And speaking of Swingshot, that event was notable in the 1992 Grand Championship. Swingshot was played first, and during the event, Joe Mauro got a yellow ball (worth one point) up to his scoring bin, only to have it bounce out and not count. That extra point would have meant a 4.5 second-head start on Mark Ortega, which would have been just enough for Mauro to hold the lead and win the championship.
Wesley "Two Scoops" Berry catching up in the Eliminator on the cargo net, which seemed impossible before he did it. He was so popular, due to being such a dominant force as a contender, that they kept bringing him back in roles like contender coach.
Berry's big moment was during the Gauntlet in the first international competition. Ten points were awarded if you beat it within twenty seconds, but Two Scoops did it in under ten.
Let's not forget Two Scoops' performance in the 1994 Grand Championship. Despite sustaining a bruised shoulder in Swingshot (the second event of the show) and subsequently losing Skytrack, he managed to earn a draw in Assault, make it to the top of the Pyramid, Hang Tough for five points, make it through the Gauntlet for another five points, AND finish the Eliminator in near-record time. Props also have to be given to his opponent, Troy Jackson, who sustained a knee injury in the Pyramid and still managed to make it through the rest of the competition.
Pretty much every time he won an event, Wesley would celebrate with a victory dance — and not just any dance, but breakdancing. The guy's a master at it!
Mike Adamle once, while physically demonstrating how Assault worked, hit the target with his first shot.
Malibu getting taken out in "Human Cannonball".
Almost any of the "Challenge of Champions" episodes, where all the contestants were things like Pro Football players or U.S. Armed Forces personnel.
Elden Kidd defeating Gemini in the Joust (Gemini's signature event) not once...not twice...not even thrice...but four times!!!
Hell, pretty much ANYONE beating Gemini in the Joust is a Moment of Awesome. Of the 50 Jousts he competed in (not counting the two bouts in the Pro Football Challenge of Champions), he won 38, drew four times, and lost eight (four of which were against the aforementioned Elden Kidd). note (For the record, Gemini's other Joust losses came against Craig Williams (An early favorite due to being the largest of the contenders. In fact, this was Gemini's very first joust, and it was a loss by disqualification), Billy Wirth (Yes, THAT one. BTW, Billy was the first contender to knock Gemini off the platform.), Rico Constantino (Yes, THATone. Also, Rico was one of the few contenders never to lose in the Joust.), and Robert Bender (Ironically, Gemini's last Joust loss came the same way as his first...a disqualification.)
Tom Hintnaus' performance in the final season's Playboy Challenge (Hintnaus and his opponent, Tracy James, were underwear models). He scored 10 points in the Wall, 10 in Tug-o-War, 4 points in Assault, 10 in Whiplash, and an incredible 19 points in Swingshot (5 reds and 2 blues). At one point, they actually had to stop the event because all the balls had been stripped off the cylinder! Even more incredible, this former Olympic pole vaulter was nearing 40 years old!
Announcer: They came from the four corners of the Earth. The mightiest gladiators from Great Britain, Finland, America, and Russia. Together for the first time in history, united to accept the challenge of the international champion contenders, in a battle that would decide... who is the best in the world. *cue UK Gladiators theme*
While that's going on, the various Gladiators emerge from behind the rocks at Stonehenge, gather together, and raise their hands collectively to create blue lightning. The energy gathers and the British "G" symbol rises from Stonehenge and towards the Sun. It grows spikes, and then wraps around the sun to form the British Gladiators titlecard (with the addition of "International"). Bad.Ass.
2008 Revival
In one Season 2 episode, we had Inspirationally Disadvantaged contestant John Siciliano competing, who had a prosthetic leg. He not only completed all the challenges with that leg, but also managed to make it to the Eliminator. While the other contestant competing in the eliminator won (fairly), John still continued to complete the Eliminator (despite most contestants quitting once the other contestant has a clear lead and/or wins), with not only the audience and crew cheering him on, but even the other contestant started cheering him on. At the end, the winning contestant helps the guy out and raises his arm in a victory triumph, pointing to him as well.
. Ortega overcame Mauro's four-second head start to win in a photo finish (0.02 seconds ahead) that became the show's defining moment. Ortega was also one of the only contenders to get a red (highest) ball in Swingshot.