ABC News' John Schriffen reports:

Any time a performer steps inside the cage with an animal, they know anything can happen.

Alligator trainer Daniel Beck was attempting to show an Ohio county fair audience Thursday how quickly gators react once they detect something inside their open jaws when the gator clamped down on his arm.

"This is live take. This is real alligators, it's no second chances," said Beck.

Beck was able to pull his arm away the first time but was unsuccessful when he tried a second time during the demonstration.

"My arm was just a little bit too high and it ended up in the wrong place," Beck said.

Bert Lucas, producer of "The Kachunga and the Alligator Show," rushed in to keep the gator from flipping over into what's called a death roll.

"It's just like putting your hand in a vice and cranking it down as tight as you can get it and then doing six more cranks. It's that much pressure," Lucas said.

To save his partner's arm, Lucas pried the gator's locked jaw apart.

After 20 seconds, the gator finally lets go.

"There's no nerve damage, there was no muscle damage. Everything's working, I just got a few stitches," Beck said.

The alligator show has been performing this act for close to three decades without any serious injuries.