‘American Gladiators’ Gets Reboot Treatment — Where Are the 2008 Stars Now? (PHOTOS)
Gina “Crush” Carano
Carano, a former mixed martial artist, has become a Hollywood star in the years since she was Crush-ing Gladiators contestants. She appeared in the films Fast & Furious 6 and Deadpool, for example, and in the TV show Almost Human. Even better, Steven Soderbergh cast her as the lead of his 2011 action thriller Haywire, in which she co-starred with Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, and Channing Tatum.
Michael “Titan” O’Hearn
This bodybuilder — who actually starred on the original Gladiators show, as well — also went Hollywood. He has appeared in episodes of Knight Rider, Workaholics, and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and he fittingly played The Hulk in Epic Rap Battles of History.
Jennifer “Phoenix” Widerstrom
Like a Phoenix rising from the ashes of American Gladiators, Widerstrom joined The Biggest Loser as a trainer in 2014, replacing Jillian Michaels. (Will Biggest Loser ever have its own resurrection? You’d have to NBC.)
Matt “Beast” Morgan
After Gladiators, this Beast returned to professional wrestling as part of the Total Nonstop Action circuit. And in 2017, he was elected as a city commissioner for Longwood, Florida!
Valerie “Siren” Waugaman
According to her LinkedIn profile, this former Siren is now a motivational speaker and coach for FitMission, a company that customizes health and fitness programs for individuals, organizations, schools, and corporations. She’s been with the company since 2008, when Gladiators last left the TV dial.
Breaux “Hurricane” Greer
Fun fact: Greer represented the United States as an Olympic javelin thrower twice: once in Sydney in 2000 and again in Beijing in 2008. These days, this Hurricane’s life seems anything but stormy: He’s married to American Housewife actress Katy Mixon, and they two children.
Evan “Rocket” Dollard
After winning the men’s competition in the first season of the Gladiators reboot, Dollard became a Gladiator himself, taking on the moniker “Rocket.” Since then, he has competed in six seasons of American Ninja Warrior.
Tanoai “Toa” Reed
Reed isn’t just Dwayne Johnson’s cousin; he’s also the actor’s stunt double! The performer formerly known as Toa has doubled for Johnson in at least 20 films, including the recent films Rampage, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, and The Fate of the Furious.
Erin “Steel” Toughill
Toughill has retired from MMA, but her name came up in a recent interview with American Gladiators co-host Laila Ali, who said she “remember[s] really, really kicking her ass and loving it” when they boxed each other in 2005.
If your idea of a “gladiator” is more spandex-clad bodybuilder than toga-clad Russell Crowe or Prada-clad Kerry Washington, take heart!
There’s another American Gladiators reboot on the horizon, this one with Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg as executive producers, as The Hollywood Reporter touts. It’s been 10 years since the franchise last hit airwaves — NBC revived the show during the 2008 writers’ strike, if you’ll recall.
So where are the muscle-bound combatants now? We’re checking in with nine of the last batch of Gladiators in the gallery above!
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