Editor's Note: All reports and photographs that appear in the following article are taken from archived copies of MUSCLE BUILDER/POWER only. The Editor will be researching other magazines e.g. MR. AMERICA, SANTE ET FORCE and, as other reports and photographs become available, they will be posted. This article is being updated on a regular basis.

OVERALL WINNERS 1959-1969

• 1959 MONTREAL, CANADA
  Eddie SLYVESTRE, Mexico
  
  
• 1960 MONTREAL, CANADA
  Chuck SIPES, USA
  
  
• 1961 No Contest - All major contests "put on shelf" as IFBB develop new policy
  
  
• 1962 NEW YORK, USA
  George EIFFERMAN, USA
  
  
• 1963 NEW YORK, USA
  Harold POOLE, USA
  
  
• 1964 NEW YORK, USA
  Larry SCOTT, USA
  
  
• 1965 NEW YORK, USA
  Earl MAYNARD, England
  
  
• 1966 NEW YORK, USA
  Dave DRAPER, USA
  
  
• 1967 MONTREAL, CANADA
  Sergio OLIVA, USA
  
  
• 1968 MIAMI, USA
  Frank ZANE, USA
  
  
• 1969 NEW YORK, USA
  Arnold SCHWARZENEGGER, USA
  
  

Starting in 1970, the following three (3) height categories were implemented:

Short Class: 5'5"
Medium Class: 5'8"
Tall Class: over 5'8"

1970 BELGRADE, YUGOSLAVIA

• Short Class:
  1. Franco COLUMBU, USA
  2. Giuseppe DEIANA, Italy
  3. Kassem YAZBEK, Syria
  
  
• Medium Class:
  1. Ahmet ENUNLU, Turkey
  2. Chuck SIPES, USA
  3. Helmut SCHNEIDER, Germany
  
  
• Tall Class:
  1. Karl KAINRATH, Austria
  2. Dirk WARNER, Belgium
  3. Vic DOWNS, Canada
  
  
• Overall Winner: Franco COLUMBU, USA
  
  
• Best National Team: Italy
  
  

1971 PARIS, FRANCE

• Short Class:
  1. Giuseppe DEIANA, Holland
  2. Renato BERTAGNA, Italy
  3. Hubert PLUMANS, Belgium
  
  
• Medium Class:
  1. Albert BECKLES, England
  2. Ahmet ENUNLU, Turkey
  3. Ed CORNEY, USA
  
  
• Tall Class:
  1. Helmut RIEDMEIER, Germany
  2. Mike KATZ, USA
  3. Francois LABRADOR, France
  
  
• Overall Winner: Albert BECKLES, England
  
  
• Best National Team: Germany
  
  

1972 BAGHDAD, IRAQ

• Short Class:
  1. Kenichi SUEMITSUE, Japan
  2. Pierre VANDENSTEEN, Belgium
  3. Mohamed MAKKAWY, Egypt
  
  
• Medium Class
  1. Ed CORNEY, USA
  2. Janko RUDMAN, Sweden
  3. Mederic ANNETTE, France
  
  
• Tall Class
  1. Mike KATZ, USA
  2. Baldo LOIS, Spain
  3. Ali ALGAYAR, Iraq
  
  
• Overall Winner: Ed CORNEY, USA
  
  
• Best National Team: USA
  
  

1973 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

• Short Class:
  1. Giuseppe DEIANA, Holland
  2. Hubert PLUMANS, Belgium
  3. F. BERANGE, France
  
  
• Medium Class:
  1. Albert BECKLES, England
  2. Ahmet ENUNLU, Turkey
  3. Mederic ANNETTE, France
  
  
• Tall Class:
  1. Lou FERRIGNO, USA
  2. Ken WALLER, USA
  3. Mike KATZ, USA
  
  
• Overall Winner: Lou FERRIGNO, USA
  
  
• Best National Team: USA
  
  

1974 VERONA, ITALY

• Short Class:
  1. Pierre VAN DEN STEEN, Belgium
  2. Mohamed MAKKAWY, Egypt
  3. Renato BERTAGNA, Italy
  
  
• Medium Class:
  1. Ahmet ENUNLU, Turkey
  2. Bob BIRDSONG, USA
  3. Luis CESARION, France
  
