Phil Heath, Brandon Curry and Top Contestants Competing at 2017 Mr. Olympia

The legendary Arnold Schwarzenegger is on the verge of getting some company when it comes to championship body building.

Schwarzenegger, the former California governor and movie star, was a dynamic bodybuilder long before he starred in film and politics. He was the best of his generation and won seven Mr. Olympia titles during his reign. That total allowed him to become a legend in the sport

Mr. Olympia Finals

When: Saturday, Sept. 16

Time: 9 p.m. ET

Where: Orleans Arena, Las Vegas

Schwarzenegger could soon be joined on the legend's step at the Mr. Olympia contest in Las Vegas Saturday. Phil Heath has won six consecutive Mr. Olympia titles, and he is clearly the man to beat as he goes for an impressive seventh consecutive title.

If Heath fulfills expectations, he will tie Schwarzenegger for the most Mr. Olympia titles won. If that happens, Heath would have an opportunity to tie Lee Haney and Ronnie Coleman next year, who both won eight titles during their body-building careers.

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Brandon Curry, Dexter Jackson and Shawn Rhoden are among those who will try to keep Heath from winning again.

Heath explained at the Mr. Olympia press conference Friday that he knows how motivated the competition is to take the title away from him. "That's why I train so hard," Heath said (3:17 mark). "That's why I give it everything I got. ... I have turned weaknesses into strengths."

Curry has risen in the bodybuilding ranks this year, and he won the Arnold Classic in Australia, along with a second-place finish in a Mr. Olympia tournament.

Former bodybuilder and current analyst Shawn Ray has been impressed by Curry's accomplishments this year.

"Right now, Brandon Curry is probably the bodybuilder of the year," Ray said, per bodybuilding website spotmebro.com. "Right now at about 5'6", Brandon Curry is talking about coming in at around 230 pounds. I believe he's in the top 10, but how far in the top 10 lineup, I'm not too sure. I think he's got a lot to prove, and he's going to do that this year." 

Jackson is something of a marvel, as the 47-year-old finished third in the competition last year and second in 2015.

The 2008 champion is still motivated and in shape, and he still has a chance to be one of the most impressive performers on the stage in Las Vegas.

"Why do I call him old? Because he's old," said Ray. "He's gonna be something like 48 in November, but man, nobody is doing the business of bodybuilding like Dexter Jackson. Dexter Jackson is one of those guys that just gets better as he gets older. On paper, you have to count him in the top three."

Rhoden finished second to Heath in last year's competition, and he does a good job of commanding the stage when he shows off by himself.

However, Rhoden does not have the bulk of Heath and some of the other top competitors, and when he is in the middle of posing with the other competitors on the stage, he may have difficulty impressing the judges. 

Some of the other top competitors in Mr. Olympia include William Bonac, Mamdouh Elssbiay, Victor Martinez, Sergio Oliva Jr. and Gerald Williams.