The Titan Games (2019–…): Season 1, Episode 3 - The Titan Games Trials 3 - full transcript
The competition continues with competitors pushing their bodies to the limit by battling opponents in unforgiving head-to-head challenges.
[dramatic music]
[Dwayne] Tonight
on The Titan Games...
♪ We're cranking up
the lights now ♪
I've invited some athletes
you have to see to believe.
I'm the biggest,
strongest, fastest guy
in this competition.
[Maximus]
And I really don't see you.
I'm just trying
to go through you.
[grunts]
[Dwayne]
And I've created a challenge
that's going to knock them
off their feet.
Intense physicality
and of course pure fun.
♪ It's about to get crazy ♪
[laughs]
-♪ It's about to go down ♪
-♪ It's about to go down ♪
Those that emerge victorious
will advance to Mount Olympus.
I have been trained
to perform
under immense pressure.
[Alex] I can't believe it!
Once I step out into
that arena, I become fierce.
[grunts]
-Wow.
[Dwayne] Where tonight,
we'll crown one man
and one woman as Titans.
-I didn't come here
from Afghanistan
to lose this thing.
I will be a Titan.
♪ It's about to get crazy ♪
-Yeah.
-♪ It's about to go down ♪
Let's get crazy.
This is The Titan Games.
-Yeah!
-♪ It's about to go down ♪
[dramatic music]
[Alex] Please welcome
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson!
Let's get this show
on the road.
Welcome to Titan Arena.
Tonight, eight more
powerful competitors
have arrived
from all over the country
to put their abilities
to the test.
Among the people I've chosen
are a chef,
a special education teacher,
a veteran
New York City firefighter,
and a Purple Heart recipient.
And I can't wait for you
to meet them
and watch them
lay it all out on the line.
And helping me out
in Titan Arena,
my friend, Cari Champion.
[cheers and applause]
-Let's go, DJ!
-Welcome.
Thank you so much
for having me.
Thank you. This crowd is ready.
-They're ready.
-Now, it's time to hear
the words that I love to say.
Kevin Hart, shut your mouth
and make me a sandwich.
I love saying that.
[laughs]
But the words
that I also love to say.
Let the Titan Games begin!
[dramatic music]
Okay, in our first battle,
it's the Purple Heart
combat vet
who's proved
he can take on anything
versus
the martial arts-loving chef.
That's right, a chef,
who's revamped his lifestyle
to get healthy.
[dramatic music]
Becoming a Titan doesn't
only require intense training.
It also demands a proper diet.
Josh works as a chef at Boston
Celtics and Bruins games
and is constantly surrounded
by comfort food.
The games are very late, so you
just forget about yourself.
I would eat the hot dog
with Froot Loops on it.
-♪ Goodness gracious ♪
-Loaded nachos.
-♪ It's amazing ♪
-I would grab chicken fingers
and eat over a trash can,
you know?
I gained a lot of weight,
and I stopped working out.
I looked at my kids,
and I realized that
I needed to drive myself
toward nutrition.
[Cari] Josh started waking
every day at 4 a.m.,
running three and a half miles
to the gym,
training to the point
of exhaustion,
then running three and a half
miles back home.
And I lost 30 pounds,
and I continued to push myself,
and I lost 30 more.
-Three, what's next?
-Four.
Four? Oh, boy, four.
[Josh] The dad bod
was officially gone,
and the next thing I know,
I was featured
in Men's Health magazine.
[Cari] Stepping into
our arena tonight,
Josh will finally get to show
what his new body is made of.
I spent all this time
building the body of a Titan,
and now I want
to put it to the test.
♪ Yeah, it's so incredible♪
[dramatic music]
[Cari] For Christopher Watts,
being fit
isn't just
a lifestyle choice.
It's a matter
of life and death.
[radio crackles]
This US Army veteran
works security
for top-secret clients
in the most dangerous parts
of Afghanistan.
I can't say too much
about my job,
but I provide people
with safe travels
to certain meetings.
♪ Crawl through
The undergrowth ♪
♪ Cat gone cray ♪
♪ Fighting like a warrior
Seize the day ♪
[Cari] Watts forged his body
into a lethal weapon
while serving in Iraq,
but a single tragic moment
forced him to become
mentally tough as well.
In 2009, my unit did
award me with a Purple Heart.
We went to Iraq.
They brought in
this fantastic guy,
Sergeant First Class,
uh, James Doster.
I was lucky enough
to drive him, and, uh...
[exhales]
You know, the big roadside bomb
went off, and, uh,
once the dust and everything
settled, we had lost him.
He's the reason why I'm here,
so hopefully, I can, uh...
do him proud
in this... this competition.
[dramatic music]
I'm going to, you know,
put my heart out there
and try my best to win
the title of Titan tonight.
I didn't come here
from Afghanistan
to lose this thing.
[cheers and applause]
[Liam] For Chris,
this is more than a chance
to honor his fallen comrade.
It's also a family reunion.
-Whoo!
-Chris hasn't seen his Mom
in the nearly two years
he's been stationed overseas.
[Liam] And his
military training
is about to get
put to the test.
Put the treadmill
on the most extreme angle
and set the speed
to absolute pain.
They're marching
to Heavy Metal.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] DJ engineered
a challenge that requires
your glutes, hamstrings,
quads, and willpower
to all be in sync as you lug
350 pounds of chain
-30 feet uphill.
-[Alex] With every step,
the chain uncoils
from the ground,
making the load heavier
the higher you go.
At the top,
you must use your upper body
to turn a crank and
lift the remaining chain,
plus a 100-pound
concrete block
three stories high.
[Liam] Complete
this insanity first,
and you're headed
to Mount Olympus.
[dramatic music]
Here's the thing.
I know these guys,
and they have a hunger
that can only be filled
by winning this competition.
Christopher and Josh, become
what you were meant to be.
This is Heavy Metal.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] So it's Josh
the chef in blue,
and the combat vet, Chris,
in the red.
Only way to Mount Olympus,
you have to get to the top
of Heavy Metal.
Josh, he had that sprint
right out of the bat,
but now the resistance
is there, the weight.
[grunting]
[Alex] Yeah, and you're
also starting to see
that balance come into play
as well.
Every foot of chain
you lift off the ground
adds ten pounds of weight
on your back.
Whoo! Go, Josh!
[grunting]
You start with a microwave,
and by the top,
you're carrying
a refrigerator.
Both guys
are about halfway up.
Stay strong, Chris! Whoo!
Look at those quads!
There we go. There you go.
[Liam] Josh seems to find
a steady balance here,
and Josh is at the top.
[Alex] The guy who used to
eat Froot Loops for dinner
is leading
an elite combat warrior!
But it doesn't stop there.
You got to crank.
You got to use a lot
of upper-body strength.
You have to bring that
concrete block up 15 feet.
And look at that motion.
It's a chest press down
on the bar
then a lat pull back up.
[both grunting]
[dramatic music]
[Liam] When they start
this thing, 100 pounds.
Yeah!
At the top, 400 pounds.
And look at this.
Chris the combat vet
is getting creative.
He's using his body weight
to drive that crank down.
[Alex] Josh got the jump
going up the ramp.
Now, as we've gotten
to the crank,
Chris has the lead!
His block is off the ground!
Go, Chris! Whoo!
[grunting]
[Liam] He's using
the downward momentum
to go right into the upswing.
But now Josh's block
is rising.
[grunting]
[Alex] Chef Josh
is moving that block,
but he's gotta hustle.
Chris Watts is almost there.
He might do it!
[grunting]
Yes, Chris Watts
is your winner,
and he is going
to Mount Olympus.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] An American hero
making moments to remember
here at The Titan Games.
[Alex] He traveled
9,000 miles to get here,
and his journey's
not over yet.
[Liam] Chris conquered one
of our toughest challenges
so far, and now,
he's standing by with Cari.
Congratulations, Chris.
I know you're all the way here
from Afghanistan.
What does it mean
to have your Mom here
in the crowd for you tonight?
Oh, it means the world.
She's my biggest support.
Where is she at? Hold on.
Sorry. Sorry.
-I love you, Mom.
-Whoo!
[laughs]
[Liam] Chris is moving on
to Mount Olympus
for a chance
to become a Titan
and continue on
in this competition.
[dramatic music]
Oh, I love you.
Congratulations.
-Oh, he love his Mama!
-Yeah, I do.
[dramatic music]
What's up, guys?
Look at this crowd over here.
Yes, yes!
How you doing?
[screams]
Hi, how you doing?
How are you?
What's up? How you doing?
Good to meet you.
[all scream]
How are you?
[dramatic music]
I designed this competition
to be a reflection of myself
and the competitors
in these games.
