When it comes to John Cena on the small screen, it almost always involves seeing him busting faces – or getting his own face busted – on WWE shows like Raw. But fans will get to see him in a brand new setting in the future, as he is set to host the new reality series American Grit for Fox. And once you hear what this show is about, you’ll agree that getting anyone else besides Cena would have been silly.
American Grit is an elimination-based competition series in which 16 of this country’s most hardcore men and women will join together as teams to take on military-themed challenges that prove they have what it takes not only to survive, but to do that better than everyone else. Did I mention there’s a $1 million prize? That boosts anyone’s survival instincts.
Each episode’s events will be mentally and physically strenuous, and will test the will and might of everyone involved. It all culminates in a brutal obstacle course called The Circus, which is designed to suss out the weaklings. Luckily for all involved, part of the focus is on teamwork, so it won’t just be people fending only for themselves. I’m picturing American Gladiators, but without all the padding.
As well, the teams will get the benefit of relying on a group of the military’s elite, dubbed The Cadre, who are there to guide the contestants towards the prize. One of those mentors is Navy SEAL Rorke Denver, who starred in the film Act of Valor and wrote the book Damn Few: Making the Modern SEAL Warrior. There’s also Army vet Noah Galloway, who earned a Purple Heart for losing his arm and leg in the Iraq War, though that didn’t stop him from taking third place on Dancing with the Stars last year. Retired U.S. Marine Tawanda “Tee” Hanible will be on hand, sharing her experience as the only female to go out with her unit into the 2003 Iraq invasion, as well as her time as the founder of the Operation Heroes Connect organization, which presents at-risk youth with military vets at mentors. Rounding out the group is Nick “The Reaper” Irving, known as the deadliest sniper in the Army’s 3rd Ranger Battalion, who wrote about his deadly experiences in the book The Reaper.
Maybe it’s just because he was in the movie The Marine, but Cena is clearly the perfect choice to host this show. While he’s obviously a badass inside the wrestling ring, Cena has also proven himself a genial and amusing actor in films like Trainwreck, and he’s also one of the most fan-friendly celebrities on the planet, having granted over 500 wishes for the Make-A-Wish foundation. Something tells me his muscles will be right at home on this show.
There’s no release date set yet for American Grit, but the 10-episode competition will likely be hitting Fox at some point in 2016.
