The Sucker Punch is one of the more famous obstacles on Wipeout, firstly introduced as the second obstacle in the Qualifier on Season 1.
It is a big wall with 22 punching arms that contestants cross, while standing on a narrow 8-inch (20.32-centimeter) ledge over mud with only rock climbing elements helping them along the way. It is almost always featured as the second obstacle of the Qualifier; rarely is it ever featured as the third obstacle.
The stunt appeared in every episode of Season 1, 3, and 7, as well as in most of Season 2. Only a handful of contestants have made it across, of which Gwenisha Robinson is the first shown.
In Season 3, the Sucker Punch wall added more holes, which spray out paint to blind the contestants.
In Season 4 of Summer Wipeout, the Sucker Punch was retired and replaced with Driver's Ed. In Season 5, no obstacles appeared in the second mud pit. In Season 6, the Failboxes and Tropic Blunder took the place of the Sucker Punch.
The Sucker Punch returned in Season 7, once a again as the second obstacle of the Qualifier, with the addition of an airbag (similar to Driver's Ed) and a smackwall to knock contestants into the mud pit.
Jessica Bertoni takes a brutal hit but stays on.
Variations[]
A contestant discovers the newly added paint.
In most episodes, there were handles attached to the wall to make it easier for the contestants to hang on. In some episodes, however, they weren't there, and the contestants had to cross by hanging on to nothing. One of the only people who passed this wall is Katie Mayfield.
In 1x08, the Sucker Punch was replaced with the Butt Kicker, a similar obstacle where contestants had to run along a small ledge to the other side with their backs faced to the wall. The gloves were replaced by shoes.
The mud had some additions as well. These additions include balls, fruit juice, and foam.
The biggest addition to the Sucker Punch are the paint holes. These holes are introduced in Season 3 to blind and distract contestants.
Trivia[]
- The Wipey for best Sucker Punch went to Jessica Threvethick. The runner-ups were Dana Jamison, James Simpton, Jessica Bertoni and Craig Johnson.
- In Wipeout Canada, one of the boxing gloves in the Sucker Punch is a white boxing glove with the maple leaf symbol on it, meaning that if contestants tap the white glove, they’ll move on to the Big Balls without going to the Sucker Punch a second time.