one of my best stories was a single player adventure. i was a gladiator trying to urn my freedome etc etc. my character however is what was very interesting. we were playing 2nd edition dark sun. my character was a jast. purely a gladiator for the crouds entertainment. i had chainmail on my right arm, and studded leather for my legs. armed with a plethora of usefull and not so usefull items. two screeming sticks were my entry weapons, a foold out blowgun that shot darts with large green feathers on them so the croud could easily see where the enemy was hit. two wrist razors and one of my dms creations (i think), a feather bracer which added dmg to unarmed or gontlet like attacks (the feathers would snap of and break as the fighting went on lowering the bonus dmg inflicted.) of course i was always pitted against people i could easily beet or humiliate only having trouble about every 1/3 matches but my pay was purely based out of croud enjoyment. i truely enjoyed that.
i also played a thri kreen psionic warrior who was cought and put into the arena for a short time...sadly he ended up dying to a half giant / halfing teem.
The best I've ran was the Urikite "death ball" match found in the 2e Dragon's Crown module.
Actually, I just finished running that exact part for my players. That's pretty much what sparked the interest in a gladiators-only campaign, thus this thread was born - to help give me more ideas.
David vs. Goliath
Featuring one Half-Giant (in nothing but a breach cloth) vs. one (or more) Halfling Psionic Monks, a Big pit of sand (possibly with some Dune Freaks or a Hatori hiding inside), and Staves of Hammanu arranged to allow the Halflings greater mobility and hiding places.
The halfling psionic monk (or monks) run around taunting the Half-Giant and embarasing him by avioding his feable attempts at hitting them. They of course get attacks of opportunity everytime he tries to hit them and can use their skill boosts to leap over the sandpit or on to his back and ride him around like a wild erland. If he gets a hold of one of them they can use their skill boost on escape artist to slip from his grasp (I would also recommend having them oiled up before hand to make it harder to hold on to them +whatever alchemical bonus). Then of course they can punch harder then the witless HG expects with psionic fist (or the greater version). Giving the Halflings the feat Psionic Meditation is a must for making this work, and the feat Close-Quarters Fighting (from the Complete Warrior) is good for adding to the entertainment too. As far as powers for the halflings go (if they have sufficent levels in the right manifester classes) I would recommend Skate, Body Equilibrium (if you decide to go with quick sand for the pit), Hustle, and Chameleon. And of course defensive powers like force screen and inertail armor are helpful. Psion (Eogist) or Psychic Warrior is the best way to go to get the right selection of powers, though in the battle I ran I actually set the character up as a wild talent with some psionic items so he she could have more levels in gladiator.
Unfortunatly I didn't make the fight hard enough and the half-giant won
, but there is always the next time, when he has to fight a grudge match with the bested halfling ;) . And besides that I'll always have the memory of him botching his attempt at jumping the pit and landing head first in the sand, to be quickly followed by the the halfling planting her psionically charged foot in his ass, the many failed attempt to smash her followed by sharp reprizals, and when he finally did get ahold of her, the way he punted her into the audience after smashing her against one of the staves of Hammanu. 
SNIP>>> ...and when he finally did get ahold of her, the way he punted her into the audience after smashing her against one of the staves of Hammanu.
:heehee
NICE.