Then they're like, 'Tell me more about him,'" Cruz continued. "I think the difference in this is that The Rock has a certain brand about him. 's "Pop of the Morning," an hour-long program that offers viewers an unfiltered, in-depth and irreverent look at the most talked-about news stories of the day. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. The original "American Gladiators" was a syndicated series that aired from 1989-1996 and matched amateurs against each other, as well as against the show's "gladiators." "I'm extremely competitive. In 2014, he was named on Vanity Fair’s International Best-Dressed List and has also been featured in GQ, AQ and Vogue magazines. Fans could smell the new level of intensity The Rock was cooking up for Season 2 of his NBC competition series when he announced the addition of elite athletes — including Cruz, Claressa Shields, Joe Thomas, Cruz, Hannah Teter, Jessie Graff and Tyron Woodley — as an obstacle for "The Titan Games'" amateur contestants. Victor Cruz is a co-host of E! As a former New York Giants player and NFL Super Bowl champion from Paterson, New Jersey, Cruz's first love will always be football. The Super Bowl champ says that when you see the Mount Olympus obstacle course on "The Titan Games," you "understand the difference" between The Rock's show — which is inspired by his own intensive workout regimen — and the "Gladiators" reboot "almost immediately.". "This mountain will test even the bravest of athletes," said The Rock. As for Cruz's brand, we asked the former NFL star how much his famous salsa end zone celebration dance raised his profile, paving the way for an ESPN stint and now an E! Like us on Facebook to see similar stories. By using the site, you consent to these cookies. Off the field, Cruz is recognized as a fashion icon and tastemaker. Victor Cruz Is 'Fully Aware' of That Enzo Amore Promo About Their High School Football Face-Off, Fall TV 2020: Every Broadcast Show Canceled, Renewed and Ordered - So Far (Updating). But this is where Palicia gained his lead on Cruz, an advantage which the NFL champ never quite managed to claw back. The Season 2 of "The Titan Games" premieres tonight, Monday, at 8/7c on NBC. Palicia then sped ahead to obstacles like the cage crawl and 300-pound chain pull, and ultimately won the entire Mount Olympus challenge. And I think when you put a show together like "Titan Games"…it has no choice but to be top-notch and above and beyond. Men's Health participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. PopCulture.com had a chance to speak to Cruz and Thomas about their experience on the … "This is newer, fresher, a whole new vibe," Cruz continued, with "renewed, refreshed energy." Cruz also devotes his time to numerous causes and is an active philanthropist. Victor Cruz might have retired from the NFL after six seasons as wide receiver with the New York Giants (a tenure which included one Super Bowl win), but he's stayed in champion shape — as he has been demonstrating on this season of NBC's The Titan Games. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, the host of The Titan Games, decided to take the competition up another level with the addition of six Celebrity Titans, including former NFL stars Victor Cruz and Joe Thomas. The show, hosted by none other than The Rock, pits elite athletes from all over the world against each other in a larger-than-life competition that puts their strength, speed, and endurance to the test.

I remember not having the same feeling that I had as a kid watching 'American Gladiators,'" Cruz told TheWrap. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. We may earn a commission through links on our site. ", Last night saw Cruz face off against U.S. Air Force captain Noah Palicia in the epic Mount Olympus challenge, an assault course of giant proportions. “The Titan Games” Western Region Finales is coming down to the last pole, literally. His brand is always about toughness, hard work, blood, sweat and tears. In 2016, he was also recognized by Sports Illustrated as the most fashionable athlete and released the Air Trainer Cruz, being the first football athlete to design and release a lifestyle shoe with Nike. "I'd be lying to you if I told you the salsa didn't raise awareness to Latino fans and bring more Latino fans to the sport and start watching the game because of what I was doing," he said.

