Phil Heath Wins the 2011 Mr. Olympia!

"Phil Heath is my best friend … You're the new king!"
 - Jay Cutler

Many fans expected Jay Cutler to take home his fifth Sandow at the 2011 Olympia this year in Vegas, but those hopes quickly dimmed when Jay's long-time student and friend, Phil Heath, took the stage.

Heath, who was popping out of his skin before he even hit a pose, emerged victorious to take home his first Sandow at the age of 31, stopping Jay Cutler short of his fifth win. The passing of the torch can be chalked up partly to Jay's torn left biceps (Jay sustained the mild injury while curling 120s for a photo shoot a few weeks back), but the real credit goes to Phil's spot-on conditioning and three-dimensional muscle bellies. "The Gift" brought one of the best packages to ever grace the Olympia stage, and the crowd recognized it the moment he stepped into the light.

Gracious in defeat, Jay took the mic and referred to Phil as his best friend before telling him "You're the new king." It was an emotional moment not only for fans of Jay, but for fans of bodybuilding. From Jay's epic Olympia battles with Ronnie Coleman in the early 2000s to his triumphant comeback in 2009 and stellar showing in 2010, the man has carried himself with the grace of a true champion, and he's been the ideal ambassador for the sport. It's no secret that Jay has also been a mentor to Phil for many years, and the love and admiration they share for each other was evident in their words and embraces.

Just as Jay was a class act in passing on the torch, Phil was equally gracious as he ascended the throne to take his mentor's place. The new champ was brimming with emotion, and he spoke at length about his friendship with the former Mr. Olympia before thanking friends, family and his trainer, Hany Rambod.

Given his genetics, there's no question that Heath has plenty of Sandows in his future, so the only question that remains is whether Cutler will continue to compete. With four Sandows under his belt, the savvy businessman has made more money from bodybuilding than any other competitor (aside from Arnold), so if he takes the stage again, he'll be doing it purely for love. And we'd certainly love to see him onstage again. The man was, is, and always will be a true champion.

Mr. Olympia Open Finals

1. Phil Heath
2. Jay Cutler
3. Kai Greene
4. Victor Martinez
5. Dennis Wolf
6. Dexter Jackson
7. Toney Freemn
8. Brandon Curry
9. Ronny Rockel
10. Hidetada Yamagishi

Mr. Olympia 202 Finals

1. Kevin English
2. Flex Lewis
3. Jose Raymond
4. Jaroslav Horvath
5. Shawn Joseph-Taverier
6. Jason Arntz

Ms. Olympia Bodybuilding Finals

1. Iris Kyle
2. Yaxeni Oriquen-Garcia
3. Brigita Brezovac
4. Debi Laszewski
5. Alina Popa
6. Sheila Bleck
7. Kim Perez
8. Nicole Ball
9. Monique Jones
10. Tina Chandler

Ms. Olympia Figure Finals

1. Nicole Wilkins
2. Erin Stern
3. Ava Cowan
4. Candice Keene
5. Teresa Anthony
6. Alicia Harris

Ms. Olympia Fitness Finals

1. Adela Garcia
2. Tanji Johnson
3. Myriam Capes
4. Tina Durkin
5. Oksana Grishina
6. Michelle Blank
7. Bethany Wagner
8. Jodi Boam
9. Camala Rodriguez
10. Nicole Duncan

Ms. Olympia Bikini Finals

1. Nicole Nagrani
2. Nathalia Melo
3. Dianna Dahlgren
4. Jaime Baird
5. Sonia Gonzales
6. India Paulino
7. Alison Rosen
8. Juliana Daniell
9. Abbie Burrows
10. Justine Munro