International Gladiators 1 1994 - Heat 1

International Gladiators 1 1994 - Episode 1 - Heat 1 - 7th January 1995
Pirjo Laitila (Finland) (sport club secretary from Pyhäsalmi) versus Jean Klenk (United Kingdom) (HGV1 lorry driver from Hinckley, Leicestershire)
Andrei Akulov (Russia) (bodyguard from Moscow) versus Wesley "2 Scoops" Berry (United States of America) (American footballer from California)
Here are the International Gladiators.
Female: Nightshade & Scorpio (UK), Ice & Jazz (USA), and Flash (Finland)
Male: Cobra & Hunter (UK), Nitro & Sabre (USA), Terminator (Finland), and Dynamite & Spartak (Russia)
Notes: Suspension Bridge is in the first heat of the international series for its appearance as a core event and a combat event taking place in an event line-up for one odd numbered heat, 1.
It features one new event in the first heat: Pole-Axe.

[@Will-h7h]

I think Jean Klenk threw this on purpose as she was sick of people mentioning she was 37 as if she's some woman in her 60s out there. "Despite the fact you're 37, you're strong" Ridiculous chat.

[@Tubewings]

A little note about some of the contenders and Gladiators. Both of the Finnish Gladiators--Flash (or Salama as she's known as in her native country) and Terminator (Terminaatori)--appeared in all three seasons of the Finnish version, which had ended its run around this time. This series only had male Russian Gladiators--Dynamite (Динамит) and Spartak (Спартак). Dynamite is the only International Gladiator to appear in every episode, and I consider him to be the unofficial mascot of the series. Sadly, both are no longer with us. Dynamite passed away in 2009, and Spartak in 2015. For the American Gladiators, Nitro was one of the originals, staying on until the end of season three, then returned for season six, which was his last as an active Gladiator. Ice debuted in season two and stayed on for the rest of the run, with the exception of a hiatus in season four. Sabre debuted in season four, and Jazz debuted in season five, with both staying on until the end of the American series. I don't know how Pirjo did in her country's domestic competition, but Jean was the 1993 British Champion, so Pirjo's victory is considered somewhat of an upset. Russia didn't have a domestic competition, but Wesley "2 Scoops" Berry was grand champion of the 1993-1994 American Gladiators season, and considered by many fans to be the greatest contender of all time.

[@danalong1237]

International Gladiators: American Gladiators' version of the Olympics!

[@LJ808]

It's awesome seeing the gladiators and contenders from around the globe competing. It's like the Olympics... almost.

[@youloveulises]

I remember watching American Gladiator as a kid thinking it was just the coolest thing, and the only thing better would be those world championships they would vaguely mention. I never did get to watch them and now this many years later the mighty algorithm leads me to THIS! I feel like a kid again 😁😁 time to binge!

[@andysee6996]

There are seven episodes, plus seven more with a second season of International Gladiators. Have fun!

[@Tubewings]

I can honestly say I was not expecting this to come up so soon. I thought it would be posted after the Celebrity Challenge and Fighting Forces Challenges (since those episodes originally aired before IG). Incidentally "International Gladiators" was my first exposure to the UK Gladiators, but it aired with slight differences in the U.S. compared to the rest of the world. It used the American music package rather than the British, and it was paced more like the American version. Also, this was Scorpio's last appearance on "Gladiators" as she would leave the show soon afterwards due to a back injury she sustained while performing a panto.

[@tewolde103]

Tubewings, 2 Gladiators 1994 Specials will be on Challenge TV by 9th April.

[@jwilk5606]

We need this for 2028. The Olympics would be lit with these events

[@spacered]

I grew up watching International Gladiators is one of the best crossovers when I was a kid.

[@Tubewings]

Here's how the events differed between the American and British versions. Powerball--Powerball was one of the original American events, but it was played a bit differently when it first debuted. Originally, the five pods were arranged in a semicircle, and each goal was worth 15 points (the scoring system was also different in its Early Installment Weirdness days). By the second half of the first season, the pitch was changed to its more familiar shape, but all forms of tackling were banned, which would result in the offending Gladiator being sent off. After an incident where two Gladiators were sent off for tackling, resulting in a lone Gladiator against two contenders, tackling was reinstated for season two, but high tackles were still banned, and only one Gladiator could be sent off. Scoring varied from season to season, but was mainly the same as the UK version--2 points for an outer basket, 3 points for the middle basket. The Wall--The Wall debuted in the second half of the first season, and was originally the same as the UK Wall, but the event was changed in America for its fifth season. By this point, The Wall was revamped into five sections, and everyone started at the same time, with Gladiators having to cross over into another section to catch the contenders. Pole-Axe--This was a British-exclusive event. Hang Tough--Played the same in both countries, only the American version ran the course from downstage to upstage (where The Wall would be), rather than stage left to stage right. Suspension Bridge--This was another British-exclusive event, though it was based somewhat on the original American Joust, which was played on a bridge and also featured a trap-door for the male contenders, though the trap doors rarely worked.

