Amazon Finds Its American Gladiators and Hires ‘106 & Park’ Co-Host as Sideline Reporter (Exclusive)

Gladiators, ready.

Amazon Prime Video’s American Gladiators reboot has found its Gladiators, whom The Hollywood Reporter can first reveal. The new season will feature 16 gladiators — eight women and eight men, ages 22 to 38 (and standing 5’5” to 6′ 5” tall, weighing between 140 and 270 pounds) — picked from across the country. The group includes bodybuilders, pro wrestlers, former Division I athletes, CrossFit champions and military veterans.

The series will be hosted by WWE Superstar Mike “The Miz” Mizanin. His sidekicks will be sideline reporter Rocsi Diaz, the former co-host of BET’s 106 & Park, THR has learned exclusively; sports commentator Chris Rose will be on play by play. Rose hosts NFL GameDay Final on NFL Network alongside Maurice Jones-Drew.

Beyond Gladiators, Diaz is a contributor at GMA and GMA3, as well as other ABC News programming. She currently co-hosts Tubi’s We Got Time Today with Deion Sanders. Rosci was a regular guest host on MTV’s Ridiculousness; her résumé also includes hosting Fox singing competition series Alter Ego.

The Miz will have five professional wrestlers keeping the show’s contenders in check: Eric Bugenhagen (aka Rick Boogs), Michael Wardlow (aka Wardlow), Jessie Godderz (aka Mr. PEC-Tacular), Jessica Roden (aka The Ultimate Athlete, J-Rod) and Kailey Latimer (aka Kamille).

Pro wrestlers must have the physique to look good in spandex, as well as the athleticism and microphone skills required for the role; it’s no coincidence they occupy a third of the show’s on-camera talent slots.

“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” Barry Poznick, general manager MGM Alternative, Evolution Media and Big Fish Entertainment, told THR. “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.”

Prime Video’s American Gladiators will feature brand new events, as well incorporate some classics from the original series like “Gauntlet,” “Hang Tough” and “The Eliminator.” The original series is available to stream on a newly launched “American Gladiators” FAST channel on Prime Video FAST.

Below are the new Gladiators and their hometowns; the links are to their Instagram accounts. Jason Peele is not on Instagram, which instantly makes him our favorite Gladiator.

Oh, and one more thing. Yes, the 16 Gladiators will have Gladiator names — like the OGs Gemini, Lace, Nitro and Zap — those have not been sorted out just yet, we’re told.

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)

American Gladiators has been rebooted several times: in 1994 as a kids series, as a primetime special in 1995 and again as a series in 2008. A 2014 attempt at bringing the franchise back did not make it to air, despite having Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg as executive producers.