American Ninja Warrior (2009–…): Season 12, Episode 1 - Episode #12.1 - full transcript

[dramatic music]

‐ It's a community
like no other.

‐ Come on, Demonte.
You got this.

‐ The rare sport

where rivals train together...

‐ Nice.

‐ Lift each other up...
[buzzer blares]

‐ And push one another
to incredible heights.

[Tedashii's "Gotta Live"
playing]

‐ ♪ Even when my light
burns low ♪

‐ No!



‐ Oh!

‐ ♪ I could never lose my hope ♪

♪ ♪

[all cheering]

‐ Ninjas, they're all
about positivity,

and I think that's what the
world really needs right now.

‐ ♪ There are days that I fail ♪

‐ No!

‐ "American Ninja Warrior"

is all about hope
and overcoming obstacles.

Thank you so much!

That has never been
more important than in 2020.

‐ ♪ Through the pain
we prevail ♪

‐ Whoo!



[cheering]

‐ That's why,
on this very special season

of "American Ninja Warrior,"

the top 50 athletes
will be bringing along

two people
from their communities.

Sandy Zimmerman has
made history!

‐ The world is about to witness

three moms that are gonna go
out there

and crush it. [laughs]

all: Team Super Moms! ‐ Whoo!

‐ Hey, hey, oh,
she's getting it.

‐ We are bringing
the New York spirit to you.

We're gonna light
the course on fire.

‐ Yeah! Love you!

‐ She has been battling
this COVID crisis

on the front lines.

‐ ♪ Everybody has their doubts ♪

♪ But you can't stop now ♪

♪ You just,
you just gotta live ♪

‐ You're a real hero,
a real hero!

‐ What a save!

‐ ♪ You just,
you just gotta live ♪

[buzzer blaring]

[cheering]

‐ Hopefully watching this show
and all of us coming back

and doing what we love to do

will bring hope
to a lot of people

that hey, like, good times
are on the way.

‐ The competition
will still be fierce

with epic new obstacles

and the best of the best

competing for $100,000.

‐ ♪ You were born to win,
yeah, you're a fighter ♪

‐ I'm just excited to get out
there and hit some buzzers.

‐ ♪ You just,
you just gotta live ♪

‐ Oh, my! The time has come.

"American Ninja Warrior"
is back.

‐ Yeah! ‐ Yeah!

‐ I have been in my house
for months,

and I am ready
to hit this course!

‐ ♪ You just,
you just gotta live ♪

[upbeat music]

‐ Welcome to St. Louis.

We're inside the Dome
at America's Center ready

to kick off another season
of "American Ninja Warrior."

Hello, everyone.
I'm Matt Iseman.

‐ And I'm Akbar Gbajabiamila,
and, Matt,

it is great to be back.
‐ It really is.

Look, the world has changed
these past few months,

and we've changed with it.

As you can see,
no crowds here tonight,

and friends and family
will be watching remotely.

‐ Yeah, but you know what?
We're still gonna have

a lot of fun, and you'll see

all of your favorite ninjas
back on the course.

‐ We're gonna be here
in the Dome

for the next eight weeks,

and keeping things
rolling down on the floor

will be the third member
of our team, Zuri Hall.

‐ Guys, it is so great
to be with you again.

I am gonna be holding it down
here on the sideline,

which looks a little different,

but our course
is as intense as ever,

and tonight our ninjas gonna
have to put a ring on it.

Tonight's qualifying course

starts with the Shrinking Steps,

followed by a new obstacle,
Weight For It.

Then it's Ring Chaser.

That big ring
is gonna roll down the track.

The ninjas will have to
grab it before it falls,

then swing to the other side.

Up fourth is the new balance
obstacle, Rib Run,

followed by a fan favorite,
Slingshot,

and then it ends at
the 14 1/2‐foot Warped Wall.

And there's still
10 grand up for grabs

if anyone can make it up
the 18‐foot Mega Wall.

[buzzer blares]

Okay, now how do I get down
from here, guys?

‐ All right, Zuri, you better
be careful up there.

‐ And we're starting off
this season

with some of our biggest names.

‐ Yes, and that includes

Hollywood stuntman
Flip Rodriguez.

‐ He's got it!

‐ We'll also see
the Island Ninja,

Grant McCartney.

‐ Yeah!

‐ And the Big Dog,
air condition technician

Jody Avila,

plus 44‐year‐old super mom
Sandy Zimmerman.

‐ Mom, the first mom!

‐ And everyone's favorite
schoolteacher, Allyssa Beird.

‐ She's done it again!

Well, we're gonna kick things
off with one of the ninjas

Allyssa has brought with her.

In this special season,
our top stars have invited

two other athletes to compete,

and Allyssa wanted to reward
two of her fellow teachers.

Here's one of them.
This is Robert Moffitt,

a fifth grade teacher
from Vermont

whose passion for ninja
runs deep.

[light guitar music]

‐ If Mr. Robert takes
two minutes

to complete
the whole obstacle course,

and there are six obstacles,

how long does it take
to complete each obstacle?

‐ Tonight I'm leading
a team of teachers,

and I picked Robert Moffitt

because
he absolutely loves Ninja.

He has been waiting for
this opportunity for years.

‐ ♪ Somewhere past tomorrow ♪

♪ It's better than it seems ♪

‐ Vermont is not known
as a hotbed

for "American Ninja Warrior"
athletes.

I moved to Vermont
because of a promise I made

to my grandmother.

