Battle Dome

Infobox Television


show_name = Battle Dome
format = Wrestling
camera = Multicamera setup
runtime = 1 hour (approx. per episode)
starring =
country = USA
network = first-run syndication
first_aired = September, 1999
last_aired = April 1, 2001
num_episodes = 30|

"Battle Dome" was a syndicated American television series that aired from September 1999 to April 2001. It aired Sunday nights on The WB Network and combined elements of "American Gladiators" - inspired athletic competition with scripted antics more reminiscent of professional wrestling. Recurring character-athletes known as "Warriors" competed against weekly contestants in a variety of physically demanding (and sometimes dangerous) events. The series was filmed at the Los Angeles Sports Arena and produced by Columbia TriStar.

The entire first season of "Battle Dome" is now available for purchase on iTunes.

Overview

A Warrior typically entered the show's arena accompanied by his own bombastic theme music and a comely female sidekick; in later episodes, weekly contestants were also allotted female companions, courtesy of "Perfect 10" magazine.

The announcer for the show was Steve Albert (brother of Marv); Scott Ferrall provided color commentary. Seth Stockton served as referee for the entire run. Downtown Julie Brown appeared in early episodes, functioning as a sort of sideline reporter. The "Chairman", whose face remained off camera, oversaw the proceedings. Halfway through the show's run, Ferrall and Brown were replaced by Ed Lover and Brian Blakely, respectively, and "The Chairman" was dropped from the show.

"Battle Dome" was also broadcast in the UK, on the Challenge and Bravo networks, as well as on Channel 5, now "Five." It was also broadcast in Ireland on TV3.

Three contestants competed in a series of four or five events, which varied in intensity and danger factor. After the fourth or fifth event, the two highest scoring competitors advanced to the Battle Dome final. If the second and third place players were tied, the tie was broken in a rather novel way. Both players would stand on platforms on two separate metal discs, with the discs being pulled back and rammed together at high rates of speed. The intensity of the hit grew until one player fell off, at which point they would be going home. This also would help determine the Battle Dome Warriors championship if it were in question at the end of every show in the first season (the title was dropped after the first year).

After all ties and championships between the Warriors and contestants were settled, the two remaining players moved into the Battle Dome for the final round, in which the two competitors wrestled each other in an attempt to throw the opponent off an elevated platform. Doing so won the match, a cash prize, and a Battle Dome championship ring. The winner would also advance in the Battle Dome tournament, with the winner getting a large cash prize, a motorcycle, and a Battle Dome championship belt at the end of the season.

In the second season, the rules changed to where a contestant could not throw the opponent out of the ring to win, instead having to earn a pin.

World Championship Wrestling

In fall of 2000, the stars of "Battle Dome" and World Championship Wrestling (WCW) began a brief cross-promotional feud. It kicked off when WCW wrestlers disrupted a "Battle Dome" taping. In retaliation, on the November 6 edition of "Monday Nitro", T-Money, Cuda, Mike O'Dell (husband of WCW star Midajah), D.O.A., and Bubba King began heckling in the audience as Diamond Dallas Page spoke to the Chicago crowd. Rick Steiner, Ernest Miller, and Buff Bagwell came to Page's aid before security ended the physical dispute. [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2000_Nov_7/ai_66686873 ``BATTLE DOME" Warriors Shock ``Monday Nitro"; Live Broadcast Interrupted by Five Warriors Issuing Challenge to WCW] "Business Wire" (November 7, 2000). Retrieved on 9-21-08.] The feud between these men continued as far as November 20, [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2000_Nov_21/ai_67223910 ADVISORY/Photo of "Battle Dome" 'Warriors' Bubba King, Cuda, D.O.A. and T-Money is available on BW PhotoWire/AP PhotoExpress, NewsCom, PressLink and Business Wire's Web Site] "Business Wire" (November 21, 2000). Retrieved on 9-21-08.] mere months before the buyout of WCW by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF).

