“Celebrity Deathmatch” is a claymation TV series that showcases celebrities battling each other in a wrestling ring, typically resulting in the loser’s violent demise. The show was notorious for its excessive bloodshed and exaggerated physical injuries in every match.
Created by Eric Fogel, the pilot episodes aired on MTV on January 1 and 25, 1998. The original series ran from May 14, 1998, to October 20, 2002, spanning 75 episodes. A special episode titled “Celebrity Deathmatch Hits Germany” aired on June 21, 2001, but did not count towards the total episode count. Professional wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin lent his voice to his animated character as a guest commentator. In early 2003, MTV announced plans for a film adaptation of the series, but the project was canceled by the end of that year.
In 2005, MTV2 revealed plans to revive the show as part of their “Sic ‘Em Friday” programming block. Although initially scheduled to return in November 2005, the premiere was delayed to June 10, 2006, and became part of a new “Sic’emation” block alongside two other animated series, “Where My Dogs At” and “The Adventures of Chico and Guapo.” The fifth season, produced by Cuppa Coffee Studios, premiered to an audience of over 2.5 million viewers, making it MTV2’s highest-rated season premiere ever.