American Grit eliminated the first member of Navy SEAL Commander Rorke Denver's team, Marc Lobliner, during Thursday night's broadcast on Fox.
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Marc, a 35-year-old CEO of a nutrition company who was dubbed as "The Machine" on the show, was one of four members on Rorke's team. After being chosen to compete in "the circus," Marc was the first person to fail and ring the bell, ultimately sealing his fate in the new survival and military-themed reality competition.
"Losing today sucked. I need that money," March said following his ouster. "But I set forth what I wanted to do, and that's show that I can compete with the best of them, and I'm proud. I gave it all I got. You don't know what the circus is going to bring. For me to step onto a three-inch post is essentially like putting a bowling ball on a golf tee."
American Grit's episode began with host John Cena explaining the four teams led by military heroes would embark on another challenge called an "evolution." The four leaders are Rorke, Marine Gunnery Sergeante Tawanda "Tee" Hanible, Army Sergeant Noah Galloway, and Army Ranger Nick "The Reaper" Irving.
Rorke's team was comprised of Marc; Tabatha "The Roller Girl" Chandler, a 39-year-old registered nurse; Mario "The Triathlete" Robinson, a 25-year-old personal trainer; and Ashley "The Marine's Daughter" Hazlett, a 31-year-old event coordinator.
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Tee trained Tony "Touchdown Tony" Simmons, a 41-year-old sports performance coach and former NFL player; and Ivette "The Equestrian" Saucedo, a 35-year-old model.
Nick had recruited Jim "The Boston Cop" Vaglica, a 54-year-old police officer; Maria "The No Excuses Mom" Kang, a 35-year-old nonprofit founder and author; Cameron "The Wrestler" Zagami, a 22-year-old professional wrestler; and Kimberly "KJoy" Joy, a 38-year-old yoga instructor.
Noah's team consisted of Lisa "The Bikini Bodybuilder" Traugott, a 42-year-old trainer and author; David "The Olympian" Neville, a 31-year-old college track and field head coach; Clare "The Fisherman" Painter, a 47-year-old horse trainer and fisherman; and Mark "The Lumberjack" Bouquin, a 26-year-old Timbersports athlete.
The season's third evolution required each team to break down every piece of a campsite including the base of the tent consisting of a complex puzzle. After putting those pieces in a crate, they had to cross frigid water to dry land and then construct a wheelbarrow from a few materials. Afterward, they had to use the wheelbarrow to transport the crate and any leftover materials to a new location, where they'd set up a new camp mirroring the first camp setup.
The team to finish first would be safe from elimination, and that ended up being Noah's team for the third straight time.
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John then explained the three losing teams must send one member into the circus, the most brutal combination of military exercises which Rorke previously described as "a savage beating." The first person to give up in the circus and ring the bell would be sent home.
Rorke, Nick and Tee were tasked with choosing which one of their team members would represent them in the circus. Tee picked Tony, Nick sent Cam in, and Rorke had Marc compete.
For the circus, the three participants were instructed to complete a muscle-draining obstacle course complete with climbing a three-story cargo net, ascending a 30-foot log structure and tumbling down a canyon. At the end, the civilians had to stand on an endurance platform, where they were required to balance on a narrow wooden post. There were three posts that decreased in size as the challenge progressed, increasing the level of difficulty.
Tony arrived at the endurance platform in first place and therefore received a 10-minute advantage. Cam got to the platform next and received a five-minute advantage in the endurance portion of the circus. Once all three civilians attempted balancing on the third and final wooden post, Marc was the first to fall off.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski