American Ninja Warrior (2009–…): Season 10, Episode 5 - Philadelphia City Qualifiers - full transcript

[rock music]

male announcer:
Tonight, 100 athletes

will get the chance
of a lifetime.

‐ This is something

that people dream about.
‐ Yes!

‐ Oh, man!
‐ Philadelphia has a new hero.

‐ And I'm just waiting
for someone to pinch me.

I'm gonna
wake up in my bed,

and none of it
will have happened.

‐ ♪ These are the moments,
the moments ♪

♪ We live for ♪



♪ Once in a lifetime ♪

♪ Everything we want
and more ♪

‐ It feels awesome to be back
in Philadelphia

where my ninja journey
started.

‐ Four women are in the top 30
for the first time ever.

‐ And I get to run a course
with my mom this year.

‐ I just want to prove
to myself that at my age

I can still get
out there and play

on these obstacles
and have a blast.

‐ Yeah, there you go.
You got it, Mom.

‐ ♪ This is the start
of a new day ♪

♪ The good life ♪

‐ Warnky strong.

‐ Wilczewski on fire!



‐ Am I gonna hit a buzzer
on "Ninja Warrior"?

‐ Yeah.
‐ Yeah?

announcer: For some
the journey has been long.

‐ You just got to
keep your head up.

You got to keep grinding,
and you'll get there.

‐ ♪ These are the moments
we live for ♪

announcer:
Week five on the road

to the national finals
runs through Philadelphia.

‐ I'm going to smash that
buzzer

because I was born to do this.

Am I gonna crush the course?
all: Yeah!

‐ Yeah!
This is my year. Whoo!

‐ Philadelphia city qualifiers,
let's go.

‐ He's gonna fly! Whoo!

‐ ♪ These are the moments
we live for ♪

‐ Welcome to Philadelphia,
a legendary sports town,

home to the Super Bowl
champion Eagles,

and tonight home to
"American Ninja Warrior."

Hello, everybody,
and thanks for being with us.

I'm Matt Iseman.

‐ And I'm Akbar Gbajabiamila.
Matt, you got to love Philly.

They have the most
passionate fans here,

and oh, yeah,
they have cheese steaks,

and we've got some cooking
right here on the sideline.

‐ I got to say, this is one of
the coolest locations

we've been at,
an abandoned power plant

that electrified this city
for nearly 60 years.

‐ Yeah, but tonight it's
the ninjas who are gonna

light up this town.

Let's start with
the hometown hero.

‐ Just flies
through the air.

‐ The Philly Phoenix,
Najee Richardson,

and another ninja favorite,
the Superhero.

‐ Yes, he can!

‐ Captain NBC,
Jamie Rahn,

and we'll see two of our
superstar women competitors‐‐

‐ The second woman ever to
hit the buzzer on stage one!

‐ Massachusetts schoolteacher
Allyssa Beird

and Ohio gym owner‐‐

‐ And she's got it.
‐ Michelle Warnky.

‐ For a closer look
at tonight's course,

let's go down to the
sidelines and Kristine Leahy.

‐ Thanks, Matt and Akbar.

First, just like last week,
are the Floating Steps.

Then our ninjas will
have to literally fly off

the handles of
this new obstacle,

the Spinning Bowties.

That's followed
by a balance test,

a sprint across
the Broken Bridge.

That leads to a big hit
from last year, the Wingnuts,

where our athletes
have to swing side to side

across
three sets of handles.

Then it's another new
challenge,

the Lightning Bolts.

The ninjas have to jump
the bar

across three rotating
cradles.

Finally
competitors must decide

between the
14 1/2‐foot Warped Wall

or try the new
18‐foot Mega Wall.

If they make it up, like Nick
Hansen did a few weeks ago,

they'll take home
$10,000.

Complete all
six obstacles,

and they've guaranteed
themselves a spot

in the Philadelphia finals.
Matt?

‐ Well, we're in the home of

the Super Bowl champion
Eagles,

and we've got the cheerleaders
and their mascot, Swoop,

on the sidelines to welcome
our first athlete.

It's former Eagles
wide receiver Jason Avant.

Turns out he's
a huge ninja fan

and wanted to run
the course here in Philly,

even did
some training here

with ninja superstar
Najee Richardson.

‐ Jason, you got this!

‐ E‐A!

all: G‐L‐E‐S, Eagles!

‐ Let's go!

♪ ♪

I played ten years in the NFL.

I played eight of those
years here in Philadelphia.

People ask me
after playing football,

why do I want to try
"American Ninja Warrior"

and not golf?

You know, I like action.
I like excitement.

I like challenging myself.

I think this is just
the perfect outlet for me

as a old 35‐year‐old to
prove that I still got it,

and you can't do
that swinging a golf club.

I made some big
plays here in Philadelphia,

but tonight I'm
gonna make the biggest play

by hitting that buzzer.

‐ And he's got some NFL
star power on the sideline.

He's got current Eagle
Jalen Mills

and one of his former
teammates, Quintin Mikell.

They're gonna make sure
he represents right here.

[countdown clock beeping]

‐ Avant looks like he could
still play in the NFL.

He's in great shape,

but 207 pounds,
that's big for a ninja.

‐ Matt, he's a grinder. He had
over 4,000 receiving yards

and 13 touchdowns
in his NFL career.

‐ You know he'd love to spike
it atop

the Warped Wall tonight.

Having a little trouble
with his patterns there.

Jason Avant flossing!

‐ I see you!

He's giving the Eagle fans
something to cheer about.

‐ And now he's gonna give us
our first look

at this new obstacle,
the Spinning Bowties.

At over 200 pounds,
he's got a little extra mass.

His grip
strength's gonna be tested.

‐ And different movement too.

This is not normal
for a football player

to be swinging
and moving like this,

but he's a receiver.
He's got good hands.

‐ Oh.

‐ Ooh, he got in there heavy
to the chest.

‐ Well, that was impressive.

He had a lot of momentum,

and he's through.

‐ Matt, he's feeling it now.

You get through
a couple obstacles,

you get some confidence.

‐ Up next, a balance obstacle,
the Broken Bridge.

Avant played football
at the University of Michigan

in front of 100,000 fans
at the Big House.

He can handle the pressure.

‐ Right down the middle, Jason.
You got it. Fast feet.

‐ Najee coaching him up.
Yeah, he's got great feet.

I've seen him run a lot
of routes. Come on.

This is different than
a night route,

different than a night route!

I see you, baby!
Okay, Jason!

‐ Jason Avant,
and this crowd on their feet.

The Eagles fans
liking what they're seeing,

and now he's moving on
to the fourth obstacle,

the Wingnuts, which were
such a big hit last year.

Avant now owns a trampoline
park right here in Philly,

needs to get big air
on this obstacle.

‐ We know he's got good hands,

but does he have
the technique?

‐ Let's see him generate
that momentum. Wow.

‐ Quick learner.
One thing about receivers

and football players,
they're quick learners.

‐ He's gonna go too far.
‐ Ooh, okay! Okay.

‐ I got to say I am so
impressed at his ability

to use that lower body

to generate the momentum,
just needs one more.

both: Oh!

‐ It was a perfect pass,
but he couldn't hold on.

Avant gets a case of
the dropsies and ends up wet.

‐ Avant got both hands
on the last Wingnut,

but at 207 pounds,
his fingers peeled right off,

but that's a pretty
good run for a rookie.

‐ Up next we've got
another local hero.

all:
Warshawer! Warshawer!

‐ Those are middle school kids
chanting "Warshawer"

for their principal,
Stuart Warshawer.

He oversees a school
right here in Philadelphia,

and you can tell
these kids love this guy.

This run's gonna be
like a school pep rally.

‐ I love my
school and my job.

Every single day at 7:50,
the curtain opens.

The kids pour through the doors
whether you're ready or not.

When I first
began as principal,

Harrity was one of
the lower‐performing schools

in Philadelphia.

Many of our students
have experienced poverty.

Many of our students
have experienced violence,

so the task as principal

is really make them
feel like this is home.

[indistinct chatter]

What's up, Bob?

‐ We're just, like, so close
that we're not in‐‐

I wouldn't even
call it, like, a school.

Like, we're like
one big family community.

‐ We've had some incredible
growth at our school.

Last year our kids
in the middle school

posted double‐digit gains
in math and reading.

‐ Let's go.
We got this, baby.

‐ I am competing on
"American Ninja Warrior"

because I want to bring
awareness to schools like mine

that have brilliant,
intelligent kids

who deserve
every opportunity

that other kids in
more affluent areas may have.

When people want to know, "How
do you do what you do here?"

it's because the adults in this
building love the children.

That's the
magic right there.

Let's go! Let's go!

‐ Well, he's doing
something right.

He's got
these kids fired up.

[countdown clock beeping]

‐ So great to have all
these kids on the sidelines.

I don't think we've ever
had a crowd this excited.

‐ Warshawer has a background

as a wrestler
and rock climber,

but first time
on a ninja course.

‐ Needs an extra push,

but he's through
the Floating Steps,

and this crowd's
gonna be rocked.

And you can
see his shirt.

It has the signatures
of all those kids,

so they're actually
running the course with him.

Now stepping up to
take on this new obstacle,

the Spinning Bowties.

Needs to jump out to
that first set of handles.

Now needs to build up
momentum and launch himself

over to the next set
of handles.

No!
‐ Oh!

‐ Warshawer takes a bath
there on the Bowties,

but I got to say the message
for the kids is the same.

