The Titan Games 2020 Results: Ex-Giants WR Victor Cruz Defeated in West Region

Former New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz and professional stuntwoman Jessie Graff were unsuccessful in their bids to regain Titan status in the West region on Monday's edition of The Titan Games.

Cruz advanced from the opening event, Hammer Down, but lost a head-to-head battle to Wayne Skivington in Resistance. Cruz's 6'0", 204-pound frame helped make him a great slot receiver in the NFL, but it might have put him at a disadvantage against the bigger Skivington.

Graff battled Kelly Valdez to a near stalemate in Resistance. Neither competitor could push one of the five 50-pound barrels over the outer perimeter. As the two-minute time limit approached, Valdez was able to lift a barrel to the outside for the win.

One advantage of being the reigning Titan is that the incumbent remains fresher than the challenger, who had to expend so much energy simply to reach Mount Olympus.

In Skivington's case, he appeared to tweak his ankle while dispatching of Cruz in Resistance, making the task of dethroning Noah Palicia even more difficult.

Skivington was moving a little slow to start the race, which allowed Palicia to build a big lead right out of the gate. As Palicia continued to hold a sizable advantage, Skivington's pain was evident at various moments throughout the encounter.

Palicia ultimately cruised to victory.

The women's race was a little closer as Margaux Alvarez fended off Valdez for the second time.

Ball and Chain is often where the eventual winner creates some separation. On Monday, the opposite almost proved true.

Alvarez was ahead before the final obstacle and looked set to register a successful defense of Mount Olympus. But Valdez found a surge of energy and pulled the 250-pound ball with one arm en route to the Titan Tomb. Alas, it wasn't enough, as Alvarez retrieved the Relic first.

Palicia and Alvarez are unbeaten on Mount Olympus, having registered four and three wins, respectively. They'll be tough to stop when the series heads to its finale.

Next week, the focus will shift to the East region, which means two new Titans. Former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley will compete on the men's side, with 2006 Winter Olympics gold medalist Hannah Teter the star on the women's side.