When American Gladiators started airing in September of 1989, it signaled a new era in sports and entertainment TV. The show created a brand new genre of “Sports game shows” which was novel at the time. The show, which had a weekly cast of elite athletes, pitched them against each other in real athletics completion.
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American Gladiators saw some of the finest and most competitive sportsmen and women competing for the $10,000 price. The first installment of the show had 7 seasons. American Gladiators returned in 2008 with Hulk Hogan as host and a handful of gladiators from the first edition making a return. For a trip down memory lane, here’s a short profile of some of the most legendary gladiators to have competed on the show.