You got to be tough,
you got to be relentless,
and you also have to be
a little crazy.
The competitions are not easy,
because nothing in this world
worth having ever comes easy.
And I don't want people
just to watch The Titan Games.
I want them to be inspired
and hopefully go out
and feel like
they can conquer the world.
Because in the end,
it's us crazy ones
that dent the universe.
Let's get to our next battle.
[Liam] On the starting line
right now we have Ashley Huhn.
This special education teacher
from Denver
was a soccer star in college,
but never let her passion
for sports die.
Ashley teaches her students
to never settle.
It's a motto she actually
has tattooed onto her hip.
And Ashley will be facing off
with Jasmin Guinn,
a graphics animator who helps
care for her grandmother
back in San Francisco
who suffers from Alzheimer's.
[Alex] Jasmin was also
a serious athlete in college
until a devastating injury
ended her career.
When she heard
Dwayne's call to action
for The Titan Games,
it inspired her
to start training again
and get back into shape.
She's here tonight
to prove to herself
that she is still
an elite athlete.
Jasmin and Ashley
are about to wage war
on a challenge so taxing,
we named it after
the son of Zeus.
[Alex] They'll have to
push themselves to the limit
on the Herculean Pull.
[dramatic music]
DJ wanted to create
a challenge
where you outleverage an
opponent you can't even see.
[Liam] First, you use grip
strength and upper-body power
to unthread two 100-pound
silver poles,
each longer
than a pickup truck.
[Alex] Next is a blind tug
of war with the golden pole,
and you can't use
the ground for help.
[Liam] Whoever can hang on
and generate the most force
will hit the target
and punch their ticket
to Mount Olympus.
[cheers and applause]
What I love
about this challenge
is that you're battling it out
with an opponent
that you can't see.
And you know what?
That's the way it is
in real life, too.
Sometimes you're
fighting blind.
But no matter
what the circumstance,
you need to seize
the opportunity,
and when you think
you've given your max,
push past that,
And on the other side of that,
greatness awaits.
Ashley, Jasmin, time to show
the world what you're made of.
This is Herculean Pull.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] Jasmin in the red.
Ashley in the blue.
Alex, they're
on the same pole!
[Alex] They could have gone
for any of the four poles,
and they went
for the same one!
The question is,
do you want to fight?
Do you want to exert energy
on this pole,
or do you want to move on
to the next one?
[grunting]
[grunting]
[Alex] Jasmin lets go.
The graphic artist
has to make up ground.
Come on, Jas. Come on.
[grunts]
On the other side, Ashley,
she is pulling away at it!
[Liam] Smart move there
by Jasmin.
She knew she was
losing that one.
She moved on to the next.
Ashley has one pole left.
Jasmin's right behind.
[Alex] But now
I'm wondering, are they both
going to go
for the same pole again?
And they do!
But Jasmin says, "No way.
I'm not going to make that
same mistake this time."
[dramatic music]
And look at that.
Jasmin's done!
And now she's ahead and
going for the golden pole!
[Liam] She's there,
and she lost her footing.
-Wow!
-[Alex] I can't believe it!
[both grunting]
That could have
cost her the game.
Ashley is right back
into this one.
[both grunting]
[Liam] You saw Ashley earlier.
This teacher definitely
has the advantage
when it comes to strength.
[dramatic music]
This is where technique
comes into play.
You have to hold your body
perpendicular to the pyramid,
use your legs for leverage,
arms to pull,
and core to keep
your body aloft.
[both grunting]
Got to dig. You got to dig.
[Alex] Jasmin has
a little bit of give here.
She could reposition herself,
maybe angle herself
a little bit better.
[Liam] The Titan Games
inspired her
to get back in shape
after her injury,
and right now she is proving
she belongs in this arena.
[grunting]
[Alex] Look at Ashley!
She's wedged in
using one leg to balance
so the other can press.
She can dead lift 315 pounds,
and all of her students
can see how tough
their teacher is right now.
[Liam] Jasmin getting closer
to that steel plate.
Just a few more feet!
[Alex] Oh, no!
Jasmin's so close
from locking this one in!
The steel plate
is right behind her!
Just... Just inches, inches
before it kicks the plate.
Ashley needs to dig deep.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] Ashley, our teacher,
clinging to hope.
[grunting]
Jasmin wins it!
-Good job, Jas!
-There you go!
Good job!
The artist,
the athlete, and now,
hoping to add
the title of Titan.
[Alex] What a match.
Jasmin made
a critical decision early.
Instead of fighting
for control
of the first silver pole,
she gave it to Ashley
and used her elite athleticism
to make up ground.
The animator turned dominator.
[dramatic music]
-I thought it got stuck.
-I think my hands...
I can't open my hands
right now.
[Alex] Jasmin moves on
to Mount Olympus
for a shot to become a Titan
and come back in a few weeks
to compete in our
Battle of the Titans.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] Welcome back
to The Titan Games.
While we were away,
Jess Griffith,
a nutritionist
and registered nurse
who is so dedicated
to healthy living
that she spends
30 hours a week in the gym
faced off against Erin Lavoie
from Spokane, Washington.
Erin competes
in lumberjack games,
and is a three-time
world champ
for her skills with an ax.
Erin and Jess took their shot
on Heavy Metal.
[dramatic music]
Right away, you could see
the strength needed
to ascend the 30-foot ramp.
Every foot adds ten pounds
to their load.
[Alex] At the bottom,
it's 100 pounds,
-by the top, 350.
-Let's go, Jess.
[Liam] Then Erin the ax woman
proved her legs
were strong as oak,
powering her way
to the crank first.
[Alex] Erin's already on top!
[Liam] When the trauma nurse
reached the top,
Jess found another gear
and shifted into overdrive.
[grunting]
[Alex] Oh, my!
Look at this!
Uh, Jess is kicking ass.
And there you have it!
Jess is your winner!
Yeah.
[cheers and applause]
[Liam] So that means
later tonight, Jess Griffith
will compete
against Jasmin Guinn
on Mount Olympus for a chance
to become a Titan.
[dramatic music]
Now I know why my buddy,
Chris Hemsworth,
likes putting on
that Thor costume.
I mean, there's real power
in wielding a hammer like this.
I got an idea, guys.
How about we make a Thor
and Fast and Furious movie?
You guys want to do that?
With the God of Thunder,
Thor himself.
He comes flying in, you know,
and then, wham!
He gets stopped by
the real God of Thunder, yeah.
Box office gold.
#ThorHitsTheFloor.
You're welcome, Chris.
He's going to text me later.
-Time for our next challenge.
-Thanks, DJ.
It's a heavyweight battle
between two competitors
who go above and beyond
the call of duty.
Check this out.
One's a 245-pound
New York City firefighter,
while the other
is a 6'7" Ivy Leaguer
who is going beyond
his parents's American dream.
[dramatic music]
The Okoyes moved
from Nigeria to America
30 years ago
for a better life.
Now, to make
his parents proud,
this Cornell graduate
and financial analyst
goes by two names.
His middle name, Nnamdi,
represents his soft-spoken
business side.
I'm a super nerd.
I'm watching anime
on the weekends,
and I'm reading
about space and science,
like, in my free time.
While his first name,
Maximus,
speaks to his massive frame...
♪ Freight train
Wrecking ball ♪
♪ I'm the gladiator ♪
and his larger-than-life
gym personality.
When I am working out,
I'm probably the loudest person
in the room.
[grunting]
[metal clatters]
[grunts]
When I get going,
it's like a locomotive.
Whoever is around me,
I really don't see you.
I'm just trying
to go through you.
♪ Gladiator, gladiator ♪
I worked all my life
to be the best
at everything I do,
and tonight, I will be a Titan.
[soft music]
[Cari] The Titan Games
is a platform
to turn everyday people
into heroes,
but some of our competitors
really are heroes every day.
[dramatic music]
[alarm bell rings]
I've been a New York City
firefighter for 15 years.
It's the greatest job
in the world.
[truck horn blaring]
You could be running
into a burning building.
You could be going
into a water rescue run.
You could be driving
to the West Side Highway,
and there's a plane
in the middle of the Hudson.
Every day, you never know
what you're going to face.
"Llama, llama, busy day."
I have twins,
Madison and Anthony.
They're seven years old.
They're the love of my life.
Perfect braid,
what do you think?
I'm really excited my kids
get to watch me compete.
[grunts]
All their classmates
will be able to see me.
You know, "My Daddy's on TV
tonight on NBC with The Rock."
New York's bravest, baby.
Yeah!
I love being a fireman,
but, like,
I want to do something that's,
like, off the charts,
or something that's, like,
out of the ordinary.