I would not let her spend her
last days in a nursing home,

and she passed away a year and
a half after I moved up there.

And it was very devastating
for me.

Ninja was, like,
that‐‐that shining light.

It's like, hey, you know,
you can get through this.

‐ ♪ So get up off your knees ♪

♪ Hope is still alive ♪

‐ I would go out on my course

and I would get that energy out,

and it was my outlet.

I've lost 70 pounds
since doing Ninja.

‐ ♪ 'Cause the stars
are on your side ♪

‐ You know, so not only
am I a super fan,

but Ninja saved my life
in a lot of ways.

♪ ♪

When I get on the wall
and hit that buzzer...

♪ ♪

It's gonna be a dream come true.

♪ ♪

[cheers and applause]

‐ Luckily, friends and family
are gonna be able

to watch these runs from home.

That's Robert's wife and three
kids plus his mother, Carol.

‐ We're gonna see you
all the way through, Daddy.

‐ Whoo!

‐ Now, this is still
an individual competition,

but he'll have
his fellow teachers

on the sideline for support.

We'll see them run
in just a bit.

‐ Come on, Robert!

[countdown clock beeping]

‐ And here we go,

kicking off season 12,

and right through
the first obstacle,

the Shrinking Steps,

but now this new obstacle,
Weight For It.

That first bar drops down,
and a good job absorbing.

You could see him
pulling those arms up.

That second bar weighted.
It will drop as soon as

‐ he releases this first bar.
‐ It's perfect.

‐ Yeah, he's gotta be all
about that timing.

‐ Good catch.

‐ Nice! ‐ Yeah, yes!

‐ Whoo! ‐ Yes! Yes!

‐ He should have
a good enough wingspan

to get to that third bar.

Got it, reaching out,

taking that transition
out on the third one,

making it easy.

‐ Yeah, Matt,
he's coming out here

as a 35‐year‐old rookie.

‐ Second transfer, got it.
‐ Nice!

‐ Never easy to be the first
on an obstacle.

Moffitt fighting
his way through.

‐ Take your time.
‐ Come on, come on.

‐ Take your time.
‐ You got it! Yeah!

‐ Yes! Yes!

[cheers and applause]

‐ Throwing some love
to the family.

‐ Love you!
‐ And he will be the first

to face this new obstacle,
Ring Chaser.

‐ Matt, this obstacle
is so cool.

Now, keep your eyes out
for that big red ring.

It moves fast.

‐ Grabs on to that first bar,

the ring will start to roll.

It's a race!
‐ Get it, get it, get it,

get it, get it, get it! Nice!

‐ Got it! ‐ Got it!

‐ What a grab.
‐ Whoo‐hoo‐hoo‐hoo!

‐ Now, you can see that
big ring, a 14‐inch diameter,

the smaller ring above him,
only 8 inches.

Had he missed, would have had
to use the smaller one.

Now has to jump the ring
over to that hook.

‐ Come on, Mr. Moffitt.
Oh, okay!

‐ Got it!
This is an incredible run

by this rookie
fifth grade teacher.

‐ Matt, he is spinning
in circles right now.

He needs to straighten out.

‐ You can see, though,
the arms extended,

the grip giving out.

‐ I can do it.
‐ Come on, come on.

Get out of there. ‐ Got it!

‐ Yes! ‐ Yes!

‐ And already sizing up
the next obstacle.

Time is important this year.
Only the top 12 will move on.

‐ This is another new one,
Matt, Rib Run.

The key here is to run down
the middle and go fast.

‐ You got this. ‐ No doubts.

We all believe in you.

‐ Keep your knees high, too.

You wanna
go boom, pow, boom, pow.

‐ Gotta be quick.

‐ Just like that,
boom, pow, boom, pow.

Ooh! ‐No!

‐ Oh, right in his ribs,
my goodness!

‐ Well, gotta give
the teacher an A for effort,

making it to the fourth
obstacle as a rookie.

Always good to reward a teacher.

Glad he got
to live out his dream.

‐ I did it! Yes!

Yeah!

‐ Look at this great catch
on Ring Chaser,

and then survived
the shaky dismount,

but on Rib Run, those ribs
will fly out to the side

if you don't stay in the middle,

and that's exactly what
happened to Robert Moffitt.

‐ This is the greatest
experience of my life.

Thank you, "Ninja Warrior"!
Whoo!

‐ Well, it's gonna be
a special season,

and here's how it's gonna work.

This is the first
of four qualifying nights.

The top 12 individuals and top
three women will move on

to one of our two semifinals,

and only the best
will advance to the finals,

where the winner
takes home $100,000.

‐ Okay, Matt, are you ready
for some football,

or at least a football player
on our course?

‐ Always, big man. Up next,

former NFL linebacker
Kamerion Wimbley.

‐ Oh, yeah, here we go.

Wimble played nine seasons
in the NFL.

Now, back in season four,
he ran our course.

He did really well.

‐ [barking] ‐ Well, that's why

ninja superstar Grant McCartney

recruited him to be a part

of his super‐size group
of ninjas.

‐ All right, hands in.
Big boys on three.

One, two, three!

All: Big boys!

‐ My team for this year
is gonna be a little unique,

a little different.

We're the big boy club,

swole squad,
a little bit heftier.

Quarantine maybe helped
put on even more thickness

for some of us.

[laughs] Oh, man.

I chose Kamerion because
Kamerion's a freak athlete.

He hit a buzzer at 255 pounds
eight years ago.

