See freaks and roids
More than a decade after first wrestling their way onto Australian television screens, the Gladiators have returned. Time Out asks the new line up of small screen warriors the toughest questions: how do you work out, who are your rivals and, most importantly, who does your hair?
Tough guys and dolls Some seriously buffed folk would like to know what the f**k you think you're lookin' at
[The gals…]
Amazon
What was the decision behind the name? My appearance certainly lent a hand! My never-say-die attitude, my warrior-like competitive nature and my desire for larger-than-life combat while competing.
What is your favourite Gladiator game and why? That’s a tough one as I have a few: Sumo Ball, Gauntlet, Whiplash but my all time favourite is Powerball. It’s one-on-one body contact, no weapons, no platforms to stay on, nothing to defend yourself, just a Gladiator to evade. Would you dare?
Do you have any special skills or talents (as a Gladiator or otherwise)? I will have you mentally psyched out of the game before you even begin. Many challengers will look anywhere but directly into my eyes.
What do you like best about being a Gladiator? To state the obvious; competing to win while at the same time engaging a huge crowd.
What’s the worst thing about being a Gladiator? (Come on… you must have your fair share of wedgies, that’s got to be up there?) There isn’t anything negative I could think of to say.
Is it hard to fight in skimpy costumes and still look good? Our costumes have been made as a second skin to fit our physiques exactly. Believe it or not mine is rather comfortable! As with various professional athletes, the more fitted and pliable the garment the less limitation you have whiles competing.
Do you have a favourite Gladiator? Why? That is like asking do you have a favourite brother or sister! No I couldn’t possibly choose.
Do you have an arch-rival? Why? (Come on…You can tell us.) Any challengers who dare to step into our arena.
Does the rivalry continue off-camera? Most certainly not, we are a very close-knit family who work as a troop at all times and are very positive towards each other.
How do you stay in shape? I train twice a day, sometimes three times a day. I wish there were more hours in the day so I could train even more! I have a stringent diet and follow the mantra ‘eat to live don’t live to eat’.
Do you have a favourite exercise? One of my favourites from boot camp is ‘man carries’. This is when you haul a team mate of a similar weight over your shoulders up and down a gigantic mountain.
As a child, did you ever dream you’d be a Gladiator? I do remember watching the girls play Pyramid and thinking I would be great at that!
What would you be doing if you weren’t a Gladiator? Travelling the globe searching for new challenges in life.
In your promotional photos you’ve got such fantastic hair… will you be a glamorous Gladiator in action? My hair is a work of art. Don’t be fooled though, we’re not all for looks. If it came down to winning or looking glamorous everyone would undeniably sacrifice their appearance for the victory.
Did you get any tips from previous Gladiators? No. Even though I’m sure their hints would be quite handy.
Will you include your stint on Gladiators on your future resume? Of course it’s a notable achievement.
What would you do if you had to win a fight on the street - no mats, no pads, no costumes? I keep the competition for the arena.
Angel
What was the decision behind the name? I float like an Angel on all the aerial games.
What is your favourite Gladiator game and why? I love Hang Tough because it’s spectacular, performed up in the heavens and combines grace and combat. Nothing beats the drama of gliding towards your challenger elegantly then the direct pounce of aerial fighting.
Do you have any special skills or talents (as a Gladiator or otherwise)? I do martial arts. I have a 4th Dan black belt and love to mix martial arts and muscle on the show. I’m particularly skilled in climbing and wrestling in the air.
What do you like best about being a Gladiator? A Gladiator is a hero to kids. I love to be a positive role model and I hope that I encourage others to not only spread their wings, but to rise up and be stronger than they imagined.
What’s the worst thing about being a Gladiator? (Come on… you must have your fair share of wedgies, that’s got to be up there?) I only get one game an episode. I would compete as a Gladiator all day if I could. I thrive on the competition.
Do you have a favourite Gladiator? Why? My favourite Gladiator is Nomad. He too does martial arts in the arena. Like me he is one of the smallest Gladiators and we both compete to prove that it isn’t always about strength or muscle mass but more importantly about skill.
Do you have an arch-rival? Why? (Come on…You can tell us.) Yes. In the arena I have challengers and always compete with integrity and graciousness.
