At 5’10” and 220lbs, 39-year-old Jessie Godderz grew up on a farm in Rudd, Iowa, and worked as a railroad conductor before finding his way into competitive sport.
Today, he’s a pro wrestling champion, a professional bodybuilder, and a two-time Big Brother contestant – and now he’s coming to your TV screens as ‘Steel’ when Prime Video’s American Gladiators drops on 17 April.
1) He’s a 12x Pro Wrestling Champion
Jessie ‘Steel’ Godderz got into wrestling after a chance encounter with Ric Flair at a gym in Venice, Los Angeles, California.
He went on to become a two-time TNA World Tag Team Champion and has held multiple titles in Ohio Valley Wrestling – including the National Heavyweight Championship and the Southern Tag Team Championship – racking up 12 wins in total.
2) He’s a Former Big Brother Contestant
Steel is used to the limelight, having appeared on two series of CBS’s Big Brother.
He first appeared as a contestant in seasons 10 and 11, before becoming a familiar returning face on the show for years afterwards.
He has since expanded his reality TV career, appearing on E!’s House of Villains, where he made it all the way to the finale. Could he be the villain of the arena?
3) He Was a Record-Breaking Bodybuilder
Godderz turned professional with the World Natural Bodybuilding Federation at just 20 years old, becoming the youngest natural pro bodybuilder in the organisation’s history at the time.
He has since been recognised as the youngest two-sport pro athlete in history, competing at an elite level in both bodybuilding and professional wrestling.
READ MORE: American Gladiators Reboot: Everything You Need to Know