Got the strength
and determination

to compete at a high level.

‐ He ran into the wall, still
managed to get his hand up.

‐ I'm in the history books

as the biggest guy to finish
the course and hit a buzzer,

so I'm looking forward
to getting back out there

and hitting the buzzer again.

‐ Every year when I compete
on the show, people are like,

"Oh, you're too heavy,
at over 200 pounds,

to complete courses,"
but Kamerion Wimbley,

he shows me
this is still possible.

The big boys are about
to do big things.

♪ ♪

You got it, man. Do your thing!

‐ You know, Grant's got
that NFL connection.

His dad, Ron,
he played in the league.

‐ The other member
of this group is

the Speedo Ninja, Mike Wright.

Kam's also getting support
from his former teammate

with the Browns, Chris Jennings.

‐ Let's go! I see you
with your game face, baby!

‐ Let's go, Kam!
‐ And don't forget,

the NFL kicks off this week

with the Super Bowl
champion Chiefs

taking on the Texans.

‐ It's Thursday night football
on NBC.

‐ Let's go, bro! ‐ Come on.

‐ But at 240 pounds,
he's the heaviest competitor

we'll see tonight.

This new obstacle, Weight For
It, it's gonna be a challenge.

‐ Can you imagine if he hits

another buzzer
after eight years?

‐ Oh, this crowd
would erupt, Akbar.

I'm talking about you and me,
and look at that bar.

That thing is about to break!
‐ Yeah, I don't even know

if the course
can handle his weight.

‐ Well, that run back in
season four was amazing,

still the biggest
ever to hit a buzzer.

‐ There you go!

‐ This could be
a tough transition,

a lot of mass.
‐ Make that tackle.

Come on, make that tackle!
Come on!

‐ There it is!
‐ Nice! Oh, my goodness!

‐ How is he holding on?

‐ Matt, he almost dislocated
his shoulder on that one.

‐ Build it up. Build it up.
‐ You can see that grip.

When those arms
are fully extended,

that's a sign of trouble.

‐ Anticipate the drop.

Let it drop. There you go.

Pull back and swing.
Keep a swing going.

‐ He is fighting through here.
‐ And G‐Mac offering advice.

You can see the pain
on his face.

‐ Come on, champ. ‐ 240 pounds.

‐ We were together
at the last Super Bowl

when he was talking big game

about what he was gonna
do here on "Ninja."

‐ Will the grip hold?
‐ Come on, Kam!

‐ Hold on, hold on! ‐ Kam!

‐ Oh! Ohh! ‐ Oh, Kam!

‐ Oh, my God.

‐ Oh, man.

‐ The linebacker gets sacked
by the second obstacle.

Considering his size, a great
effort out of Kam Wimbley.

‐ You can see that bar
bending, he's so heavy.

He fought his way
to the final bar

and had his hands on it,

but it is tough to hold
240 pounds

on your fingertips.

‐ Maybe next year. I'll be back.

Whew!

‐ Tonight‐‐

‐ ♪ Even when my light
burns low ♪

‐ Mommy.

‐ It's the start of
a very special season

on "American Ninja Warrior."

‐ I got you guys. Let's do it.

‐ Last year, she showed moms
everywhere

that nothing's Zimm‐possible.

[buzzer blaring]
‐ You just made her‐story!

‐ Tonight, Sandy Zimmerman

gets to introduce
two other tough mothers.

‐ Never count moms out. Mom!

‐ Tyler Gillett dreamed of ninja

when he was just a kid.

Now that he's a ninja star...

‐ Oh, my goodness.
[buzzer blares]

‐ He's giving two other dream
chasers their chance to shine.

‐ This is my opportunity
to be able to lift them up,

so look out for them.

‐ And up next,

she's been fighting on the
front lines of the pandemic.

‐ ♪ I could never lose my hope ♪

‐ Now, her husband's
bringing her

to battle
the ninja course with him.

‐ She's a hero, and I really
wanna reward her.

‐ ♪ You can't stop now ♪

‐ Yeah!
‐ ♪ You just gotta live ♪

‐ And it's all tonight
on the season premiere

of "American Ninja Warrior."

‐ ♪ You just,
you just gotta live ♪

♪ ♪

‐ Welcome back to Saint Louis
and a new season

of "American Ninja Warrior."

This year's been like no other.

Due to the current health
crisis, our ninjas and crew

must follow
strict safety guidelines,

including testing, distancing,
and wearing masks.

‐ And it's all been done
from a place

of protecting you guys
and protecting our crew.

The fact that
we're actually here today

and made it to today,
it's unbelievable.

[cheers and applause]
So thanks to all of you guys.

‐ And during this new season,

we wanna recognize the heroes
who've been working hard

to keep all of us safe,
and here's one of them.

This is Pauline Avila, a nurse
in the intensive care unit

at Houston's Methodist Hospital.

She's wearing
the protective gear

she wears every day on the job.

‐ Let's go, babe! You got it!
‐ Pauline's husband Jody,

who's a top ninja,

invited her to come run
the course tonight as a break

from the lifesaving work
she's been doing.

[somber music]

♪ ♪

‐ Starting in March, my unit
became a COVID IC unit.

[machines beeping]

♪ ♪

Some days are‐‐are really
just tough for us.

I mean, just last week,

I held the hands
of my dying patient...

And‐‐while his daughter
watched him

take his last breath
through an iPad.

♪ ♪

She kept saying to me,
"Thank you

"for being there with him,

so he's not dying alone."

♪ ♪

In the first few months,
I tried to distance myself

from my family
as much as I could,

and to this day I sleep in
the guest bedroom in my house.

[knocking] ‐ Hi!

‐ You know, just not being able

to spend time with us
or the boys is‐‐

I know it's really hard on her.

‐ Mommy.

‐ When my youngest son,
who's four years old,

comes up to me and he says,

"Mommy, why can't I hug you?

Mommy, why can't I kiss you?"

It's heartbreaking.

♪ ♪

‐ ♪ I will find my way back ♪

♪ My way back ♪

‐ She's a hero, and I really
wanna reward her.

She's the perfect candidate
to be on my team.

‐ ♪ On my way back ♪

‐ Yeah!

‐ Whoo!

After all I've been through,

I'm excited to run
the Ninja course.

I want people to know
that brighter days are ahead,

♪ ♪

And we're all gonna
get through this together.

‐ ♪ It's just where I belong ♪

‐ Go, Mommy, go! [cheering]

‐ Akbar, we've had a lot of
healthcare workers

compete on this show before,

but this year,
it is particularly different.

These are truly
frontline heroes,

and you could see
the emotion being out here.

‐ Yeah, Matt,
as we all pull together

during this global pandemic,

it's people like Pauline Avila
and the frontline workers

who are really just trying
to make this a better place.

‐ Hi, Mommy! ‐ Hi, Mommy!

‐ I love you!
‐ There are her two sons

and other members of her family

watching back in Houston.

‐ Let's go, babe! You got it!
‐ There you go.

‐ Her husband, Jody,
and another inspiring ninja

he's brought along
from Houston, Roge't Maddox,

will be cheering
from the sidelines.

They'll run later.

[countdown clock beeping]

She's been working long hours
at the hospital,

has had very little time
to train for ninja.

‐ This will be huge,

just to get through
this first obstacle.

‐ Good push, and she's through!

‐ There you go!

‐ Let's go!
‐ She got through one.

‐ [cheering]
‐ That's a win, Matt.

[cheering]

‐ Come on!
‐ And look at Jody's smile.

‐ Man, I can imagine
all her coworkers in Houston

are smiling right now.

‐ Only 4'11",
gonna be a challenge

just to reach this second
obstacle, Weight For It.

‐ Jump up as high as you can.
You got this, babe.

‐ I love you.
‐ Just like the backyard.

I love you, babe.
Come on, you got this.

‐ She needs a big leap
right here.

[both groaning] ‐ Ah, dang it.

‐ Couldn't reach that bar,
but that's okay.

Pauline Avila came out
with so little time to train,

but she wanted to represent

those frontline
healthcare workers,

and she did just that.
‐ It's okay.

‐ Well, getting through
Shrinking Steps

is a real challenge
with her size,

but she did it,
and then watch her hands.

She was just a fingertip short
on Weight For It.

Her husband and her family
are so proud of her tonight.

‐ And she's standing by
with Zuri.

‐ Pauline, you were a hero

before you even got
to the start line today,

critical care nurse.

We here at "Ninja"
and across the nation thank you

for all that you do
on the front lines.

How does it feel to know
that you were able to take

the course at all, let alone
with your kids watching,

with Jody having your back?

Take your time.

‐ It has been a really tough
and stressful past few months.

‐ Yeah.

‐ And just seeing
my family here,

and my kids, like, watching,
and being with my husband

just‐‐amazing feeling
being here right now, so.

‐ Yeah. ‐ What she did today,

we've been working on
that first obstacle

so long at the house
in the backyard,

and I'm so proud of her
that she got by it.

‐ Yup. ‐ And she would have got

the second one
had she not been tiny,

but I'm super proud of her
for everything that she does,

and I love her to death.

‐ Well, Pauline,
we're so proud of you again.

We all thank you
for everything you're doing.

‐ Thank you, thank you so much.
‐ Thank you.

Guys, back to you.

‐ Thanks, Zuri,
and another profession

we appreciate these days
are our teachers,

and here comes another one.

This is Pennsylvania's
John Huie,

another fellow educator

invited to compete this year
by Allyssa Beird.

This guy is a fun‐loving
middle school music teacher,

and he's got his whole family
ready to jam.

♪ ♪

‐ He's conducting from here?

Aww, this is dope. This is dope.

♪ ♪

Hey, Matt, let's get in on that.

Let's get in on that.

[playing along]

♪ ♪

‐ Even Zuri on the triangle.

Unbelievable performance.

‐ That's my family!

‐ Well, you can see why
they love him back

at Northeast Middle School.

‐ What's up,
what's up, what's up?

My name is John Huie.

I am a music teacher

in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

My students all call me
Funky Mr. Huie.

♪ ♪

I love getting students
to discover

they love to learn about music.

It's super rewarding.

Thank you.
She had the hard part.

My house is
always full of music.

Everybody's trying to get
their practice time in,

so it gets a little hectic,

but it's fun.

Gotta squeeze in training
when I can.

A lot of people
don't think of music teachers

as being athletic,

but I'm gonna prove them
wrong tonight.

It's time for Mr. Huie...

♪ ♪

To get funky.

♪ ♪

‐ You got this!
‐ Also ready to get funky,

his family
and his brother's family‐‐

‐ Let's go, John! Come on!
‐ As well as his fellow

teachers and teammates
on the sideline.

‐ As a music teacher,
you better have some rhythm.

