Paul Dillett
July 31. 1999

Paul Dillett won the 1999 Night of Champions on May 22nd, 1999. During the Night of Champions, when the judges called out Marcus Ruhl of Germany in 4th place, a loud cry went around the auditorium of fixed and boos, stunning even the judges themselves. With Dexter Jackson coming in 3rd, and Pavol Jablonicky placing 2nd, the audience was completely stunned. Not with Paul winning his first pro show, but with Marcus being placed in 4th place. And what was supposed to be a great moment in a pro's career was filled with controversy. I received many e-mails on whether the contest was fixed, what Paul's reactions were, and other questions. So during the 1999 NPC USA's in Santa Monica, California, I got the chance to talk to Paul.

Paul Dillett, interviewed by Ron Avidan.

  • RA: Tell me about the Night of Champions. Was it an exciting show for you.

  • PD: Not for me, I really do not give a shit. I really did not want to do the show. I had to do the show, that is the underlying factor right there.

  • RA: Because of your contract.

  • PD: Yeah, so therefore I had no motivation going into the show. You know, my dieting was adequate, my training was adequate, I did just enough to win the show and that's it

  • RA: What did you think of the audience's reaction.

  • PD: I don't care. I was not in 4th place so I don't care.

  • RA: Are you going to be at the Mr. Olympia?

  • PD: Definitely. I sure there can be only a few above 4th place, I don't have anything to do with 4th place, I only have something to do with 1st, unless the guy was second, I would have something to say. Was he cheated, should he of placed higher, I don't know, because I was not in the audience. I don't know whether he should of been higher than 4th. I know he is a big guy, that's all about I know. You know, I have been on that end of the stick many times.This time, I came out on top. I have no doubt for myself that I was going to win the show. It wasn't anything like 'wooo', I mean, my top competitors were not there. I did not feel like it was any type of competition for me. It was just another show.

  • RA: Who are your top competitors.

  • PD: Kevin Levrone, Shawn Ray, Nasser El Sonbaty, Ronnie Coleman, Chris Cormier...

  • RA: We are 12 weeks away from the Mr. Olympia. Have you started on your diet yet?

  • PD: I started my diet a few weeks ago. Also my cardio. The Mr. Olympia to me is a show. I can't take it lightly, I can't diet lightly, you know, this is make or break, either it makes you or breaks you, so that means 110% every day in the gym, no matter how you feel. You know, you just try to do the best that you can, and let the chips fall where they may.

  • RA: You train at Gold's of Venice.

  • PD: Yes.

  • RA: Do you get up at 6am in the morning like Flex does.

  • PD: Closer to the show, I do. I get up that early to go to my cardio.

  • RA: What about your love life?

  • PD: Laughs... what love life. I love my wife. I try to keep that far away from the public as possible.

  • RA: How are you training for the Mr. Olympia.

  • PD: Trying to go in as heavy as I can.

  • RA: What do you want to weigh at the show?

  • PD: I don't really care? I think the big emphasis is going to be conditioning, conditioning, conditioning... therefore, my concern is to be in the best condition I can be in. So whether it is 280, 275, 270, 265... whatever it takes to make sure I have my best condition, that where I will be.

  • RA: Going back to the Night of Champions competition, what do you wish to say to the people who say you did not deserve to win?

  • PD: I don't think anyone could say that, and if they do, I say 'Kiss my ass'. That's all I could say to them I don't give a fuck what they think. They could go fuck themselves. That's how I feel about it. What do they saw when I go into a show, and don't place where I should. Who was going to beat me? Who? Marcus Ruhl? Big guy. He has great condition, but does he have my shape? Not in a million years! Is he bigger? No? On that day, was he harder. Hell yeah...but being the hardest guy does not mean you are going to be the best, the winner, either. There are so many other underlying factors that people do not take into consideration, which is your balance, your symmetry, which, whether you are at your best, or you are not at your best, you are still going to have that. So that will take you a lot further than your conditioning sometimes. You know, you look for the bounds, then you look for the conditioning, so not because your condition was as bad as mine, then you are going to beat me. That is just another factor. If you can't beat me when I am at 60%, how the hell can you beat me when I am at 80%, or 100%, so if someone says 'Oh Paul didn't deserve to win', nobody's going to be always happy. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Some will say "oh yeah, he is supposed to win", some will say "Oh yeah, he is not supposed to win". The fact is it is done, it's over. There is nothing anyone can say or do to change that fact, all we can do is think about the Mr. Olympia, and I guarantee you, there was no one at the Night of Champions that will even get a serious call-out at the Mr. Olympia, so it just goes to show to the one who complain, just shut the fuck up. Kiss my ass once again.

  • RA: So what is the deal with the WWF?

  • PD: I am too old for that. I am 34 years old. I went to school and practiced for a while. I admire what those guys do. People says it fake, I say let me tell you. The only think that is not real is that the matches are predetermined. But if I pick you up and slam you on the floor, I am going to knock the wind out of you. If I give you a Power Slam and I slam you on the mat, and drop on top of you, no matter how I try to protect you, you are going to feel that. A guy was punching at me, and it was supposed to be punching, and not hitting my face, and he clocked me right in the chin, I mean, like, boom, god damn, it hurt...

  • RA: Who do you think is going to win the NPC USA's tonight?

  • PD: Melvin in the Super Heavyweight, Tevita in the Heavyweight. It's going to come down between Melvin and Tevita, and then it's going to be on between the two of them. That is going to be the show right there. They both look great, they both have beautiful physiques, they both have great conditioning, I would not want to judge them.

  • RA: Who do you train with at the moment.

  • PD: Rico McClinton.

  • RA: He is not in the USA, is he?

  • PD: Rico is doing the Nationals.