Against all the odds, Dexter Jackson defeated reigning 2x Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler to win the first Olympia title of his career.  The 3x Arnold Classic Champ showed up in his usual sliced and diced condition and he forced the judges to make the tough decision to dethrone the charismatic incumbent.   In a rare show of emotions, tears visibly flowed from Jackson's eyes as M.C. Bob Cicherillo made the final announcement.  With tremendous humility and respect, Dexter thanked the fans, his girlfriend, and his trainer of many years, Joe McNeil.  Welcome to a new era in professional bodybuilding.

In a scene reminiscent of Flex Wheeler congratulating a newly crowned Ronnie Coleman, Cutler contained his emotions while congratulating an exuberant Jackson.  While Jay brought a much tighter package to the stage this time around, the overall flow and shape of his physique looked disturbingly "out of whack".  Whether Cutler was dealing with nagging injuries or perhaps it's just the fact that his body is no longer responding the way it did when he was in his 20's remains to be seen.  What's s certain is that this is no longer the Jay who won 3 Arnold Classics and who drove Ronnie Coleman to the brink of defeat in 2001. 

Finishing in the 3^rd spot was 2008 Ironman Pro Champ, Phil Heath.  Heath showed up in impeccable shape and he proved, once again, why they call this guy "The Gift".  With the level of improvements Heath's made in the last 2 years, it's easy to speculate that if this guy's clavicles were a half-inch wider on each side, he'd have left the Orleans Arena as Mr. Olympia.

Heavy precontest favorite, Dennis Wolf, showed up with tremendous improvements to his back, shoulders, and arms and for his efforts the judges compared him to all top-6 competitors (including Cutler and Jackson).  Clearly a fan favorite, Wolf still needs another year to be considered a serious threat for the Mr. Olympia crown; however, his structural superiority over most of the other competitors makes him a lock for future top placings.  Look for Wolf to make his Arnold Classic debut in March 2009.

The "X-Man" Toney Freeman (5^th) catapulted from the shadows of his 4^th place Atlantic City Pro showing and he proved why he's one of the best 6-ft+ competitors in the business.  Not only does Freeman have one of the most desirable physiques in the business, he's also a master at presenting it to the judges and audience.  Combining a perfectly balanced physique with shredded glutes and hams, Freeman proved that at 42 years of age, he's still a very dangerous competitor to stand next to onstage.

Rounding out the top 6 was 2008 Atlantic City Pro Champ, Melvin Anthony.  While the "Marvelous" one wowed the crowd with his pop-and-lock style of posing, he still struggles with bringing the level of conditioning to his glutes that's necessary to make him a legitimate top-3 competitor.   Having said that, there's no doubt in anyone's mind that Melvin is one of the most genetically blessed guys in the lineup.  When he finally puts it all together, watch out!