How do you stay in shape? I eat healthily and exercise every day. A strong lean physique requires commitment, every day counts and you have to push yourself to train hard. I combine cardio with strength and power sessions. I also do Taekwondo everyday to maintain my combat training.
Do you have a favourite exercise? Nothing beats sparring. I love kicking. Kicking is the closest thing Angel has ever experienced to flying.
As a child, did you ever dream you’d be a Gladiator? Absolutely! I have studied martial arts for 17 years and always dreamt of competing in an arena as magnificent as Gladiators. It is an honour to walk into the arena every day.
What would you be doing if you weren’t a Gladiator? I would continue to teach children martial arts. I think it is vital that we commit to helping kids to feel more confident. If children were confident with high self esteem then many of our social problems such as child obesity, bullying, binge drinking wouldn’t be as epidemic. Martial arts imbues a child with not only confidence but also a strong sense of self-respect that permeates their core being. Self-respect helps us all to engage with the world positively and to reach our full potential.
In your promotional photos you’ve got such fantastic hair… will you be a glamorous Gladiator in action? Absolutely! I love that I can be fierce and flying and look good doing it. But the glamour is secondary to my performance on the games. As soon as the ref blows his whistle I’m not thinking about how my hair looks, all I care about is competing to my full potential.
Did you get any tips from previous Gladiators? My mentor is Glacier. She did martial arts as a Gladiator too.
What would you do if you had to win a fight on the street - no mats, no pads, no costumes? The only way to win a fight on the street is to avoid it. Outside of the Gladiator arena, or any professional dojang, the only excuse for fighting is self-protection. The victor of a confrontation on the street, in the schoolyard, at a club, is the person who avoids it.
Bionica
What was the decision behind the name? The name Bionica was given to me because it describes both my appearance and personality, a woman who appears enhanced and a controlled, precise persona.
What is your favourite Gladiator game and why? I excel in Powerball because I like to tackle hard.
Do you have any special skills or talents (as a Gladiator or otherwise)? My biggest strengths are my agility and strength, games like powerball and pyramid see no challengers getting an easy run. I enlist whatever it takes to achieve what I set out for.
What do you like best about being a Gladiator? Being a Gladiator combines athletism, competiveness and glamour. With those three points I couldn't think of a direction I'd rather take than to be part of this.
What’s the worst thing about being a Gladiator? (Come on… you must have your fair share of wedgies, that’s got to be up there?) I don't have a weakness, the only thing I lack is compassion when a component is going down.
Is it hard to fight in skimpy costumes and still look good? No, I love the uniform it's like a second skin and enables me to move quickly and freely
Do you have a favourite Gladiator? Why? I admire Nitro. She has amazing speed, agility and strength that surpasses everyone's expectations.
Do you have an arch-rival? Why? (Come on…You can tell us.) No we are a team.
Does the rivalry continue off-camera? Not at all, we are all great friends.
How do you stay in shape? Set yourself long term and short term goals. If you can't see where you want to be in a week or year, how will you get there? Monitor yourself and your performance regularly to check your improvement and make sure you’re on the right track.
Do you have a favourite exercise? I do both weights training and endurance training, so by alternating between the two it adds variation and I'm not likely to get bored. Being goal orientated I strive to complete everything I set out to do, and being fit is the method to getting those goals.
As a child, did you ever dream you’d be a Gladiator? Of course.
What would you be doing if you weren’t a Gladiator? I am a personal trainer by day and that is something that I would still want to be involved, health and fitness is a part of who I am.
In your promotional photo’s you’ve got such fantastic hair… will you be a glamorous Gladiator in action? I’ll certainly be trying.
Did you get any tips from previous Gladiators? No.
Will you include your stint on Gladiators on your future resume? Absolutely, this is definitely a career highlight.
What would you do if you had to win a fight on the street - no mats, no pads, no costumes? I wouldn’t fight in the street.
Destiny
What was the decision behind the name? I have a natural intuition about the future and how things will eventuate so the name is part of who I am in personality too.
What is your favourite Gladiator game and why? I do have a few favourites, one of them is Duel. Duel is a battle of Gladiator vs Challenger there is nowhere to hide and there is no escaping the fact that one of you is left standing on the podium and one has fallen to their end. It’s not just about being strong, though that helps a lot, it requires some skill and persistence and is one of the best games to watch.
