Laila Ali to Co-Host American Gladiators

November 8, 2007

Laila Ali, third-place finisher in ABC’s Dancing with the Stars last season and current undefeated World Super Middleweight Boxing Champion, is entering a different kind of ring next year. Ali, 29, will join Hulk Hogan as co-host of NBC’s American Gladiators, PEOPLE has confirmed.

“It’s an honor to be reintroducing this American classic to a new generation of fans,” Ali said. Although she competed on DWTS, this will be the first time Ali has ever co-hosted a TV series.

In the new version of American Gladiators, set to air in mid-season, eight new gladiators equally divided by gender will face everyday folks ready to take them on in unique challenges.

This past July, Ali married retired NFL star Curtis Conway in the rose garden of the Ritz-Carlton in Marina del Rey, Calif. She lost out to Apolo Anton Ohno and Joey Fatone in the fourth season of Dancing with the Stars; she was partnered with pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy. —Cynthia Wang

Photo: Mark Von Holden/WireImage; DR / Retna

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Mrs. D November 8th, 2007

I am so excited to see that American Gladiators is coming back on. I grew up watching that show. To have Lalia Ali and Hulk Hogan host the show should be interesting!

Rachel November 8th, 2007

ALLLLLRIIIIIGHT!!!

I loved this show growing up, and I hope they do it with the great style that they had like I remember it!

ANON November 8th, 2007

I can’t wait to see how they recreate this – I LOVED the original!

Leah November 8th, 2007

I use to love Gladiators when I was growing up…I will definitely be DVRing this show!!! Not to mention Laila was great on DWTS!!!

lauren November 8th, 2007

Nitro! Lace! This is awesome.

diana November 8th, 2007

I think it’s a good match! Can’t wait!!!!!

Jakubie November 8th, 2007

With all the controversy over steroids I don’t think this is the best time to re-introduce American Gladiators. But I did love the show when I was a kid and always wanted to be a contestant, maybe now I’ll have a chance!

sal November 8th, 2007

I hope that the new show will bring in some of the orig. gladiators from back in the day to make cameo appearances. I know that many people want to know what ever happened to Malibu and Thunder.

Gail November 8th, 2007

I still watch the original on ESPN classic so this it exciting to see it come back again.

Vida November 8th, 2007

I cannot wait! I loved watching this show before church as a kid, nothing like brutality before blessings.

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