olympia bodybuilding competition before plans fell through. 

• “We were close,” Johnson said during an interview with entrepreneur and podcaster Patrick Bet-David. “We were in discussions [with the Olympia].” 

In the years following his retirement from pro wrestling, Johnson has pivoted to becoming a business magnate with involvement in everything from Hollywood to tequila. Still, Johnson remains a fan of competitive bodybuilding — and almost bagged its biggest event.

Host Bet-David remarked that not selling the “O” to Johnson was an error on the organization’s part. “The sport isn’t what it was 10, 15 years ago,” he said. Johnson seemed to agree:

• “The Arnolds of the day, plus Frank Zane, they really had some impressive physiques.” 

In 2020, the Mr. Olympia was soldto Jake Wood. When Bet-David asked if Johnson retained any interest in acquiring …