[countdown clock beeping]

‐ You got this!

‐ 42 years old, a rookie.

‐ Keep the rhythm. Nice.
‐ Good start there.

Ooh, dangerously close
to the water.

‐ Ooh, he came very close.
Yeah, he did.

‐ Huie in the house!

‐ And now this new obstacle,
Weight For It.

‐ Come on, you got it.

‐ You see, those bars will
drop when you grab them.

‐ Timing's important,

and the musician
should have good timing.

‐ 5'10", 150‐‐
can he absorb the drop

on this transition
to the second bar?

‐ Get up high‐‐nice. ‐ Good job.

‐ It's great technique
by the rookie.

‐ And that is so difficult,
that bar dropping,

grabbing it in midair,

absorbing it
as it drops over two feet.

‐ Nice.
‐ Mr. Huie, at 42 years old,

the oldest male athlete
competing tonight.

‐ Let's go, John!
‐ Come on, John, you got this!

‐ Another move just like that.
‐ Big transfer.

‐ Great anticipation.
‐ Oh, by his fingertips!

‐ Ooh, he almost slipped off
on that one.

‐ You saw the left hand barely
hanging on, his family elated.

‐ Come on, get there! Get there!

‐ He was voted by his students

as the most influential teacher.

He's influencing them right now.

‐ And look at that,
pointing to the family,

a music teacher for 18 years,

a ninja warrior
for two obstacles,

now on Ring Chaser,

and this obstacle
is new and unique.

You want to try
to catch that ring

after it rolls down the side.

‐ You got this, you got it.
‐ Go, Daddy!

‐ A real challenge to go fast
enough to get that big ring.

‐ All right, you gotta go.
‐ There goes the ring.

‐ Come on, come on!
‐ That's okay.

You can use this smaller ring,

this smaller handle,
only an 8‐inch diameter,

which means you have to be

much more precise
on this transition.

‐ Matt, that is hard.
I'm not fooling

with that small circle.
That small circle ain't it.

‐ A 6‐foot drop, 10 inches down.

‐ Oh, boy.
‐ You can see it swings.

That makes it
a little difficult.

‐ Focus. Focus!

‐ Got it! ‐ Nice!

So impressive,
and he is through!

‐ Yeah! [cheering]

‐ All right, look at
Mr. Huie getting funky.

‐ He's made it through
three obstacles,

now facing the fourth,
this new balance obstacle,

Rib Run. ‐ One bad step, boom.

Keep the feet nice and hot.
‐ And he is.

‐ Now, now, high knees,
high knees!

‐ Oh! [horn blares]

[all groaning]

Rib Run is the swan song
for the music teacher.

We'll have to wait to see
if that's good enough

to get him into the top 12.

‐ That was fun,
and the water's cold.

Oh, man.

‐ Coming up, the first mom
ever up the Warped Wall,

we'll see Sandy Zimmerman

when "American Ninja Warrior"
returns.

‐ Welcome back to St. Louis
and the season premiere

of "American Ninja Warrior."

This year we're doing
something special.

Our top stars were given
the opportunity

to bring two deserving ninjas
with them.

All the athletes are still
competing as individuals,

and only the top 12 ninjas
and the top three women

from tonight's qualifying
will move on.

While we were away, the first
of a trio of super moms

led by Sandy Zimmerman
took her shot on the course.

Garrison, New York's
Sheila Williams

is a mother to five kids.

‐ I gave birth to a baby
by myself,

so this has gotta be
easier than that.

‐ The voiceover artist showed

some fancy footwork
at the start line.

‐ Her kids are saying,
"Stop it, Mom, stop it."

‐ But her feet failed her
on the very first obstacle.

‐ Oh! ‐ Oh, no!

‐ Goodness, that happened fast.

‐ We love you! We love you!

[cheering]

‐ Well, now it's time for
the leader of the super moms

to hit the course.

Take it away, Zuri.

‐ That is one tough mother
headed to the start line.

Last season, Sandy Zimmerman
became the first mom

to make it up the Warped Wall,

and now she's become a hero
to women around the world.

‐ ♪ Ohh ♪

all: Beat that wall!
Beat that wall!

Beat that wall!

‐ In Tacoma last year,

I obviously had
some really big, huge goals.

‐ ♪ It's time, it's time,
it's time ♪

[cheering]

‐ Yes, yes! ‐ Yes!

‐ ♪ I'm breakin' through ♪
[buzzer blaring]

‐ Sandy Zimmerman has done it!

‐ ♪ I'm changin' the rules ♪

‐ Sandy, you just
made her‐story!

‐ Mom! The first mom!

The first mom!

‐ Sandy is
a complete inspiration.

The moment she got to the top
of the Warped Wall,

it was like,
"Okay, I am doing this."

‐ ♪ I'm breakin' through, ooh ♪

‐ To watch somebody like Sandy,
who has kids, it's like,

oh, you know,
my time's not past.

I can still do this.

‐ ♪ I'm changing the rules,
ooh ♪

‐ I'm just a mom from Spokane,
mother of three,

PE teacher that grew up poor
and on welfare,

and I spent time
in the foster care system,

but I think for me,
what "American Ninja Warrior"

has done is
it's given me a platform...

‐ Sandy Zimmerman
became a bit of

a local celebrity this summer.

‐ To inspire people
to reach their potential,

to dream big,
to live life to the fullest.

‐ ♪ I'm breakin' through, ooh ♪

‐ Yes! ‐ Whoo!