I'm the biggest, strongest,
fastest guy
in this competition.
I'm going to smash
all of them.
[cheers and applause]
[Alex] Oh, boy. Here we go.
It's the tallest competitor
against the widest?
[dramatic music]
[Liam] Welcome back
to The Titan Games,
where two colossal competitors
are about to face off.
[Alex]
It's New York City firefighter
Frank "The Tank" Sansonetti
versus 6'7" business analyst
Maximus Okoye.
[Liam] Take it away, DJ.
This is what The Titan Games
is all about.
These competitions
need to have it all...
jaw-dropping visuals,
intense physicality,
and of course, pure fun.
We want to redefine what
an athletic competition can be,
and Frank, Maximus,
nothing embodies that more
than what you're
about to experience.
[dramatic music]
[Alex] Using
a 10-pound hammer,
you must smash two giant
350-pound stones.
[Liam] Cracking through
the concrete will require
the hammer to be moving
at an angular velocity
of more than
400 degrees per second.
[Alex] Then, when you
think they're light enough,
you'll try to raise the stones
25 feet in the air.
[Liam] The first
to complete this insane
arm-and
back-shredding challenge
gets through to Mount Olympus.
[dramatic music]
[cheers and applause]
This is Atlas Smash.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] Massive Maximus
and Frank the Tank.
-Frank the Tank slips.
-Oh!
[Dwayne] Wow!
[Liam] Had to go find
that Atlas hammer,
and Maximus has an edge.
Look at this again.
Frank falls so hard, he sends
his Titan hammer flying.
[Alex] He needs
to make up time.
Oh, and there he goes.
Oh, my goodness.
Look at that Frank.
He starts swinging away,
and you see just big chunks
from that Atlas stone
beginning to come off.
[grunting]
[Liam] You just know,
as a firefighter,
Frank is a pro with an ax.
[Alex] And Maximus, too.
They're pulverizing
those stones, Liam!
[grunts]
Frank's already
going for the rope?
That must still be
too heavy to lift.
[Liam] Maximus, meanwhile,
chipping away.
[Alex] This is a gamble.
[Liam] Yeah, that stone still
must weigh nearly 300 pounds.
But look at this!
That stone's rising!
[dramatic music]
Frank is a strong son of a...
[grunts]
[laughs] Wow!
[Alex] Maximus the analyst,
well, he's seen enough.
He's gonna go for the rope.
Frank's first stone
is almost up.
There it is!
Now it's on to the next one.
Come on, baby! Go, Frank!
[Alex] Now, it's going
to be Maximus's turn
to bring the Atlas stone up,
and he knows
that the pressure is on.
[Liam] And he can see
Frank the Tank
working on his second stone.
[grunts]
Keep going! Keep going!
Keep going! Keep going!
[Alex] Maximus nearly
has his stone up.
[dramatic music]
There it is!
[Liam] But Maximus has got
some serious ground
to make up.
Go, go, go, go, go, go, go!
Oh, and he looks
spent right now.
On the other side, though,
you now have Frank,
who's managed to take away a
good chunk of that Atlas stone.
And he's headed for the rope.
[Alex] This isn't just power.
Cardio is critical here.
Maximus is
starting to rally!
Frank, on the other hand,
is the firefighter
running out of gas?
You can see he's struggling
to raise that second stone.
The lactic acid buildup
in Frank's body right now
is beyond measure.
[Liam] You got to wonder
if you're Frank right now.
you're giving it
everything you have,
the stone's not moving.
Is it time to bring it down
and chip away some more?
[Alex] This is time
that he is wasting here.
You have to have the strategy.
[Liam] Here it comes.
Here it comes back down,
and back up with the hammer.
Frank moving in,
trying to knock more off.
Smart move on Frank's part.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] Maximus is in a world
of pain right now.
This is nothing like staring
at spreadsheets all day.
[Alex] And Frank
keeps on slugging.
He's going to show his kids
that he can crack it
like a walnut.
Come on, baby! Go!
And look at Maximus,
pushing through the pain.
He may have to try
lifting soon
to catch up with Frank.
[Liam] And there goes Frank.
[Alex] New York's Bravest,
and maybe New York's Titan.
[grunts]
And you see it.
He's feeling it now!
He's feeling it now!
[dramatic music]
Come on, Frank, go!
You're almost there!
He's so close!
Just one more pull.
And there it is!
He did it!
Frank is your winner!
Madison, Anthony, I love you!
New York, baby!
Whoo!
Making the New York City
Fire Department
and all firefighters
very proud.
Frank "The Tank" Sansonetti
is moving on to Mount Olympus.
[groans]
[Alex] He's going to go now
over to his girlfriend,
Bharda.
[Liam] I can't believe
he's got the strength
and the energy
to go over that wall.
Good job, baby. I love you.
I love you, too.
[Alex] Frank got off
to a rough start,
hitting the floor before he
even touched the hammer.
But watch Sansonetti
slap off half the stone
with a single blow! Wow!
[Liam] Madison and Anthony,
your Daddy's headed
to Mount Olympus.
-Congratulations.
-Thank you.
All right, that's a hard
thing to do right there.
-Oh, my God.
-It's hard.
Thank for the opportunity.
I appreciate it.
-Absolutely.
-Thank you.
-I'm very proud of you.
-Thank you.
-I gave it the best
I could, man.
-Congratulations, man.
-I appreciate it.
I'm very proud of you.
[dramatic music]
Four competitors have already
tasted victory tonight,
but as I've said
from the start,
winning is only the beginning.
Now these winners will
have to battle each other
in order to become Titans.
[dramatic music]
Mount Olympus is the crown
jewel in the Titan Arena.
From the strength required
to push over a half-ton wall
and drive 450 pounds
up a 25-degree incline,
to the agility to climb over
six spinning cylinders,
each wider
than a redwood tree,
each stage of Mount Olympus
has been specifically designed
to test all aspects
of athleticism.
If you have a weakness,
the mountain's
gonna reveal it.
Prove that you
can conquer my mountain,
and you join
my Team of Titans.
[cheers and applause]
Now, two powerful athletes
are returning
to the Titan Arena after
taking down worthy opponents.
It's one of New York's finest,
Frank Sansonetti,
and combat vet
Christopher Watts.
[dramatic music]
Going into Mount Olympus,
I plan on tapping into
the training from
when I was in the Army.
-[Liam] Chris has the lead!
-I've jumped over walls,
climbed ropes.
I do have some agility
on my side.
Go, Chris! Whoo!
Seeing my mother
out there in the crowd
definitely fuels me
to keep going.
[Alex] Chris Watts is
going to Mount Olympus!
I didn't come here
to lose this thing.
I came here to win.
My edge on Mount Olympus
is my strength.
[Alex] Oh, my goodness!
Look at that Frank!
I'm the bigger guy.
I'm the taller guy.
I'm the stronger guy.
I'm a beast, man.
I'm going all the way.
[cheers and applause]
We got two studs here.
It's the firefighter
versus a soldier.
There is no doubt
in anyone's mind
that both of you guys
are true heroes,
and after this is over, you're
still going to be heroes,
but only one of you
will be a Titan.
Frank, Christopher,
this is Mount Olympus.
[dramatic music]
[cheers and applause]
[Liam] Frank in the red.
Chris in the blue.
[Alex] Whoa, Chris
took a flying leap
and didn't make a dent!
But the Tank threw the wall
down like it's nothing
with those big guns.
[grunting]
[Liam] And now
Chris has it down
and heads to
the Gates of Olympus.
But Frank is on fire
right now.
[Alex] 6'3", 245 pounds.
The dude is a monster.
But Chris Watts
is not to be outclassed
as he is managing to push up
the Gates of Olympus.
[Liam] Curious to see
how Frank handles
the Rolling Ascent.
Remember, the firefighter
was a beast on Atlas Smash,
but brute strength alone
means nothing here.
You need speed, balance,
and agility.
[Alex] And that's
where I think
Chris Watts is going to shine.
We saw how
the combat veteran
dominated on Heavy Metal.
Take a look
at Chris's technique.
Meanwhile, big Frank,
he's struggling
to get on top
of that first one.
[both groan]
[Alex] Chris has already
reached the top.
Ah, wow. Look at Chris.
[Liam] Now Chris is
heading up to The Cliffs.
This is where you punch
and kick holes,
making your own path
to the top.
[grunts]
Frank is having
a world of problems.
-Come on, Frank.
-He's too top-heavy, Liam.
He can't get
far enough forward.
[grunts]
[grunting]
Come on, baby!
Come on, baby! Go!
[Liam] This is a nightmare
for Frank right now.
