WWE Superstars Test Their Culinary Strength

[Narrator] Today, we have invited six WWE Superstars

to compete in a challenge of strength and culinary skill.

Before filming, we reached out to the WWE and asked

if we could have an official ref on set for our challenge.

They didn't have one available that day,

so we asked Epicurious's own Frank Proto to step in.

[Producer] Are you a wrestling fan?

Yeah, you can say I am. Yeah.

[ominous music] [explosion booming]

[Narrator] Each round, players will be eliminated,

until there's only one winner,

who will be crowned the undisputed

Epicurious Culinary Challenge champion.

[Producer] Do you guys like to cook at home?

I was told I'm not allowed to because I'm a terrible cook,

and my husband said to never try again.

So he does all the cooking.

[Producer] Who's the most competitive amongst you guys?

Charlotte. [everyone laughing]

[upbeat music]

You're Steinholders,

players of a traditional German pub game.

Each of you will hold a full pitcher of beer

out in front of you. Oh god.

The first person to drop their pitcher

onto the table will be eliminated.

Remember, you have to keep your elbows straight.

Ready?

No. [contestants chuckling]

We did glutes yesterday.

Lucky you. Oh my god, those are huge!

[contestants clamoring] Oh no!

Oh my god, it's huge! Oh my god!

Lexi could fit in there. This is not good.

[Iyo] Oh my gosh.

Oh my god. Okay. Is this real beer?

What happens to the first person that loses?

It's literally not happening,

but I'm fine being the first loser.

It's totally fine. Okay. I'm not.

No.

No, my arm's already shaking.

Bro. No, no!

Lexi, you got this. Lexi!

Come on, Iyo, you got it. Lexi, you're not gonna quit.

That's so heavy. Even less than one minute.

All right. I'll go.

Thank God. My hand's gonna break.

[Producer] Alexa is technically out already,

but if you guys wanna keep holding it out, you can.

I ain't dropping this [beep]. We have cameras on us.

Wait, isn't it over, since I put it down?

[Producer] Now we just wanna see who wins.

Okay. I can't let go of my hand.

I don't wanna drop it.

[Maxxine] I did not enjoy that.

It's so heavy! You got it, Char.

[Iyo yelling] Iyo, you're spilling it.

I'm shaking. Iyo, you've got this!

I'm shaking now!

I can't hold on! Charlotte's, like, not even-

[screams] Oh no!

Oh!

Arm is bending! Your arm is bending!

Her arm was bent this whole time.

Your arm was bent the whole time?

It's not bent! It's 'cause she's got

a jacket on.

Wait, I got it. Pull the sleeves up.

Pull the sleeves up. You're cheating.

Okay, we got a full bent arm over here, like-

[Kiana screaming] [bell chimes]

I think Kiana was out way earlier.

That was a great isometric hold.

That is what it means to go to failure.

Yeah.

[contestants laughing]

[Producer] You know, technically it ended once Alexa-

Yeah, like, guys, like I was trying to...

This is where you use my weakness as, like, a advantage.

You're like, Oh, great.

[drum thudding] [whimsical music]

I lost, I was terrible. I lasted maybe, like, 10 seconds.

I thought I was doing everyone else a solid by dropping 'em,

but then they got extra competitive,

and just kept holding them up.

I did this for you guys. Just don't miss me too much.

Don't miss me too much. Can we have you actually

walk out this way, please? Don't miss me too much.

Sorry, people. Bye!

[upbeat music]

You are savvy shoppers.

You will be shown five items

that are superstars in the food world.

Write your best guess for what these items cost.

Each round, the person that guesses closest to the amount

without going over gets a point.

The person with the least amount of points gets eliminated.

Ready, ready? Let's go.

I would've been so good at this.

Tell me the answers okay. You guys have any sense

how you'll do in this one?

No, not at all. I have no idea.

This one, I would've thrived.

[contestants laughing]

All right, you guys ready? [contestants chattering]

The national average for a McDonald's Big Mac.

Just a Big Mac.

I literally don't know. National average.

I've never had a Big Mac.

Y'all haven't had a Big Mac? No.

I prefer chicken nuggets.

[dramatic music]

[bell dings]

3.75.

2.99.

4.99.

8.85.

6.5.

$8. There's no way.

For just the burger? Yeah, just the sandwich.

It is 5.79.

Yes! Sol is the winner.

All right, you ready? How many rounds

of this are we doing? Beef Wellington

at Gordon Ramsey's Hell Kitchen in Las Vegas.

I have no idea. Oh, Vegas.

Beef Wellington.

I feel like a beef Wellington isn't that much.

In Vegas, though? Yeah.

In Vegas. In Vegas.

Vegas. That matters.

