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Outside Magazine, April 2008

Bloodsport Passport
The classic formula for travel TV usually involves thatch, bikinis, and a star with great teeth. Now, some of those teeth are starting to get knocked out as adventure-program producers attempt to cash in on the success of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Over the past year, cable networks have debuted several series that pair exotic adventure with bare-knuckle brawling. The result? A split decision.

By Megan Miller

Last One Standing
DISCOVERY CHANNEL
PREMISE: Six athletes go head to head against indigenous warriors in places like Djilor, Senegal, and the Trobriand Islands.
PRE-FIGHT HYPE: "Western athletes, remote tribes, real competition. Welcome to full-contact culture."
IN THE RING: The winners seem determined by who looks best in a loincloth. Meanwhile, the show struggles to overcome its colonialist premise: Will the Westerners beat the natives at their own game?
DECISION: TKO'd in December, after one season.

Human Weapon
HISTORY CHANNEL
PREMISE: Cage fighter Jason Chambers and NFL tackle Bill Duff train with the world's masters and then fight the local talent. Along the way, they absorb exotic scenery and culture.
PRE-FIGHT HYPE: Duff is 6'4", 280 pounds, and, according to his bio, "undefeated in bar fights."
IN THE RING: Training sessions are interspersed with historical vignettes, but CGI models illustrating the mechanics of fighting styles add a modern touch.
DECISION: Winner!

Fight Quest
DISCOVERY CHANNEL
PREMISE: Cage fighter Jimmy Smith and Iraq vet Doug Anderson train with the world's masters and then fight the local talent. Along the way, they—wait, this sounds familiar.
PRE-FIGHT HYPE: Smith defeated Human Weapon host Chambers by heel hook in a 2006 cage match.
IN THE RING: Smith whines a lot, and Anderson is a meathead, but the grueling training sessions are entertaining.
DECISION: Still swinging. New episodes are in the works.

Megan Miller is Senior Editor of Outside Online.

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