If I can empower people
to do that...

‐ One, two, three!

All: Team super moms! ‐ Whoo!

‐ That's the main reason
I'm back.

‐ ♪ I'm breakin' through ♪

‐ Well, we are happy she's back,

as are her three kids
and husband Charlie,

watching from their home
back in Spokane, Washington.

‐ Come on, Sandy!
‐ Plus the family

of a young ninja fan

she's especially close to,
Oaklee McBride.

[countdown clock beeping]

At 44, the oldest person
competing tonight.

Oh, my. ‐ Oh, my goodness, Matt!

She is coming out strong.

‐ Well, we saw her,
such confidence last year.

‐ And, Matt, you can tell
she's been working hard.

She's in great shape as well.

‐ Whoo! ‐ Whoo!

‐ And Sandy,
coolest PE teacher around.

‐ But I doubt she teaches
trapeze in her PE class.

Build up some swing now.

‐ Gets to that second bar.
‐ Attagirl.

‐ She wanted to enjoy it
out here,

and she is doing just that.

‐ She and her family eat,
breathe, and sleep ninja.

They even have
an enormous backyard course

they host tournaments in.

‐ Now has to make another leap
over to the final bar.

Got it. ‐ Oh, yeah, whoo!

‐ Yeah, her fellow moms
showing support.

‐ Whoo! ‐ Go, Sandy!

‐ And Sandy is through.

‐ Come on, Sandy!
‐ But look at that,

smiling with the family.

Love seeing the smile
on her face.

‐ Well, let's see
if she can keep that smile

going through Ring Chaser.

‐ You got this.

Just do what you do.

‐ Sandy played
college basketball

at Gonzaga, has great hands.

Missed the ring.
‐ Oh, watch out!

‐ It's all right. ‐ It's okay.

‐ Now gotta go for
that smaller handle.

This requires
much more precision.

‐ You gotta see
where you're going.

Not too much swing
where you slide off.

‐ 'Cause that ring slides as
you're building up momentum.

Oh, Sandy could be
in trouble here.

You can see it sliding.

‐ Paralysis by analysis.

You can't look at it too long.

Now she's going side to side.

She's lost momentum
going up and down.

‐ Well, it's a real challenge
here with that smaller handle.

‐ Come on, back and forth.

Oh, she's holding
on too long, Matt.

‐ Yes, whoo! ‐ Got it!

‐ Oh, okay! ‐ Got it!

‐ She had grip strength!

She had that reserve strength
there in the tank!

‐ Whoo! ‐ Just so impressive out

of Sandy Zimmerman.

‐ I thought she was
gonna gas out.

‐ But here's the real test,
Rib Run.

Nobody has survived
this obstacle yet.

Sandy just 5'6",
gonna need some big strides.

‐ Nice, nice,
nice, nice, nice! Ooh!

‐ Got it!

‐ Boom! ‐ Yeah!

‐ Sacrificing her body,
and she is pumped.

‐ Matt, she fell right
on her six‐pack!

Look at this, she just‐‐
I mean, picture perfect.

Look at that, boom, boom,
stumbling right‐‐right there

on her six‐pack, boom!

‐ And now she'll be the first
tonight to face Slingshot.

She has to drop that bar down
the series of landing areas,

and those are bungee cords,
so you really bounce.

Going to that switch grip.

Gotta get some good kip here
and launch up.

You gotta be so precise with
that bar and those bungees,

really will spring you up. ‐ Oh!

‐ Good recovery,
but now the big drop.

Oh, no!

And it looked like the right
side of that bar popped,

but she managed to survive.

Great recovery by Sandy.

‐ Ooh!
‐ And now just a couple moves

away from another run
at the Warped Wall.

‐ Oh, but this is a big one.

‐ Ohh! [horn blares]

♪ ♪

‐ Nice, nice, nice!
‐ Sandy doesn't make it

to the Warped Wall

but does get
to the fifth obstacle,

the best we've seen
so far tonight.

She's got a good chance
of being among

the top three women
and moving on.

♪ ♪

‐ Welcome back to St. Louis
and the season premiere

of "American Ninja Warrior."

While we were away,
a group from Alabama

looked to roll tide
through the course.

First up was Rusty Rivera
from Huntsville,

the Rocket City,
and he was ready for liftoff.

‐ Yeah!
‐ Nice Moses beard going on.

‐ But at 210 pounds,
the Rocket City Ninja

splashed down on
just the second obstacle.

[groaning]

That beard got wet.
‐ I will be back, I promise.

‐ Up next was
another Huntsville resident,

37‐year‐old hockey coach
Nichelle Simon.

‐ She's ready to represent
for the hockey players.

‐ She skated through
the Shrinking Steps,

but just like her Alabama buddy,

Simon was iced by Weight For It.

No! ‐ No!

‐ A tough one, but that was fun.

‐ Then it was their mentor,

the original 'Bama Ninja,
Casey Suchocki.

‐ Crush it, Casey.

‐ With his wife Ashley
and grandpa Emmit

watching from back home
in Alabama,

the six‐time Ninja veteran

raced through
the first four obstacles.

‐ Whoo, somebody call
Nick Saban!

‐ Whoo! ‐ But after making it

all the way to stage three
in Vegas last year,

Suchocki was bounced
by Slingshot tonight.

Oh, no!

‐ Ooh!
I blinked and he was down.

‐ Well, bounding up
to the start line now

is a ball of energy who calls
himself the Gnarly Ninja.