What do you like best about being a Gladiator? The show is fantastic to watch as it’s so entertaining and I love that, but to represent women as being strong and extremely capable is something that I like the most. I like to play hard and give it everything, we all do, and that can be seen in the show and throughout the series.
What’s the worst thing about being a Gladiator? (Come on… you must have your fair share of wedgies, that’s got to be up there?) Is actually not being able to play every game on every show! I love to compete and the games are a lot of fun to play so often I want to be a part of them all.
Is it hard to fight in skimpy costumes and still look good? The costume is actually comfortable so its all ok there. I don’t really think about any of the other stuff as my mind is tuned in to the game ahead and my focus is all about the battle, whatever happens happens, it’s going to anyway.
Do you have a favourite Gladiator? Why? That’s hard they are all so unique. I think Viper is strong, ruthless and very determined and I love someone who doesn’t give in and she is an amazing competitor.
Do you have an arch-rival? Why? (Come on…You can tell us.) No arch rivals for me, I don’t need them when I know everyone’s fate!
Any rivals in the Gladiator team? Forget it! We look after and respect each other so you will find no rivals among us sorry!
Does the rivalry continue off-camera? No
How do you stay in shape? I love training and it’s a major part of my life, predominately I weight train, run, box or whatever I feel like for the day. You have to enjoy the training that you do and for me I will try any sport or activity for the challenge and fun.
Do you have a favourite exercise? Anything I see giving me results, which would have to be lunges.
As a child, did you ever dream you’d be a Gladiator? Yes
What would you be doing if you weren’t a Gladiator? I was always going to be a Gladiator no doubt!
In your promotional photo’s you’ve got such fantastic hair… will you be a glamorous Gladiator in action? My hair is pretty functional so it stays in its plaits ok, taking the helmets off sometimes can cause a bit of displacement but not too bad.
Did you get any tips from previous Gladiators? No
Will you include your stint on Gladiators on your future resume? Absolutely
What would you do if you had to win a fight on the street - no mats, no pads, no costumes? I would never have a fight in the street. But I’d hold my own if I had to defend myself no problem at all.
Nitro
What was the decision behind the name? I was named Nitro because I’m super fast, explosive, volatile and unpredictable.
What is your favourite Gladiator game and why? My favorite game would have to be pendulum, because it is very challenging and exciting to play and watch. You need great body weight strength to play Pendulum.
Do you have any special skills or talents (as a Gladiator or otherwise)? I’m fast and agile making it hard for the challengers to get away from me! And I'm much stronger than I look.
What do you like best about being a Gladiator? Getting to be on the show that I loved when I was a young teenager and getting to play all these fun games and oh yeah, beat the challengers.
What’s the worst thing about being a Gladiator? (Come on… you must have your fair share of wedgies, that’s got to be up there?) What's wrong with a wedgie? You might see a few of those from me! Haha
Is it hard to fight in skimpy costumes and still look good? Not at all, our costumes are designed and custom made for us. Once my suit goes on I’m dangerous, I’d worry if I were you!!
Do you have a favourite Gladiator? Why? All the Gladiators are my favorites, they are my brothers and sisters!
Do you have an arch-rival? Why? (Come on…You can tell us.) Every challenger is my rival, but I manage to knock them down a few notches.
Does the rivalry continue off-camera? Definitely.
How do you stay in shape? I train 6 days a week, up to three times a day and eat 6 meals a day.
Do you have a favourite exercise? At the moment swimming and chin-ups.
As a child, did you ever dream you’d be a Gladiator? Yes I did but I never thought the dream would come true!
What would you be doing if you weren’t a Gladiator? I was born to be a Gladiator!
In your promotional photo’s you’ve got such fantastic hair… will you be a glamorous Gladiator in action? Thank you, when I’m in action I don’t think about my hair, I just think about catching the challengers.
Did you get any tips from previous Gladiators? I guess watching old footage always helps but as soon as I got on the games it was like it all just came so natural for me!
Will you include your stint on Gladiators on your future resume? Of course, it’s something I’m really proud of.
What would you do if you had to win a fight on the street - no mats, no pads, no costumes? Nitro wouldn’t compete in a street fight.
Olympia
What was the decision behind the name? The main factor in the decision was my performance at Sydney Olympics and the fact that I'm best known in Australia as an athlete. I love this name, it's symbolises true and pure sportsmanship for me.