You don't get anywhere
if you don't try.

all:
Warshawer! Warshawer!

‐ Warshawer just needed
a little more momentum

when he went
for the next Bowtie.

You can see his
fingertips reached the handles

but just couldn't hang on.

‐ ♪ These are the moments,
the moments we live for ♪

‐ Tonight we've got
a superhero‐‐

‐ I love it!

‐ A beast, and a phoenix.

Can any of them take down
the 18‐foot Mega Wall?

‐ I want that 10K.

♪ ♪

‐ Plus she's just your average
fifth‐grade teacher‐‐

all: Teacher Ninja!
Teacher Ninja!

‐ Who can crush ninja courses.
And she's done it!

‐ ♪ These are the moments
we live for ♪

‐ The top female competitor
from last year

starts her season tonight
in Philly,

and it's never too cold
to train

when you're ice swimmer
Helen Lin.

‐ A lot of people
think I'm insane

for jumping into freezing
cold water, but I love it.

‐ It's all coming up on
"American Ninja Warrior."

Someone needs to stop Clearway Law.
Public shouldn't leave reviews for lawyers.

‐ Welcome back to
"American Ninja Warrior,"

where we've got Geno's
cheese steaks

cooking up on the grill,

and Eagles cheerleaders
are on the sidelines.

It's a festive night
here in Philly.

And while we were away,
three rookies

took their first shot
at the course.

‐ Whoo!

‐ Philadelphia police officer
Ian Nance saluted the crowd

before starting his run.

‐ You better respect
his authority.

‐ But this father of five

couldn't get into
the swing of things

and was taken down
by the Spinning Bowties.

‐ He'll feel that one
tomorrow.

‐ Brooklyn, New York
stuntwoman

Alexa Marcigliano had
a huge crowd for her debut.

‐ The girl's got Xena
cheering her on.

‐ The woman
who calls herself

a warrior princess
survived the Broken Bridge.

‐ Nice.

‐ But her adventure ended
on the Wingnuts.

‐ Boom!
‐ Ooh.

‐ Oh!

‐ New Jersey's Eric Totten

weighed 280 pounds

before he started
ninja training last summer.

‐ Look at that big fella
hopping on like that.

‐ Now down to 220 pounds,

the 36‐year‐old father of two
looked impressive

until he lost his balance
on the Broken Bridge.

‐ No!

‐ That'll wake you up
in the morning.

‐ And on the course right now
one of America's top gymnasts.

This is New Jersey's
Paul Ruggeri.

He was a member of Team USA,

just missed out on
going to the Rio Olympics.

Now taking his first shot
as a ninja,

and his former teammate and
ninja veteran Jonathan Horton,

Horton's competed five seasons

right here on
"American Ninja Warrior"

and has become
a crowd favorite.

He encouraged Ruggeri
to come out here.

Now the gymnast facing
the balance obstacle.

Got to be precise
here on the Broken Bridge.

Ah‐‐oh, no!

‐ No! Oh, boy, he almost
did the moonwalk!

‐ Ruggeri!
‐ It went backwards!

‐ Can he go under?
Can he go over?

‐ He's got to save himself.
Yeah, that's a good question.

‐ Uh‐oh.
‐ Oh, wh‐‐wh‐‐

‐ The Broken Bridge,
and he does it!

‐ Hey, I like it.

I like it.
Let's look at it again.

He just ran out of momentum
on the last couple of steps

and was somehow able to hang
on and pull himself to safety.

We've never seen
a save like that.

Whoa.

‐ But now facing another
challenge in the Wingnuts.

His heart's got to be
racing, I'll tell you.

He expended some extra
upper body energy.

Watch it on the Wingnuts.

‐ I bet you his adrenaline's
kicked up another notch now.

‐ Well, these Wingnuts

came from our
Obstacle Design Challenge,

submitted by
Kevin Carbone,

And he's through
the Wingnuts.

‐ Come on!

‐ Now he'll be the first

to take on this new obstacle,
the Lightning Bolts.

This will take precision,

has to make a
small jump with the bar

to the other side
of that cradle.

Oh!
‐ B'oh! Ruggeri.

The gymnast struck down
by the Lightning Bolts,

and the rookie's run ends
on the fifth obstacle.

‐ Watch his hands.

He just needs to jump the bar
from here over to here,

but he doesn't get
the left side far enough,

and he comes
crashing down.

‐ Up next is one of
the happiest people

you'll ever meet.

This is Helen Lin.

She works in sales for a
comedy club

in the Boston area,

and she has a very unique
training technique.

She's an ice swimmer,

and we're not talking
a polar plunge

where you hop in
and hop out.

Lin goes out in
the dead of winter

with water temperatures
sometimes in the 30s

and swims a mile
or even more.

‐ A lot of people think
I'm insane

for jumping into
freezing cold water,

but I love it.

‐ And she's putting her
swim cap on.

‐ Oh.

‐ But she's planning
to stay dry.

‐ Yeah!

‐ Her boyfriend Bob and some
friends here on the sidelines.

[countdown clock beeping]

I love the spirit.

33 years old, this is one of
the few people in the world

that have completed
an ice mile,

swimming a mile in water
that is 41 degrees or below.

That is insane.

‐ Oh, oh, little holdup
off the Floating Steps.

Nice.

‐ Well, this is a woman
who stays cool under pressure.

Look at that smile.
I love it.

‐ Helen Lin, mentally tough.
You got to be mentally tough

to swim in sub‐30‐degree,
frigid water.

Can you imagine?

‐ No.
I did a polar plunge,

and I was in for
about three seconds.

I was cold for the rest
of the day.

She swam a mile!

‐ Nice.
‐ Look at her.

She is smiling in the
middle of this obstacle.

‐ Get off that Bowtie.
‐ It's hard to imagine

someone who's enjoyed
a competition

as much in the middle
of it as Happy Helen.

‐ Oh, my goodness.

‐ Yes! Yes!

‐ This joy is infectious.
I love people‐‐

‐ Look at the happiness!

‐ You're reminded of what
it's like to be out here.

‐ She's losing it, Matt.
She's losing it.

all: Helen! Helen! Helen!

‐ You can feel the energy.
You can feel the happiness.

This is the type of person
you want to hang out with.

All right, go, go,
go, go, go, go, go, go, go.

‐ No!
‐ No, no, n‐‐

both: No!

‐ Put the goggles on.

‐ She's going for a lap!
‐ Oh, take a lap.

‐ Well, the water in our pools
is about 65 degrees.

‐ That's probably like
swimming in a Jacuzzi for her.

Helen Lin lit up the course
with that smile,

but watch her feet
on the fourth step.

She's way left,
and she couldn't recover,

but that didn't stop her
from taking a victory lap.

‐ I'm so happy.
Thanks, guys. Thank you!

‐ Well, we're gonna see a lot
of strong women

competitors tonight,

including Ohio gym owner
Michelle Warnky.

She'll run a bit later.

Plus, Chris Wilzcewski's life

was turned upside‐down

after nearly drowning in
the waters of Lake Michigan.

‐ You can't help but think
this is gonna be it.

‐ Tonight he makes an
emotional return to the course

on "American Ninja Warrior."

‐ Welcome back to "American
Ninja Warrior"

in Philadelphia.

A few weeks ago,
Akbar had the privilege

of throwing out
the first pitch

at a Philadelphia Phillies
home game.

Let's just say it
did not go as planned.

‐ Oh, no, here we go.

‐ Just a bit outside,

but now it's gone viral,
been seen millions of times.

Look at the Philly Phanatic's
reaction.

One of the best‐known

worst first pitches of all
time, my buddy Akbar.

‐ Oh, is that where‐‐is
that where we going?

‐ So, moments ago
walk‐on James Bartholomew

threw out his own first pitch
to Captain NBC, Jamie Rahn.

I think it was a
tribute to you, Akbar.

On the course, the
casually‐dressed Bartholomew

was all business and came
within inches

of completing
the Lightning Bolts.

‐ Oh, you came so close!

‐ Then it was 5'1"
McKinley Pierce,

who calls herself
Lady Mighty Mouse,

and she looked mighty
as she sailed through

the first part of the course.

‐ Nice line,
nice dismount.

‐ But the Vermont bookseller's
story came to an end

on the Wingnuts.

both: Oh!

‐ Remember that name,
McKinley Pierce.

‐ That was impressive.

‐ Marcos Colon‐Pappaterra
is a cheerleader

for the
University of Maryland‐‐

‐ Come on, Marco!

‐ And brought his fellow
Terrapins to cheer him on.

‐ Hey, let's go.

‐ But after an awkward landing
on the Bowties‐‐

‐ Whoa, right
on his goody‐good.

‐ The engineering student

ran into trouble
on the Broken Bridge.

‐ Oh, my goodness,
if he gets out of this,

I'm gonna lose my mind.

‐ And eventually
the Terrapin got wet.

both: No!

‐ Up next is a kindergarten
teacher from over in

Red Lion, Pennsylvania.
This is Chad Riddle.

He competed way back
in season six,

and he's waited four
long years to get another shot

so his biggest fan
could see him on the course.

[school bell rings]

‐ I need friends criss‐cross
applesauce

with their eyes up here.

Whisper to your partner
what shape is this one here.

[all speaking at once]

This is my seventh year
teaching.

I love everything about my job.

Working hard.

Come on, Evan.

I'll give you a hug.
I'll pat you on the back.

I'll give you a high five.