He's a 20‐year‐old rookie
out of Boulder, Colorado.

‐ Let's go!
‐ This is Nate Hansen.

He's one of two young super fans

invited by the original
Ninja Dream Chaser,

Tyler Gillett.

Nate Hansen is only 5'2",

and he's used to
being an underdog.

‐ Whoo!

‐ Nate Hansen
is a superstar athlete.

He might be small in stature,
but, man, his power and speed,

it's gonna blow
some people's minds.

♪ ♪

‐ At the age of 12 years old,

I was diagnosed with
growth hormone deficiency,

which caused my growth
to just stunt.

Medical professionals told me
there was a chance

I would not grow anymore.

After a couple years
of taking shots every day,

I only ended up being 5'2".

Growing up in middle school
and all throughout high school,

I was bullied
and always called names,

and it was really difficult
going through that

because people were
always underestimating me.

When I started ninja,
I realized you just have

to put in the work
no matter your shape or size.

‐ Yeah! Nice job!

‐ Everyone looks at me,
and they're like,

"Yeah, he's a little scrawny.
He's only 5'2".

This guy doesn't have a chance."

‐ ♪ Nothing can break me down ♪

‐ And that's kinda what built up

the Gnarly Ninja Nate
personality.

I don't care what obstacle's
on that course.

I don't care
how tall that wall is.

We're getting to that buzzer,
and we're gonna hit it.

[cheering]

‐ Yeah! Let's go, baby!

‐ Love his attitude, Akbar.

[cheering]

He's got his parents
and brothers cheering him on.

‐ Whoo!

[countdown clock beeping]

‐ You can't help
but to root for this guy.

He has an infectious energy.

‐ Finally living out his dream
of being on "Ninja Warrior."

You can see that 12
on his back‐‐

12 years old
when he stopped growing,

when they diagnosed him

with that growth hormone
deficiency.

‐ But it's never
stopped Nate Hansen.

‐ Real aggressive approach,
Akbar.

I like it. He's confident.

‐ You're not gonna stop him.
He's 20 years old.

He's young, and he's ready to
get his ninja on as a rookie.

‐ Gnarly Ninja Nate
truly chasing dreams.

‐ Yeah! Yeah!

‐ Grew up watching the show
with his brothers.

Now here he is
under the bright lights.

‐ Come on, come on.

Got it. ‐ And he's through.

[cheering]

Now the new obstacle,
Ring Chaser.

Gotta catch that ring.

Oh, my! ‐ Nice!

‐ Going sideways there, Akbar.

‐ Yeah, he skipped
every other bar!

‐ Gnarly Ninja Nate,
this guy's a rookie,

and he is performing
like a veteran.

‐ Whoo!

‐ Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! Yeah!

‐ Matt, I love his story,
because this tells me

and tells the world you never
judge a man by his size.

‐ Just 5'2",
can he handle Rib Run?

‐ Look at that! Look at that!
‐ Great footwork.

‐ Look at that!
That's what I'm talking about!

‐ Now‐‐and no hesitation,
right into Slingshot.

No one's gotten through
this tonight.

‐ Yeah, I see you.

‐ This has been
the most confident run

we've seen tonight,
out of this 20‐year‐old rookie.

Tyler Gillett gotta be proud
of the people he chose.

Long drop. ‐ Come on.

‐ Great bar placement,
great control.

‐ Matt, he is living up
to his nickname.

‐ My goodness.

‐ He is gnarly,
and I don't say that a lot.

I'm gonna add it
to my vocabulary.

‐ This has been an insane pace.

‐ What? ‐ No hesitation.

‐ Okay, Gnarly! ‐ Only 5'2",

can he make it up
the 14 1/2‐foot wall?

And he's got it, a perfect run!

‐ Let's go! ‐ Yeah! Whoo!

♪ ♪

‐ ♪ Nothing can break me down ♪

‐ Gnarly Nate Hansen,

the first to hit the buzzer
in this loaded field!

[all cheering]

‐ Let's go, baby! Whoo!

‐ What?

‐ That gnarly enough
for you, Akbar?

‐ I'm speechless!

‐ Growing up, people told me

I couldn't do it my whole life,
so I made it happen.

‐ They're not telling you
tonight!

They're not telling you tonight!

‐ Whoo! ‐ I love the confidence

out of Gnarly Nate.

‐ ♪ Nothing can break me down ♪

‐ This kid came in with a plan.

He went sideways on Ring Chaser

and was the first
to conquer Slingshot,

and at only 5'2",

he made it up the Warped Wall
with ease,

the first to hit
the buzzer tonight.

‐ Coming up, a man who's hit
a number of buzzers

in his ten‐year ninja career.

One of our best, Flip Rodriguez,

plotting out his attack,
and we'll see his run

when we come back
on "American Ninja Warrior."

‐ Welcome back to St. Louis
and our season premiere.

Walk‐ons have had a long history

on "American Ninja Warrior."

These ninjas travel
to host cities

and sometimes wait days or weeks

for just a chance
to run the course,

so this season Dave Cavanagh,
the King of the Walk‐ons,

rewarded two other walk‐ons
who've shown true dedication,

and they hit the course
while we were away.

Kenneth Edwards flew from
New Jersey to the walk‐on line

in Tacoma last year
and got his shot.

‐ Kenneth Edwards! [cheering]

‐ This is important; let's see
how much work he's put in.