[@ThePiratecheese]

In case anybody missed it...Jean is 37 years young! Not sure if it was mentioned.

[@davemurray3203]

Christ you'd swear shes 100 the way they go on about it

[@WhisperUK]

How on earth did she manage to do these events without some sort of walking stick, given how old and decrepit she mus have been at 37. They don't half latch onto some weird stuff.

[@paulmarkwilkinson8778]

@@WhisperUK because age is just a number

[@racheltaylor8235]

Hands up anyone in the universe that doesn't know that Jean the trucker is 37 years old incase you missed that ." Jean the trucker is 37 years old " .everybody get that .?

[@Will-h7h]

37 back then was 74 apparently.

[@selina.c]

Sorry how old was she they didn't say it enough 😂😂😂

[@AmaanStorm]

Apparently they were going to let her use her mobility scooter during the gauntlet 😂

[@benclarkson4205]

😆… mental

[@Costas22]

They did an excellent job of drilling into Jean's head that she's old that she messed up the Travelator.

[@Tubewings]

Oh, I almost forgot. The Eliminator. Here's how the American versions went... The original American Eliminator started with both contenders pushing a giant medicine ball up a ramp and deposited it into a receptacle. From there, they had to cross a balance beam while avoiding medicine balls thrown by Gladiators on both sides. After that, they had to cross another pit with a set of commando ropes. Then, they swung with a rope over a wall to get to the final straightaway. There, they had to weave through a set of cones and then choose one of two doors at the end of their corridor, with one door hiding a Gladiator. On top of all that, they had to complete the course in under 60 seconds, with 5 points being awarded for every second left on the clock (they were also penalized 25 points for infractions, such as falling off the balance beam, failure to deposit the medicine ball, grabbing one of the medicine balls, etc.). In the second half of the first season, a third Gladiator was added to the doors, contenders earned 2 points for each second left on the clock, and penalties now deducted 10 points. Season two revamped the course into what would eventually become the course it was known for. First, contenders ran up against a moving treadmill (the Travellator), then had to cross a pit using a specially-designed handbike. After that is the familiar balance beam, but instead of medicine balls, one Gladiator on each side threw a weighted blocking pad at the contenders. From there is the cargo net climb and zip line to the arena floor. After that, contenders had to clear a pair of hurdles before reaching the familiar doors, behind three of which lie Gladiators. Like before, there was a time limit, with 60 seconds for the men, and now 75 seconds for the women. Season three eliminated the time limit and initiated a head start for the contender in the lead. Falling off of the handbike was still a penalty--10 seconds for the women, 7 seconds for the men--now enforced by the Gladiators, and the balance beam was replacing by the rolling beam. After the zipline, contenders now had to climb over two walls (with a rope provided at each wall for assistance), followed by a final straightaway and hurdle with a Gladiator above throwing a giant medicine ball to slow their progress before crossing the finish line.| Season four replaced the second wall and straightaway with a set of moving blocking dummies pumped by a pair of Gladiators. The rest of the course remained the same. Season five revamped the course again to make it similar to the original British Eliminator. It now started with a Versaclimber to the top of the arena followed by a slide down to the handbike, with the rolling beams (replaced by two ball pits for the final season), cargo net, zip line, and wall remaining the same. After the wall came the treadmill and paper burst swing at the end.

[@markcushines3120]

I love the International Gladiators!

[@bluebear1985]

After the Gladiators ended, Mike Adamle, who helped co-host the American show, continued to work in broadcasting in the Chicago area mainly, doing a bit of commentary for sports on occasion. He's been retired since 2017 due to a dementia diagnosis.

[@caffeinatedtrouble]

So sad to hear that Mike got dementia... I loved watching him on the International shows

[@Will-h7h]

Fash fancied a bit of Jazz!

