The nation's top bladesmiths, martial artists and knife experts slice, stab and chop their way through some of the most daunting obstacle courses ever seen in HISTORY's new nonfiction competition series "Forged in Fire: Knife or Death" premiering Tuesday, April 17 at 10PM ET/PT. Hosted by WWE Hall Of Famer Bill Goldberg, the six episode series features fearless competitors as they race against the clock putting their blades and blade-wielding skills through a grueling gauntlet of challenges such as slicing through flying watermelons, hacking through massive ice blocks and severing various types of ropes, tubes, metals and item-filled crates.

Joining Goldberg as co-host is Special Forces veteran, martial artist and edged weapons expert Tu Lam, along with two-time "Forged in Fire" champion Travis Wuertz as the sideline blade specialist. In this series, competitors bring their best blades, ranging from America's historical Bowie knife and a Viking Seax, to a medieval sword and a traditional Japanese Katana. Throughout history, the blade and one's ability to wield it meant the difference between life and death and in this series, competitors go back to their roots in using these various knives and swords in a way that showcases what they were initially intended for. From competitors utilizing ancient martial arts techniques to excel through the obstacle courses, to hand-forging their blades using historical methods of craftsmanship, "Forged in Fire: Knife or Death" stresses the importance of the art of blade wielding as much as it entertains.

In two different timed courses - "Knife Fight" and the "Dead Run" - each obstacle challenges competitors to test numerous facets of their blades from strength, durability and sharpness to the speed, precision and overall technique of the blade wielder. After all competitors attempt the first course, "Knife Fight," the top two performers face off in the "Dead Run," an even more rigorous final test of their sharp blades, coordination and minds. The winner of each episode will earn a cash prize and a coveted spot in the season finale where they will compete in the ultimate showdown to be crowned the first ever "Forged in Fire: Knife or Death Champion."

New episodes of HISTORY's hit competition series "Forged in Fire" airs Tuesdays at 9PM ET/PT and features world-class bladesmiths competing to create history's most iconic edged weapons. In 2017, "Forged in Fire" was HISTORY's #2 nonfiction series across key demographics averaging 1.1 million viewers Adults 25-54 and 993,000 viewers Adults 18-49 in Live+7. Additionally, the series averaged 2.0 million Total Viewers in Live+7.

"Forged in Fire: Knife or Death" is produced for HISTORY by Outpost Entertainment. Jodi Flynn, David George, Simon Thomas and Vincent Cariati serve as executive producers for Outpost Entertainment. Jim Pasquarella is the executive producer for HISTORY. A+E Networks holds worldwide distribution rights for "Forged in Fire: Knife or Death."

About HISTORY(R)

HISTORY(R), now reaching more than 96 million homes, is the leading destination for award-winning series and specials that connect viewers with history in an informative, immersive and entertaining manner across all platforms. The network's all-original programming slate features a roster of signature series including The Curse of Oak Island, Forged in Fire, Alone, Pawn Stars, American Pickers, as well as the hit drama series VIKINGS and SIX. The HISTORY website is located at history.com. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/history and Facebook at facebook.com/history.

View More TV Stories Related Articles

More Hot Stories For You