  
• Tall Class:
  1. Lou FERRIGNO, USA
  2. Ken WALLER, USA
  3. Paul GRANT, Wales
  
  
• Overall Winner: Lou FERRIGNO, USA
  
  
• Best National Team: USA
  
  

1975 PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA

• Short Class:
  1. Wilfred SYLVESTER, England
  2. Renato BERTAGNA, Italy
  3. Nicolas KEMP, Belgium
  
  
• Medium Class:
  1. Robby ROBINSON, USA
  2. Albert BECKLES, England
  3. Gerard BUINOD, France
  
  
• Tall Class:
  1. Ken WALLER, USA
  2. Roger WALKER, Austria
  3. Paul GRANT, Wales
  
  
• Overall Winner: Ken WALLER, USA
  
  
• Best National Team: USA
  
  

Starting in 1976, the Short, Medium, and Tall classes were changed to:

Lightweight: 75kg
Middleweight: 90kg
Heavyweight: over 90kg

Also, the IFBB Congress decided to end the "Overall Winner" award and instead, declare that each class winner would be called a "World Champion"

The term "Mr. Universe" officially ceased to exist and was changed to "World Bodybuilding Championships".

1976 MONTREAL, CANADA

• Lightweight
  1. Mohamed MAKKAWY, Egypt
  2. Danny PADILLA, USA
  3. Adolf ZIEGNER, Austria
  
  
• Middleweight
  1. Robby ROBINSON, USA
  2. Mike MENTZER, USA
  3. Ahmet ENUNLU, Turkey
  
  
• Heavyweight
  1. Roger WALKER, Australia
  2. Darcey BECKLES, Barbados
  3. Karl KAINRATH, Austria
  
  
• Best National Team: USA

1977 NIMES, FRANCE

• 75 kg
  1. Danny PADILLA, USA
  2. Mohamed MAKKAWY, Egypt
  3. Renato BERTAGNA, Italy
  
  
• 90 kg
  1. Roy CALLENDER, Canada
  2. Darcy BECKLES, Barbados
  3. Petr STACH, Czechoslovakia
  
  
• Over 90 kg
  1. Kalman SZKALAK, USA
  2. Mike MENTZER, USA
  3. Paul GRANT, Wales
  
  
• Best National Team: USA

1978 ACAPULCO, MEXICO

• 75 kg
  1. Carlos RODRIGUEZ, USA
  2. Renato BERTAGNA, Italy
  3. Robert DANTLINGER, Czechoslovakia
  
  
• 90 kg
  1. Tom PLATZ, USA
  2. Petr STACH, Czechoslovakia
  3. Darcy BECKLES, Barbados
  
  
• Over 90 kg
  1. Mike MENTZER, USA
  2. Jusup WILKOSZ, Germany
  3. Reid SCHINDLE, Canada
  
  
• Best National Team: USA

Between the Acapulco and Columbus World Championships, the bodyweight categories were increased to four:

Lightweight: 70kg
Middleweight: 80kg
Lightheavyweight: 90kg
Heavyweight: over 90kg

1979 COLUMBUS, USA

• 70 kg
  1. Renato BERTAGNA, Italy
  2. Heinz SALLMAYER, Austria
  3. Moh TECK HIN, Singapore
  
  
• 80 kg
  1. Roy DUVAL, England
  2. Richard BALDWIN, USA
  3. Anton HOLIC, Czechoslovakia
  
  
• 90 kg
  1. Samir BANNOUT, Lebanon
  2. Ron TEUFEL, USA
  3. Johnny FULLER, England
  
  
• Over 90 kg
  1. Jusup WILKOSZ, Germany
  2. Ray MENTZER, USA
  3. Chen WINT, Jamaica
  
  
• Best National Team: USA

1980 MANILA, PHILIPPINES

• 70 kg
  1. Heinz SALLMAYER, Austria
  2. Ken PASSARIELLO, USA
  3. Raymond BEAULIEU, Canada
  
  
• 80 kg
  1. Jorma RATY, Finland
  2. Richard BALDWIN, USA
  3. Richard JONKER, Australia
  
  
• 90 kg
  1. Johnny FULLER, England
  2. Bronston AUSTIN, USA
  3. Keijo REIMAN, Finland
  
