“Quadzilla“ Paul DeMayo’s Only Mr. Olympia [1995]

Paul DeMayo (Malden, MA; September 12, 1967 – June 2, 2005) was an American IFBB professional bodybuilder. His only Mr. Olympia was in Atlanta Civic Center in Atlanta, Georgia on September 10, 1995 when he placed 12th. Paul DeMayo was nicknamed “Quadzilla“ for the size of his quadriceps. Born and raised in Malden, Massachusetts, United States, DeMayo first competed in bodybuilding when he placed 1st in the Teenage Massachusetts State championships. His first National Physique Committee (NPC) event was in 1988, where he took 7th place in the NPC Junior USA heavyweight class. He took 1st place in the NPC Nationals Championship event in 1994. DeMayo appeared in many fitness and magazine articles, including being featured on the cover of Iron Man. DeMayo died on June 2, 2005. in Boston from a heroin overdose. According to people close to him, DeMayo’s problems started when his wife left him and he returned to Boston after he moved to California with her to train in Gold’s Gym. He then was signed to an endorsement contract by sports nutritional supplement company Met-Rx and forced to compete in the 1995 Mr. Olympia against his wishes. He placed 12th and retired shortly afterwards. DeMayo spent two years in the Billerica House of Correction (Middlesex County Jail) for shooting his gun in the air after an argument with his girlfriend and possession of percodan. Some months before his death he told friends he was working at Gold’s Gym on Lansdowne Street in Boston, but it was revealed later that he was fired several months earlier due to a substance abuse problem.