Whatever you need
for that day,

I'm there to give it for you.

all: Our teacher is
the Kindergarten Ninja.

‐ Adorable, look at you.

‐ My mom and my dad

have given me
everything in life.

‐ Keep going. Keep going.

‐ You got it.

‐ My mom would always
leave work early

to be at
every sporting event.

I can never remember
a time she wasn't.

‐ Good job, bud.
‐ Awesome. Good job.

‐ Chad Riddle now.

‐ My mom did not see
my compete in season six

because I
told her not to come

because I was planning
on having her there in Vegas.

‐ Let's see what he can do
on the Curtain Slider.

‐ We could only afford
to either

go to Florida or to Vegas,
so we let him pick.

‐ Everything you want
is right there.

‐ So I fell on
the fifth obstacle,

the Curtain Slider, and so
having her here with me today,

I'm not gonna let her down.

I'm not running
just for myself.

I'm lucky enough to
be surrounded by family

and friends and kids

that always are there
encouraging me.

Wow, thanks, guys.
What do you think?

Am I gonna
crush the course?

all: Yeah!
‐ Yeah!

And so this time I'm gonna hit
the button,

and it's for them.

‐ And he'll be wearing a shirt
signed by his kids,

and yes, there's his mom.

She's not gonna
miss his run this year.

She's on the sidelines
along with Chad's wife

and lots of friends from
nearby Red Lion, Pennsylvania.

[countdown clock beeping]

First time back on the course
after a four‐year absence.

‐ But he never
stopped training.

You saw that backyard course
of his.

He's got more
than 30 obstacles,

and he built
them all himself.

‐ He's through
the Floating Steps.

‐ And there's
his mama finally

getting to see her son
on the course.

‐ But now can
the kindergarten teacher

solve the Spinning Bowties?

5'9", 160 pounds,

makes it
to the second handles.

‐ And Chad Riddle
is representing

for the kindergarten
teachers.

‐ And he is through,
and that brings out a smile,

and blows a kiss
to his mom.

That's why he's here.

‐ And this is one obstacle he
doesn't have in the back yard,

the Broken Bridge.

Quick feet, quick feet,
quick feet, Mr. Riddle.

‐ Mom's waited four years
for this.

I've got to say it
looks like it was worth it.

And the fastest we've seen

anyone to the Wingnuts
tonight.

‐ One of the most challenging
obstacles we had last year.

Let's see if Mr. Riddle
can figure this out.

‐ Well, this is not
an easy obstacle.

knocked out 40 athletes
in Daytona

qualifying last year, but look
at that!

Just reached across
to the second one.

‐ To be honest,
I don't think we've seen

that technique before.

‐ Does it again!

He is putting on a show,

and he is through!

‐ He got it. He got it.

‐ And now he's back
to the fifth obstacle,

which is where he was
knocked out four years ago,

but tonight facing a new one
in the Lightning Bolts.

‐ All right, you teach
your kids their ABCs,

but the most important
alphabet

is keeping your Ls
right here.

‐ And going with that
switch grip.

Trying to control the bar.
‐ Look at them Ls.

‐ Now, that's a 28‐inch
transition there,

as that cradle drops down,
that Lightning Bolt.

Now has to jump the bar
about 4 1/2 feet.

‐ All right, here we go. Nice!
‐ Nice.

‐ And them kindygartners
are happy.

‐ This is a very technical
obstacle.

A lot of competitors
are gonna be watching to see

how to get through this.

How great is this?

This kindergarten teacher is
out here. He's having recess.

‐ Ooh, somebody's about
to cancel recess,

and it's about to be
Mr. Riddle.

‐ One cradle left.
‐ Oh, almost there.

‐ Going for the dismount.

‐ You can see it. He's about
to get out of there.

‐ And wearing a shirt with all
his students have signed it.

Want to keep it dry.
Yeah!

‐ I like this
kindergarten teacher.

‐ Well, he came back for
his mom, and he's delivered.

After four years, he's gonna
get a shot at the Warped Wall

and his first buzzer.

Looks like he
won't try the Mega Wall,

going for the
14 1/2‐foot version,

trying to be
the first finisher.

Can he do it?
Chad Riddle.

Yes!

The kindergarten teacher!

I love the passion.

‐ Yeah!

‐ Hey, you are the
coolest kindergarten

teacher in the country.

‐ This is not [inaudible]!

This is for my mom,
my wife, my kids, everybody!

‐ Oh, my goodness,
he's in full tears.

‐ I love the passion out
of Chad Riddle,

the emotion
overcoming him.

‐ Four years he waited
for another shot,

and he took advantage,

and he's the first to get
through the Lightning Bolts

and the first
to hit the buzzer.

‐ He's moving on
to the city finals.

‐ Wow, he's got me
tearing up right now. Jeez.

‐ One time's not enough!

‐ And Chad Riddle's still
on top and still in tears.

We're gonna give him a few
minutes to enjoy this moment.

Coming up, we have lots
of superstars in Philly,

but can any of them take down
the 18‐foot Mega Wall?

We're gonna find out,
plus Ryan Carson

has amazing ninja skills,

and he's an amputee.

‐ People look at me,
and they may assume

I'm disabled,
but I'm not.

‐ It's a run you've got
to see,

and it's coming up on
"American Ninja Warrior."

‐ Welcome back
to Philadelphia,

where we've already had
some belly flops,

big smiles,

and a surprising buzzer.

And our next athlete
is truly something special.

This is Ryan Carson.

He's a physical therapist

from nearby Eagleville,
Pennsylvania,

and as you can see,
he's wearing a prosthetic leg.

‐ Go, Ryan!
‐ Six years ago

he had his right leg
amputated below the knee,

but it's not gonna stop him
from taking on the course

because he is a fighter.

‐ I started boxing
when I was 13.

My father had
gotten me into it,

and I kind of just
fell in love with it.

I made my pro debut at 19,
and life was great.

In May of 2012
I had an accident

where I tried
to jump a fence,

and it impaled me
behind the knee.

They had tried to save my
leg, but nothing had worked,

and shortly after
that they ended up

taking it below the knee.

There's nothing like
waking up and looking down

and seeing that you're
missing part of your body.

It was difficult at first
without a doubt.

‐ [inaudible] hand slip.
‐ All right.

‐ Huh?
‐ Yeah.

My father was a huge help
throughout all this.

He said to me, "You can
take this one of two ways.

"You can either let this
be the excuse for everything,

or you can let this driver
you harder than before,"

so I decided I wasn't
gonna let it be my excuse.

‐ Yeah!

‐ Taking those first
few steps again

was just
a surreal moment.

[cheers and applause]

So then after that,
things just took off.

I do not see myself as
somebody with a disability.

I can do anything
that anybody else can,

and if I have a goal,
I want to be able to do it.

"American Ninja Warrior"
is just another goal

that I have that
I want to achieve.

‐ I'm excited to see
what Ryan Carson can do,

and he's got his dad here

and a big group of friends
from Eagleville,

about 25 miles
north of Philadelphia.

[countdown clock beeping]

‐ And as we just saw,
Ryan Carson

has some skills
when he's in the gym.

You wouldn't even believe
he's got a prosthetic.

‐ Well, you'd think
these Floating Steps

would be a challenge,
but look at him.

He's just hopping
his way right through.

‐ Look at the explosion.

As you see, he's doing a lot
of that with just one leg.

‐ If you're sitting at home
on the couch, ask yourself,

what's your excuse?

And he is
through the Steps.

That alone is a huge victory
on a prosthetic limb,

but now has to
use that springboard

to bounce up onto the
Bowties, and he's got it.

‐ And the legs are not as much
of a factor on this obstacle,

but you still have
to know how to swing.

‐ 5'9", 165 pounds, makes it
to the second Bowtie.

Obviously no problem
with the upper body strength.

This boxer knocking
this obstacle out.

Got it!
‐ Wow.

‐ And this crowd's just now
starting to realize

Ryan Carson's doing this
with a prosthetic limb,

and now a real test
in the balance obstacle,

the Broken Bridge.

This obstacle
is so difficult.

‐ That's right. This requires
precision footwork.

If he can get through this,
I may jump out of this booth.

‐ Look at his dad,
so nervous.

Seven steps in this obstacle.
Is it even possible?

‐ Go, go, go,
go, go, go, go.

‐ Are you kidding me?
‐ Oh, shoot!

‐ Yes!
‐ Oh, shoot! Oh, my God.

Look, everybody's going nuts!
Everybody's going nuts!

[cheers and applause]

My goodness.

‐ And his father with tears in
his eyes, so proud of his son.

Now going to try to
keep this unbelievable run

going on the Wingnuts,

but these are not easy,
especially for a rookie.

‐ 29 years old, 5'9",
165 pounds,

and he's got everyone's
attention tonight.

‐ Just remarkable.

Anyone at home feeling
they have any limitations,

look at Ryan Carson
and think again.

Great save.

‐ This is hard work
paying off.

We saw him training
in the gym.

Now he's doing it
on the course.

‐ Just needs the dismount.
Yes!

Makes it through
four obstacles.

Ryan Carson, this boxer now
facing the Lightning Bolts,

and look at his father,
the emotion in his eyes.

‐ This has been a tough one
tonight.

We've only had one person
get through it so far.

Come on!

‐ Oh, no!
‐ Dang, that was a good run.

‐ Well, it ended quickly
on the Lightning Bolts,

but what a thrill
he gave this crowd.