  
• Over 90 kg
  1. Hubert METZ, Germany
  2. Reid SCHINDLE, Canada
  3. Christian JANATSCH, Austria
  
  
• Best National Team: USA

1981 CAIRO, EGYPT

• 70 kg
  1. Ken PASSARIELLO, USA
  2. Jose RABANAL, France
  3. Fikret HODZIC, Yugoslavia
  
  
• 80 kg
  1. Gerard BUINOD, France
  2. James YOUNGBLOOD, USA
  3. Anton HOLIC, Czechoslovakia
  
  
• 90 kg
  1. Jacques NEUVILLE, France
  2. Tim BELKNAP, USA
  3. Keijo REIMAN, Finland
  
  
• Over 90 kg
  1. Lance DREHER, USA
  2. Gunnar ROSBO, Norway
  3. Josef VESELY, Czechoslovakia
  
  

1982 BRUGGE, BELGIUM

• 70 kg
  1. James GAUBERT, USA
  2. Jean LEBLANC, Canada
  3. Herman HOFFEND, Germany
  
  
• 80 kg
  1. Dale RUPLINGER, USA
  2. Erwin KNOLLER, Germany
  3. Erwin NOTE, Belgium
  
  
• 90 kg
  1. Ahmet ENUNLU, Turkey
  2. Keijo REIMAN, Finland
  3. Moses MALDONADO, USA
  
  
• Over 90 kg
  1. Lee HANEY, USA
  2. Gunnar ROSBO, Norway
  3. Ralf MOELLER, Germany
  
  

1983 SINGAPORE

• 65 kg
  1. Herman HOFFEND, Germany
  2. Antonio STELLA, Italy
  3. Alain LEROY, New Caledonia
  
  
• 70 kg
  1. Appie STEENBECK, Holland
  2. Mike PILIOTIS, England
  3. Jesse LUJAN, USA
  
  
• 80 kg
  1. Charles GLASS, USA
  2. Erwin NOTE, Belgium
  3. Erwin KNOLLER, Germany
  
  
• 90 kg
  1. Chuck WILLIAMS, USA
  2. Keijo REIMAN, Finland
  3. Ian DOWE, England
  
  
• Over 90 kg
  1. Bob PARIS, USA
  2. Berry DE MEY, Holland
  3. Ralf MOELLER, Germany
  

1984 LAS VEGAS, USA

• 70 kg
  1. Wilfred SYLVESTER, England
  2. Herman HOFFEND, Germany
  3. Esmat SADEK, Egypt
  
  
• 80 kg
  1. John HNATYSCHAK, USA
  2. Greame LANCEFIELD, Australia
  3. Erwin KNOLLER, Germany
  
  
• 90 kg
  1. Rich GASPARI, USA
  2. Josef GROLMUS, Germany
  3. Keijo REIMAN, Finland
  
  
• Over 90 kg
  1. Mike CHRISTIAN, USA
  2. Berry DE MEY, Holland
  3. Olev ANNUS, Finland
  
  

1985 GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN

• 70 kg
  1. Herman HOFFEND, Germany
  2. Joseph DAWSON, USA
  3. Esmat SADEK, Egypt
  
  
• 80 kg
  1. Lee LABRADA, USA
  2. El Shahat MABROUK, Egypt
  3. Miroslav JASTREBSKI, Czechoslovakia
  
  
• 90 kg
  1. Josef GROLMUS, Germany
  2. Phil WILLIAMS, USA
  3. Libor MINARIK, Czechoslovakia
  
  
• Over 90 kg
  1. Peter HENSEL, Germany
  2. Ulf LARSSON, Sweden
  3. Ron LOVE, USA
  
  

1986 TOKYO, JAPAN

• 65 kg
  1. Steve BRISBOIS, Canada
  2. John RUEHLMAN, USA
  3. Jose BALLESTER, Spain
  
  
• 70 kg
  1. Herman HOFFEND, Germany
  2. Jose GUZMAN, USA
  3. Esmat SADEK, Egypt
  
  
• 80 kg
  1. Paul Jean GUILLAUME, USA
  2. Degra Prem CHAD, India
  3. Francois BENFATTO, France
  
  
• 90 kg
  1. Michael ASHLEY, USA
  2. Libor MINARIK, Czechoslovakia
  3. Ian DOWE, England
  
