Booker T is no stranger to the world of performing, and infamously once tried out for American Gladiators, a fact that shocked his WWE peer.
During a recent interview with The Miz and Rocsi Diaz about the upcoming new era of American Gladiators, Brad Gilmore (who co-hosts the Hall of Fame Podcast with Booker T) brought up the fact that Booker T tried out for the older era of the show. The piece of news surprised Miz, who didn’t know that.
Booker T previously explained why he didn’t make it on American Gladiators
The WWE legend had previously talked about it on 2024 episode of Hall of Fame, noting that he very quickly fell out of the tryout and realized the competition wasn’t made for someone of his size.
“But I remember, the first test they wanted us to do was do 50 pushups in 60 seconds on these two fingers [thumb and index]. Just these two, okay. And I got about 40 in me, and that was it,” said Booker T (via 411Mania). “That’s all I mustered up. And I fell out, literally in the first round, I was out. And the thing was, I realized later on that it wasn’t designed for someone like me to win this competition.
“Because I was a little big, and the gladiators and would have had a little bit tougher time with someone like myself, 220 pounds. So they were looking for guys who were like 175, 180 pounds that they could actually get in there and beat up. But I didn’t realize after, you know, it was all over with.”
The original American Gladiators premiered back in 1989 and ran through 1996. The show is famous for featuring a cast of amateur athletes all competing against one another, as well as the show’s own “gladiators,” in a variety of challenges. The show has undergone a series of different iterations and spin-offs, as well. The latest series premiered on Prime Video this week and features Miz and Diaz as hosts.
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