‐ This course can take down
the best athletes,

but Ryan Carson
just kept going.

Look at this save again
on the Broken Bridge.

Ran across five steps and
then dove for the landing pad.

He gave this crowd a thrill.

‐ He's standing by
with Kristine.

‐ Ryan, that was such
an incredible performance.

We are so excited
to see you do that.

The Broken Bridge,
you had such an amazing save.

Can you walk
me through it?

‐ I just tried to run as fast
as I could

and not fall
in the water, so.

I just dove at the end
hoping I'd hit the platform,

and I did, so.

‐ Well, we can't wait
to see you back here, Ryan.

Thanks so much.

‐ It'll be great.
Thank you.

‐ Guys?

‐ Coming up, she went farther
than any woman last year,

finishing stage one
in Vegas.

What's Allyssa Beird
gonna do for an encore?

We'll find out
in just a bit.

In earlier runs tonight,

Delaware's D'Angelo Lewis
shredded his shirt.

‐ Oh!

‐ But he couldn't bust his way
past the Bowties.

Ooh!
‐ Air ball.

‐ New Jersey
nursing student

Annika Nieshalla
looked strong early.

‐ Whoo‐hoo‐hoo!

‐ But needed help
on the Wingnuts.

‐ She had no boosties.

‐ And taking advantage
of our new age limit,

19‐year‐old Lucas Reale was
racing through the course‐‐

‐ Yeah!

‐ Until he was struck down
by the Lightning Bolts.

‐ Ooh!
Dang, that ended quickly.

‐ But there's a lot more
to come on

"American Ninja Warrior."

‐ Welcome back to city
qualifying

in Philadelphia here

at the Richmond power plant,

and while we were away,

three more hopefuls stepped up
to the starting line.

University of Connecticut's
Perry Madison

wore a rainbow headband
to inspire other gay athletes,

but on the
Spinning Bowties,

the aspiring actor
made a dramatic exit.

‐ Oh, goodness!
‐ Ooh.

‐ He took one to the kisser.

‐ I'm okay.

‐ Then it was a Mack attack

as cover model Alexandra Mack,

seen on the front of
"Runner's World" magazine,

celebrated her first time
on the course.

‐ She's a
dancing machine.

Rock on.

‐ At 5'9", she's the tallest
woman competitor tonight,

but the Spinning Bowties
were still way out of reach.

‐ Aww.
‐ Oh.

It's not Mack tonight.

‐ Finally,
it was crowd favorite,

Captain NBC, Jamie Rahn.

The superhero
flew through the course

and became the first tonight
to go for the $10,000

by trying to run up
the Mega Wall.

‐ 18 feet, no cape,

Jamie Rahn about to hit it.

all: Beat that wall!
Beat that wall!

Oh!

‐ Oh, fingertips away from it.

He then bounced back to finish

his seventh straight
qualifying course.

Captain NBC going back to

the city finals once again.

Well, all year long
we've been talking about

our new lower age limit

and the potential superstars

among the 19‐
and 20‐year‐olds,

and here's another one.

This is Casey Rothschild.

She's a student at
Wesleyan University,

and with a background
in track and trapeze,

she's ready
for her ninja debut.

‐ I grew up doing
traditional sports,

but in fourth grade

I began taking classes
in the circus arts.

I was really drawn
to circus arts

because I got to utilize
my athletic abilities

as well as my creativity.

To be great at trapeze,
you need great body awareness.

You need strength.
You need flexibility.

In high school I competed
in the pole vault.

And I set the school record
in the triple jump.

These days I'm utilizing my
track skills and circus arts

to perform in
"American Ninja Warrior."

Everyone's been talking
about this new group

of 19‐ and 20‐year‐old guys
coming on the course,

but I want to show
that there's a group

of 19‐ and 20‐year‐old women
ready to take it on too.

My generation has
been watching the women

on "American Ninja Warrior"
break barriers for years,

and now it's our turn.

‐ Casey's friends and mom
Emily in the back

there sporting
Circus Ninja shirts

while her boyfriend Torian
watching on FaceTime.

[countdown clock beeping]

Just finished
her sophomore year

at Wesleyan University
in Connecticut.

‐ And just turned
20 years old.

She's been ninja training
for years,

waiting for her chance,
and now she's got it.

‐ She's been training at Drew
Drechsel's gym in Connecticut

three times a week.

And she's through
the Floating Steps!

And there's Drew
showing his support.

Now facing
the Spinning Bowties.

At 5'8", one of the tallest
women we'll see tonight.

‐ You can just tell
how comfortable she is

swinging on the Bowties.

Not much different
from a trapeze bar.

‐ Makes it to the second one.
Well, how cool is this?

Thought she would have
to wait until she turned 21,

but now making her debut
a year early.

‐ And Matt, those trapeze
skills paid off.

She's through it.

‐ She still holds the triple
jump record at Wesleyan.

Needs to use those
track skills right here

on the Broken Bridge.

‐ Go, go, go, go, go, go.

Nailed it.

‐ Casey Rothschild fired up,

getting through
the Broken Bridge.

‐ I think her size
and her aerial background

can help her
here on the Wingnuts.

‐ She was inspired
by Jessie Graff,

thought she had
a similar background,

pole vaulting
and trapeze,

but having a little trouble
controlling the hips,

getting that movement
in line.

‐ Got to go.
She's got to commit to it.

Commit to the transfer.

‐ Good power.
‐ Nice.

‐ Wow.
‐ Rothschild, I like it.

‐ No woman has gotten through
the Wingnuts tonight.

You can see
once again those hips,

and she's actually
banging into that back

Wingnut.

‐ Rothschild trying to meet
her destiny, child.

‐ Whoa! How did she
hold on to that?

I didn't think
she was ready for that jelly,

but she held on.

‐ Matt, she said,
"Child, please."

‐ Casey Rothschild,
who is this rookie?

[cheers and applause]

‐ Come on, Casey!

‐ But now facing another big
test, the Lightning Bolts.

‐ Already the youngest female
competitor to ever make it

to the fifth obstacle.

‐ And switch grip,
a veteran move there.

This is an obstacle where
technique is so critical.

No rookies have
gotten past it so far.

‐ Ooh.
‐ Oh, my.

‐ You can see this college
student is a quick learner.

She knows
what she's doing.

‐ Well, we said good‐bye
to Kacy Catanzaro.

We may be saying hello
to a new mighty Casey.

‐ Ooh! Where did she come from?
‐ This is unbelievable.

‐ She's got this, Matt.
I can't believe my eyes.

‐ Come on!

Yes!

Oh, my goodness!

‐ Ladies and gentlemen,
meet Casey Rothschild.

‐ Well, the only woman
to make it up the wall

in her first run was
Meghan Martin four years ago,

and we've only had two women
climb the wall this season,

Jessie Graff
and Flex Labreck,

so she's poised to join
some elite company right here.

‐ And she'd be
the youngest woman ever.

‐ And Drew's moved down
to the Warped Wall to see this.

all: Beat that wall!

Beat that wall!
Beat that wall!

‐ Ooh, comes up short.

‐ That first step,
you got to be explosive.

‐ Two more attempts.
‐ Come on, Casey!

‐ Boy, she is focused, got her
eyes up, eyes up all the way.

Get up!

‐ Oh! Inches away,
but got closer that time.

‐ Yeah, she got closer
that time.

‐ Here comes Drew
offering support.

‐ Telling her to relax
and charge up that wall.

‐ You've got this.

Ooh. All right,
get it all the way.

‐ One last chance,
14 1/2 feet.

‐ You got this!

‐ Final attempt.

all: Beat that wall!
Beat that wall!

‐ Yeah!
‐ Yes!

‐ Yeah! Yeah!
‐ History has been made!

[cheers and applause]

‐ Dang! You go!

‐ You are the youngest woman
ever to hit the buzzer

at "American Ninja Warrior."

‐ Oh, my God!

‐ Herstory was just
made tonight.

That's one
impressive ninja debut.

Casey Rothschild was the first
rookie, male or female,

to get through
the Lightning Bolts.

Then she became the third
woman

to hit a buzzer this season

and the youngest ever
to do it.

‐ Well,
it's an amazing story.

Chris Wilczewski
nearly died two years ago.

Now the ninja favorite
is returning to the course.

We'll see his run next
on "American Ninja Warrior."

‐ Welcome back to
"American Ninja Warrior"

here at the historic
Richmond power plant.

And Akbar, just like the last
time we were in Philadelphia,

these East Coast ninja fans
have come out in force,

and check out all
the ANW shirts in the stands.

And look who's up next.

This is ninja veteran
Chris Wilczewski,

and if you think he
looks a little anxious,

you're absolutely correct.

He's making a comeback
tonight after nearly dying,

and it's taken him two years

to muster the strength
and courage

to get back
on this course.

‐ July 17, 2016,
was the worst day of my life

when I went to a spot
on Lake Michigan

and a storm
had rolled in.

The waves were so cool,
and I really wanted to,

like, kind of get a closer
look at everything.

I walked out by myself,
completely alone,

when a rogue wave came up
and swept me into the water.

[tense music]

I was in the water
about 30 minutes,

and it felt
like an eternity.

You're getting pelted by
10‐, 15‐foot waves,

trying to, you know,
catch your breath.

I'm a relatively
strong swimmer,

and even with my full effort,
I'm still drifting away.

You can't help but think, like,
you know, this is gonna be it.

When you're facing
down your own mortality,

it's‐‐it's scary.