That goes into account.

Hey, I don't know. We'll see.

65. Just for the Wellington.

[everyone laughing]

What does that say? $22.

Isn't it, like, an Outback?

No! Gordon Ramsey?

Just the sandwich, not the sides.

The sandwich? Girl.

I mean, it's... [contestants laughing]

It looks...

It's a filet mignon covered with mushrooms,

wrapped in puff pastry, then baked off.

See, the pastry is a- So it's kinda like

this fancy dish that they do in fancy restaurants.

Sounds delicious. Okay. I did $43.

I did 70.

Oh my god.

220.

[contestants laughing]

220?

Actual price is 73.95.

[dramatic music]

Hey!

[Maxxine] Nice.

I ate a $60 quesadilla in Vegas, so.

$60 quesadilla?

Yeah. Was it damn good?

It was mediocre.

[Kiana and Frank laughing]

Katz's Deli pastrami sandwich. Famous New York deli.

Oh, I was like, Where's that?

It's famous?

Famous. It is famous, yes.

Famous and in New York.

This is one of those places that's famous,

and it deserves to be famous because it's that good.

Does anyone eat pastrami?

No. All right. [laughs]

Wait, now I'm scared. I think I need to make mine more.

Go with your gut, y'all. Okay. 12.50.

18. 26.75.

Question mark? $16.

18. The actual price is 28.95.

Whoa! Yeah!

That's crazy for a sandwich. I just wanna say.

Porterhouse steak at Peter Luger Steak House.

Brooklyn institution.

They have good fries.

What's a porterhouse?

A porterhouse has a piece of filet mignon on it,

and it has a piece of New York strip steak on it.

It's like a two-in-one.

[Frank] And that is just the steak, no sides.

[bell dings] 250.

135.

225.75.

110.

190.

Ah. The actual price is $169.

I've been to Peter Luger's a couple times. It's so good.

All right, you ready? Last one.

[Kiana] Oh my god. This one.

A Denny's Grand Slam Breakfast.

Is Denny's road food for wrestlers, or no?

Well, when it's 2:00 in the morning and after a show,

and you're in the middle of nowhere, yes.

Yeah, I was literally there, like, a month ago.

[bell dings]

Nope. Nope.

Got really excited. 13.99.

15.

12.99.

12 even.

7.5.

[everyone laughing]

It is actually 13.99 on the dot.

Finally! Finally! Oh, wow!

I'm so cross. 100% correct.

Who would've thought you were the Denny's queen?

Who would've known? I love a Grand Slam.

It's okay. I still love you, Iyo.

I still love you. Aw! I love you.

I'm out!

Bye, ladies. Good luck.

I wish I could stay here more longer,

but I'm not good at guessing price,

and I'm not familiar with the United States price of food.

So yeah.

[contestants laughing]

Bye, ladies! Bye!

[bell dings] Bye, Iyo.

[suspenseful music]

You are blind sandwich builders.

First, you'll pair off into a tag team.

One teammate is blindfolded

at a fully-stocked sandwich station,

while the other guides them through

a sandwich recipe using only their voice,

without touching the ingredients or their teammate.

The first team to complete their sandwich will advance.

Are you ready?

I'm scared. Pressure.

It's just speed, it's not presentation?

[Producer] Yes, it's just speed.

And you have to use all the toppings?

I feel like I could explain well.

I think you're a good explainer.

So do you want to talk or do you wanna-

I can talk. Okay, I'll be blindfolded.

Okay, we're good. I will be blindfolded.

I'll be blindfolded.

[dramatic music]

Open the bread. The meat's far to your right.

[Producer] Less than five minutes left.

Open it up. Row three. Below. Below.

Far. Far row three.

Top right. Top right. Further. Further.

Oh, condiment? Top, top, top, top, top.

That's condiment one. That's condiment mustard.

You still have meat after that. Grab the meat above.

Open it, open it. Row three.

Cheese is top at at the back. Cheese, cheese.

And then tomatoes, and tomatoes. Yep, there you go.

Now the lettuce after that. It's right in front of you.

Okay, cheese. Row two, row two.

Onions, onions Over to the left.

We did it! All the cheese.

We did it. Now close it.

[Frank laughing]

Even layer. It's not a sloppy joe!

There you go. That does look really good.

Yep. Now put it on the tray the the left.

Yep, there you go. Now set it there.

Is that it? No, no.

There's another meat.

Right there, yep.

No, leave it. You're good.

Each thing in row three.

They have everything they need on the sandwich,

including some extras.

[Frank laughing] Row three. Row three.

[Frank] I'm not sure that it's very neat.

You did not say it had to look good.

It is complete.

Thank you. So-

Why are you guys taking so long?