On the other side,
Chris Watts is already on top
of Mount Olympus
and is at the torch.
- Whoo!
-[Alex] We saw how Chris
dominated the crank
on Heavy Metal.
You'd expect him
to shine here as well.
[grunts]
Frank Sansonetti just
cannot get past this at all.
While Frank struggles,
Chris continues to impress.
And Chris Watts, he has
managed to raise the torch!
And now it's time
to descend Mount Olympus.
Come on, Chris.
[Liam] 60 feet to the bottom,
and Chris shows no sign
of slowing down.
Three walls in the way...
five, six, then seven feet.
Frank is stuck.
Remember, he said,
"I'm powerful.
I'm the strongest guy here."
But right now, his challenge,
it's not about strength,
and his struggle continues.
Look at this.
Chris is already
on the return flight,
while Frank
is still stuck
in the security line.
[Alex] I think Atlas Smash
just took too much
out of the firefighter.
Oh, my God, go! Come on.
Pure frustration for Frank.
No matter what he does,
he can't get up this mountain.
Man. [grunts]
Meanwhile,
Chris Watts marching across
-the arena floor.
-[grunts]
Come on, Chris. Attaboy.
Dragging that 250-pound
ball and chain
-over to the Titan tomb.
-[grunts]
You got this! You got this!
And what a moment
for Chris's Mom.
The first time she sees
her son in two years
[Alex] He is looking pretty,
as he's now hacking away
at the Titan tomb.
And Frank Sansonetti
is in roller hell right now.
He just cannot get past it.
And this soldier
cannot be stopped!
[dramatic music]
[Liam] An American hero,
served three years
in the Army,
a Purple Heart recipient,
now steps away
from the title of Titan.
[Alex] Chris Watts hold
the relic in his hands.
Whoo!
And he is your Titan!
Congratulations, brother.
Great job.
Whoo! Whoo!
Whoo!
Come here. I love you.
I am so proud of you, Titan!
Whoo!
[Alex] Frank the Tank slammed
through that 1,000-pound wall,
but the Rolling Ascent
was more like quicksand
for the big man.
Chris's combination of speed,
power, and agility
was flawless, and secured him
the title of Titan.
Congratulations
on being a Titan,
and, uh, I thank you
for your service.
All right, thank you, bro.
[dramatic music]
For those crowned
as Titans tonight,
their stories don't end here.
Later this season,
they will return here
for the Battle of the Titans.
In the end,
one woman and one man
will be crowned
Titan Champion.
Now, Jasmin Guinn
and Jess Griffith
face the ultimate test.
Going into Mount Olympus,
my edge over Jasmin
is I have been trained to
perform under immense pressure.
I was a trauma nurse
in St. Louis,
but I am now a nutrition coach
and specialist.
-Hey. How are you?
-Hey.
I wanted to take care of people
that wanted to help themselves,
and prevent them
from coming to the ER.
So I want to start with
talking about supplements.
-Okay.
[Cari] Jess likes to practice
what she preaches.
Training is like
her second job.
My workouts are very intense.
I go to the gym twice a day.
First session is usually
about two hours,
and second session is usually
about three hours.
Working through the pain?
I do that all the time.
And so, I don't think there's
a girl here that will beat me.
Jessica Griffith looks like
one of
the strongest women here,
but I'm used to pushing
my body to its limits.
[Alex] Look at that!
Jasmin gets it
in just a few moves!
My senior year
of basketball,
I tore two ligaments
and a tendon in my left foot.
That was pretty much
how I ended my career.
But it doesn't matter
how far you fall.
It's just about
how far you get up.
If I want to become a Titan,
I have to conquer
that mountain.
[cheers and applause]
Jasmin and Jess, I can't wait
to see the two of you
go head-to-head.
You're both such
fierce competitors.
All your hard work has led you
to this moment.
Seize it,
and define your legacy.
This is Mount Olympus.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] Jess in the blue.
Jasmin in the red.
Strength right off the bat.
[Alex] It's off
to that 1,000-pound wall,
and both of these women
throw it down
at the same time.
Now it's on
to the Gates of Olympus.
[grunts]
Wow.
[Liam] More of
a full-body strength here.
You need the upper body.
You need the lower body
and the core,
and right now,
both women managing it
very well.
[Alex] Jess is a little bit
ahead, but by a hair.
Jasmin is right behind her,
and they are
flying through the...
Oh, Jasmin gets hung up
there on the third one.
[Liam] But Jess is charging
right into The Cliffs.
[Alex] Wow, the trauma nurse
is blasting through that wall!
And here comes Jasmin.
Let's go, Jasmin. Come on.
[Alex] Last week, this artist
would have been painting
a mural on a wall.
Now she's destroying
this one.
[dramatic music]
-Ahh!
-Oh!
[Alex] Oh, my goodness!
Jess Griffith just fell!
Let's go, Jess.
[Liam] That opens the door
for Jasmine.
Come on, Jasmin.
Get up there.
It is time to punch
your way through,
but you have to be careful.
You don't want to make
the holes too big
like Jess just did.
It's just a slight hold.
Get your hand and
your feet in and get up.
[grunting]
[dramatic music]
[grunts]
-[Alex] Oh!
-[Liam] And Jasmin's down!
[grunts]
[Alex] Oh, my word!
Oh, that's not good.
[wails]
[breathing heavily]
[Alex] Oh, man,
that is something
you just do not want to see,
but Jess has no idea.
She's off to start
cranking that wheel.
[grunts]
[dramatic music]
[wincing]
[Liam] At the top,
Jasmin lost her footing
and landed awkwardly
on her right leg.
Remember, we heard her talk
about her leg injury
back in college
as a basketball player.
Let's hope
this isn't too serious.
But that does not look good.
[grunts]
[Alex] Jess has her torch up,
and she's beginning her descent
down the mountain.
She's storming ahead,
but watch... Look at this!
Jasmin is getting back up!
She's going to keep going!
-There you go, Jasmin!
-[Alex] What?
- Be careful.
-[Liam] This is incredible.
Can't put any weight
on that right leg,
but still trying
to make her way up top
of Mount Olympus.
[Alex] Just the fact
that she got up, Liam,
speaks volumes.
[grunts]
[Liam] But don't
let this take anything away
from what we're seeing
from Jess Griffith right now.
She's already
on the arena floor.
She's got her eye
on the prize,
getting to DJ
and becoming a Titan.
[Alex] Jasmin makes it up!
I can't believe this!
[Liam] But look at Jess.
Power on display right here.
Dragging that 200-pound
ball and chain with one hand!
[Alex] And Jasmin's
at the torch.
She's also just using one arm.
Because she has to hold
herself up with the other one.
Unbelievable!
[Liam] That's the heart
of a Titan, Goldenboy.
You're good.
[Alex] Jess, though,
on the floor now
starting to hack away
at the Titan tomb
so she can
take out that relic.
And Jasmin,
how is she doing this?
[Liam] The torch is lit.
[Alex] The willpower
of this woman!
[dramatic music]
[Liam] Jess hammering away.
Five hours a day in the gym.
She said she'd never
get outworked,
and right now,
she's proving it.
And Jasmin Guinn,
an artist, an athlete,
and someone who just isn't
going to be denied.
[groans]
[grunts]
But Jess digging
in the Titan tomb.
[dramatic music]
And she has it.
[Alex] Jess has the relic!
[Liam] Jasmin Guinn
won our hearts,
but Jess Griffin is a force
to be reckoned with.
[Alex] She locks it in!
Jess Griffith is our Titan!
-Wow.
-Amazing! Good job!
-So good.
-That was awesome.
[Alex] I cannot believe
what we just saw,
not only from Jess Griffith,
our new Titan,
but Jasmin Guinn.
She has earned
everyone's respect here
in the Titan Arena.
Good job, Jas! Good job!
[Liam] We've seen
this mountain best
some of the strongest athletes
in the world,
but it couldn't take down
Jasmin Guinn.
So it's former trauma nurse
Jess Griffith
who will be moving on
to our Battle of the Titans
in a few weeks.
[cheers and applause]
Great job. You were amazing.
Great job.
Thank you.
[Alex] Both women fell
at The Cliffs.
Jess Griffith recovered
and powered through
the remaining stages.
Jasmin suffered an injury,
but heroically rose again
and with
a remarkable determination,
fought until the very end.
Two inspiring efforts,
but only Jess
continues on
in this competition.
[dramatic music]
You have earned this.
Congratulations.
-Thank you so much.
-Great job. Great job.
You were amazing.
[Liam] So with Jess and Chris,
we've locked half
our team of Titans.
Next week, we're back to find
two more.