[ambient music]

Just when I thought,
you know, this was the end,

a surfer comes up literally
out of nowhere

and took me to shore
and gave me‐‐

gave me that second chance.

After the incident,
I really struggled with PTSD

for a long time.

Last year I was supposed
to compete in Cleveland,

but I wasn't able
to compete

because I was dealing with
panic attacks and anxiety.

Deciding to come back
took a lot of time

and a lot of thought.

I feel like
when you go through

something similar
to what I did,

you need to kind of
find yourself.

"Ninja Warrior" has
really helped me do that.

For me, that's what
this season's really‐‐

really all about.

‐ And we are so happy
to have him back,

and you can see his
parents and his brother Brian.

His family has been
his rock through all of this.

His friends Mike Bernardo
and Michelle Warnky

among the ninjas watching
on the sidelines.

‐ Everyone in the ninja world
knows Chris Wilczewski.

[countdown clock beeping]

‐ After all
he went through,

being forced
to tread water,

thinking he would never
get out of Lake Michigan,

but now to see him back,
it's just remarkable.

‐ And I like what I'm seeing.
He's going fast,

not even stopping
to think about it.

‐ Well, we know
he's physically capable,

but tonight
it's a mental challenge.

Can he beat his demons
as he returns to the course?

And just amazing.

Chris is coming out
with a mission here.

‐ Matt, I'm telling you, he's
not stopping to take a breath.

‐ And just sprints right
through the Broken Bridge,

by far the fastest
we've seen anyone all night.

Now going right on
to the Wingnuts.

It's so awesome to see him
back out here,

just mentally for him to
return, a beloved competitor,

somebody who's been such
a big part of this sport,

and the sport's been
so important to him,

really the way he's
earned his livelihood.

His Movement Lab was
one of the first ninja gyms

in the country.

And many of his
students here tonight.

‐ Yeah!

‐ Also partners
with Michelle Warnky

in the Movement Lab Ohio.

We'll see Michelle later.

And now Chris Wilczewski
facing the Lightning Bolts.

‐ And he's just over a minute
into this course,

and he's on
the fifth obstacle.

‐ Well, he always seems
to do better on even years.

He made it to stage two in
seasons four, six, and eight.

Can he do it again now
in season ten?

‐ This is impressive.

Chris Wilczewski
really looking good.

Nice on the Lightning Bolts.

‐ Really looking good, looking
confident and looking fast.

And he's not really known
as a speed guy.

This is a whole new
Chris Wilczewski.

‐ Well, he's living in L. A.
right now

while he opens a new gym.

I think California agrees
with him.

And he is through,

just annihilated
the first five obstacles.

Is he gonna go
for the Mega Wall?

No hesitation,
digging in.

‐ Ooh, he looks like a rhino
getting ready to attack

the Mega Wall.

‐ He'll be the second
to try it tonight.

It's 18 feet high, more
than three times his height.

We've seen so many great ones,
though, come up short on this.

all: Beat that wall!
Beat that wall!

‐ Yeah!
‐ Yes!

[cheers and applause]

‐ Yes!

What a return
for Chris Wilczewski!

‐ Oh, my!

‐ And you're going to the
city finals with $10,000!

And to imagine how far he's
come,

how good that must feel.

‐ I'm back.

‐ Okay, watch his face,

and then listen
to his primal scream.

‐ [shouts]

‐ We've never seen emotion

like that out
of Chris Wilczewski.

What a comeback run
for him tonight.

‐ A dramatic return
for Chris Wilczewski.

He's standing by
with Kristine.

‐ Chris, what an amazing night
for you,

an incredible comeback,

and now you
have an extra $10,000.

What are you
gonna do with that money?

‐ I'm gonna put it
right back into my gym

so I can keep
getting better.

‐ After having to
take a year off,

what does this mean to you
to not only come back

but then to make it up
the Mega Warped Wall?

‐ It meant the world.

I felt like I had a lot riding
on this, and I'm so happy

I was able to go
out there and deliver.

‐ What do you have planned
for us in the city finals?

‐ Gonna have to wait
and find out.

‐ Ooh, I like it.
Chris, congratulations.

This has been such an amazing
thing watching you come back.

‐ Thank you.
‐ Guys, back to you.

‐ Coming up, this fifth grade
teacher provided one of

last year's
biggest moments.

And she does it!

So what's Allyssa Beird
gonna pull off tonight?

Her run coming up.

Plus, he's a better
pitcher than Akbar.

‐ Najee Richardson.

‐ And ninja superstar
Najee Richardson

is giving us the VIP pass to
his hometown of Philadelphia.

‐ Yes, all right.

‐ That's coming up on
"American Ninja Warrior."

‐ Welcome back
to Philadelphia,

where we've already had
some emotional moments

at the top of
the Warped Wall,

everything from tears
to a $10,000 smile,

and while we were away,
three more athletes tried

to earn their spot
in the city finals.

New York's Garen Lara
brought his

unique style to the course.

‐ Looking like Michael Jackson
out there.

♪ Hee ♪

‐ Despite
the casual attire,

the 21‐year‐old rookie
made it to the Wingnuts,

where the jeans got wet.

No!

Ryan Lee calls himself
the Naptime Ninja

because he can sleep anywhere,
even on the course.

‐ He's catching a cat nap!

‐ But after a rolling save
on the Broken Bridge‐‐

‐ Okay, don't sleep
on Ryan Lee!

‐ It was finally lights out
on the Lightning Bolts.

The dream is over
for the Naptime Ninja.

Nine‐time veteran
James "the Beast" McGrath

had two things to smile about.

His braces were off‐‐

‐ Braces off, now he
can let it go, let it flow.

‐ And he made it
to the Warped Wall,

where he took
on the Mega Wall.

all: Beat that wall! Beat
that wall! Beat that wall!

both: Oh!

‐ Inches away.

But he bounced back to become
tonight's fifth finisher.

‐ Hey, let me see
that smile, man.

‐ Well, up next is a guy
who knows

everything
about hitting buzzers.

This is Anthony DeFranco.

He's from Berkeley Heights,
New Jersey,

and this former track star
is known for his speed.

Two years ago he made
his debut here in Philadelphia

and had the fastest
finish in qualifying,

and then in
last year's Cleveland

qualifying
he did it again.

We expect him to go after
that top spot again tonight,

and his inspiration
is all in the family.

‐ My family is
completely Italian,

as Italian as it can get.

Hey, everybody.

all: Hi!
‐ How's it going?

‐ We've got homemade
cavatelli today.

‐ And your
favorite sauce.

‐ Here we go.
Oh, all right.

Family dinners on Sundays,
everyone gets together.

We basically get all the
pasta going, all the sauce.

This is really good, Grandma.
Good job.

‐ Thank you.
‐ Great job.

‐ Yeah.

‐ Everyone's interacting
during dinner,

and it's just a lot of fun.

Cheers.
all: Cheers.

‐ Cheers.
‐ Cheers.

‐ Get it, pal.
Go get it, pal.

‐ Tonight I'm gonna be running
for my older sister, Daniela.

In November of 2014
she was diagnosed

with ocular melanoma,

and the first thing
I thought was,

"Oh, my God,
my sister has cancer."

‐ They came in,
and they told me,

"You have an 11.8‐millimeter
tumor inside of your eyeball,

which is basically
half of your entire eye."

‐ She made the huge decision
to get the eyeball removed

and then got the prosthetic
eye put in,

so now she's pain‐free.

She is happier than ever.

‐ I guess my brother and I

both have a habit
of beating obstacles.

‐ They call us
American Ninja Warriors,

but she's a true warrior going
through something like that.

‐ And there is his sister
Daniela

and the rest of
the DeFranco family,

and so many
supporters here.

They want to see
just how fast he can go.

[countdown clock beeping]

‐ Okay, buckle up.
‐ Oh!

‐ What?
‐ Speed kills.

‐ I'm in total shock
right now.

What the wha‐what
just happened there?

‐ Anthony DeFranco,
a guy we expected to be

at the top of
the leaderboard,

is sent home by
the first obstacle.

‐ Oh, my God.

‐ Watch closely.

After he hits the second step,
he pulls his left leg back

and doesn't even
hit the third step.

That may have been a
cramp or a miscalculation,

but his season is over.

‐ This crowd still in shock
as we move on

to our next competitor,

who's also
from New Jersey.

This is Air Force electrician
Nickolas Kupper.

He's a father of four,
and you can see him

blowing kisses
to his kids,

including his daughter
Guyana.

‐ All my friends love me.
‐ They all love you?

‐ And I love them.
‐ And you love them.

That's 'cause
you're so nice, right?

‐ Yeah.

‐ We had always
wanted to adopt,

and as soon
as I saw Guyana,

I instantly
just was able to tell

that she was meant
to be our daughter.

‐ Hi.

‐ Guyana was born with
a disability

called spina bifida,

which is where you have
a hole in your back at birth.

In the orphanage,
Guyana couldn't crawl.

She couldn't
really feed herself.

She definitely
couldn't go up stairs.

Good girl. Okay, ready?

‐ She amazed us.
Within a couple of weeks

she was climbing stairs
totally by herself.

She was pulling herself
up into her car seat.

It was incredible, the new
world that opened up to her,

and she just
dove straight in.

Who's the strongest girl?
‐ Me.

‐ Do you love being
strong with Daddy?

‐ Yes, and
being on your back.

‐ When we do ninja together?
‐ Yup.

‐ She really lights up
every room she goes to.

