On March 14, 2022, Alfredo Silva's Cage Riders were announced as the winner of America's Got Talent: Extreme.
Alfredo Silva's Cage Riders won the $500,000 top prize after host Terry Crews gave the group a Golden Buzzer during Episode 2. The stuntmen competed in the finals against other Golden Buzzer finalists Aaron Wheelz, Verge Arrow, Cyndel Flores, and Erika Lemay, as well as Aaron Evans and Jade Kindar-Martin, who were chosen by “superfans.” Then Silva and his team made it to the final four, where they eventually competed against Wheelz for the championship. Wheelz made a valiant effort, but Alfredo Silva's Cage Riders received the majority of the super fans' votes despite their two failed attempts at a ramp drop into a 40-foot backflip.
The Cage of Death was brought back for their final performance, but this time with four motorcycles instead of three, increasing the risk. They also had several motocross competitors performing tricks over the cage while flying through the air at the same time. The achievement, unsurprisingly, delighted judges Travis Pastrana, Nikki Bella, and Simon Cowell. "I don't believe there is anything else you could have done tonight to give yourself a chance at winning," Cowell said.
"I'm a sixth generation circus performer, and I was raised watching my father and grandfather perform crazy stunts together," Silva said. "Growing up in the circus was not easy. There was a lot of bullying, and a lot of mean people tried to fight us. They tried to put fire on the tent. They just see us like animals. But my family taught me to never give up. They shaped me into the man I am today. So being here and having the chance to make the Silva name proud is the best thing to ever happen to me."
Who is Alfredo Silva’s Cage Riders?
The dramatic conclusion of AGT: Extreme occurred on March 14. The best two performers of the year were Wheelz and Alfredo Silva's Cage Riders. After being voted on by superfans all over America, Alfredo Silva's Cage Riders were named the first season's winners in the episode's closing moments.
In 2016, Alfredo made an appearance on America's Got Talent. Together with his wife, Anna Silva, Alfredo was a member of the knife-throwing team “Deadly Games” during season 11. They advanced to the semifinals before losing. Also returning for America's Got Talent: The Champions were “Deadly Games.”
The recording of Alfredo Silva's Cage Riders performance was made available ahead of the second episode of AGT: Extreme. Their outrageous and astounding performance greatly impressed host Terry Crews. Terry awarded Alfredo Silva's Cage Riders with his Golden Buzzer because he was such a fan of their performance.
While Alfredo took pleasure in the “Deadly Games’” knife-throwing, the Cage of Death has always held a special place in his heart. "The Cage of Death was my first love with danger," he says. One of the "most dangerous acts in the world," according to Alfredo, is the Cage of Death. Even lives have been lost before. He reveals that the members of Alfredo's Cage Riders are his closest friends. They have all been riding together for a very long time. "That’s the only way I would trust somebody," he says.
According to Alfredo, he first became interested in cage riding while watching his father and grandfather ride together. "They were my heroes, and I just couldn’t wait until it was my turn to join him," continued Alfredo. They gave him the motivation to keep trying both inside and outside the cage.
What is the format of America’s Got Talent: Extreme?
The series follows a refined version of the format used in the original America's Got Talent series and only features larger-scale acts, primarily stunt performers, who are unsuited for a conventional stage establishment. Similar to the main series, acts that receive a majority vote from the judging panel during their audition performance advance to the finals.
The judges may use buzzers to indicate their disapproval of an act; if all three judges use their buzzers, the performance will end immediately. However, each judge, along with host Terry Crews, can use the "Golden Buzzer" to advance one act of their choice to the finals, regardless of the opinions of the other judges.
The acts are further eliminated in the finale, with acts now chosen by a panel of "superfans," similar to America's Got Talent: The Champions, reaching the top four and then the top two—with the winner taking home $500,000.
Why was AGT: Extreme production delayed?
The Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia, was the location for filming from September 27 to October 20, 2021. Jonathan Goodwin, an escape artist, was taken to the hospital after an accident during a rehearsal in which he was caught between two cars in midair and fell to the ground while attempting to free himself from a straitjacket.
On October 15, a representative confirmed the production's temporary halt to Variety. At the Irwindale Speedway in Irwindale, California, filming would later resume and end in early January 2022. The four-episode series' premiere date was postponed to February 21, 2022, due to COVID-19-related concerns, after it was announced on January 19, 2022. NBC permanently cancelled the show on May 16, 2022.
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