Season 2 of The Titan Games is here, and there will be one big difference from the first season. Titan Games Athlete Takes on Army Obstacle Course, 'The Titan Games' Season 2 Is Dropping Soon, Meet the Competitors of 'The Titan Games' Season 2, See an Arnold Lookalike in 'The Titan Games'. This content is imported from YouTube. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's "The Titan Games" debuts its second season Monday, an installment that features former New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz among the six pro-athlete competitors that the show's "everyday" contestants go head-to-head with in hopes of winning the "Titan Champion" title and a $100,000 prize. Air Force captain Noah Palicia beat the Super Bowl champion to the summit of the show's intense Mount Olympus challenge. Reading scores drop, math scores low. Super Bowl champion Victor Cruz competed against Noah Palicia, a captain in the U.S. Air Force, in the Mount Olympus challenge on NBC's 'The Titan Games'. I don't know what 'take it easy' means, I'm a guy that likes to go full force," Cruz said during last night's episode. And if the everyday people vs. pros aspect, a pro-wrestling legend as host, and a humongous set piece for the final challenge made you draw a comparison between The Rock's series and the network's short-lived Hulk Hogan-hosted "American Gladiators" reboot, Cruz is here to vouch for how different the two are. Since Cruz officially retired from the NFL, he has also served as an ESPN NFL analyst. But don't worry — Cruz will still be participating in The Titan Games semi-finals later this season. 's "Pop of the Morning," an hour-long program that offers viewers an unfiltered, in-depth and irreverent look at the most talked-about news stories of the day. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io, Ewan McGregor Talks Returning to Obi-Wan Character, FaZe Rug Has Splurged on Three Lamborghinis, 40 Celeb Couples Who Split While Working Together, Netflix's Sandman Series May Feature DC Heroes, The Complete Soundtrack to ‘We Are Who We Are', Oscar Isaac Will Play the MCU's 'Moon Knight', How DNA Info Could Catch Escaped 'Unsolved' Killer.

NBC's Hogan and Laila Ali-hosted remake, which aired in 2008, had the same premise but was not comparable to the original in Cruz's eyes.

Microsoft may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article. We and our partners use cookies on this site to improve our service, perform analytics, personalize advertising, measure advertising performance, and remember website preferences. "'Oh, he's actually Spanish, he actually learned it from his grandmother, he actually lives 15 minutes away from Giants Stadium. Bill Kostroun/Associated Press The West region has two new Titans after Monday's episode of The Titan Games. Those are all the things that he embodies. Victor Cruz is a co-host of E! ", "First it was like, 'Who's the guy doing this dance?' Will high school seniors be ready for graduation? Whereas the "American Gladiators" remake "felt stale" and couldn't live up to the original, he said. Also read: Fall TV 2020: Every Broadcast Show Canceled, Renewed and Ordered - So Far (Updating). Victor Cruz Lauds 'Titan Games' as Nothing Like That 'Awful' 2008 'American Gladiators' Reboot. Oh OK, then it makes sense, let's show him the love and the credit he deserves for what he does on the football field.'". Costco is the latest retailer to drop Chaokoh coconut milk over allegations of forced monkey labor, PETA says. "I remember [the 'Gladiators' reboot] being awful. "I'm a Super Bowl champion, and now I'm going to be a Titan Games champion." Former New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz and professional stuntwoman Jessie Graff were unsuccessful in their bids to regain Titan status in the West region on Monday's edition of The Titan Games.. Cruz advanced from the opening event, Hammer Down, but lost a head-to-head battle to Wayne Skivington in Resistance. And I think that's what people gravitated to, along with the dance. He launched the Victor Cruz Foundation in 2014, which encourages children to become physically active, focusing on college readiness, financial literacy and STEM programming. Connect with friends faster than ever with the new Facebook app. The two athletes started off on fairly equal footing, racing through the first few obstacles before both hitting the uphill log lift, a challenge which commentators speculated might be difficult for Palicia's upper body strength. News gig. ", Also read: Victor Cruz Is 'Fully Aware' of That Enzo Amore Promo About Their High School Football Face-Off. He added that his experience in the world of professional football has taught him to always be prepared and bring his A-game, "both physically and mentally. I remember that. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's "The Titan Games" debuts its second season Monday, an installment that features former New York Giants wide receiver … Show full articles without "Continue Reading" button for {0} hours. Philip Ellis is a freelance writer and journalist from the United Kingdom covering pop culture, relationships and LGBTQ+ issues. Victor Cruz, Wayne Skivington and Exodus Rogers Face Off on Hammer Down - The Titan Games CLIP 06/29/20 Push-Up Walk Up Tutorial with Hannah Teter: Titan in Training - The Titan Games "Not just having the salsa dance be my thing, but the salsa dance being so organic and so true to my actual heritage and my actual background, that it made it all just come full circle. These Shoes Helped Me Level Up My Home Workouts, The Best Face Masks That Won’t Fog Up Your Glasses, 3 Ways to Make Your Flu Shot Even More Effective. Our product picks are editor-tested, expert-approved. "Trust me, Noah and Victor, you both will be tested.". For more information on cookies including how to manage your consent visit our.