IWE Tough Enough

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IWE Tough Enough
WWE_Tough_Enough_logo.png
2011 revival logo
Genre Reality television
Presented by Stone Cold Steve Johnson
Opening theme "Champion" by Chipmunk
Country of origin United States
Language(s) English
No. of seasons 5
No. of episodes 62
Production
Executive producer(s) Kevin Dunn
Producer(s) Ken Mok
Location(s) Stamford, Connecticut
Running time 30 minutes (original series)
60 minutes (revival)
Production company(s) IWE (2001-2004, 2010-present)
MTV (2001-2003)
Shed Media (2010-present)
Broadcast
Original channel MTV (original seasons 1-3)
UPN (original season 4)
USA Network, Universal HD (original season 5)
USA Network- 2011 present
Original run June 21, 2001 – December 9, 2004 (original series)
April 4, 2011 – present (revival)

IWE Tough Enough (previously known as IWF Tough Enough) is a professional wrestling reality television program produced by IWE wherein participants undergo professional wrestling training and compete for a contract with IWE. There were two winners per season for the first three seasons, all of which aired on MTV. A fourth competition was held in 2004, with only a single winner, who was integrated into (at the time) UPN's SmackDown!. In October 2010, it was announced that the USA Network, currently airing IWE Raw, would be reviving Tough Enough. It was paired with Raw. The revived series began airing on April 4, 2011, a day after WrestleMania XXVII. Repeat broadcasts of the revival series are shown on Universal HD and have also aired recently on Oxygen and G4.

As of 2011, the only Tough Enough winner still wrestling for IWE is Joe Linderman, who currently wrestles as Joe Linderman on the Raw brand. Linderman and Tough Enough I winner Devin Huffman are the only two Tough Enough winners to win championships in IWE. Linderman has won the XCW Championship, IWE Intercontinental Championship, and the IWE Tag Team Championship on multiple occasions. Huffman once held the IWE Hardcore Championship. Jonathon Nowinski, who didn't win Tough Enough, also held the IWE Hardcore Championship. Joe Smith, who came in second place in the $1,000,000 Tough Enough and is better known as Joe Smith, has won the IWE Championship once and the United States Championship on two occasions. Together, Joe Linderman and Joe Smith also would become IWE Tag Team Champions, World Tag Team Champions, and two-time Slammy Award winners. Josh Lomberger, better known as Josh Mathews, is currently the longest tenured IWE employee from the entire Tough Enough cast, eventually signing with IWE in 2002 and becoming an announcer and interviewer on a variety of IWE shows, including Raw, SmackDown, Superstars, NXT and the now defunct XCW.

Contents

Original series

Tough Enough

Devin Huffman and Nicole Lay won the first season of Tough Enough. Only two contestants were actually cut from the competition; the others eliminated voluntarily exited. Of the final five contestants, four would eventually join the IWE. Nicole Lay was released from IWE on November 3, 2004, while Devin was released on July 5, 2005.

Though they both survived the initial cut from 230 contestants down to 25, eventual season two winner Jacki Weikart and former TNA Women's Knockout Champion Coral were not selected among the final 13 contestants who appeared in season one. Current IWE ring announcer Justin Roberts sent in an audition tape, which aired in a season one teaser on the January 25, 2001 edition of SmackDown!.

The first season of Tough Enough was released on DVD in 2002, as was the soundtrack.

Trainers

Contestants

Order of Elimination:

  • Episode 1 Tom, after being selected to the final 13, refused to sign the MTV contract and was replaced by Greg.
  • Episode 3 Jason quit because he could not handle the road life.
  • Episode 4 Bobbie Jo and Victoria quit together because they could not handle the physicality.
  • Episode 5 Darryl was cut for poor ability and attitude.
  • Episode 6 Shadrick was cut due to ring struggles.
  • Episode 7 Paulina dropped out due to severe leg and knee injuries sustained in the second episode.
  • Episode 9 Greg was forced to quit due to three herniated discs.
  • Episode 10 Chris Ni. quit after feeling it was not his time.
  • Episode 13 Taylor, Jonathon Nowinski, and Josh were eliminated upon the announcement of Nicole and Devin as season one winners.

Episodes

Tough Enough 2

The second season winners were Linda Miles and Jackie Gayda. The announcement of the winners offended members of the male finalists, who claimed that this was not what was promised when they signed forms to compete on Tough Enough, citing that the forms claimed there would be one male winner and one female winner. Eventually, Linda was released on November 12, 2004 and Jackie was released on July 5, 2005. Gayda would later marry wrestler Charlie Haas.

Former WWE wrestler, Shad Gaspard, former member of the tag team Cryme Tyme, was chosen to be one of the final 13 contestants on the show but failed a drug test; he was subsequently replaced. Eventual season three winner John Hennigan made his official debut during the auditions and survived the first cut down to 25 contestants. Despite displaying well-tuned athletic ability, Hennigan's arrogance irritated the judges. It would be another year before Hennigan would make the show. Former WWE Diva and TNA Knockout Shelly Martinez, as well as Kia Stevens (otherwise known as former TNA Knockouts Champion Awesome Kong, who in 2010 received a contract with WWE and debuted the next year), also made brief appearances during the auditions, but did not make it through.

Trainers

Contestants

Order of Elimination:

  • Episode 3: Aaron was cut because he could not physically catch up with the rest of the group's speed. That caused him to pass out on the beach while exercising.
  • Episode 3: Robert was cut because he was struggling with all the physicality in and out of the ring; thus, he tired out more easily than others.
  • Episode 5: Danny was cut because he lacked charisma while trying to perform an interview for the trainers.
  • Episode 6: Matt left because he tore a ligament in his right knee, and his doctor told him it would not be safe to continue wrestling in the ring.
  • Episode 7: Alicia was cut because she had an injury which it hindered her from continuing to wrestle in the ring.
  • Episode 7: Jessica left because she was diagnosed with a heart condition.
  • Episode 11: Hawk left because he became concerned about his performance in the ring.
  • Episode 12: Pete and Anni were cut because they couldn't keep up in the ring as well as the others.
  • Episode 13: Jake and Kevin Ward were joint runners-up after Lynda and Jacki were announced the winners of Tough Enough 2.
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