What is your favourite Gladiator game and why?Vertigo and Pyramid. Both of these games are games of skills. Vertigo gives you the sense of freedom. And Pyramid gives you a chance to face the challenger one on one. Tackling is a big part of Pyramid and it's a lot of fun.
Do you have any special skills or talents (as a Gladiator or otherwise)? I guess my main talent is the ability to learn and determination.
What do you like best about being a Gladiator? Being a Gladiator is a constant test of your physical and mental abilities.
What’s the worst thing about being a Gladiator? (Come on… you must have your fair share of wedgies, that’s got to be up there?) Early mornings are always hard for me and we have quite a few of them.
Is it hard to fight in skimpy costumes and still look good? Not at all. Did you see the uniform for swimmers, athletes or gymnasts? Our costumes are not much different from those.
Does the rivalry continue off-camera? The rivalry for me finishes with the whistle of the referee. It's all about the games and trying to do your best within the time frames we are given. Nothing personal.
How do you stay in shape? Training and playing the games.
Do you have a favourite exercise? Not really. I like changing my training routines and exercises so they still interesting and exiting to do.
As a child, did you ever dream you’d be a Gladiator? I have always been a Gladiator at heart and was applying my competitive spirit in other sport (guess what sport was it?). Now Gladiators is giving me a chance to learn new skills and apply my knowledge to new games.
In your promotional photo’s you’ve got such fantastic hair… will you be a glamorous Gladiator in action? Olympia is a glamorous Gladiator in action or not.
Did you get any tips from previous Gladiators? Not from the Gladiators themselves no.
Will you include your stint on Gladiators on your future resume? Of course.
What would you do if you had to win a fight on the street - no mats, no pads, no costumes? I'm not a fighter, I'm a competitor and I wouldn't fight on the streets.
Viper
What was the decision behind the name? I am theatrical in what I do and being Viper gave me the opportunity to let loose and have a little fun in playing with it.
What is your favourite Gladiator game and why? The Pyramid involves everything; running, tackling, chasing prey, giving big hits. It is both entertaining to watch and entertaining to play. It is 60seconds of intense physical action. The thrill of chasing down the challengers as they attempt to make it to the top is exciting and fun.
Do you have any special skills or talents (as a Gladiator or otherwise)? I love tackling and playing the one-on-one games.
What do you like best about being a Gladiator? The thing I like most about being a Gladiator is that my job is to entertain the audience which is what I love to do. I am here to give my best possible performance everytime, it is the best buzz in the world walking into The Arena with a full house. The energy is electric.
What’s the worst thing about being a Gladiator? (Come on… you must have your fair share of wedgies, that’s got to be up there?) Not being able to compete every day!
Is it hard to fight in skimpy costumes and still look good? During the games, you become so involved in what is happening that you forget what you are wearing because all costumes were tailor made and designed for what we do.
Do you have a favourite Gladiator? Why? Watching each Gladiator perform they all highly impress me. I have a new favourite after each game. I think by now, I have chosen them all. Everyone of them are skilled performers.
Do you have an arch-rival? Why? (Come on…You can tell us.) Yes. People who catch snakes and torture them. They annoy me immensely.
Does the rivalry continue off-camera? Only as to who is going to pay for dinner when we eat out.
How do you stay in shape? By having a passion for training and continually improving my abilities as a Gladiator and a Fighter.
Do you have a favourite exercise? Running to me is both therapeutic and energetic. However, it is also lots of fun to let loose on the punching bags.
As a child, did you ever dream you'd be a Gladiator? I was a big fan when I was younger, I used to stick pictures of all my favourite Gladiators on all of my school books. If I went back in time and told myself that one day that would be me, I wouldn’t believe it. What an honour!
What would you be doing if you weren't a Gladiator? It’s so much fun being a Gladiator I’d like to keep doing it!
In your promotional photo's you've got such fantastic hair… will you be a glamorous Gladiator in action? I guess you'll have to watch the show on channel 7 to find that answer out...
Did you get any tips from previous Gladiators? No I didn't but I am hoping to meet some of them in the future.
Will you include your stint on Gladiators on your future resume? For sure.
What would you do if you had to win a fight on the street - no mats, no pads, no costumes? I would hiss at them!