  
• Over 90 kg
  1. Ralf MOELLER, Germany
  2. Francois GAY, Switzerland
  3. Koos HEMMINGA, Holland
  
  

1987 MADRID, SPAIN

• 65 kg
  1. Mohamed LOFTY, Egypt
  2. Jose BALLESTER, Spain
  3. Mustafa ULUSSOGLU, Turkey
  
  
• 70 kg
  1. Mohamed BENAZIZZ, Algeria
  2. Juan Carlos LOPEZ, Spain
  3. Jose GUZMAN, USA
  
  
• 80 kg
  1. El Shahat MABROUK, Egypt
  2. Francis BENFATTO, France
  3. Brian JOSEPH, Canada
  
  
• 90 kg
  1. Pavol JABLONICKY, Czechoslovakia
  2. Libor MINARIK, Czechoslovakia
  3. Andreas MUNZER, Austria
  
  
• Over 90 kg
  1. Luiz FREITAS, Brazil
  2. Geir Borgan PAULSEN, Norway
  3. Gunther KUHNI, Germany
  
  

1988 BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA

• 65 kg
  1. Tevlik ULUSOGLU, Turkey
  2. Jose BALLESTER, Spain
  3. Flavio BACCIANINI, Italy
  
  
• 70 kg
  1. Juan MARQUEZ, USA
  2. Young Chul PARK, South Korea
  3. Han Dong KI, South Korea
  
  
• 80 kg
  1. Degra Prem CHAD, India
  2. Todd ROBERTS, USA
  3. Bernard SEALY, Barbados
  
  
• 90 kg
  1. Renel JANVIER, USA
  2. Patrick NICHOLLS, Barbados
  3. Andreas MUNZER, Austria
  
  
• Over 90 kg
  1. Pavol JABLONICKY, Czechoslovakia
  2. Mats KARDELL, Sweden
  3. Gene HOWELL, USA
  
  

1989 PARIS, FRANCE

• 65 kg
  1. Ahmed MOHMED, Egypt
  2. Mercury CLAIBORNE, USA
  3. Mohamed LOFTY, Egypt
  
  
• 70 kg
  1. Van Walcot SMITH, USA
  2. Juan Carlos LOPEZ, Spain
  3. Han Dong KI, South Korea
  
  
• 80 kg
  1. Bernard SEALY, Barbados
  2. Patrice LINGUET, France
  3. Wilhelm JASINOWSKI, Germany
  
  
• 90 kg
  1. Frank HILLEBRAND, Germany
  2. Ahmet ENUNLU, Turkey
  3. Patrick NICHOLLS, Barbados
  
  
• Over 90 kg
  1. Jean Luc FAVRE, Switzerland
  2. Jerry RODGERS, USA
  3. Soel NOURI, Algeria
  
  

1990 KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA

• 65 kg
  1. Anwar EL AMAWY, Egypt
  2. Khalil EL AMIN, USA
  3. Mohamed Abdel EL AZIZ, Egypt
  
  
• 70 kg
  1. Joseph DAWSON, USA
  2. Han Dong KI, South Korea
  3. Justin JOSPITRE, France
  
  
• 80 kg
  1. Wilhelm JASINOWSKI, Germany
  2. Brian JOSEPH, Canada
  3. Wilson Rodrigues SANTOS, Brazil
  
  
• 90 kg
  1. Alq GURLEY, USA
  2. Darrem CHARLES, Trinidad/Tobago
  3. Albert E. SCANTLEBURY, Barbados
  
  
• Over 90 kg
  1. Achim ALBRECHT, Germany
  2. Geir Borgan PAULSEN, Norway
  3. Jerry RODGERS, USA
  
  

1991 KATOVICE, POLAND

• 65 kg
  1. Anwar EL AMAWY, Egypt
  2. Mohamed Abdel EL AZIZ, Egypt
  3. Serguei OTROKH, USSR
  
  
• 70 kg
  1. Jose GUZMAN, USA
  2. Justin JOSPITRE, France
  3. Han Dong KI, South Korea
  
  
• 80 kg
  1. El Shahat MABROUK, Egypt
  2. Yohnnie SHAMBOURGER, USA
  3. Pawel BRZOZKA, Poland
  
