Otherwise known as Bernadette Hunt, fan-favorite Falcon was known for more than her holdover ’80s hairdo. Outside the Arena, she was adored for her kindness toward fans and her dedication to charitable causes. Inside the Arena, she was a formidable force, earning Falcon the nickname “Dark Angel.”
Trained as a dancer at the London Contemporary Ballet School, a back injury derailed her studies. She shifted to training as an aerobics teacher and competing in bodybuilding contests. After eight series with “Gladiators,” Hunt returned to teaching fitness classes, currently at Basingstoke Sports Centre. Sadly, Hunt passed away in March 2023 and is survived by her two children.
Vulcan
Clinching the Australian Heavyweight Pro-Wrestling Champion title, this Fiji-born athlete's career in American pro wrestling was launched. Vulcan, the burly bad-boy personality fans loved to heckle in the pro wrestling ring, was cheered wildly on the Gladiator stage. He joined Australian Gladiators in 1995.
His favorite contest was Duel. A darling with U.K. fans, Vulcan soon became a British Gladiator in 1998. Seru's still training. He has been keeping fit and managing his own gym in Sydney for over 18 years. He hit it big snagging a role as henchman Gabor in the James Bond movie "The World Is Not Enough."
Trojan
Squash superstar Mark Giffin turned to bodybuilding and then Hollywood. He appeared in films "Dr. Doolittle 2," "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Doctor Who," "Daddy Day Care," and "Dragons of Camelot." He authored "My Life with the Gladiators" in 1995 while competing on American Gladiators. After three seasons of arduous competition, Trojan turned to showbiz to pursue acting dreams.
Opportunity knocked when he was cast to play the lead in "Action Man," and he starred on the television series for its two seasons. These days he lives in Los Angeles and has shifted his focus to stage productions. He has a $100,000 net worth.
Jade
Jade got into bodybuilding while serving six years in the U.S. Army as Sergeant Kimberly Rogers. Exceptionally athletic, she was the only girl on the high school boys' soccer team. Jade left the military to study for a bachelor's degree, and that's when she snagged the A.G. gig.
It was 1996, and Rogers was trying out to be a Contender. Landing a spot on the team as Jade, she stayed with the show for the duration. She was a formidable force in the Powerball competition. Now she stays competitive as a signing agent, holding her own in the throes of the real estate market.
Contender
Call him a lowly Contender, but Marc Ortega's Season 3 "American Gladiators" Grand Champion win in 1992 was legendary. Some say it was the most definitive, the most iconic, American Gladiator moment ever. Hardcore AG fans still rave about it.
At the end of the race, Ortega threw his body over the line for a photo finish in the Eliminator event, narrowly defeating champion Joseph "Bam Bam" Mauro. Ortega, who was a chiropractic student when he tried out for the show, was chosen as one of 48 contestants from a pool of 10,000 athletes. Since then, Ortega has left the limelight behind him.