[The guys…]
Hunter
What was the decision behind the name? I love to create and analyse strategies and tactics. I’m constantly looking for the best way to take someone down. Hunter just seemed like the only logical choice.
What is your favourite Gladiator game and why? Hang tough is without a doubt the most difficult game to play in the Gladiator arena. It involves an incredible amount of skill and strategy as well as strength, body mechanics, awareness of your environment, the ability to anticipate your opponent and think 2-3 moves ahead. All whilst under pressure, one wrong move and it all falls apart. What’s not to like?
Do you have any special skills or talents (as a Gladiator or otherwise)? I’d say stealth, precision, tactical ability, awareness of my surroundings and being able to easily adapt to my environment would all be good examples of special skills that differentiate me from the other Gladiators.
What do you like best about being a Gladiator? Wearing spandex to work – haha. Actually for me it’s the thrill of the hunt, especially if the challenger has a high level of skill. The feeling I get as the screams of 2000 people gets louder and louder as I close in on my target is totally indescribable.
What’s the worst thing about being a Gladiator? (Come on… you must have your fair share of wedgies, that’s got to be up there?) I can’t say wedgies have ever been a concern of mine but I tell you what is up there... Challengers trying to escape from me. I gotta say it really tests my patience.
Is it hard to fight in skimpy costumes and still look good? It’s a piece of cake. I could make fighting in a garbage bag look stylish. The costumes, believe it or not make it easier to compete. If I was wearing loose clothing I would be at a great disadvantage.
Do you have a favourite Gladiator? Why? Scar and I are good mates. He enjoys hunting as well and we often exchange hunting stories during down time, but if I have to hear how he got that scar one more time...
Do you have an arch-rival? Why? (Come on…You can tell us.) Only really with the challengers.
Does the rivalry continue off-camera? No.
How do you stay in shape? I train once or twice a day 5-6 days per week. My program consists of strength, endurance and power training. I do some skills based activities and play paintball twice a week to maintain my hunting skills.
Do you have a favourite exercise? I have a few but one that is great for building chest size and strength is bench press. Change it up a bit though by making it a triple drop set. For example say you can bench 80 kg for 4 reps. Load the bar with 6, 10kg plates. Do 4 reps then drop 2 plates, do another 4 then drop another 2 plates then as many as you can to finish. And before you say, “but Hunter 6x10kg is 60kg!” The bar weighs 20kg too.
As a child, did you ever dream you’d be a Gladiator? I was a teenager when I was watching my predecessors competing all those years ago. An adolescent still developing his body and sharpening his skills. I don’t think that I ever thought that I would be fighting in the Gladiator arena but I did have aspirations. When the opportunity presented itself, I was determined to be the next Gladiator.
What would you be doing if you weren’t a Gladiator? I’d still be hunting - I hear they are still looking for Osama.
In your promotional photo’s you’ve got such fantastic hair… will you be a glamorous Gladiator in action? I have what?? Fantastic hair!? You can’t be serious. Ok let’s get one thing straight. Glamorous is synonymous with Gladiators like Angel or Destiny. You start trying to tag me with that, you and I are gonna have a bit of a problem... OK.
Did you get any tips from previous Gladiators? No I haven’t met the previous Gladiators or gotten any tips from them but it’s ok because I think I’ve got it covered out there.
Will you include your stint on Gladiators on your future resume? Sure. Any new employer would see my experience in the arena as very valuable asset. Especially in the area of negotiation.
What would you do if you had to win a fight on the street - no mats, no pads, no costumes? I don’t street fight. .
Kouta
What was the decision behind the name? There was no decision, it is my name.
What is your favourite Gladiator game and why? Powerball – I love it because it is a team game, highly physical and the tackling is great.
Do you have any special skills or talents (as a Gladiator or otherwise)? I am strong, agile and very competitive.
What do you like best about being a Gladiator? I really enjoy being a part of a team and working with the other Gladiators, they have become like family to me.
What’s the worst thing about being a Gladiator? (Come on… you must have your fair share of wedgies, that’s got to be up there?) When a challenger is not being competitive enough and giving 110 per cent.
Do you have a favourite Gladiator? Why? Too hard to chose – I like them all!
Do you have an arch-rival? Why? (Come on…You can tell us.) No, sorry - no one
Does the rivalry continue off-camera? No, we all get along really well, we are a great team.