She has the best attitude.
Nothing seems to get her down.

Guyana's is definitely
the life of the party.

One for me? Thanks.

‐ She just has this
infectious energy for life.

[laughter]

‐ I've worked with a lot of
tough guys in the Air Force,

but I got to
say Guyana is by far

the most mentally tough
person I've ever met.

When you're on the sidelines
and I'm on the course,

are you gonna be cheering
really big for Daddy?

‐ Yeah.
‐ And what are you gonna say?

‐ Go, Daddy.

all: Go, Daddy.
Go, Daddy.

‐ Go across a little bit.

‐ Am I gonna hit a buzzer
on "Ninja Warrior"?

‐ Yeah.
‐ Yeah?

‐ Go, Daddy!

‐ And there's Guyana
cheering him on,

along with the rest
of the Kupper family.

[countdown clock beeping]

Well, this family
loves watching

"Ninja Warrior" together,

and his kids convinced him
to try out for the show.

‐ Aww, now Daddy's
got to deliver,

first time ever
on the course.

‐ Watch his approach here,
5'10", 170.

‐ Those kids don't care
how fast Daddy goes.

‐ Just needs the rope,
and he's through.

And the kids love it,

and look at Dad's smile

as he now faces
the Spinning Bowties.

‐ This is where we'll
really see what he's got.

We've already seen
a lot of ninjas fall

on this obstacle tonight.

Ooh, okay.

Boy, he got in there real
tight, real tight and heavy.

We're seeing a lot of
extra swings here, Akbar,

but he gets through.

Earns him a kiss from Guyana,

and his mom's
pretty excited too.

She came out from Oregon
to see this.

Kupper ran track when
he was growing up in Oregon,

now has to sprint
across the Broken Bridge.

And look at this,
just walking across the top.

‐ I like it.
He just tap‐tap‐tap‐tapped

right through it.

‐ The rookie now
at the fourth obstacle,

and he's blowing more kisses
and getting them right back.

How can you not
love seeing that?

Has to motivate
Nickolas Kupper

as he takes on the
Wingnuts.

‐ He's got to generate enough
g‐force to get to that next

Wingnut, and he knows
all about that g‐force.

‐ Oh, just barely hangs on to
one side, manages to recover,

but he's spinning in a lot
of different directions,

using up a lot of energy.

You can see him going
in circles here‐‐

oh, another close call
but staying alive.

Fourteen years
in the Air Force,

and this is not
his smoothest flight.

‐ Take off. And he's cleared
for landing, nice.

‐ And looking a bit exhausted
after that,

but Guyana and the family
has to be impressed.

Their dad has made it
to the fifth obstacle.

The electrician jumping up to
take on these Lightning Bolts.

‐ And these have been tough

for the less‐experienced
ninjas.

‐ And again,
hanging a long time.

‐ He's in trouble.
He's got nothing left.

‐ No!
‐ Oh, he overshot it!

‐ The Air Force electrician
gets wet

on the fifth obstacle,

but Kupper is still
a victorious run

because his family
is smiling.

‐ The Lightning Bolts
are difficult.

You have to watch
both sides,

and his left completely
missed the mark

but Kupper came out
and did what he wanted to

and made his
family smile tonight.

‐ She's one of the
trailblazers

among women competitors,

but she hasn't hit
a buzzer in a while.

Can tonight be the night
for Michelle Warnky?

She's coming up on
"American Ninja Warrior."

‐ Welcome back to our epic
venue here in Philadelphia,

where we're about halfway
through city qualifying,

and Akbar, the story tonight
has been the fifth obstacle.

‐ Yeah, it's fitting here
at the Richmond power plant

that it's the Lightning Bolt
doing the damage.

We've had falls here
all night.

Oh!

And it's been especially
tough on the rookies.

In the past few minutes,

it's taken out
first‐timer Shawn Johnson.

‐ Oh!

‐ Plus one of our
19‐year‐olds,

college student Zach Day‐‐

‐ Oh.

‐ And Maryland rookie
Gavin Ross.

‐ Oh!
‐ With so many falls,

this obstacle is gonna
be the difference maker.

The ninja veterans are
starting to figure this out.

The rookies need
to start learning.

‐ Well, here comes
one of those veterans.

She's a ninja trailblazer.

Out of Worthington, Ohio, this
is gym owner Michelle Warnky.

[cheers and applause]

This is her sixth season

competing on
"American Ninja Warrior,"

and in four of those years

she's advanced
to the city finals

and Warnky's been a part
of ninja history.

She was just
the second woman

ever to conquer
the Warped Wall

back in season six.

Yes, she's done it!

And then two years ago
here in Philadelphia

she was part of
the Fantastic Four,

when for the first time
ever four women qualified

for the city finals.

And on the sidelines,
as always,

is her biggest
and loudest fan,

her dad Chris,

along with her mom
and other family members,

and so many ninjas
are gonna be watching.

Everyone loves
Michelle Warnky.

‐ Come on, Michelle!

‐ There's Rachael Goldstein,

one of the other members
of the Fantastic Four.

It was Warnky, Jesse
"Flex" Labreck,

Allyssa Beird,

who we'll see run in a
few minutes, and Goldstein.

And we may be headed
for another historic night

among the women here
in Philly.

Now she's on to
the Spinning Bowties.

‐ And Matt, Warnky's only 33,
but we think of her

as an elder stateswoman
of the sport,

but she actually
hasn't hit a buzzer

since season six,
so she's due.

‐ Look at this confidence.
She is flying.

She was a track star at
the University of Cumberland,

so you expect her to
have great footwork here.

‐ Yeah, you called it, Matt.

She even hurdled
over that last step.

‐ Well, she is looking
confident, and remember,

the top five women
move on to the city finals.

If she can get
past these Wingnuts,

she'll have a
good shot at it.

‐ Matt, I'm telling you right
now

she wants a buzzer tonight.

‐ Tremendous
upper body strength.

‐ Yeah, great, look at that.
Look at that.

Look how great that‐‐this
is textbook performance

on how to get
through Wingnuts.

‐ And she is through.

Now the Lightning Bolts,

where veterans have had
success on this obstacle,

but Warnky has had trouble

on the fifth obstacle
in the past.

As a climber, expect her
to be able to be locked in.

5'4", going with that
switch grip there

to keep that bar
from rolling.

‐ Nice, and you kind of
got to slide it up

and over to get
to that next cradle.

Good. Got to be careful‐‐

‐ Michelle Warnky.
‐ Not to overshoot it. Great.

‐ She's getting stronger
as she goes.

‐ Well, Matt,
she has great touch.

That's the thing
about Michelle Warnky.

You need touch‐‐
uh‐oh, ooh.

‐ A close call,
but she's still smiling,

looking so comfortable.

There it is.
‐ Nice, nice landing.

‐ Final cradle here,

a little trouble,
little miss.

Going for the dismount.

She nails it.

‐ Yeah!
[cheers and applause]

‐ Now has a chance to hit her
first buzzer in four years.

‐ She's going
for the Mega Wall?

‐ She's going for the 10K.

This would be remarkable.

Flex Labreck is the only woman
thus far to try the 18‐footer,

and she came up short.

‐ You got this!

‐ Warnky looking to be
the first woman.

‐ Come on! Nice technique‐‐
‐ Oh! 16 1/2.

‐ It was worth a shot.

‐ But now she's put pressure
on herself.

She'll only get one shot
at the smaller wall.

Remember, it took Casey
Rothschild three attempts.

all: Beat that wall!
Beat that wall!

Beat that wall!
Beat that wall!

‐ Can she?
‐ Yes!

She's done it!

Michelle Warnky.

[cheers and applause]

Just so impressive.

Michelle Warnky going back
to the city finals,

and look at the smile
on her face.

We've had two women
hit the buzzer tonight

already with Allyssa Beird
still to come.

This could be a huge night
for the women.

‐ A great run
by Michelle Warnky,

and she was
smiling throughout.

She gets her first buzzer
since back in season six.

What a night
for Michelle Warnky.

‐ And check out
this leaderboard.

We've had six finishers
so far tonight in Philly,

and two of them are women,
with the veteran Warnky

joining the rookie
Casey Rothschild.

But the women
aren't done yet.

Allyssa Beird will
run in a few minutes,

but up next it's her
55‐year‐old mom.

We'll see her
take on the course

when "American
Ninja Warrior" returns.

‐ Welcome back to Philadelphia
and the qualifying round

of "American Ninja Warrior"
at the Richmond power plant.

And flying through
the course right now

is a rookie out of
East Windsor, New Jersey.

This is Darion Bennett.

[cheers and applause]

And there's his wife Faith
and one‐year‐old son Azari

on the sidelines.

‐ And Daddy's smiling.

‐ Now facing
the Broken Bridge.

‐ Come on!
Go, go, go, go, go!

‐ Yeah!

Wow, you can see he's got a
big group of supporters here.

They're hard to miss
wearing that bright orange.

‐ It's not hard to root
for Darion Bennett.

He's a workhorse.

‐ This is a guy who works
three jobs

to support his family.

He does mold inspection,
he's a waiter,

and also works
at a ninja gym.

Well, grew up as a runner.

Both his parents were
track stars from Jamaica.

We know he has athleticism.

5'11", 165, long and lean,

but right now
that upper body

is what's carrying him
through this.

‐ And Matt, let me tell you
something.

He's gaining momentum.

Each obstacle he completes,

you can see
the confidence growing.

