Last One Standing - Full Contact Culture on Discovery

October 3, 2007

Discovery Channel has taken the elements of “Survivor” and fused them with the essentials of “Ultimate Fighting” to produce a revealing look into full contact fighting and the ancient arts - reality show style.

The new 12-part series called Last One Standing will chronicle six athletes – three American and three British - as they are immersed in some of the most remote tribal cultures of the world. They will live alongside and train with indigenous village warriors as they prepare to represent their host tribe in intense competitions and rite of passage ceremonies.

The six men will push their physical and mental limits to see who will be the last warrior standing. Competitions include deadly Zulu stick fighting in South Africa, Akikiti kickboxing in Sumi, Nagaland, martial arts in Java, and wrestling in three different countries: Brazil, New Guinea, and Mongolia.

The participants will also be subjected to endurance competitions including an arduous foot race in the Mexican mountains — wearing only handmade sandals and a glacial challenge in Peru.

The diverse group of six athletes includes a kickboxer, a strongman competitor, an Oxford University sportsman, a hiker and endurance athlete, a BMX rider, and a British all-rounder and fitness professional.

It is said that the battles will be raw and no concessions will be made.

The six athletes are from dramatically different regions and cultures themselves but ultimately formed a brotherhood of their own.

For most of them, the journey was spiritual and emotional as well as competitive. As Corey (the hiker and endurance athlete) from Alaska observes, "We came into this as a competition — we put on our game faces during the matches. But as soon as we’re done with that, we’re family."

The new series will premiere Thursday, Oct. 4, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on the Discovery Channel. Click here to visit the website for Last One Standing.