How do you stay in shape? I lead a balanced lifestyle - combining a healthy diet with exercise.
Do you have a favourite exercise? Yes, push ups.
As a child, did you ever dream you’d be a Gladiator? I always admired the Gladiators but never thought I would get the opportunity to be one.
What would you be doing if you weren’t a Gladiator? I would be spending more time with family and friends.
Did you get any tips from previous Gladiators? No, unfortunately not.
Will you include your stint on Gladiators on your future resume? Yes, definitely.
What would you do if you had to win a fight on the street - no mats, no pads, no costumes? I never fight on the streets.
Nomad
What was the decision behind the name? The name Nomad fits me very well because I have been a nomad my whole life. I have wandered the whole world, across the seven seas in search of a true opponent, a real challenge.
What is your favourite Gladiator game and why? I love Hang Tough. When I’m up there on the rings, I feel free and at home. The challengers should know that in order to beat Nomad, they need to learn to ride the winds like a dragon or I will make them fall like a flightless duck.
Do you have any special skills or talents (as a Gladiator or otherwise)? I am dynamic and noble. Speed and agility are my special traits. For me being in the air is being at home. I may be smaller than other male gladiators but I’ m as fast as a cheetah and have the strength, wisdom and courage of a thousand lions.
What do you like best about being a Gladiator? The best thing about being a Gladiator is the experience which I will treasure forever. It is something I can’t put a price on.
What’s the worst thing about being a Gladiator? (Come on… you must have your fair share of wedgies, that’s got to be up there?) Honestly, I can’t think of any.
Is it hard to fight in skimpy costumes and still look good? Actually, it is quite comfortable. I could probably use them as my pyjamas.
Do you have a favourite Gladiator? Why? All the Glads are my favourites. We are all like a family. I can’t prefer one over the other because they all have helped me in some ways to become wiser and stronger.
Do you have an arch-rival? Why? (Come on…You can tell us.) No I don’t have any rival Gladiator. We all work together as a team and each one of us has an important role to play in the team.
Does the rivalry continue off-camera? As I said, there is no rivalry between us. Actually, we help and support each other to look our best and do our best. If one Gladiator wins, all the Gladiators win.
How do you stay in shape? I do Martial Arts and Weight Training regularly to stay in shape. But I believe my real secret to stay in top shape lies in healthy eating.
Do you have a favourite exercise? Actually, I have many favourite exercises but to name some of the best are CLEAN & PRESS, SQUAT, BENCH PRESS and DEADLIFT. These are all compound exercises using a few muscle groups at one time; these exercises are time convenient and best to build functional strength.
Did you ever dream you’d be a Gladiator? I didn’t need to dream to be a Gladiator. I’m Nomad and was destined to be a Gladiator.
What would you be doing if you weren’t a Gladiator? I would be wandering around looking for the next challenge.
Did you get any tips from previous Gladiators? No I didn’t.
Will you include your stint on Gladiators on your future resume? Yes.
What would you do if you had to win a fight on the street - no mats, no pads, no costumes? I would use the greatest art of all ‘the art of non-violence’. I believe that you can conquer any challenge if you don’t resist it.
You have to become like that calm and peaceful breeze that tames the violent sea.
Outlaw
What was the decision behind the name? It was because I have some characteristics that resemble an Outlaw.
What is your favourite Gladiator game and why? Pyramid - because I love tackling.
Do you have any special skills or talents (as a Gladiator or otherwise)? My ability to tackle and take down challengers.
What do you like best about being a Gladiator? I love competition. Being able to do it in front of so many people just makes it more enjoyable.
What’s the worst thing about being a Gladiator? (Come on… you must have your fair share of wedgies, that’s got to be up there?) I can’t say I’ve ever had a wedgie.
Is it hard to fight in skimpy costumes and still look good? No. It’s probably easier to compete in them.
Do you have a favourite Gladiator? Why? They’re all amazing to watch.
Do you have an arch-rival? Why? (Come on…You can tell us.) No. I don’t care enough to waste time with arch-rivals.
How do you stay in shape? I train whenever I get an opportunity. I also try eating as well as possible.
Do you have a favourite exercise? I like to wrestle and any training is fun.
As a child, did you ever dream you’d be a Gladiator? I always loved the show and am so happy to have this opportunity.