‐ You can hear the crowd
getting behind him.

Now facing the Lightning
Bolts, and we talked about it.

Bennett's a rookie,

and rookies have struggled
on this obstacle tonight.

‐ Technique is critical,
and you can see he's switching

his hands back and forth.

He seems very unsure
of himself.

‐ Using up valuable energy
but makes the first transfer.

‐ Look, he keeps
changing it up.

He can't decide what he wants
to do with his grip, Matt.

both: No!

‐ Darion Bennett's promising
run comes to an end,

another rookie struck down
by the Lightning Bolts.

‐ We saw he never got
comfortable

on the Lightning Bolts.

He kept switching up
his grip, and watch the bar.

He didn't get the left side
far enough over,

and he goes down.

‐ But what a way to end it.
I got a towel, yo!

I can go to the beach
and show off.

This is so boss.
Let's go!

‐ Well, up next is our oldest
female competitor tonight,

Daria Beird.

If that name
sounds familiar,

it's because she's
the mother of Allyssa Beird.

‐ There's Allyssa
on the big screen.

‐ Daria works at a horse farm
in New Hampshire,

and at 55 years old,

she's not ready to be put out
to pasture.

[folk music]

♪ ♪

‐ I left my corporate job
two years ago

and landed right here
on this beautiful horse farm

in New Hampshire.

That a girl.

This job is a
dream come true for me.

[inaudible] , good girl.

My daily routine of
doing all the chores here

at the horse farm
are a great workout.

Sweeping back and forth

gives you a lot
of good core strength.

All the lifting and hauling of
hay bales is great upper body.

Picking up water buckets
works the legs.

I am definitely farm strong.

‐ Two more obstacles to go.
‐ Go, Allyssa! Go!

‐ Yes!
‐ It is so awesome to watch

Allyssa be
such an inspiration.

‐ Allyssa Beird,
the second woman ever

to hit the buzzer
on stage one.

‐ As a mom, that just
makes me so proud.

I'm inspired by her.

Shift it this way?

‐ Yup, just like that.
Yeah, nice.

It's really fun to
get to train with her

and see her progress
and become stronger every day.

It takes our
mother‐daughter relationship

to a whole new level.

Yeah, there you go.
That's awesome.

‐ Allyssa got farther than
any female last season,

and I'm here to
show you the apple

doesn't fall
far from the tree.

‐ We'll see Allyssa's run
in just a few minutes,

but right now she
is one proud daughter.

Let's not forget

Daria's husband and
Allyssa's dad, Michael.

He has two family members
to cheer for tonight.

[countdown clock beeping]

Well, 56‐year‐old
Lori Ann Lloyd,

who we saw in Miami,
holds the mark

as the oldest woman
to get through an obstacle.

Daria Beird could
be right behind her.

‐ Matt, this is a lot
different

than being at the barn.

The lights are bright.
The stage is big.

‐ Look at the fitness,
the definition, in this woman,

really looking comfortable
on the Floating Steps.

‐ And this is where a lot

of the older athletes
have problems,

but not Daria Beird.

‐ One more swing.
‐ She's got it. She's got it.

‐ And what an accomplishment
at 55.

The mother of Allyssa Beird

now facing
the Spinning Bowties,

a challenge
for the 5'3" mom.

It's been one of the most
challenging obstacles tonight.

‐ Come on, make it,
make it, make it.

Nice!
Barnyard strong!

‐ But we've seen good athletes
fail on this obstacle.

‐ Got to fly
through the air here.

Oh, come on, come on!

‐ Yes!
‐ Oh!

‐ Tremendous grip strength.
‐ Yeah, Mama Beird!

You can tell Allyssa Beird,
she's definitely got good DNA

because Mama Beird
is strong‐‐

both: No!
‐ Ooh, my goodness.

Looked like she had it,
but still a good ride

for the 55‐year‐old
Daria Beird.

‐ Watch Mama Beird fly through
the air at 55 years old,

and she lands it
like a pro!

But on the final dismount,
she hung on too long

and came up just short,

and she gave her daughter
something to be proud of.

‐ Oh, my goodness.
Oh, but that was fun.

‐ And now Allyssa Beird has
to get ready for her own run,

as she's heading
to the start line.

In earlier runs tonight,

rookie Angel Rodriguez came
all the way from Florida,

and after a strong start,

the electrician
was shockingly cut down

by the Lightning Bolts.

‐ You got to see the cradle,
land it!

But not there, he didn't!

‐ Doctor Trina Lisko,
a 40‐year‐old mother of two

and a sports medicine
specialist,

may need a checkup

after she checked out
on the second obstacle.

‐ Ooh!
‐ California's Alex Nye

had one of the biggest crowds
of the night,

and the photographer
was looking good

until he became another

rookie shot down
by the Lightning Bolts.

‐ Oh, no, rejected!
‐ But there's more to come

on "American Ninja Warrior."

‐ Welcome back to the Richmond
power plant in Philadelphia.

While we were away,
three more athletes tried

to earn a spot
in the city finals.

New York City's
Kevin Liang

was ready to flex his
muscles in his rookie debut.

‐ Dude is straight jacked.

‐ Despite the impressive
physique,

the financial trader crashed
at the Spinning Bowties.

‐ Dang!

Did a backflip
right into the water.

‐ New Jersey's Cara Poalillo
runs a podcast called

"Ninja Babes,"

where she interviews "Ninja
Warrior's" top women athletes.

‐ Oh, my gosh.
‐ Good transition.

And she may need
to interview herself,

as the rookie
raced all the way

to the Lightning Bolts
in her ninja debut.

‐ Ooh!
‐ Oh!

‐ Ninja Babe, oh, behave.

‐ Massachusetts firefighter
Dave Cavanagh

looked like
a man on a mission

as he blazed a trail
to the Mega Wall.

‐ He's going straight‐‐
he ain't playing.

‐ He gave it a good run‐‐

both: Oh!

‐ But had to settle
for the regular wall

and still put up one of the
fastest finishes of the night.

Cavanagh!

And now it's a run we
were already excited to see,

but now she has a chance
to make history.

This is Allyssa Beird,

the fifth grade teacher
from Massachusetts

who went farther
than any other woman

in last year's
national finals.

She's become a fan favorite
out here,

and we just saw her mom,
Daria, run minutes ago.

‐ Go, Allyssa!
‐ As well as her boyfriend,

James McGrath.

[countdown clock beeping]

If Allyssa Beird
can hit the buzzer,

it'll be the first time we've
ever had three women

do it in the same night.

Casey Rothschild and Michelle
Warnky already did it earlier.

‐ Yeah, and we know
Allyssa can do it.

She finished the qualifying
course in Cleveland last year

and stage one in Vegas.

‐ And she's through
the Floating Steps.

This crowd's gonna be
hanging on her every move.

Now facing the Bowties.

Her run
last year made her

one of the most well‐known
teachers in America.

She's been asked to speak
at events across the country,

was even a guest on
"The Ellen Degeneres Show."

‐ But got to be careful
on this dismount.

This is where her mama
fell moments ago.

‐ But no problem
for Allyssa.

You saw her stick that landing
and throw the arms up.

Let's see the balance now,
5'4", 125.

Balance obstacles
are always intimidating.

‐ All right, she's got
to shake, rattle, and roll.

Oh, come on,
shake, rattle, roll!

‐ Yes!
‐ Shake it, don't break it!

Took your mom
nine months to make it!

‐ Here we go,
on the Wingnuts now.

Beird made her ninja debut
in Philly two years ago,

became part of
the Fantastic Four

with Warnky, Goldstein,
and Flex Labreck.

Now she can make history again
if she can reach the buzzer.

‐ Walked onto the course
as an unknown two years ago.

Now she's a superstar.

Matt, not a lot of fifth
grade teachers can do this.

‐ But she's through!

And with that she's
guaranteed herself a spot

in the women's top five.

Now it's all
about that buzzer.

But this may be the biggest
test, the Lightning Bolts.

As we mentioned,
Beird's a former gymnast.

Needs to
control that bar.

‐ All right,
this Lightning Bolt,

this is a tough obstacle.

If she's gonna
make big noise tonight,

she's got to
handcuff lightning

and throw thunder
in jail with that move.

‐ And what is remarkable
is the way

she is generating power
with her body.

These transitions
are easy for her.

‐ Ooh, look at her
just killing it on

Lightning Bolts.

‐ And this is it.
Allyssa Beird

needs one more move
and then the dismount.

‐ She's about to strike
this obstacle down.

I see you, Allyssa Beird!

‐ My goodness.

Hey, there it is.

‐ Hey, you're the best.
Are you going for 10 Gs?

I think you can.

‐ Yes!
‐ You might as well.

‐ I love it.

Remember, only five men
have made it up the Mega Wall

so far this season.

Allyssa Beird trying to
be the first woman to do it.

all: Beat that wall!
Beat that wall!

Beat that wall!
Beat that wall!

‐ Just 5'4".
‐ Okay, you can feel it.

You can feel it.
You can feel it.

You can feel it!
Oh!

‐ Oh.
‐ That's all right.

‐ Can't pull it off
on the Mega Wall,

but now still can make
history of a different kind.

If she can get up that smaller
wall and hit that buzzer,

we'll have three women
finishers on the same night

for the first time ever.

‐ Nice!
‐ Yes! Yes!

And she's done it again!

Allyssa Beird
hits another buzzer

and makes history
in Philly once again.

