1989-90 season

American Gladiators premiered in 1989 and initially took on a half-season format with a separate tournament in each half. Joe Theismann and Mike Adamle hosted the show in the 1989 half-season. In 1989, as the show was new and trying things out, many of the events took on a different resemblance compared to how they would end up. In the 1990 half-season, Theismann had left the show, Adamle became the main host, and Todd Christensen became the new co-host. The one thing both half-seasons had in common was the tournament format, with select high-scoring runners-up in the preliminary rounds also advancing to the quarterfinals. Also of notable difference was that the 1989 portion of the show had no traditional referee, instead having judges in grim reaper costumes. They were replaced in the 1990 portion by former NFL referee Bob McElwee.

1/1/89 - Preliminary Round 1 - Craig Williams vs John Shumski; Brenda Hund vs Frankie Perry

1/8/89 - Preliminary Round 2 - Terry Moore vs Billy Wirth; Ursula Henry vs Ashley Jorge

1/15/89 - Preliminary Round 3 - Brian Hutson vs Hosea Simmons; Adelaide McCarthy vs Joanna Needham

1/22/89 - Preliminary Round 4 - Phil Carroll vs Jason Wyatt; Nancy Petitto vs Aimee Ross

1/29/89 - Preliminary Round 5 - Joe Rogers vs Bernard Todd; Tracy Phillips vs Christy Cotten

First Half Quarterfinal 1 - Christy Cotten vs Brenda Hund; Craig Williams vs John Shumski

First Half Quarterfinal 2 - Nancy Petitto vs Aimee Ross; Billy Wirth vs Hosea Simmons

First Half Quarterfinal 3 - Ursula Henry vs Joanna Needham; Terry Moore vs Brian Hutson

First Half Quarterfinal 4 - Adelaide McCarthy vs Tracy Phillips; Phil Carroll vs Bernard Todd

First Half Semifinal 1 - Joanna Needham vs Nancy Petitto; Craig Williams vs Phil Carroll / John Shumski

First Half Semifinal 2 - Christy Cotten vs Tracy Phillips; Brian Hutson vs Billy Wirth

First Half Final - Craig Williams vs Brian Hutson; Nancy Petitto vs Tracy Phillips

Preliminary Round 1 - Richard Seymour vs J.C. Love Jordan; Zimbob Schwartze vs Susan Farwell

Preliminary Round 2 - Carl Allen vs Rick Herbst; Joni Podesta vs Gina Harrison

Preliminary Round 3 - Lucian Anderson vs Jim Brady; Bridget Venturi vs Suzanne Rampe

Preliminary Round 4 - Erick Sutton vs Jean Cueva; Christine Lakatos vs Cheryl Ann Silich

Preliminary Round 5 - Bruce Stinson vs Elden Kidd; Wendy Brown vs Christine Koeberle

Quarterfinal 1 - Elden Kidd vs Rick Herbst; Joni Podesta vs Christine Koeberle

Quarterfinal 2 - Richard Seymour vs Jim Brady; Bridget Venturi vs Gina Harrison

Quarterfinal 3 - Erick Sutton vs J.C. Love Jordan; Christine Lakatos vs Cheryl Ann Silich

Quarterfinal 4 - Lucian Anderson vs Carl Allen; Wendy Brown vs Susan Farwell

Semifinal 1 - J.C. Love Jordan vs Lucian Anderson; Bridget Venturi vs Cheryl Ann Silich

Semifinal 2 - Elden Kidd vs Richard Seymour / Rick Herbst; Joni Podesta vs Wendy Brown

Second Half Final - Elden Kidd vs Lucian Anderson; Bridget Venturi vs Wendy Brown

Season 1 Grand Championship - Lucian Anderson vs Brian Hutson; Wendy Venturi vs Tracy Phillips