What would you be doing if you weren’t a Gladiator? I'd be playing rugby.
In your promotional photo’s you’ve got such fantastic hair… will you
be a glamorous Gladiator in action? I don’t know about glamorous. But I will be entertaining.
Did you get any tips from previous Gladiators? No. I've never met any of the old Gladiators.
Will you include your stint on Gladiators on your future resume? Sure.
What would you do if you had to win a fight on the street - no mats, no pads, no costumes? I'm not one to fight on the streets.
Scar
What was the decision behind the name? The decision behind the name came from the claw marks I have on my chest - that is where the name Scar comes from. The scar came from a battle long ago.... scarred me for life.
What is your favourite Gladiator game and why? My favourite game is Duel because I get to look my challenger in the eyes, face to face like a true warrior.
Do you have any special skills or talents (as a Gladiator or otherwise)? I am a good dancer and bush tracker.
What do you like best about being a Gladiator? I like the excitement of the challenge and the adrenelin rush that comes with it. This is where I love to be.
What’s the worst thing about being a Gladiator? (Come on… you must have your fair share of wedgies, that’s got to be up there?) No wedgies for me.
Is it hard to fight in skimpy costumes and still look good? No, it is comfortable for me. Less for the challenger to grab onto to pull me down.
Do you have a favourite Gladiator? Why? No, all the Gladiators are unique and exceptional in their own ways.
Do you have an arch-rival? Why? (Come on…You can tell us.) Definitely not, I get along with everyone.
Does the rivalry continue off-camera? No rivalry at all.
How do you stay in shape? I keep very active, eat lots of fresh food. Swimming, jumping, you name it- I do it all.
Do you have a favourite exercise? I like to wrestle, I am very good at it as I am so strong. It is a big part of my training.
As a child, did you ever dream you'd be a Gladiator? I was born into a long line of Gladiators- so I am already a Gladiator by birth. This was my chance to share my skills with the world.
What would you be doing if you weren't a Gladiator? Working, training and merrily living life to the fullest.
In your promotional photo's you've got such fantastic hair... will you be a glamorous Gladiator in action? No I will not be a glamorous Gladiator- I am a determined Gladiator.
Did you get any tips from previous Gladiators? No, I have not met any as yet.
Will you include your stint on Gladiators on your future resume? Yes I will include it on my resume- being a Gladiator is exciting and I treasure the time I have with the team.
What would you do if you had to win a fight on the street - no mats, no pads, no costumes? I do not promote violence.
Tank
What was the decision behind the name? My arms have always been referred to as cannons so the TANK suits me.
What is your favourite Gladiator game and why? Gauntlet. Like a tank in the battlefield, I love a good head on battle and the Gauntlet gives me this.
Do you have any special skills or talents (as a Gladiator or otherwise)? My skin is like steel and my cannons are always loaded with power to outskill any challenger.
What do you like best about being a Gladiator? I love being a weapon against all who challenge me. They soon find out I just keep rollin.
What’s the worst thing about being a Gladiator? (Come on… you must have your fair share of wedgies, that’s got to be up there?) Nothing.
Is it hard to fight in skimpy costumes and still look good? Easy and I always look good.
Do you have a favourite Gladiator? Why? Yes. All of them. We are one unique team.
Do you have an arch-rival? Why? (Come on…You can tell us.) No, we all work together.
Does the rivalry continue off-camera? When we get out of the arena, we are still like brothers and sisters, we stand together as one.
How do you stay in shape? With hard training, a good diet and a Gladiator lifestyle.
Do you have a u and enjoy the positive energy from my fans as I entertain them. I like working as part of a team as each Gladiator has an individual strength and we complement each other which makes us the best Gladiator team ever.
What’s the worst thing about being a Gladiator? (Come on… you must have your fair share of wedgies, that’s got to be up there?) Putting up with referee Bill Harrigan; the guy is outrageous and there are many times when I felt like I was going to loose my cool.
Is it hard to fight in skimpy costumes and still look good? The Gladiator uniform is specifically made for our bodies and our events. When we are in battle, our adrenalin is pumping; we don’t give a second thought to what we are wearing. My bald head and our lycra uniforms are streamlined for speed and athletic performance. The Australian swimming team suits have nothing compared to the technology that Channel 7 wardrobe has.