[@coordinator3039]

RIP John Anderson and Larry Thompson

[@danalong1237]

"They came from the four corners of the 🌏, the mightiest Gladiators from 👍🏼 🇬🇧, 🇫🇮, America and 🇷🇺, together for the first time in history, united to accept the challenge of the international champion contenders in a battle that will decide who is the best in the 🌎!" "Here they come: The Gladiators! Face the champions: The Gladiators! The Gladiators! The Gladiators! The Gladiators!" Who said the opening line and who sang the opening theme song?

[@bluebear1985]

@@adenharrison4543 I can tell you that they tried bringing it back in America in 2008, but it flopped. It was presented by Hulk Hogan and Laila Ali.

[@MrRight80]

Some of the Gladiators in the intro never even appeared on the show.

[@donnelladams8362]

I love international gladiators

[@charlottethecat6302]

Nightshade and hunter are so good at pole ax I think the contestants need a 3 second head start

[@davecommentator]

21:07 - BRILLIANT bit of humour.

[@bunglingbill6538]

2 Scoops the LEGEND with feet like Fred Astair

[@andysee6996]

Eliminator Raw Times in this episode Pirjo Laitila - 1 minute 23.93 seconds Jean Klenk - 2 minutes 4.91 seconds Wesley "Two Scoops" Berry - 53.11 seconds Andrei Akulov - 1 minute 10.07 seconds

[@DaryckReese300]

This Gladiator Was Taken From Those Cybernetic Warriors of The Future: The Terminator.

[@danalong1237]

That 🎥 starred Arnold Schwarzenegger, was directed by James Cameron and was released by Orion Pictures in 1984.

[@josephd.2725]

19:36 Pirjo from Finland is waiting to mount her pole.... Hello!

[@Will-h7h]

The Wall was Wesleys weak event it seems, both Cobra and Hunter caught him

[@DomFalance]

Sachs and Adamle worked well imo.

[@KaiserRika]

How old is Jean again?

[@paulmarkwilkinson8778]

37 years old in this video

[@cartmanskittykat2197]

She was 96, and a lesson to us all!

[@Will-h7h]

87 years young!

[@ashleywallace83]

14:59 Scorpio's last appearance on the original Gladiators.

[@samgarnett9174]

I have forgotten how old is Jean again?

[@charlottethecat6302]

Night shade is right about power ball making u good at pole ax hunter won by the skin of his teeth would love to see what warrior is like on pole ax because he's good at power ball

[@StFidjnr]

17:36 a sign of Wesley 2 Scoops Berry's weakness 17:41 COME TO DADDY

[@Andy28548]

shadow and warrior were in there intro/theme but did either take part in international gladiators 1 or 2

[@danielannett1019]

Cause at the time warrior was injured and shadow had been dropped because of steroids

[@julianstanhope378]

More Gladiators gameshow on you tube please and when is gladiators gameshow back on challenge and I am missing this programme 😢

[@MultiVince95]

Saturday 7th January 1995

[@michaelvidal1971]

were the heats ever televised?

[@johnnyballenatl]

Not here in the States; only the semifinals and finals with Mike Adamle doing all the commentary solo.

[@DomFalance]

@@johnnyballenatl IIRC, as a way to fill in reruns between the 6th and final seasons.

[@iljackb]

Man this is so weird how they play music during the events

[@manuelbonilla7348]

Not too weird if you're used to the UK series.

[@jordandavis9665]

Nitro is explosive and an American gladiator

[@sjoannebrown9305]

I loved this series . The more recent ones in their silver suits were crap- then for a charity the uptodate gladiators v old gladiators - Boy has trojan lost a lot of weight -no more muscle- wolf's behaviour hasnt changed

[@runnerbean6166]

Pirjo was awful. How Jean lost to her is beyond me.

[@classicsportclassictiyl8547]

Just shows the graveyard shows no one any respect even to a champion like Jean.

[@benclarkson4205]

Because Jean was absolutely appalling! She has no energy or dynamism. The way she came off the balance beam was a joke… it was like a pensioner took over from there.

[@Brucetiki1]

Having Mike and John co-commentate feels quite jarring

[@ashleywallace83]

It's weird...isn't hosting enough...I'm guessing American Gladiators doesn't have a dedicated commentator so Mike is used to doing it.

[@davemurray3203]

2 scoops needs to have more confidence in himself 😂

[@maredgwenllian9698]

Wesley is bit too cocky I think