Events

Battle Wheel

Two warriors competed. The event took place on a large, rotating platform which resembled a right circular cone with its outside edge and apex flattened. The contenders had 60 seconds to force both warriors to touch the bottom ring of the wheel with any part of their body. The warriors were allowed to do essentially anything necessary to keep this from occurring. The contenders had to dispatch of the first warrior on the lower portion of the wheel (usually Jake Fury) before taking on the warrior at the top of the wheel (usually Cuda). 25 points were earned for removing the lower warrior from the wheel, and an additional 25 points were earned for getting the 2nd warrior off the wheel.

*Jake Fury suffered a nasty ankle injury on the Battle Wheel towards the end of Season 1. Fury's ankle was "blown out" and facing the incorrect direction. He only competed sparingly on the show afterwards.

*A contestant also had his ankle broken/twisted (similar to Jake Fury's) under virtually the same circumstances.

*In Season 2, the Battle Wheel was significantly changed as the Wheel was lowered and wider, making it difficult for a contestant to defeat a warrior and so the ankle blow-out injury never happened again.

Take Down

A football type event. The contender was placed in the center of an enclosed area with 2 warriors on each end. Behind each warrior were 4 different lights with actuators beneath them. In the 1st season, a light was lit up behind the warrior (Steve and Scott typically noted that the warriors did not know which light was lit). On the referee's whistle, the contender tried to hit the actuator to turn the light off. Each light turned off was worth 25 points. The contender was only allowed one attempt per light; no "second effort" was allowed. After each attempt, the contender returned to the center and repeated against the other warrior. This would continue for 60 seconds. In the 2nd season, all 8 lights (4 at each end) were lit up. The contender chose which light to go after and the warrior would have to stop them. Otherwise, the rules remained the same from season 1.

Rollercage of Fire (1st Season), Rollercage (2nd Season)

Contenders were raised up into a revolving cylindrical cage with holes built into it. In the 1st season, a ring of fire was set outside the cage at each end, mainly to set the atmosphere. The fire ring was removed in season two, as well as the reference to it in the event's title. Contenders had 60 seconds to force the warrior (Almost always T-Money, with 1 or 2 appearances by DOA in the later part of the 1st season) through one of the holes while avoiding the same fate. Forcing the warrior out earned 25 points (later 50). Draws originally scored nothing, but were later increased to a 25 point score.

Aerial Kickboxing

Contenders and opposing warriors hung from an undulating metal grid roughly 10 feet off the ground. The contender attempted to kick the warrior (usually Michael O'Dell, Bubba King or the Sleepwalker) off the grid within 60 seconds without being removed from the grid themselves. Kicks to the head were technically against the rules and would result in DQ's. At least 1 contender was DQ'd because of head shots. However, the referee often looked the other way with Bubba King (he kicked almost every contender in the head, but was only called on it once). If the contender kicked the warrior off the grid, the contender scored 50 points. Draws scored 25 points. Most contenders were lucky to score short of a DQ of the warrior. Bubba King and Sleepwalker were almost impossible to beat, but O'Dell actually was impossible to defeat, as he never lost a match and rarely surrendered a draw.

*On one occasion, a contestant kicked Bubba King in the head. Bubba was stunned, but he still won.After the match, the "reporter" had Bubba talk about the match. Bubba was angry, and complained about the contestant breaking the rules (by kicking him in the head), and Bubba said half his body went numb from the head kick.

G-Force

A central rotating tower had three arms extending from the top of the central tower. Each of the contenders hung onto a handle at the end of each arm. A warrior stood on a platform above this tower, throwing balls at the contenders as the tower spun. The tower's speed increased steadily as the event progressed. The last contender/s standing earned 25 points, and a bonus 25 points was earned for lasting 60 seconds.

Battle Bridge

A large bridge spun quickly in mid-air. The contender and the warrior were each given a large padded club to use to knock the other off the bridge as it spun. Contenders scored 50 points for successfully knocking the warrior off the bridge, or 25 points for lasting 60 seconds.

Battle Field

This event was similar to Powerball on American Gladiators. Unlike Powerball, contenders competed one-on-one against a single warrior, who defended a single scoring bin. The scoring bin was located in the center of the playing field atop an approximately five foot-tall pyramid. The warrior wore boxing gloves and could freely attack the contender as much as they wanted to keep them from scoring. Each ball scored was worth 25 points.

