Though gladiators were class based and each had designated weapons, for this episode a generalized gladiator was used that combined weapons and armor of different classes. This was done so that the gladiator would be able to compete at different ranges, normally unnecessary in that they had one weapon combination (sword and shield, trident and net, etc.) and only fought other gladiators of opposite classes to optimize the entertainment.For short-range weapons, the tomahawk was tested against the cestus and the scissor. Snake Blocker tested two types of tomahawk on a gel head: one made of stone and one made of the jaw bone of a horse, both of which tore off the back of the head. However, the tomahawk made from a horse's jawbone visually appeared to cause considerably greater damage. The velocity of the stone tomahawk was measured, but the results were not relayed on the airing of the show. Alan Tafoya then threw iron tomahawks at wood targets and penetrated deep into them, two striking at 29 mph, and one at 32 mph. The cestus and scissor, wielded by Chuck Liddell, were tested on a 400-lb piece of beef. The cestus broke its ribs while the scissor almost cut it in half. Before the cestus test, Chuck Liddell's natural punching speed and power were measured: Liddell's punching speed was clocked at 14 meters per second—almost 50 percent faster than the average Olympic boxer—while his punching power was judged to deliver 1000 pounds of force—enough to break most facial bones on contact. The cestus effectively tripled this. A divided panel gave the edge to the versatility of the tomahawk.
For mid-range weapons, the knife was tested against the trident and net. The knife's versatility was demonstrated when Snake Blocker threw three knives at three targets in under three seconds. Snake Blocker also demonstrated Apache knife fighting techniques, such as the "piercing buffalo", on a dummy garbed as a gladiator and wearing a gladiator's helmet. The trident, wielded by Chris Torres, was then tested on a gel torso and managed to puncture its heart with the main prong, a side prong puncturing the spleen. The trident and net was given the edge due to its flexibility as an offensive-defensive combo.
For long-range weapons, the sling was tested against the bow and arrow. Steven Dietrich launched a lead sling shot at 91 mph. The shot was then simulated by an air cannon which drove a lead sling shot into a gel head and shattered the upper jaw, penetrating just past the nose. Alan Tafoya, wielding the bow and arrow, first fired an arrow at a wooden target as the velocity of the arrow was clocked; the arrow's velocity was measured at roughly 65 miles per hour. Tafoya then fired multiple arrows at a gel torso in quick succession, landing multiple death strikes, including a shot between two ribs, a shot to the neck that would have severed the spinal cord, and a shot along the jawline that would have jutted into the base of the brain. The edge was given to the bow and arrow due to its superior range, accuracy, and lethality.
For special weapons, the sica was tested against the war club. Steven Dietrich was able to almost cut off a gel arm with the sica, cutting cleanly through skin and muscle tissue to the bone. The war club, wielded by Snake Blocker, was then tested on two targets: a bare skull and a Gladiator's helmet. It completely shattered the skull but was broken against the helmet. The sica was given the edge for its cutting ability and the club's failure.
Both warriors did not bring one of their weapons in the final battle (the Gladiator's scissor and the Apache's horse jaw tomahawk).