The idea is simple. Eight players sign up and create a gladiator, of a DF species and profession. Megabeasts, semimegabeasts, procedurally generated creatures, and creatures that can't breathe air are off-limits, but anything else goes! Note, however, that if you choose a troll when your enemies include three dwarves, two humans, a goblin, a yak, and a cat, they're getting special advantages over you to balance it out.
Once we have eight competitors, I will assign them into pairs and they will start battling! Each combatant in a fight gets one action, then I resolve the actions simultaneously and you can start again. Repeat until one has defeated the other. Once the first round is done, I will assign the winners into pairs and repeat. Once someone wins, they get a special prize of some kind and we probably start again. The winner and second-placer get into the next tournament automatically, and others can reserve spots during the first tournament.
The most important rule is that fun is more important than winning.
Required Information for Gladiators:
Race
Profession, if any
Some level of description and/or background
Who is ready to rumble?
Greenstarfanatic: Barloff, on-the-run dwarven hired hand/juggler. Lost to: Donuts
Caerwyn: Darwuf, elfy dwarven weaponsmith. Lost to: mesor.
NRDL: Gartuk, cutthroat goblin merchant. Lost to: Kedly
Kedly: Ger, human taxidermist. Lost to: mesor
Donuts: Urist, dwarfy runaholic cheesemaker. Lost to: Caerwyn
Ultima: Unnamed raccoon with an axe. Lost to: Caerwyn
Jackofthebox: Jeekins, kobold madman...madkobold?...believing himself divine. Forfeited.
mesor: Unnamed, banished wood elf archery instructor
Round 1:
Ultima vs. Caerwyn. Winner: Caerwyn.
Greenstarfanatic vs. Donuts. Winner: Donuts.
Kedly vs. NRDL. Winner: Kedly.
Jackofthebox vs. mesor. Winner by default: mesor.
Round 2:
Caerwyb vs. Donuts. Winner: Caerwyn.
Kedly vs, mesot. Winner: mesor.
Round 3:
Caerwyn vs. mesor. Winner: mesor.
Round 4
Stunning means you can't take an action next turn.
Dazing means you'll take a -1 penalty on actions for a certain amount of time.
A more complex injury system has been suggested.