Beatdown Gladiator: Fight If You Dare

***Beatdown Gladiator: Fight If You Dare*** (or simply ***Beatdown Gladiator***) is a Transmanian television extreme fighting combat sports reality-based action-adventure stunt/dare game show competition series created, and executive produced by Ryan Zlatan-Kirrage and Lauren Juergensen. It features contestants competing in a series of events while they attempt to fight against each other in extreme physical challenges that are designed to challenge them both physically and mentally divided in a series of rounds divided into phases in front of the live studio audience. In the end, only two final contestants will be fighting against each in the obstacle course cage-ring called "The Beatdown Dorme" (pronounced "Dorm") to get a chance to win a maximum top prize and a title of "Beatdown Gladiator". Produced by KD Pictures Entertainment and Striker Media Group Ltd, Inc., both companies are responsible for creating and developing adaptations of international shows in association with other companies and sub-companies. It premiered on primetime television on a major network on November 10, 2007, and ended in March 2010.

## Concept and development / background and history

The concept of the show was created in 1998 under the working title *Fight Me If You Dare!*. The concept for the show began when executive vice president of KD Entertainment, Ryan Zlatan-Kirrage and vice president of SMG Ltd Inc., Lauren Juergensen, both huge fans of action movies and combat sports, were brainstorming ideas for a new reality TV show that would bring the excitement of these genres to a whole new level. With their combined passion and creativity, they pitched the concept to their companies KD Entertainment and Striker Media Group Ltd, Inc, whom of the show's producers loved the idea and immediately greenlit the project. The duo worked tirelessly to create a show that would not only showcase physical prowess, but also test the mental strength and strategy of the contestants. They designed a series of intense challenges, obstacle courses, and combat simulations that would push the competitors to their limits. They came up with the concept for a high-octane reality show that would pit contestants against each other in a series of intense combat challenges. The show would combine elements of mixed martial arts, boxing, and traditional gladiator-style battles, creating a one-of-a-kind viewing experience for fans of action and adrenaline. In 1999, Zlatan-Kirrage and Juergensen financed, developed and packaged the format renamed *Fight If You Dare!*. In 2001, during development, the format renamed as *Beatdown Gladiator* as it combines elements of other cinematic drama fighting action films such as *Fight Club*, *Gladiator* and *The Karate Kid*. It's the show that combines the dash of the cinematic fighting drama action films and *American Gladiators* being crossed with *Nickelodeon GUTS* and the brutal combat sports and though it has not been commissioned as yet.

### Production and broadcast history

The show has been piloted four unsold times for the variant of this format and were taped between 2001 and early 2002 as both *Fight If You Dare!* and *Beatdown Gladiator* under pitch films and though the show originally slated to premiere in early 2003 and again from 2004 to 2005. It was worked to better perfect both the format and concept. Ryan Zlatan-Kirrage and producer Lauren Juergensen continued to pitch the show to various networks but were unable to secure a broadcasting deal. Despite this setback, they remained determined to bring their vision to life and continued to refine the format of the show. They worked on incorporating more interactive elements, developing the combat simulations, and fine-tuning the challenges to make them even more exciting and intense. They continued to pitch the show to various networks and production companies but faced several rejections due to concerns about the violent nature of the program. Despite this, they remained determined to bring their vision to life and continued to refine the concept. They again decided to rebrand and refine the format, in 2005 under the new name "Beatdown Gladiator: Fight If You Dare." for greenlighting and got picked up by Spike TV. To bring their vision to fruition, Zlatan-Kirrage and Juergensen assembled a talented team of producers, teleplay writers and screenwriters, cinematographers, directors, production designers, and other creative minds. They sought out individuals who shared their passion for innovation and were dedicated to making "Beatdown Gladiator" a groundbreaking television experience. The auditions for the first season were held between March and May 2007. The show has been piloted two times in 2007.

The show taped its 16-episode first season to be commenced production in the summer 2007. The show's first season began airing on Spike TV on November 9, 2007, and ended its conclusion on March 14, 2008. The show aired every Friday nights at 8.00 pm (20:00), an average of 8 million people watched the premiere. With the success of the first season, the show has been renewed for a second season to be commenced production in June 2008, and premiered on September 26, 2008 and ended in 2009. The third and final season was announced in May 2009 to be commenced production in summer 2009 and premiered in October 2009 and ended in March 2010.

When the show returned in the early-and-mid 2010s, the format revamped to cross the elements from the shows "Fear Factor" and "Bully Beatdown".

