American Gladiators is back in all its red, white and blue spandex glory and the next three-episode drop of the iconic sports competition series hits Prime Video on Friday, April 24, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET.!
The fireworks have started early, as through the first three episodes we’ve already seen one competitor already eliminated due to injury and several last-second upsets in the Eliminator! We also saw the return of iconic events, including the Joust, which gladiator Fang (aka AEW’s Wardlow) sunk his teeth into.
American Gladiators Episodes 1, 2 and 3 recap
(Warning: Spoilers ahead.)
- Episode 1 featured several of the iconic events fans of the original American Gladiators know and love. We saw contestants square off with Gladiators in Powerball and the Joust, as well as a revamped Eliminator. Ultimately, in the women’s bracket Ayonna Proctor overcame a nine-second disadvantage to upset Francheska Martinez in the Eliminator to advance. On the men’s side, Tavares Chambliss parlayed an early advantage following a win in Whiplash into a berth in the next round, defeating Exodus Rogers. The episode showed that although the series has been updated for today, it still will incorporate many nostalgic elements, including a take on the OG series’ theme before the start of events (almost to a fault).
- Episode 2 featured the return of the classic Hang Tough event, which was the highlight of the episode. We saw another upset in the women’s bracket, as Janelle Schaeffer erased a seven-second deficit to defeat Sierra Dawn, who viewers might recognize from Survivor. On the men’s side, Evan Barr dominated Steffan Jones to punch his ticket to the semifinals.
- Episode 3 saw yet another upset on the women’s side. Karizma Lockhart looked dominant in the early events, translating a perfect run to a 10-second head start over Bailey Meraviglia heading into the Eliminator. However, Karizma was undone by the travelator, which seemed to give several of the contestants trouble in these early episodes. On the men’s side, we saw our first injury of the competiton. Jaquez Jones injured his shoulder in the Edge after a shove from gladiator Ace (see below), and had to depart the competition. It was announced that the first round loser with the fastest eliminator time will take Jaquez’ place against Michael Moralia, who backed up his trash talk throughout the competition by building up a five-second advantage heading into the Eliminator.
What is American Gladiators?
American Gladiators debuted as a syndicated TV series in 1989, pitting contestants off the street against hulking gladiators in spandex. The competition series played off the popularity of professional wrestling at the time, albeit in a legit sports setting.
The original series ran for seven seasons and became a pop culture phenomenon, spawning video games, action figures, merchandise and live events. More recently, the series was the subject of a 30 for 30 documentary and a five-part Netflix docuseries.
The 2026 revival will bring back the tournament format, with one man and one woman each claiming the title of American Gladiator champion and $100,000. In order to earn the cash and the championship, contenders will square off against a new generation of gladiators in classic events, such as Joust, Powerball, Hang Tough, and The Wall as well as new events like The Ring and Collision.
American Gladiators Cast
There will be 16 new gladiators for the 2026 revival of American Gladiators, featuring a mix of pro wrestlers and elite athletes. They are:
Men
- Michael Wardlow (aka Fang) — AEW wrestler and three-time AEW TNT champion
- Eric Bugenhagen (aka The Bull) — Former WWE wrestler (f/k/a Rick Boogs)
- Jessie Godderz (aka Steel) — Pro wrestler, former Big Brother contestant
- Fessy Shafaat (aka Mayhem) — Former Big Brother and The Challenge contestant
- Joseph Hall (aka Lightning) — Former football player and bodybuilder
- Jason Peele (aka Eagle) — Powerlifter
- Ayinde Warren (aka Neon) — Fitness coach
- Drew Aggouras (aka Ace) — Fitness coach
Women
- Kailey Latimer (aka Hurricane) — AEW wrestler and former NWA women’s world champion
- Dani Speegle (aka Crush) — Titan Games season 2 champion and seven-time CrossFit Games competitor
- Jessica Roden (aka Supernova) — Independent pro wrestler and former OVW women’s champion
- Dani Means (aka Voltage) — World champion powerlifter
- Emily Nelson (aka Striker) — Personal trainer
- Sydney Hunter (aka Huntress) — Powerlifter
- Lu Faustin (aka Empire) — Bodybuilder
- Abigail Lay (aka Blaze) — Fitness coach
American Gladiators FAQ
Who is hosting American Gladiators?
American Gladiators will be hosted by WWE superstar Mike “The Miz” Mizanin and Emmy Award-winning TV personality Rocsi Diaz.
When do new episodes of American Gladiators drop?
New episodes of American Gladiators dropin sets of three on Fridays at 8 p.m. ET. The schedule is as follows:
- April 17, 2026: Episodes 1–3
- April 24, 2026: Episodes 4–6
- May 1, 2026: Episodes 7–10
How can I watch new episodes of American Gladiators?
American Gladiators — as well as seven seasons of the original syndicated series — will be available to stream on Prime Video.
How many new episodes of American Gladiators will drop in season 1?
Season 1 of American Gladiators will include 10 episodes, with the season set to conclude on May 1, 2026.
