American Gladiators

The competition series American Gladiator dates all the way back to 1989, but the new NBC version offers not the just the original test of strength and agility, but also extra glitz and glam. The show was revived by NBC in 2008 and proved to be a hit in the ratings. The show is hosted by Hulk Hogan and Laila Ali.

The show follows a tournament format, where contenders try to win their night, and then compete against the other winners in the finale. The competitors compete against the "gladiators" and each other in a series of events. The males always compete against other males (including male gladiators) and the females always compete against other females. The events award points to the competitor for beating or at least fending off his or her gladiator opponent. The number of points determines if the contestant gets a timed head start over the other opponent in the final event, the Eliminator. The contestant that finishes the Eliminator in the shortest amount of time is deemed the winner.

Through the years since the show's inception, there have been a number of events, but the events on the current series are Assault, Powerball, Joust, Earthquake, The Wall, Atlasphere, Hang Tough, Sky Track, Sideswipe, Tilt, Vertigo, Gauntlet, Hit & Run, Pyramid, Rocketball, and Snapback. However, the show always ends with the Eliminator. The events test the competitor's strength, speed, agility, and endurance.

Season 3 Gladiators

• Crush (real name: Gina Carano), an American Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter
• Hellga (real name: Robin Coleman), a former bodybuilder
• Fury (real name: Jamie Kovac), an actress, body builder and civil engineer - featured in Season 1, reservist in Season 2
• Jet (real name: Monica Carlson), the Season 1 Women's Champion
• Phoenix (real name: Jennifer Widerstrom)
• Siren (real name: Valerie Waugaman), an IFFB Competitor
• Venom (real name: Beth Horn), an IFBB Competitor
• Stealth (real name: Tanji Johnson), an IFBB Competitor
• Steel (real name: Erin Toughill),

The male gladiators are:

• Beast (real name: Matt Morgan), a professional wrestler
• Hurricane (real name: Breaux Greer), a champion javelin thrower
• Justice (real name: Jesse Justice Smith, Jr.), a kickboxer and WWE "Tough Enough" Contender
• Mayhem (real name: Romeo Williams), featured in Season 1, reservist in Season 2
• Militia (real name: Alex Castro), an actor, bodybuilder, and dancer
• Rocket (real name: Evan Dollard), the Season 1 Men's Champion
• Titan (real name: Michael O'Hearn), a bodybuilder and powerlifter - Gladiator Captain
• Toa (real name: Tanoai Reed), the cousin and stand-in double for former pro wrestler Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
• Wolf (real name: Don "Hollywood" Yates), a former bullfighter and rodeo clown
• Zen (real name: Xin Wuku), a martial arts expert

American Gladiator Recaps

Season 2 Gladiators

Season 2 grew to include 40 total contestants. Of those 40, the six men and six women with the fastest Eliminator times will compete in the semifinals. The winners of Season 2 will also receive $100,000 and a 2008 Toyota Sequoia. There has been no mention as to them becoming gladiators in Season 3.

Season 1 Gladiators

Season 1 saw 24 contenders - 12 male and 12 female. Those 24 were narrowed down to the winners – 6 men and 6 women. Of those 12, the four in each category with the fastest winning times on the Eliminator were sent to the Final 8. For the men, Evan Dollard proved victorious. The women's champ was Monica Carlson. Both won $100,000 in cash, a 2008 Toyota Sequoia, and the right to be in Season 2 as gladiators.