## Show format

It features 16 contestants appearing at the start of each show. The contestants would face off in elimination tournament-style rounds in three stage phases of fighting game event challenges, each one is more increasingly intense than the last. From hand-to-hand combat to obstacle courses, the contestants had to prove their strength, agility, and determination in order to advance to the next stage. The live studio audience played a crucial role, voting for the winner of each round based on who they believed fought the most opponents with skill and tenacity. The weaker contestants were slowly eliminated, leaving only the strongest and most resilient contestants to battle it out in the next and final rounds. Before every challenge of each round, they were required and told to keep on fighting without ever quitting or backing down whatever they do (**Do Not Stop Fighting!**), no matter what happens and also no eye gouging, no crotch shots, no hair pulling and no biting.

### The First Phase

#### Rounds 1-2

Rounds 1 and 2 has 4 different event game challenges and will be played with both sub-rounds divided with two contestants. Each challenge for Round 1 will last for a maximum of 30 seconds or 60 seconds (1 minute). After the start of 10 seconds, the challenge would end with a knock-out or a tap out. Before every challenge, they were required to keep on fighting without ever quitting, no matter what happens.

Of the 16 contestants, only four winners who knocked the opponent out most in the challenges will move on to the next event of the competition, whittling down to 12 contestants.

#### Round 3

Round 3 of the first phase has 3 different event game challenges and like in the first two rounds, it will again be played with two contestants. Each challenge for Round 2 will last for exactly 60 seconds (1 minute) or 90 seconds (1 minutes, 30 seconds). After the start of 10 or 30 seconds, the challenge would end with someone knocks him/her out or someone taps out.

Out of the 16 contestants, another four winners who knocked the opponent out most in the challenges will move on to the next event of the competition whittling down to 8 contestants.

### The Second Phase

The winners will be voted via keypads by the studio audience, like in the first phase and the jury to decide which two finalists will move on to the final round.

#### Round 1

Round 1 of the second phase has 3 different event game challenges and like in the first 2 rounds, it will be played with two contestants. Each challenge will last for 90 seconds (1 minutes, 30 seconds) and a maximum of 120 seconds (2 minutes). After the start of 10 of 30 seconds of each minute, the challenge would end with someone knocks him/her out or someone taps out.

Out of the 8 contestants, another two winners who knocked the opponent out most in the challenges will move on to the next event of the competition, whittling it down to 6 contestants.

#### Round 2

Round 2 has 3 different event game challenges and like in the first 2 rounds, it will be played with two contestants. Each challenge will last for 90 seconds (1 minutes, 30 seconds) and a maximum of 120 seconds (2 minutes). After the start of 10 of 30 seconds of each minute, the challenge would end with someone knocks him/her out or someone taps out.

Out of the 8 contestants, another two winners who knocked the opponent out most in the challenges will move on to the next event of the competition, whittling it down to 6 contestants.

### The Third Phase

In the third phase of the contest, The six contestants are divided as 3 teams. They will have 2 minutes to fight while competing in such events that may taunt them.

The winners will be voted via keypads by the studio audience, like in the second phase and the jury to decide which two finalists will move on to the final showdown.

#### List of Challenges/Games

* **Cafeteria Food Fight**
* **Wicked Shock Aquarium**
* **Bottle Breaker Bar**
* **Gun War Battlefield**
* **Prisoners at the Cell**
* **Zoo Rampage**
* **Knife & Baton War**

There are approximately up to 60 different challenges/game events that are used on *Beatdown Gladiator: Fight If You Dare*. Some or most of the challenges/games used on the program were either far more or less severe, rather similar or identical or restricted controlled and decided by the production team.

### Final Showdown (The Beatdown Dorme)

After three phases, The two remaining winners will battle against each other for up to Đ50,000 in prize money in the final showdown while fighting against each other in an MMA octagonal cage-ring "Beatdown Dorme" (pronounced Dorm) full of obstacle courses. The obstacle courses were set up around the cage-ring, with each course becoming increasingly difficult to navigate. The two contestants will have three minutes to fight through obstacle courses, the longer they fight while the obstacle course is completed, the more money they will win. (with the jackpot growing by Đ500 for each course at a much faster rate)

As these cage doors closed behind them, the timer will start counting down from three minutes. If the timer ran out and the fighting match declared a draw and neither finalist got either knocked out or tapped out, another 60 seconds (1 minute) will be added to the timer to see who will declare the winner. If the player can force his/her opponent to tap out or knock his/her opponent out in a fiery blow by finishing the full 3 minutes, he/she will win the full Đ50,000.