Do you have a favourite Gladiator? Why? My favourite Gladiator to watch is Nomad. He is an acrobatic marvel, he can do things that I can’t. I think he is very entertaining.
Do you have an arch-rival? Why? (Come on…You can tell us.) I consider the challengers all as enemies.
Does the rivalry continue off-camera? Thunder’s fury stops outside the arena. He believes in helping and protecting the weak.
How do you stay in shape? I train very hard and eat good, wholesome and nutritious food
Do you have a favourite exercise? My favourite exercise is flipping cars
As a child, did you ever dream you’d be a Gladiator? As a child, I dreamed of being the strongest man in the world and being an ultimate warrior. Being a Gladiator allows me to show my strength and be the ultimate warrior in the arena.
What would you be doing if you weren’t a Gladiator? As well as being a Gladiator, I am still representing Australia in the World’s Strongest Man Competitions this year and plan to till I’m too old to walk.
Did you get any tips from previous Gladiators? I did learn from the last series of Gladiators as it was a great entertaining show. However I heard that ‘Vulcan’ had a word to say; maybe we will have to see who is the toughest Gladiator?
Will you include your stint on Gladiators on your future resume? Yes, as the other Gladiators have been wonderful and made the experience enjoyable!
What would you do if you had to win a fight on the street - no mats, no pads, no costumes? I don’t believe in fighting outside the arena.
Thunder
What was the decision behind the name? As Thunder creates a disturbance, I create a disturbance in the arena, I am earth shatteringly strong. When Thunder rolls, challengers fall!
What is your favourite Gladiator game? Duel
Why is it your favourite? Duel is my favourite game because I’m a master of strategy and thrive on overcoming any challengers that stand in my way.
Do you have any special skills or talents (as a Gladiator or otherwise)? I am Australia’s Strongest Man and have been for 7 years. I hold a world record for pulling a 52tonne truck. I pull planes and flip cars. As an actor I have appeared in both films and TV shows in Australia and overseas. Plus I am a good chess player.
What do you like best about being a Gladiator? I like to show the audience my incredible strength and enjoy the positive energy from my fans as I entertain them. I like working as part of a team as each Gladiator has an individual strength and we complement each other which makes us the best Gladiator team ever.
What is the worst thing about being a Gladiator? (Come on… you must have your fair share of wedgies, that’s got to be up there?) Putting up with referee Bill Harrigan; the guy is outrageous and there are many times when I felt like I was going to loose my cool.
Is it hard to fight in skimpy costumes and still look good? The Gladiator uniform is specifically made for our bodies and our events. When we are in battle, our adrenalin is pumping; we don’t give a second thought to what we are wearing. My bald head and our lycra uniforms are streamlined for speed and athletic performance.The Australian swimming team suits have nothing compared to the technology that Channel 7 wardrobe has.
Do you have a favourite Gladiator? Why? My favourite Gladiator to watch is Nomad. He is an acrobatic marvel, he can do things that I can’t. I think he is very entertaining.
Do you have an arch-rival? Why? (Come on… You can tell us.) I consider the challengers all as enemies.
Does the rivalry continue off-camera? Thunder’s fury stops outside the arena. He believes in helping and protecting the weak.
How do you stay in shape? I train very hard and eat good, wholesome and nutritious food
Do you have a favourite exercise? My favourite exercise is flipping cars
As a child, did you ever dream you’d be a Gladiator? As a child, I dreamed of being the strongest man in the world and being an ultimate warrior. Being a Gladiator allows me to show my strength and be the ultimate warrior in the arena.
What would you be doing if you weren’t a Gladiator? As well as being a Gladiator, I am still representing Australia in the World’s Strongest Man Competitions this year and plan to till I’m too old to walk.
Did you get any tips from previous Gladiators? I did learn from the last series of Gladiators as it was a great entertaining show. However I heard that ‘Vulcan’ had a word to say; maybe we will have to see who is the toughest Gladiator?
Will you include your stint on Gladiators on your future resume? Yes, as the other Gladiators have been wonderful and made the experience enjoyable!
What would you do if you had to win a fight on the street (no mats, no pads, no costumes)? I don’t believe in fighting outside the arena.
Gladiators screens at 6.30pm each Sunday on Channel 7. Visit http://au.tv.yahoo.com/b/gladiators/ for more info on your favourite Gladiator.