And in a few weeks,
they'll all face off
in the Battle of the Titans.
-See you next week
on Titan Games.
[dramatic music]
[dramatic music]
[Dwayne] Tonight
on The Titan Games...
♪ We're cranking up
the lights now ♪
I've invited some athletes
you have to see to believe.
I'm the biggest,
strongest, fastest guy
in this competition.
[Maximus]
And I really don't see you.
I'm just trying
to go through you.
[grunts]
[Dwayne]
And I've created a challenge
that's going to knock them
off their feet.
Intense physicality
and of course pure fun.
♪ It's about to get crazy ♪
[laughs]
-♪ It's about to go down ♪
-♪ It's about to go down ♪
Those that emerge victorious
will advance to Mount Olympus.
I have been trained
to perform
under immense pressure.
[Alex] I can't believe it!
Once I step out into
that arena, I become fierce.
[grunts]
-Wow.
[Dwayne] Where tonight,
we'll crown one man
and one woman as Titans.
-I didn't come here
from Afghanistan
to lose this thing.
I will be a Titan.
♪ It's about to get crazy ♪
-Yeah.
-♪ It's about to go down ♪
Let's get crazy.
This is The Titan Games.
-Yeah!
-♪ It's about to go down ♪
[dramatic music]
[Alex] Please welcome
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson!
Let's get this show
on the road.
Welcome to Titan Arena.
Tonight, eight more
powerful competitors
have arrived
from all over the country
to put their abilities
to the test.
Among the people I've chosen
are a chef,
a special education teacher,
a veteran
New York City firefighter,
and a Purple Heart recipient.
And I can't wait for you
to meet them
and watch them
lay it all out on the line.
And helping me out
in Titan Arena,
my friend, Cari Champion.
[cheers and applause]
-Let's go, DJ!
-Welcome.
Thank you so much
for having me.
Thank you. This crowd is ready.
-They're ready.
-Now, it's time to hear
the words that I love to say.
Kevin Hart, shut your mouth
and make me a sandwich.
I love saying that.
[laughs]
But the words
that I also love to say.
Let the Titan Games begin!
[dramatic music]
Okay, in our first battle,
it's the Purple Heart
combat vet
who's proved
he can take on anything
versus
the martial arts-loving chef.
That's right, a chef,
who's revamped his lifestyle
to get healthy.
[dramatic music]
Becoming a Titan doesn't
only require intense training.
It also demands a proper diet.
Josh works as a chef at Boston
Celtics and Bruins games
and is constantly surrounded
by comfort food.
The games are very late, so you
just forget about yourself.
I would eat the hot dog
with Froot Loops on it.
-♪ Goodness gracious ♪
-Loaded nachos.
-♪ It's amazing ♪
-I would grab chicken fingers
and eat over a trash can,
you know?
I gained a lot of weight,
and I stopped working out.
I looked at my kids,
and I realized that
I needed to drive myself
toward nutrition.
[Cari] Josh started waking
every day at 4 a.m.,
running three and a half miles
to the gym,
training to the point
of exhaustion,
then running three and a half
miles back home.
And I lost 30 pounds,
and I continued to push myself,
and I lost 30 more.
-Three, what's next?
-Four.
Four? Oh, boy, four.
[Josh] The dad bod
was officially gone,
and the next thing I know,
I was featured
in Men's Health magazine.
[Cari] Stepping into
our arena tonight,
Josh will finally get to show
what his new body is made of.
I spent all this time
building the body of a Titan,
and now I want
to put it to the test.
♪ Yeah, it's so incredible♪
[dramatic music]
[Cari] For Christopher Watts,
being fit
isn't just
a lifestyle choice.
It's a matter
of life and death.
[radio crackles]
This US Army veteran
works security
for top-secret clients
in the most dangerous parts
of Afghanistan.
I can't say too much
about my job,
but I provide people
with safe travels
to certain meetings.
♪ Crawl through
The undergrowth ♪
♪ Cat gone cray ♪
♪ Fighting like a warrior
Seize the day ♪
[Cari] Watts forged his body
into a lethal weapon
while serving in Iraq,
but a single tragic moment
forced him to become
mentally tough as well.
In 2009, my unit did
award me with a Purple Heart.
We went to Iraq.
They brought in
this fantastic guy,
Sergeant First Class,
uh, James Doster.
I was lucky enough
to drive him, and, uh...
[exhales]
You know, the big roadside bomb
went off, and, uh,
once the dust and everything
settled, we had lost him.
He's the reason why I'm here,
so hopefully, I can, uh...
do him proud
in this... this competition.
[dramatic music]
I'm going to, you know,
put my heart out there
and try my best to win
the title of Titan tonight.
I didn't come here
from Afghanistan
to lose this thing.
[cheers and applause]
[Liam] For Chris,
this is more than a chance
to honor his fallen comrade.
It's also a family reunion.
-Whoo!
-Chris hasn't seen his Mom
in the nearly two years
he's been stationed overseas.
[Liam] And his
military training
is about to get
put to the test.
Put the treadmill
on the most extreme angle
and set the speed
to absolute pain.
They're marching
to Heavy Metal.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] DJ engineered
a challenge that requires
your glutes, hamstrings,
quads, and willpower
to all be in sync as you lug
350 pounds of chain
-30 feet uphill.
-[Alex] With every step,
the chain uncoils
from the ground,
making the load heavier
the higher you go.
At the top,
you must use your upper body
to turn a crank and
lift the remaining chain,
plus a 100-pound
concrete block
three stories high.
[Liam] Complete
this insanity first,
and you're headed
to Mount Olympus.
[dramatic music]
Here's the thing.
I know these guys,
and they have a hunger
that can only be filled
by winning this competition.
Christopher and Josh, become
what you were meant to be.
This is Heavy Metal.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] So it's Josh
the chef in blue,
and the combat vet, Chris,
in the red.
Only way to Mount Olympus,
you have to get to the top
of Heavy Metal.
Josh, he had that sprint
right out of the bat,
but now the resistance
is there, the weight.
[grunting]
[Alex] Yeah, and you're
also starting to see
that balance come into play
as well.
Every foot of chain
you lift off the ground
adds ten pounds of weight
on your back.
Whoo! Go, Josh!
[grunting]
You start with a microwave,
and by the top,
you're carrying
a refrigerator.
Both guys
are about halfway up.
Stay strong, Chris! Whoo!
Look at those quads!
There we go. There you go.
[Liam] Josh seems to find
a steady balance here,
and Josh is at the top.
[Alex] The guy who used to
eat Froot Loops for dinner
is leading
an elite combat warrior!
But it doesn't stop there.
You got to crank.
You got to use a lot
of upper-body strength.
You have to bring that
concrete block up 15 feet.
And look at that motion.
It's a chest press down
on the bar
then a lat pull back up.
[both grunting]
[dramatic music]
[Liam] When they start
this thing, 100 pounds.
Yeah!
At the top, 400 pounds.
And look at this.
Chris the combat vet
is getting creative.
He's using his body weight
to drive that crank down.
[Alex] Josh got the jump
going up the ramp.
Now, as we've gotten
to the crank,
Chris has the lead!
His block is off the ground!
Go, Chris! Whoo!
[grunting]
[Liam] He's using
the downward momentum
to go right into the upswing.
But now Josh's block
is rising.
[grunting]
[Alex] Chef Josh
is moving that block,
but he's gotta hustle.
Chris Watts is almost there.
He might do it!
[grunting]
Yes, Chris Watts
is your winner,
and he is going
to Mount Olympus.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] An American hero
making moments to remember
here at The Titan Games.
[Alex] He traveled
9,000 miles to get here,
and his journey's
not over yet.
[Liam] Chris conquered one
of our toughest challenges
so far, and now,
he's standing by with Cari.
Congratulations, Chris.
I know you're all the way here
from Afghanistan.
What does it mean
to have your Mom here
in the crowd for you tonight?
Oh, it means the world.
She's my biggest support.
Where is she at? Hold on.
Sorry. Sorry.
-I love you, Mom.
-Whoo!
[laughs]
[Liam] Chris is moving on
to Mount Olympus
for a chance
to become a Titan
and continue on
in this competition.
[dramatic music]
Oh, I love you.
Congratulations.
-Oh, he love his Mama!
-Yeah, I do.
[dramatic music]
What's up, guys?
Look at this crowd over here.
Yes, yes!
How you doing?
[screams]
Hi, how you doing?
How are you?
What's up? How you doing?
Good to meet you.
[all scream]
How are you?
[dramatic music]
I designed this competition
to be a reflection of myself
and the competitors
in these games.
You got to be tough,
you got to be relentless,
and you also have to be
a little crazy.