  
• 90 kg
  1. Miroslaw DASZKIEWICZ, Poland
  2. Darrem CHARLES, Trinidad/Tobago
  3. Michael SCIONTI, Australia
  
  
• Over 90 kg
  1. Ronnie COLEMAN, USA
  2. Ingvar LARSSON, Sweden
  3. Richard MARTINA, Holland
  
  

1992 GRAZ, AUSTRIA

• 65 kg
  1. Pavel GROLMUS, Czechoslovakia
  2. Bang Woon HEOK, South Korea
  3. Mohamed EL FASAKHANI, Egypt
  
  
• 70 kg
  1. Andre CHARETTE, Canada
  2. Eduard DERZAPF, Germany
  3. Justin JOSPITRE, France
  
  
• 80 kg
  1. Johann SCHATZ, Austria
  2. Azman ABDULLAH, Singapore
  3. Jefferson PHILLIPS, Barbados
  
  
• 90 kg
  1. Hamdullah AYKUTLUG, Turkey
  2. Roland CZIURLOK, Germany
  3. Ronald COLEMAN, USA
  
  
• Over 90 kg
  1. Arthur BUURMAN, Holland
  2. Denis ADASS, France
  3. Thomas MISCH, Germany
  
  

1993 SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA

• 65 kg
  1. Bang Woon HEOK, South Korea
  2. Mohamed Abdel EL AZIZ, Egypt
  3. Serguei OTROKH, Ukraine
  
  
• 70 kg
  1. Han Dong KI, South Korea
  2. Eduard DERZAPF, Germany
  3. Ertugrul GULCAN, Turkey
  
  
• 80 kg
  1. Azman ABDULLAH, Singapore
  2. Yohnnie SHAMBOURGER, USA
  3. Alexander VISHNEVSKY, Russia
  
  
• 90 kg
  1. Roland CZIURLOK, Germany
  2. Ronald COLEMAN, USA
  3. Fouad BOOJAKLEE, Syria
  
  
• Over 90 kg
  1. Gunter SCHLIERKAMP, Germany
  2. Stephan HARTL, Germany
  3. James ROBERTS, Sweden
  
  

1994 SHANGHAI, CHINA

• 65 kg
  1. Sergey OTROKH, Ukraine
  2. Anwar EL AMAWY, Egypt
  3. Jesus LIZCANO, Spain
  
  
• 70 kg
  1. Justin JOSPITRE, France
  2. Hang Dong KI, South Korea
  3. Chris FAILDO, USA
  
  
• 75 kg
  1. Eduard DERZAPF, Germany
  2. Oleg ZHUR, Ukraine
  3. Piero Luigi TOLA, Italy
  
  
• 80 kg
  1. El Shahat MABROUK, Egypt
  2. Kester PASHKE, Germany
  3. Yohnnie SHAMBOURGER, USA
  
  
• 90 kg
  1. Ronald COLEMAN, USA
  2. Gernot BURST, Austria
  3. Amisi Magme MORISHO, Holland
  
  
• Over 90 kg
  1. Jean Pierre FUX, Switzerland
  2. Agathoklis AGATHOKLEOUS, Cyprus
  3. Hassanien MUSTAFA, Jordan
  
  

1995 GUAM

• 65 kg
  1. Zetri MUNIR, Malaysia
  2. Anwar AHMED, Egypt
  3. Mohamed Abdel EL AZIZ, Egypt
  
  
• 70 kg
  1. David FORD, England
  2. Chris FAILDO, USA
  3. Han Dong KI, South Korea
  
  
• 75 kg
  1. Stefan OROSZ, Czech Repubic
  2. Piero Luigi TOLA, Italy
  3. Jaroslva HORVATH, Slovakia
  
  
• 80 kg
  1. Yohnnie SHAMBOURGER, USA
  2. Armando VILLA, Spain
  3. Oleg ZHUR, Ukraine
  
  
• 90 kg
  1. Alfred KRAUTGARTNER, Austria
  2. Thomas SHEU, Germany
  3. Jari-Pekka PULKKINEN, Finland
  
  
• Over 90 kg
  1. Agathoklis AGATHOKLEOUS
  2. Jeno KISS, Hungary
  3. Michael BIESCHKE, Germany
  
