An Apache - the greatest stealth fighter in American History, versus a Gladiator - crowd-thrilling killer of ancient Rome. It's stone versus steel, devious against direct, surprise versus slaughter, as these two go toe to toe in a no-holds barred battle to the death. Written by Anonymous

Viking versus Samurai. The savage Scandinavian raider that plundered Europe for three hundred years, against the blinding speed and skill of Japan's elite warrior class. It's power versus speed, ax against sword, berserk rage against precision, as these heavily armored legends face off in a battle to the death. Written by Anonymous

Spartan vs Ninja - the ultimate bronze age warrior meets the silent assassin from Japan.

A Pirate - the merciless high seas marauder; versus a Knight - the armored battle tank that crushed infidels underfoot. It's an explosive, bloody battle between two fighters who hate everything the other stands for - pistols versus crossbow, gunpowder against armor, and cutlass versus a spiked ball of death. Written by Tim Prokop

Mafia - the deadly crime family that rule New York's 1920's underworld, versus Yakuza - feared gang lords that dominate the mean streets of 1940's Tokyo. Their bloody turf war to decide who is deadliest will be settled with machine guns, sawed off shotguns, pistols, bats, nunchukus and icepicks. Written by Tim Prokop

Green Beret - America's elite special force, versus Spetznaz - Russia's top-secret, top-notch commandos. Trained to kill anyone, any when, anywhere - these super soldiers use a devastating array of weapons and tactics. It's the best of the west against the beast from the east in a post cold war showdown. Written by Tim Prokop

One fights for perfection; the other to honor his ancestors. A Shoalin Monk - the ultimate pacifist killing machine from China versus a Maori - fierce, bone-crushing warrior from New Zealand. Steel whips, metal spikes and wickedly versatile hooks versus wood, shark teeth, stingray spines and stone. The hardest weapon on the battlefield is not made of steel. Written by Tim Prokop

Both fight for revenge. Both built an army to spill the blood of their enemies. Deadliest Warrior gets personal with a battle between two of the greatest warrior-generals that ever lived. William Wallace - claymore wielding wild man from Scotland versus Shaka Zulu whose ferocity, speed and toughness became legend. Written by Tim Prokop

The Taliban - deadly extremists battling in the mountains of Afghanistan, versus the I.R.A. - elusive, hard-hitting masters of Ireland's urban jungles. It's a battle to the death, between fighters who are armed to the teeth with rocket launchers, carbines, mines and devastating home-made bombs. Written by Anonymous

Throughout history, there have been great warriors who have made their mark in battle, but how they could have matched up against each other is a mystery. This series endeavors to solve that mystery with various matchups of such warrior classes. With a systematic examination of their physical and cultural qualities, training and weapons, a field of experts strive to find the real facts of such warriors. When the research is compete, each episode ends with a simulated battle to see who is truly the deadliest warrior. Written by Kenneth Chisholm (kchishol@rogers.com)