The competitions are not easy,
because nothing in this world
worth having ever comes easy.
And I don't want people
just to watch The Titan Games.
I want them to be inspired
and hopefully go out
and feel like
they can conquer the world.
Because in the end,
it's us crazy ones
that dent the universe.
Let's get to our next battle.
[Liam] On the starting line
right now we have Ashley Huhn.
This special education teacher
from Denver
was a soccer star in college,
but never let her passion
for sports die.
Ashley teaches her students
to never settle.
It's a motto she actually
has tattooed onto her hip.
And Ashley will be facing off
with Jasmin Guinn,
a graphics animator who helps
care for her grandmother
back in San Francisco
who suffers from Alzheimer's.
[Alex] Jasmin was also
a serious athlete in college
until a devastating injury
ended her career.
When she heard
Dwayne's call to action
for The Titan Games,
it inspired her
to start training again
and get back into shape.
She's here tonight
to prove to herself
that she is still
an elite athlete.
Jasmin and Ashley
are about to wage war
on a challenge so taxing,
we named it after
the son of Zeus.
[Alex] They'll have to
push themselves to the limit
on the Herculean Pull.
[dramatic music]
DJ wanted to create
a challenge
where you outleverage an
opponent you can't even see.
[Liam] First, you use grip
strength and upper-body power
to unthread two 100-pound
silver poles,
each longer
than a pickup truck.
[Alex] Next is a blind tug
of war with the golden pole,
and you can't use
the ground for help.
[Liam] Whoever can hang on
and generate the most force
will hit the target
and punch their ticket
to Mount Olympus.
[cheers and applause]
What I love
about this challenge
is that you're battling it out
with an opponent
that you can't see.
And you know what?
That's the way it is
in real life, too.
Sometimes you're
fighting blind.
But no matter
what the circumstance,
you need to seize
the opportunity,
and when you think
you've given your max,
push past that,
And on the other side of that,
greatness awaits.
Ashley, Jasmin, time to show
the world what you're made of.
This is Herculean Pull.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] Jasmin in the red.
Ashley in the blue.
Alex, they're
on the same pole!
[Alex] They could have gone
for any of the four poles,
and they went
for the same one!
The question is,
do you want to fight?
Do you want to exert energy
on this pole,
or do you want to move on
to the next one?
[grunting]
[grunting]
[Alex] Jasmin lets go.
The graphic artist
has to make up ground.
Come on, Jas. Come on.
[grunts]
On the other side, Ashley,
she is pulling away at it!
[Liam] Smart move there
by Jasmin.
She knew she was
losing that one.
She moved on to the next.
Ashley has one pole left.
Jasmin's right behind.
[Alex] But now
I'm wondering, are they both
going to go
for the same pole again?
And they do!
But Jasmin says, "No way.
I'm not going to make that
same mistake this time."
[dramatic music]
And look at that.
Jasmin's done!
And now she's ahead and
going for the golden pole!
[Liam] She's there,
and she lost her footing.
-Wow!
-[Alex] I can't believe it!
[both grunting]
That could have
cost her the game.
Ashley is right back
into this one.
[both grunting]
[Liam] You saw Ashley earlier.
This teacher definitely
has the advantage
when it comes to strength.
[dramatic music]
This is where technique
comes into play.
You have to hold your body
perpendicular to the pyramid,
use your legs for leverage,
arms to pull,
and core to keep
your body aloft.
[both grunting]
Got to dig. You got to dig.
[Alex] Jasmin has
a little bit of give here.
She could reposition herself,
maybe angle herself
a little bit better.
[Liam] The Titan Games
inspired her
to get back in shape
after her injury,
and right now she is proving
she belongs in this arena.
[grunting]
[Alex] Look at Ashley!
She's wedged in
using one leg to balance
so the other can press.
She can dead lift 315 pounds,
and all of her students
can see how tough
their teacher is right now.
[Liam] Jasmin getting closer
to that steel plate.
Just a few more feet!
[Alex] Oh, no!
Jasmin's so close
from locking this one in!
The steel plate
is right behind her!
Just... Just inches, inches
before it kicks the plate.
Ashley needs to dig deep.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] Ashley, our teacher,
clinging to hope.
[grunting]
Jasmin wins it!
-Good job, Jas!
-There you go!
Good job!
The artist,
the athlete, and now,
hoping to add
the title of Titan.
[Alex] What a match.
Jasmin made
a critical decision early.
Instead of fighting
for control
of the first silver pole,
she gave it to Ashley
and used her elite athleticism
to make up ground.
The animator turned dominator.
[dramatic music]
-I thought it got stuck.
-I think my hands...
I can't open my hands
right now.
[Alex] Jasmin moves on
to Mount Olympus
for a shot to become a Titan
and come back in a few weeks
to compete in our
Battle of the Titans.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] Welcome back
to The Titan Games.
While we were away,
Jess Griffith,
a nutritionist
and registered nurse
who is so dedicated
to healthy living
that she spends
30 hours a week in the gym
faced off against Erin Lavoie
from Spokane, Washington.
Erin competes
in lumberjack games,
and is a three-time
world champ
for her skills with an ax.
Erin and Jess took their shot
on Heavy Metal.
[dramatic music]
Right away, you could see
the strength needed
to ascend the 30-foot ramp.
Every foot adds ten pounds
to their load.
[Alex] At the bottom,
it's 100 pounds,
-by the top, 350.
-Let's go, Jess.
[Liam] Then Erin the ax woman
proved her legs
were strong as oak,
powering her way
to the crank first.
[Alex] Erin's already on top!
[Liam] When the trauma nurse
reached the top,
Jess found another gear
and shifted into overdrive.
[grunting]
[Alex] Oh, my!
Look at this!
Uh, Jess is kicking ass.
And there you have it!
Jess is your winner!
Yeah.
[cheers and applause]
[Liam] So that means
later tonight, Jess Griffith
will compete
against Jasmin Guinn
on Mount Olympus for a chance
to become a Titan.
[dramatic music]
Now I know why my buddy,
Chris Hemsworth,
likes putting on
that Thor costume.
I mean, there's real power
in wielding a hammer like this.
I got an idea, guys.
How about we make a Thor
and Fast and Furious movie?
You guys want to do that?
With the God of Thunder,
Thor himself.
He comes flying in, you know,
and then, wham!
He gets stopped by
the real God of Thunder, yeah.
Box office gold.
#ThorHitsTheFloor.
You're welcome, Chris.
He's going to text me later.
-Time for our next challenge.
-Thanks, DJ.
It's a heavyweight battle
between two competitors
who go above and beyond
the call of duty.
Check this out.
One's a 245-pound
New York City firefighter,
while the other
is a 6'7" Ivy Leaguer
who is going beyond
his parents's American dream.
[dramatic music]
The Okoyes moved
from Nigeria to America
30 years ago
for a better life.
Now, to make
his parents proud,
this Cornell graduate
and financial analyst
goes by two names.
His middle name, Nnamdi,
represents his soft-spoken
business side.
I'm a super nerd.
I'm watching anime
on the weekends,
and I'm reading
about space and science,
like, in my free time.
While his first name,
Maximus,
speaks to his massive frame...
♪ Freight train
Wrecking ball ♪
♪ I'm the gladiator ♪
and his larger-than-life
gym personality.
When I am working out,
I'm probably the loudest person
in the room.
[grunting]
[metal clatters]
[grunts]
When I get going,
it's like a locomotive.
Whoever is around me,
I really don't see you.
I'm just trying
to go through you.
♪ Gladiator, gladiator ♪
I worked all my life
to be the best
at everything I do,
and tonight, I will be a Titan.
[soft music]
[Cari] The Titan Games
is a platform
to turn everyday people
into heroes,
but some of our competitors
really are heroes every day.
[dramatic music]
[alarm bell rings]
I've been a New York City
firefighter for 15 years.
It's the greatest job
in the world.
[truck horn blaring]
You could be running
into a burning building.
You could be going
into a water rescue run.
You could be driving
to the West Side Highway,
and there's a plane
in the middle of the Hudson.
Every day, you never know
what you're going to face.
"Llama, llama, busy day."
I have twins,
Madison and Anthony.
They're seven years old.
They're the love of my life.
Perfect braid,
what do you think?
I'm really excited my kids
get to watch me compete.
[grunts]
All their classmates
will be able to see me.
You know, "My Daddy's on TV
tonight on NBC with The Rock."
New York's bravest, baby.
Yeah!
I love being a fireman,
but, like,
I want to do something that's,
like, off the charts,
or something that's, like,
out of the ordinary.
I'm the biggest, strongest,
fastest guy
in this competition.
I'm going to smash
all of them.