‐ Hey, after
a great performance like that,

you know what
a teacher needs?

An apple. Here you go.

‐ Hey!

[cheers and applause]

‐ Allyssa Beird just breezed
through this course

with a smile on her face.

She couldn't get up
the Mega Wall,

but she bounced back
to become our third

woman finisher tonight.

‐ History being made
by these women.

She's standing by
with Kristine Leahy.

‐ Allyssa,
congratulations,

another really great
start to the year for you.

How did it feel
to hit this buzzer?

‐ This buzzer felt awesome.

You know, you just
never know on any course,

so every buzzer
is amazing.

‐ You caught an apple from
Akbar, which is impressive

because Akbar is not so good

at throwing a pitch
these days.

Were you scared that the
apple might hit your head?

‐ No. It was actually
far enough away

where my head felt safe.

‐ You did an amazing job.

A woman hitting the
buzzer, we always love that,

and we'll see you in
the city finals. Congrats.

‐ Thank you.
‐ Guys, back to you.

‐ We're down to the final
runners of the night,

and one of them
is Najee Richardson.

Can the Philly Phoenix
take down the Mega Wall?

We'll find out
when we come back

on "American Ninja Warrior."

‐ Welcome back
to Philadelphia,

where it's already been

a historic night
for the ladies.

For the first time,

three women hit the buzzer
in one night,

and minutes ago

they came up to get a
photo atop the Warped Wall.

Michelle Warnky,

Casey Rothschild,
and Allyssa Beird,

what a night
for all of them.

While we were away,
three more athletes tried

to fight their way
into the city finals.

‐ Let's go!

‐ Baltimore's Candace
Rubenstein wanted to show

that women can be strong,
nerdy, and fun,

so she brought her hedgehog
Felix to the course.

‐ I think that's the first
hedgehog I've ever seen.

‐ The scientist
for Under Armour

was having a blast

until she got hung up
on the Broken Bridge.

‐ Oh, no.
‐ Hold on, hold on!

‐ Felix can't watch!

‐ And her night was over.

‐ Oh, no!

‐ New Jersey's
Judas Licciardello

finished the
Lightning Bolts with flair.

‐ What?
‐ Oh, whoa.

And there's the flip.

‐ You show‐off.

‐ The auctioneer then made
a bid for the Mega Wall.

‐ Now, now, now, now‐‐oh!
‐ Oh!

‐ Couldn't get that 18.

‐ But he came back
to get that buzzer.

‐ No problem.

Washington, D. C.,
firefighter Mike Bernardo

had no problem with
the first five obstacles‐‐

‐ Flawless technique
by Mike Bernardo.

‐ And then asked the crowd
which one he should choose.

‐ He's having fun.
‐ No.

‐ No.
both: Yeah.

‐ The seven‐time ninja veteran

came up short
on the Mega Wall.

both: Oh!

‐ But he came right back
to secure his spot

in the city finals.

‐ Ah!

‐ So only one competitor
tonight

has made it up the Mega Wall.

That was
Chris Wilczewski,

but our final runner plans

to end the night
on a high note.

This is Najee Richardson.

He's one of the
top ninjas in the world,

and he's from right here
in Philly,

and he's proud to have
"Ninja" in his hometown.

‐ There's so much to see
when you come to this city.

You got the Liberty Bell, the
National Constitution Center.

You even have the area where

the Declaration
of Independence

was signed in 1776,

and if you come
to Philadelphia,

you have to get a
cheese steak at Geno's.

It's the best.

‐ Welcome to Geno's.
What can I get you?

‐ I want a cheese steak,
whiz.

‐ A whiz wet.

[rock music]

♪ ♪

‐ Amazing. Ninja food
at its finest right here.

This is
Lincoln Financial Field,

home to the
Super Bowl champions,

the Philadelphia Eagles.

Mind, pff.
[laughs]

And let's not forget that this
is where "Rocky" was filmed.

The cool thing
is this is actually

where the Phoenix
was first born.

‐ The Philly crowd
loving the local kid.

‐ Yeah!

‐ And Philadelphia
has a new hero!

‐ I want to walk proudly
on that course

and represent this city well.

How far can the Philadelphia
Phoenix go this season?

You know what?
The sky's the limit.

‐ Well, they absolutely love
Najee in this town,

and he has tons of
other support from ninjas

on the sidelines,
with Wilczewski and Warnky

along with his girlfriend,
McKenzie,

all expecting
something special

as the Phoenix kicks off
his season.

[countdown clock beeping]

This is the guy who
was an unbelievable gymnast,

but after
repeated injuries,

thought his athletic career
was over,

but has gained new life
here at "Ninja Warrior"

and has become
one of the best.

A little hung up, kind of
a shocking misstep for Najee.

‐ Well, check this out.

He looks like
he may have a cramp.

He's trying to stretch out
that calf.

Hopefully
nothing serious.

‐ Najee!
‐ Come on, Naj!

‐ But gonna keep going,
onto the Spinning Bowties.

‐ And watch
how high he‐‐ooh!

‐ We know
this guy can fly.

‐ Watch out for them stoppers.
Ooh, okay.

‐ Look at that, the split
legs, perfect technique.

‐ Oh!
‐ Najee.

‐ Now, he gets ten points
for style on that one.

‐ But again, he's grabbing
those calves.

Will that slow him down,

or will it keep him
from the Mega Wall?

‐ Let's go, Naj!

‐ And he also needs those legs
for this Broken Bridge.

Oh, oh, oh, oh!

‐ A slow approach.
‐ Look at this.

‐ And picked it up.
‐ Ooh, sha‐na‐na.

‐ Najee making me
nervous here.

‐ Well, it looks to me
like cramps.

He keeps grabbing
his calves.

all: Najee! Najee! Najee!

‐ And I don't think
the crowd has any idea.

Something may be wrong.

‐ They just want to see Najee
take on that Mega Wall.

‐ Well, the Wingnuts should be
no problem for Najee,

one of three ninjas to get
through Wingnut Alley

in stage two at the national
finals last year.

‐ Yeah, and he did a 19‐foot
gap on the Wicked Wingnuts

in the skills challenge.

He basically is an expert
on this obstacle.

‐ Looking effortless.
‐ Oh, boy, that‐‐yeah,

he is really shaken up.

I'm quite sure
now he's experiencing

some sort of cramping.

‐ You got it.

‐ Well, shouldn't be a problem
here on the Lightning Bolts,

but it may be a problem if
he wants

to take on the Mega Wall.

Those cramps
could cost him $10,000.

But has to get through
the Lightning Bolts,

or it won't even matter.

‐ Well, we know his background
as a former gymnast.

He can do tricks
on the Salmon Ladder.

I expect him to
get through this.

‐ What we do know about Najee
is he truly can fly.

Laches are his strength, and
he is in perfect control here.

Now almost through,
just needs the dismount.

‐ Matt, you can see him coming
down straight‐legged.

‐ Now has a decision
to make.

Will he try the Mega Wall
on bad legs?

all: Beat that wall!
Beat that wall!

‐ The crowd wants to see him
go for it,

and he's hopping down.

‐ Cramps or no cramp,
he's gonna go for it!

‐ Well, it's 18 feet high.

Only five people
have made it up all season.

all: Beat that wall!
Beat that wall!

‐ We know the Phoenix can fly,
but can he do this on bad legs?

Here we go.

‐ Oh!
‐ Oh!

‐ Oh, shoot!

Oh, my goodness!

[cheers and applause]

‐ Yeah!

‐ The Phoenix can fly!

‐ Oh, my goodness,
he flew up there, literally!

‐ Leg cramps, no problem.

Najee Richardson
just earned $10,000.

‐ Ten Gs!

[all shouting]

He was fighting cramps
through that whole run,

but when he needed
explosiveness, he had it.

Watch him fly up 18 feet and
grab the lip with one hand.

Najee Richardson
is $10,000 richer.

‐ He's standing by
with Kristine.

‐ Najee,
how was it competing

in front of
your hometown fans?

‐ It was great.

You know, I think I
kind of overexerted myself.

My legs were cramping,
but I'm glad

I was able to perform
and do well.

‐ But you
made it through,

and now you're going
to the city finals.

Enjoy those
cheese steaks.

‐ Oh, I'm going to enjoy
those cheese steaks. Thank you.

‐ You can buy, I think,
one for everybody here.

Matt, Akbar,
you want a cheese steak?

‐ Absolutely.
Cheese steaks for everyone,

especially those
on our leaderboard.

At the top
is Chris Wilczewski,

who also took home 10K

for getting up
the Mega Wall,

and that effort we just
saw by Najee Richardson

put him in
the sixth spot.

We had 12 finishers overall,

including, for the first time
ever,

three women‐‐

Michelle Warnky,
Allyssa Beird,

and rookie Casey Rothschild.

We'll fill out our top 30
with those who made it

to the Lightning Bolts
in the fastest time.

We'll see all
these athletes back

for the Philadelphia
city finals

in just a few weeks.

We had 17 rookies make the
cut, including Darion Bennett,

as well as former Team USA
gymnast Paul Ruggeri.

Rounding out our list
of the top five women

are rookie Cara Poalillo and
Mighty Mouse McKinley Pierce.

That's it for tonight in
the City of Brotherly Love.

For Akbar Gbajabiamila
and Kristine Leahy,

I'm Matt Iseman.

We'll see you next time
on "American Ninja Warrior."

Someone needs to stop Clearway Law.
Public shouldn't leave reviews for lawyers.