Battle Hoop

Contenders began in the center of a circular field. A large hanging hoop moved around the outside perimeter of the field, with its opening always facing the center of the field. A warrior stood on the outside perimeter of the field to block the contender from jumping through the hoop. Contenders had 60 seconds to try and jump through the hoop as many times as they could, returning to the center after each attempt. Each successful pass through the hoop earned 25 points.

Battle Wall

Contenders had to get over three walls defended by the Battle Dome warriors. A warrior stood on the opposite side of each wall. Each wall was around 3 feet in height. The walls became narrower as the event went on making it harder to get by the warriors. Each wall that a contender was successful in climbing was worth 25 points.

Evader

A contender had to light targets while avoiding medicine balls from the warriors. Three hits and the game was over.

Anti-Gravity

This event, along with Interceptor, was always played last because of the point opportunities. Contenders had to light strips by hitting buttons on a grid. Every strip lit was worth 25 points, for a possible 150. However, as the name implied, if a contender lost grip of the handles on the grid, he would fall upward and end the event. More often, he was pulled off by a warrior, usually The Commander.

Interceptor

Called a game of cat and mouse, a contender had to fly around the Interceptor grid lighting targets worth 25 points each until caught by the warrior or time ran out. Each target was worth 25 points.

Ultimate Body Slam

This was a tiebreaker, usually between the warriors for the right to hold the warrior belt. If the top warrior had been less than stellar and a fellow warrior close in the rankings had performed well, but not well enough to win the belt outright, the two warriors would compete in Ultimate Body Slam. The two competitors rode platforms that crashed into each other. Whoever stayed on when the other fell off was the winner.

Warriors

During the first season, the warriors maintained distinct personalities, similar to professional wrestling characters. The warriors competed for the Battledome Belt. After each event the warriors were "ranked", according to how well they did in the competition. At the end of that days competition the top ranked warrior received the Battledome Belt.

The "ranking" was done by the mysterious Chairman. The Chairman supposedly owned the Battledome. He was only seen in silhouette wearing a large cowboy hat. What little else was known about him is that he was supposedly an older man. Kim Ko was supposed to be his trophy wife, and Bobbie Haven his secretary. It was Bobbie he would deliver the messages from The Chairman to the other warriors and the fans. At the start of the second season The Chairman and the Battledome Belt was dropped from the competition.

First season warriors

* T-Money (Terry Crews), 1999-2001
* The Commander (Christian Boeving) 1999-2001
* Michael O'Dell (Michael O'Hearn), 1999-2001
* Bubba King (Timothy Elwell), 1999-2001
* Cuda, 1999-2001
* D.O.A. (Chad Bannon), 1999-2000
* Sleepwalker (Woon Young Park), 1999-2000
* Payne, 1999-2000
* Jake Fury, (Gary Kasper), 1999-2001

Second season warriors

* Snake (Jesse "Justice" Smith, Jr.), 2000-2001
* Moose, 2000-2001
* Baby Blue, 2000-2001
* Johnny Rocco, 2000-2001
* Mad Dog Steele(Stefan Gamlin), 2000-2001
* Prince, 2000-2001

The women of "Battle Dome"

A partial list of female companions:
* The Dahm Triplets
* Yellow "Perfect 10 Girl" (Jesse Capelli)
* Red "Perfect 10 Girl" (Carla Alapont)
* Bobbie Haven (Bobbie Brown, best known for Warrant's "Cherry Pie" music video)
* Angel (Karen Taucher)
* Karen Ko (Karen Kim)

American Gladiators

Three people who appeared on "Battle Dome" also were involved with "American Gladiators". Darryl Gholar, one of the first season runners-up, appeared on "AG" during season three, advancing to the second half finals before falling to Joe Mauro. Michael O'Hearn, who played Michael O'Dell, was a reserve Gladiator named Thor, but he never made an appearance on the show. O'Hearn is in the "AG" 2008 revival as lead Gladiator Titan. Justice Smith (who played warrior Snake) is also in the "AG" revival as a Gladiator named Justice.

External links

* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0233032/ Battle Dome] at The Internet Movie Database