If you’ve been wondering about the whereabouts of former AEW TNT Champion Wardlow and his secret TV project, he is working with WWE Superstar The Miz on the new American Gladiators revival for Amazon MGM Studios. The Hollywood Reporter has details on the new cast of Gladiators, which features AEW stars Wardlow and Kamille, along with three other wrestlers.
AEW’s Wardlow and Kamille (aka Kailey Latimer) will be among the 16 new Gladiators for the upcoming series, hosted by WWE Superstar The Miz. The new cast includes eight women and eight men, several of whom are wrestlers. Other cast members include bodybuilders, former Division I athletes, CrossFit champions, and military veterans. Other former pro wrestlers in the cast include former WWE Superstar Eric Bugenhagen (aka Rick Boogs), former TNA star Jessie Godderz, and Jessica Roden (aka J-Rod).
The sideline reporter for the new series is Rocsi Diaz, former co-host of BET’s 106 & Park. Sports commentator Chris Rose will provide play-by-play commentary.
Speaking on the news to THR, MGM Alternative, Evolution Media, and Big Fish Entertainment General Manager Barry Poznik stated, “The original Gladiators were iconic, so our search for the new Gladiators had to be exhaustive. Our team went cross country, meeting with thousands of fitness influencers and professional athletes to find the highest caliber of competitors.” He continued, “Every Gladiator in this lineup embodies what it means to be a modern warrior — relentless, inspiring, and ready for the challenge of a lifetime. They are real-life superheroes.”
The new update on the unscripted competition series will feature brand-new events, including some classics from the original series, such as “Gauntlet,” “Hang Tough,” and “The Eliminator.” The original series is also available to stream now on Prime Video’s FAST channel. The competition series features contestants challenging the Gladiators in athletic-based games.
THR also notes that the new Gladiators will have their own unique Gladiator nicknames, similar to the original cast. However, their new names have not yet been finalized. Here is the full list of this year’s cast of new Gladiators:
Abigail Lay (Springfield, MI)
Ayinde Warren (Silver Springs, MD)
Dani Means (Los Angeles, CA)
Dani Speegle (Houston, TX)
Drew Aggouras (Boston, MA)
Emily Nelson (Mesa, AZ)
Eric Bugenhagen (Milwaukee, WI)
Fessy Shafaat (Orlando, FL)
Jason Peele (Southern Pines, NC)
Jessica Roden (Mount Vernon, OH)
Jessie Godderz (Weed, CA)
Joseph Hall (Sacramento, CA)
Kailey Latimer (Durham, NC)
Lu Faustin (Brooklyn, NY)
Michael Wardlow (Middlefield, OH)
Sydney Hunter (Sacramento, CA)
This will be the latest in a string of past American Gladiators reboots. The first major attempt was in 2008, featuring WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan as part of the broadcast team. It lasted for only two seasons and 22 episodes. A 2014 revival produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg didn’t make it off the ground.
Another revival debuted in the UK on the BBC last year, becoming the No. 1 new entertainment series in the country for the past seven years. The new reboot does not yet have a debut date. It will stream on Amazon’s Prime Video later.
