HIT, Iraq -- The American Gladiators paid a visit to the Marines of 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5 to show their support and have some fun Oct. 8.
Titan, Militia, Panther, Phoenix and Venom, stars from the television show “American Gladiators,” traveled here to sign autographs and take pictures with the Marines.
The gladiators arrived early in the day and started by spending time visiting the Marines and sailors with the battalion. One of the gladiators, Venom, even stopped to help Marines fill sand bags. After sitting down for lunch and talking to the Marines, the gladiators tested their strength against some of the Marines with some tug-of-war and a few rounds of “Bull in the Ring.”
“I really didn’t expect them to come out and actually do (events),” said Lance Cpl. Dillon J. Bob, 21, a squad automatic weapon gunner with Company L., 3rd Bn., 7th Marines. “For them to actually come out here, it makes us feel like they actually care.”
Alex Castro, a former Marine who plays Militia on “American Gladiators,” was the first to get things started, jumping in line with some of the larger Marines to take on Co. L’s machine gunners in a match of tug-of-war. After a failed attempt by Militia’s team to take the win, Titan ran up to give them a hand during the second round. Despite their best efforts, the machine gunners won again.
After the tug-of-war, the ground fighting began with a game called “Bull in the Ring,” which is a contest to see who the last man standing is. Two Marines stepped up to take on Militia at once and were tossed beyond the sand bags lining the perimeter of the ring in a matter of seconds.
“It was a good time,” said Cpl. Kyle D. Dringman, who stepped into the ring with Militia during the event. “I’m glad we got to do a little tug-of-war and ground fighting. I’m glad they did something with us instead of just coming and taking pictures because we actually got involved with them a little.”
After leaving Hit, the American Gladiators traveled to Camp Rawah to visit more Marines with the battalion.