[cheers and applause]
[Alex] Oh, boy. Here we go.
It's the tallest competitor
against the widest?
[dramatic music]
[Liam] Welcome back
to The Titan Games,
where two colossal competitors
are about to face off.
[Alex]
It's New York City firefighter
Frank "The Tank" Sansonetti
versus 6'7" business analyst
Maximus Okoye.
[Liam] Take it away, DJ.
This is what The Titan Games
is all about.
These competitions
need to have it all...
jaw-dropping visuals,
intense physicality,
and of course, pure fun.
We want to redefine what
an athletic competition can be,
and Frank, Maximus,
nothing embodies that more
than what you're
about to experience.
[dramatic music]
[Alex] Using
a 10-pound hammer,
you must smash two giant
350-pound stones.
[Liam] Cracking through
the concrete will require
the hammer to be moving
at an angular velocity
of more than
400 degrees per second.
[Alex] Then, when you
think they're light enough,
you'll try to raise the stones
25 feet in the air.
[Liam] The first
to complete this insane
arm-and
back-shredding challenge
gets through to Mount Olympus.
[dramatic music]
[cheers and applause]
This is Atlas Smash.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] Massive Maximus
and Frank the Tank.
-Frank the Tank slips.
-Oh!
[Dwayne] Wow!
[Liam] Had to go find
that Atlas hammer,
and Maximus has an edge.
Look at this again.
Frank falls so hard, he sends
his Titan hammer flying.
[Alex] He needs
to make up time.
Oh, and there he goes.
Oh, my goodness.
Look at that Frank.
He starts swinging away,
and you see just big chunks
from that Atlas stone
beginning to come off.
[grunting]
[Liam] You just know,
as a firefighter,
Frank is a pro with an ax.
[Alex] And Maximus, too.
They're pulverizing
those stones, Liam!
[grunts]
Frank's already
going for the rope?
That must still be
too heavy to lift.
[Liam] Maximus, meanwhile,
chipping away.
[Alex] This is a gamble.
[Liam] Yeah, that stone still
must weigh nearly 300 pounds.
But look at this!
That stone's rising!
[dramatic music]
Frank is a strong son of a...
[grunts]
[laughs] Wow!
[Alex] Maximus the analyst,
well, he's seen enough.
He's gonna go for the rope.
Frank's first stone
is almost up.
There it is!
Now it's on to the next one.
Come on, baby! Go, Frank!
[Alex] Now, it's going
to be Maximus's turn
to bring the Atlas stone up,
and he knows
that the pressure is on.
[Liam] And he can see
Frank the Tank
working on his second stone.
[grunts]
Keep going! Keep going!
Keep going! Keep going!
[Alex] Maximus nearly
has his stone up.
[dramatic music]
There it is!
[Liam] But Maximus has got
some serious ground
to make up.
Go, go, go, go, go, go, go!
Oh, and he looks
spent right now.
On the other side, though,
you now have Frank,
who's managed to take away a
good chunk of that Atlas stone.
And he's headed for the rope.
[Alex] This isn't just power.
Cardio is critical here.
Maximus is
starting to rally!
Frank, on the other hand,
is the firefighter
running out of gas?
You can see he's struggling
to raise that second stone.
The lactic acid buildup
in Frank's body right now
is beyond measure.
[Liam] You got to wonder
if you're Frank right now.
you're giving it
everything you have,
the stone's not moving.
Is it time to bring it down
and chip away some more?
[Alex] This is time
that he is wasting here.
You have to have the strategy.
[Liam] Here it comes.
Here it comes back down,
and back up with the hammer.
Frank moving in,
trying to knock more off.
Smart move on Frank's part.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] Maximus is in a world
of pain right now.
This is nothing like staring
at spreadsheets all day.
[Alex] And Frank
keeps on slugging.
He's going to show his kids
that he can crack it
like a walnut.
Come on, baby! Go!
And look at Maximus,
pushing through the pain.
He may have to try
lifting soon
to catch up with Frank.
[Liam] And there goes Frank.
[Alex] New York's Bravest,
and maybe New York's Titan.
[grunts]
And you see it.
He's feeling it now!
He's feeling it now!
[dramatic music]
Come on, Frank, go!
You're almost there!
He's so close!
Just one more pull.
And there it is!
He did it!
Frank is your winner!
Madison, Anthony, I love you!
New York, baby!
Whoo!
Making the New York City
Fire Department
and all firefighters
very proud.
Frank "The Tank" Sansonetti
is moving on to Mount Olympus.
[groans]
[Alex] He's going to go now
over to his girlfriend,
Bharda.
[Liam] I can't believe
he's got the strength
and the energy
to go over that wall.
Good job, baby. I love you.
I love you, too.
[Alex] Frank got off
to a rough start,
hitting the floor before he
even touched the hammer.
But watch Sansonetti
slap off half the stone
with a single blow! Wow!
[Liam] Madison and Anthony,
your Daddy's headed
to Mount Olympus.
-Congratulations.
-Thank you.
All right, that's a hard
thing to do right there.
-Oh, my God.
-It's hard.
Thank for the opportunity.
I appreciate it.
-Absolutely.
-Thank you.
-I'm very proud of you.
-Thank you.
-I gave it the best
I could, man.
-Congratulations, man.
-I appreciate it.
I'm very proud of you.
[dramatic music]
Four competitors have already
tasted victory tonight,
but as I've said
from the start,
winning is only the beginning.
Now these winners will
have to battle each other
in order to become Titans.
[dramatic music]
Mount Olympus is the crown
jewel in the Titan Arena.
From the strength required
to push over a half-ton wall
and drive 450 pounds
up a 25-degree incline,
to the agility to climb over
six spinning cylinders,
each wider
than a redwood tree,
each stage of Mount Olympus
has been specifically designed
to test all aspects
of athleticism.
If you have a weakness,
the mountain's
gonna reveal it.
Prove that you
can conquer my mountain,
and you join
my Team of Titans.
[cheers and applause]
Now, two powerful athletes
are returning
to the Titan Arena after
taking down worthy opponents.
It's one of New York's finest,
Frank Sansonetti,
and combat vet
Christopher Watts.
[dramatic music]
Going into Mount Olympus,
I plan on tapping into
the training from
when I was in the Army.
-[Liam] Chris has the lead!
-I've jumped over walls,
climbed ropes.
I do have some agility
on my side.
Go, Chris! Whoo!
Seeing my mother
out there in the crowd
definitely fuels me
to keep going.
[Alex] Chris Watts is
going to Mount Olympus!
I didn't come here
to lose this thing.
I came here to win.
My edge on Mount Olympus
is my strength.
[Alex] Oh, my goodness!
Look at that Frank!
I'm the bigger guy.
I'm the taller guy.
I'm the stronger guy.
I'm a beast, man.
I'm going all the way.
[cheers and applause]
We got two studs here.
It's the firefighter
versus a soldier.
There is no doubt
in anyone's mind
that both of you guys
are true heroes,
and after this is over, you're
still going to be heroes,
but only one of you
will be a Titan.
Frank, Christopher,
this is Mount Olympus.
[dramatic music]
[cheers and applause]
[Liam] Frank in the red.
Chris in the blue.
[Alex] Whoa, Chris
took a flying leap
and didn't make a dent!
But the Tank threw the wall
down like it's nothing
with those big guns.
[grunting]
[Liam] And now
Chris has it down
and heads to
the Gates of Olympus.
But Frank is on fire
right now.
[Alex] 6'3", 245 pounds.
The dude is a monster.
But Chris Watts
is not to be outclassed
as he is managing to push up
the Gates of Olympus.
[Liam] Curious to see
how Frank handles
the Rolling Ascent.
Remember, the firefighter
was a beast on Atlas Smash,
but brute strength alone
means nothing here.
You need speed, balance,
and agility.
[Alex] And that's
where I think
Chris Watts is going to shine.
We saw how
the combat veteran
dominated on Heavy Metal.
Take a look
at Chris's technique.
Meanwhile, big Frank,
he's struggling
to get on top
of that first one.
[both groan]
[Alex] Chris has already
reached the top.
Ah, wow. Look at Chris.
[Liam] Now Chris is
heading up to The Cliffs.
This is where you punch
and kick holes,
making your own path
to the top.
[grunts]
Frank is having
a world of problems.
-Come on, Frank.
-He's too top-heavy, Liam.
He can't get
far enough forward.
[grunts]
[grunting]
Come on, baby!
Come on, baby! Go!
[Liam] This is a nightmare
for Frank right now.
On the other side,
Chris Watts is already on top
of Mount Olympus
and is at the torch.
- Whoo!