Further, further. I've been done for an hour.

[Kiana] Further up.

I've already eaten my sandwich, guys.

Well, ours is more beautiful.

You don't get extra points for that.

You have to put all your ingredients on there.

It's about speed. They are.

I need help. I though you had to use

all the ingredients.

No, you just had to use the same amount of each.

Oh, I though you said all.

But it makes the same amount each.

An even amount. So ladies-

I'm getting dizzy under here.

Whoa!

Wow.

This one definitely is prettier,

but this one was- Don't be rude, Frank.

But this one was complete first.

Thank you. [upbeat music]

Completeness beats pretty.

Woohoo! Winners.

[crew applauding]

Thank you. Yeah, clap.

You're gonna smell like condiments all day.

[buzzer buzzing] [whimsical music]

We were going for edibility. Is that a word?

Yes, yes.

We want it to look good. An even layer.

The challenge was to create a sandwich,

not a mound on top of bread.

If I knew I could just grab everything

and plop it on, I would've.

I think we definitely won in terms of presentation.

You lost. Edibility.

That's not enough. [suspenseful music]

You are bad audience members.

You'll each be given three tomatoes,

which you will throw as fast as you can at our target.

Whoever throws the fastest tomato

will be our undisputed culinary champion.

Ready? [Sol laughing]

I'm screwed. It's over for me.

She just got giddy. I know.

She's got real excited.

Her evil smile came out, look.

I didn't do ball sports. I can't throw things.

Not at all? No.

Maxxine always surprises us.

Oh, thank you. [laughs]

I love a backhanded compliment.

No, that wasn't, like- I'm just kidding.

[upbeat music]

You guys look great.

Thanks. We feel great.

[everyone laughing]

Okay, what we wanna do here is aim it at the target.

Yu wanna throw it as hard and fast

at the target as you can.

Whoever gets the fastest wins.

[foreboding music] Are you ready?

Yep. As ready as it'll ever be.

Okay, here we go. Speak it into existence.

Follow through. Okay.

Go. Ooh, form.

Yeah! Missed the target.

[Frank] That was 21 miles an hour.

Wait, I'm kinda fast.

21 miles an hour.

[suspenseful music] Are you ready?

As fast as you can. Here comes her softball arm.

It's going to be, like, 45.

Oh! [laughs]

That was 26 miles an hour. Okay, okay, okay, okay.

We're not that far off. I got this, I got this.

Yep. It's the target that's hard for me.

Oh, Maxxi, that was good.

That one was 24 miles an hour.

[Maxxine] Okay, I'm catching up, I'm catching

Yes. Are you ready? I think I'm too tall.

Second tomato. I wish it was taller.

That was 20 miles an hour. Okay.

[Producer] Before we do the last one, do any four of you

wanna do a guest shot?

We all want. Go, let's go. Get in there.

Go, Iyo. Oh yeah, I wanna try.

[upbeat music]

[spectators cheering] Oh! 25 miles an hour.

I'm 25? Okay. 25.

29

Whoo! Oh!

Accuracy's not there, but- Yeah, you ready?

I'm going to try one. You gonna to try too?

Ooh! Ooh!

[contestants applauding] 35.

35. Whoa!

Dang, dude.

Come on, Lex.

Hey! On the target!

On the target. 22.

That is on the target. And she's hit the target.

That was, like, precision. I'm accurate.

That was precise. That was based.

That was maximum splatter.

This is the last shot for Maxxine and Charlotte.

Let's see how they do.

Come on, Maxxi. Come on, Maxx.

Scared. [suspenseful music]

30. [contestants cheering]

Okay, don't rip it. Maxxine got into the lead.

You ready, Charlotte?

Yeah.

Oh no, here she goes.

It's about to be 45. I can feel it.

26. [bell chimes]

I win? You win.

[everyone cheering] [dramatic music]

Yes! I'm a winner!

I never win anything!

This is so exciting.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Oh, thank you.

God bless. It's a good day.

I can die happy.

You know, it's 'cause of the beer. The beer challenge.

I think my shoulder is really tired. And Maxxi cheated.

She's a bad guy. She paid off Frank.

Run it back. Watch the footage.

Watch the footage where I won. Watch it.

Oh my lanta. This is exciting.

The Epi Belt says Undisputed Epi Champion.

Maxxine Is our winner today.

She gets the Epi Belt. Wow!

Oh my god.

She's ready.

Thanks, Frank. You're welcome.

I feel like I deserve this.

[everyone laughing]

I'm thrilled. No notes.

♪ You deserve it ♪

[contestants clapping rhythmically]

♪ You deserve it ♪

♪ You deserve it ♪

[Charlotte laughing]