  

1996 AMMAN, JORDAN

• 65 kg
  1. Anwar EL AMAWY, Egypt
  2. Aldo FUMAGALLI, Italy
  3. Mohamed Abdel EL AZIZ, Egypt
  
  
• 70 kg
  1. Han Dong KI, South Korea
  2. Polvillo BLASQUEZ, Spain
  3. Toshiko HIROTA, Japan
  
  
• 75 kg
  1. Ertugrul GULCAN, Turkey
  2. Kim Jun HO, South Korea
  3. Francois PITARCH, France
  
  
• 80 kg
  1. Oleg ZHUR, Ukraine
  2. Jaroslav HORVATH, Slovakia
  3. Armando VILLO, Spain
  
  
• 90 kg
  1. Thomas SCHEU, Germany
  2. Johan OLDENMARK, Sweden
  3. Ingo FISHER, Germany
  
  
• Over 90 kg
  1. Jeno KISS, Hungary
  2. Ercan DEMIR, Turkey
  3. Oleg PROTAS, Ukraine
  
  
• Overall Jeno KISS, Hungary
  
  

1997 PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC

• 65 kg
  1. Jose Carlos SANTOS, Brazil
  2. Anwar EL AMAWY, Egypt
  3. Jesus LIZCANO, Spain
  
  
• 70 kg
  1. Steve HOLLAND, USA
  2. Ahmed Abdel SALAM, Egypt
  3. Antonio BLASQUEZ, Spain
  
  
• 75 kg
  1. Kim Jun HO, South Korea
  2. Rene ZIMMERMANN, Switzerland
  3. Hakan GUMUS, Turkey
  
  
• 80 kg
  1. Jaroslav HORVATH, Slovakia
  2. Armando VILLA, Spain
  3. Prince FONTENOT, USA
  
  
• 90 kg
  1. Ahmed HAIDAR, Lebanon
  2. Hamdullah AYKUTLUG, Turkey
  3. Piotr GLUCHOWSKI, Poland
  
  
• Over 90 kg
  1. Johannes ELEFTHERIADIS, Germany
  2. Thomas BURIANEK, Austria
  3. Robert Lee WASHINGTON, USA
  
  
• Overall Ahmed HAIDAR, Lebanon
  
  

1998 IZMIR, TURKEY

• 65 kg
  1. Anwar EL AMAWY, Egypt
  2. Jose SANTOS, Brazil
  3. vacant
  
  
• 70 kg
  1. Han Dong KI, South Korea
  2. Mohsen YAZDANI, Iran
  3. vacant
  
  
• 75 kg
  1. Ertugrul GULCAN, Turkey
  2. vacant
  3. vacant
  
  
• 80 kg
  1. El Shahat MABROUK, Egypt
  2. vacant
  3. vacant
  
  
• 90 kg
  1. Hamdallah AYKUTLUG, Turkey
  2. Johan OLDENMARK, Sweden
  3. vacant
  
  
• Over 90 kg
  1. Serguei CHELESTOV, Russia
  2. Oleg PROTAS, Ukraine
  3. vacant
  
  
• Overall Hamdallah AYKUTLUG, Turkey
  
  

1999 BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA

• 65 kg
  1. Jose Carlos SANTOS, Brazil
  2. Ahmed Mohamed EL-AMAWY, Egypt
  3. Martin WARD, USA
  
  
• 70 kg
  1. Yazdani MOHSEN, Iran
  2. Derek FARNSWORTH, USA
  3. Han Dong KI, South Korea
  
  
• 75 kg
  1. Taguir FAKHROUTDINOV, Russia
  2. Peter GAL, Hungary
  3. Myung Sub KIM, South Korea
  
  
• 80 kg
  1. El Sahat MABROUK, Egypt
  2. Roman VRABEL, Czech Republic
  3. Tito RAYMOND, USA
  
  
• 90 kg
  1. Jaroslav HORVATH, Slovakia
  2. Thomas SCHEU, Germany
  3. Alexandre VICHNEVSKI, Russia
  
  
• Over 90 kg
  1. Jan KUS, Slovakia
  2. Pavol FERENC, Slovakia
  3. vacant
  
  
• Overall Jaroslav HORVATH, Slovakia