-[Alex] We saw how Chris
dominated the crank
on Heavy Metal.
You'd expect him
to shine here as well.
[grunts]
Frank Sansonetti just
cannot get past this at all.
While Frank struggles,
Chris continues to impress.
And Chris Watts, he has
managed to raise the torch!
And now it's time
to descend Mount Olympus.
Come on, Chris.
[Liam] 60 feet to the bottom,
and Chris shows no sign
of slowing down.
Three walls in the way...
five, six, then seven feet.
Frank is stuck.
Remember, he said,
"I'm powerful.
I'm the strongest guy here."
But right now, his challenge,
it's not about strength,
and his struggle continues.
Look at this.
Chris is already
on the return flight,
while Frank
is still stuck
in the security line.
[Alex] I think Atlas Smash
just took too much
out of the firefighter.
Oh, my God, go! Come on.
Pure frustration for Frank.
No matter what he does,
he can't get up this mountain.
Man. [grunts]
Meanwhile,
Chris Watts marching across
-the arena floor.
-[grunts]
Come on, Chris. Attaboy.
Dragging that 250-pound
ball and chain
-over to the Titan tomb.
-[grunts]
You got this! You got this!
And what a moment
for Chris's Mom.
The first time she sees
her son in two years
[Alex] He is looking pretty,
as he's now hacking away
at the Titan tomb.
And Frank Sansonetti
is in roller hell right now.
He just cannot get past it.
And this soldier
cannot be stopped!
[dramatic music]
[Liam] An American hero,
served three years
in the Army,
a Purple Heart recipient,
now steps away
from the title of Titan.
[Alex] Chris Watts hold
the relic in his hands.
Whoo!
And he is your Titan!
Congratulations, brother.
Great job.
Whoo! Whoo!
Whoo!
Come here. I love you.
I am so proud of you, Titan!
Whoo!
[Alex] Frank the Tank slammed
through that 1,000-pound wall,
but the Rolling Ascent
was more like quicksand
for the big man.
Chris's combination of speed,
power, and agility
was flawless, and secured him
the title of Titan.
Congratulations
on being a Titan,
and, uh, I thank you
for your service.
All right, thank you, bro.
[dramatic music]
For those crowned
as Titans tonight,
their stories don't end here.
Later this season,
they will return here
for the Battle of the Titans.
In the end,
one woman and one man
will be crowned
Titan Champion.
Now, Jasmin Guinn
and Jess Griffith
face the ultimate test.
Going into Mount Olympus,
my edge over Jasmin
is I have been trained to
perform under immense pressure.
I was a trauma nurse
in St. Louis,
but I am now a nutrition coach
and specialist.
-Hey. How are you?
-Hey.
I wanted to take care of people
that wanted to help themselves,
and prevent them
from coming to the ER.
So I want to start with
talking about supplements.
-Okay.
[Cari] Jess likes to practice
what she preaches.
Training is like
her second job.
My workouts are very intense.
I go to the gym twice a day.
First session is usually
about two hours,
and second session is usually
about three hours.
Working through the pain?
I do that all the time.
And so, I don't think there's
a girl here that will beat me.
Jessica Griffith looks like
one of
the strongest women here,
but I'm used to pushing
my body to its limits.
[Alex] Look at that!
Jasmin gets it
in just a few moves!
My senior year
of basketball,
I tore two ligaments
and a tendon in my left foot.
That was pretty much
how I ended my career.
But it doesn't matter
how far you fall.
It's just about
how far you get up.
If I want to become a Titan,
I have to conquer
that mountain.
[cheers and applause]
Jasmin and Jess, I can't wait
to see the two of you
go head-to-head.
You're both such
fierce competitors.
All your hard work has led you
to this moment.
Seize it,
and define your legacy.
This is Mount Olympus.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] Jess in the blue.
Jasmin in the red.
Strength right off the bat.
[Alex] It's off
to that 1,000-pound wall,
and both of these women
throw it down
at the same time.
Now it's on
to the Gates of Olympus.
[grunts]
Wow.
[Liam] More of
a full-body strength here.
You need the upper body.
You need the lower body
and the core,
and right now,
both women managing it
very well.
[Alex] Jess is a little bit
ahead, but by a hair.
Jasmin is right behind her,
and they are
flying through the...
Oh, Jasmin gets hung up
there on the third one.
[Liam] But Jess is charging
right into The Cliffs.
[Alex] Wow, the trauma nurse
is blasting through that wall!
And here comes Jasmin.
Let's go, Jasmin. Come on.
[Alex] Last week, this artist
would have been painting
a mural on a wall.
Now she's destroying
this one.
[dramatic music]
-Ahh!
-Oh!
[Alex] Oh, my goodness!
Jess Griffith just fell!
Let's go, Jess.
[Liam] That opens the door
for Jasmine.
Come on, Jasmin.
Get up there.
It is time to punch
your way through,
but you have to be careful.
You don't want to make
the holes too big
like Jess just did.
It's just a slight hold.
Get your hand and
your feet in and get up.
[grunting]
[dramatic music]
[grunts]
-[Alex] Oh!
-[Liam] And Jasmin's down!
[grunts]
[Alex] Oh, my word!
Oh, that's not good.
[wails]
[breathing heavily]
[Alex] Oh, man,
that is something
you just do not want to see,
but Jess has no idea.
She's off to start
cranking that wheel.
[grunts]
[dramatic music]
[wincing]
[Liam] At the top,
Jasmin lost her footing
and landed awkwardly
on her right leg.
Remember, we heard her talk
about her leg injury
back in college
as a basketball player.
Let's hope
this isn't too serious.
But that does not look good.
[grunts]
[Alex] Jess has her torch up,
and she's beginning her descent
down the mountain.
She's storming ahead,
but watch... Look at this!
Jasmin is getting back up!
She's going to keep going!
-There you go, Jasmin!
-[Alex] What?
- Be careful.
-[Liam] This is incredible.
Can't put any weight
on that right leg,
but still trying
to make her way up top
of Mount Olympus.
[Alex] Just the fact
that she got up, Liam,
speaks volumes.
[grunts]
[Liam] But don't
let this take anything away
from what we're seeing
from Jess Griffith right now.
She's already
on the arena floor.
She's got her eye
on the prize,
getting to DJ
and becoming a Titan.
[Alex] Jasmin makes it up!
I can't believe this!
[Liam] But look at Jess.
Power on display right here.
Dragging that 200-pound
ball and chain with one hand!
[Alex] And Jasmin's
at the torch.
She's also just using one arm.
Because she has to hold
herself up with the other one.
Unbelievable!
[Liam] That's the heart
of a Titan, Goldenboy.
You're good.
[Alex] Jess, though,
on the floor now
starting to hack away
at the Titan tomb
so she can
take out that relic.
And Jasmin,
how is she doing this?
[Liam] The torch is lit.
[Alex] The willpower
of this woman!
[dramatic music]
[Liam] Jess hammering away.
Five hours a day in the gym.
She said she'd never
get outworked,
and right now,
she's proving it.
And Jasmin Guinn,
an artist, an athlete,
and someone who just isn't
going to be denied.
[groans]
[grunts]
But Jess digging
in the Titan tomb.
[dramatic music]
And she has it.
[Alex] Jess has the relic!
[Liam] Jasmin Guinn
won our hearts,
but Jess Griffin is a force
to be reckoned with.
[Alex] She locks it in!
Jess Griffith is our Titan!
-Wow.
-Amazing! Good job!
-So good.
-That was awesome.
[Alex] I cannot believe
what we just saw,
not only from Jess Griffith,
our new Titan,
but Jasmin Guinn.
She has earned
everyone's respect here
in the Titan Arena.
Good job, Jas! Good job!
[Liam] We've seen
this mountain best
some of the strongest athletes
in the world,
but it couldn't take down
Jasmin Guinn.
So it's former trauma nurse
Jess Griffith
who will be moving on
to our Battle of the Titans
in a few weeks.
[cheers and applause]
Great job. You were amazing.
Great job.
Thank you.
[Alex] Both women fell
at The Cliffs.
Jess Griffith recovered
and powered through
the remaining stages.
Jasmin suffered an injury,
but heroically rose again
and with
a remarkable determination,
fought until the very end.
Two inspiring efforts,
but only Jess
continues on
in this competition.
[dramatic music]
You have earned this.
Congratulations.
-Thank you so much.
-Great job. Great job.
You were amazing.
[Liam] So with Jess and Chris,
we've locked half
our team of Titans.
Next week, we're back to find
two more.
And in a few weeks,
they'll all face off
in the Battle of the Titans.
-See you next week
on Titan Games.
[dramatic music]
[dramatic music]