‐ The 39‐year‐old ironworker
works on skyscrapers

in Manhattan,
but he couldn't reach

the heights needed
for the second obstacle.

‐ Oh, he missed it!
[horn blares]

‐ Sloane Cameron
flew cross‐country

from her home in Eugene, Oregon,

to be a walk‐on
in Baltimore last year.

Tonight, the world champion
taekwondo power breaker

came out ready to kick butt.

‐ Whoo! Let's go!

‐ And the 33‐year‐old gym owner

looked strong early... ‐ Nice!

‐ But couldn't catch a break
on Rib Run.

No! ‐ No!

‐ Then it was their mentor,

Dave Cavanagh,

who spent 77 days in
walk‐on lines over the years.

Cavanagh made it to stage two
in Vegas last year

and was expecting
another strong season.

‐ He knows what's up.

‐ But the former walk‐on

walked off Rib Run. Oh, no!

‐ Oh! Oh, my goodness! ‐ Aww!

‐ Are you kidding me?

‐ This course is tripping up
some of our best,

and here comes another.
Zuri, take it away.

‐ Next up is a ninja legend.

Flip Rodriguez has competed
for ten seasons on the course.

He's got a ton of fans
out there,

but one of
his biggest supporters

won't be with him this season.

‐ Down.

[snaps] Stay.

[dog barking]

When I moved to L. A.,
I had no family,

and when I got Maui,
he became my family.

You wanna go? [Maui whines]

Come on!

[howling]

He's been with me
through everything.

♪ ♪

Maui was only five
when he passed.

Autoimmune disease took him in‐‐

in what seemed like a flash,

and I just don't have
my best friend anymore.

♪ ♪

I have this charm made,
custom‐made.

It's a watch with the date and
the time of his last breath,

and his ashes are inside of it.

At least I know
he's‐‐he's close to my heart.

He fought so hard,
and he's so much like me.

And tonight
I'm coming for that buzzer.

‐ Pete!

‐ Boy, anybody
who's ever lost a pet

knows how tough it can be.

‐ And he's gonna hand off
that pendant with Maui's ashes

to one of his SoCal training
partners, Peter Liston.

We'll see him run in just a bit.

Now, you may notice
Flip's wearing

the yellow Ninjas
for Black Lives shirt.

You'll see so many athletes
this season with the shirts

or a patch just to show their
support for a great cause.

Also showing their support for
Flip are some of his friends

and a few of the students
he's coached over the years.

[countdown clock beeping]

And here we go, Flip Rodriguez.

‐ Well, he can go, Matt.
We know that.

We've seen it over the years.
As a ten‐year veteran, though,

definitely knows
when to turn it on

and when to be careful.

‐ Well, when Flip exploded
onto the scene,

he seemed to be reckless.

Now he runs fast but looks
completely in control.

‐ Nice! Let's go!
‐ Remember, only the top 12

will move on to the semifinals.

Speed will be important
in this loaded field.

Only one finisher
so far tonight.

‐ I think you're gonna need
to finish

or get to that fifth obstacle
quickly

to move on. ‐ Nice!

‐ And he's through
Weight For It.

‐ Nice, effortless. Let's go.

‐ There are the two guys
Flip brought with him.

He trains with them
in Southern California.

David Alvarez, Peter Liston
cheering on the sidelines.

‐ Nice! Now, easy.
‐ Flip takes off

like a rocket.
‐ Excellent, let's go.

‐ He was waiting for that ring.

‐ And just looking so calm
out there while still flying.

‐ He's doing it for Maui,
wants a good run here.

‐ Nice. ‐ And no problem.

‐ Right here. ‐ That's it.

That's it, come on.

‐ Money. ‐ Nice.

‐ Let's go. ‐ But now Rib Run,

just knocked out
Dave Cavanagh minutes ago.

‐ All right, keep your feet
hot, keep your feet hot.

Keep your feet hot.
Nice, look at that.

‐ Right through it,
great footwork.

‐ Sounds like fireworks
going off.

‐ Well, he's got a fast time
to this point,

but Gnarly Nate Hansen's
the only one

to conquer Slingshot thus far.

‐ You know Flip wants
a buzzer for Maui.

‐ Absolutely‐‐Flip got a win
on the Power Tower

and made it all the way
to stage two

in Vegas last year.

Ooh, ooh, ooh!
‐ Oh, oh, correct that.

‐ Oh, good correction.
‐ You gotta correct that.

‐ Overshot it
with the left side.

‐ Matt, at this point, too,
you can't‐‐

you just gotta throw speed out.

Throw speed out
and get that buzzer.

‐ Even a veteran like him,

that can get your heart racing.

‐ No! [horn blares]

‐ Oh, my word!

‐ Flip Rodriguez,
out on Slingshot.

What a reminder any obstacle
can take out any ninja.

Flip Rodriguez out here.

We're gonna have to see if
he got far enough fast enough.

‐ That's super unfortunate.

‐ Flip was struggling
to keep the bar centered.

Look, he's barely hanging on
to the bungees over here,

but he had plenty of room
on the other side,

and when he hit, the impact
pulled his fingers right off.

‐ So now Flip will have to
wait to see

if he can stay in the top 12
and move on.

‐ Damn. Damn.

‐ Coming up,
America's toughest teacher,

Allyssa Beird,
is headed to the start line.

We'll see her when we come back.

And just ahead,
it's double trouble,

as the Flying Freckles

glide into their first
ninja competition

when "American Ninja Warrior"
returns.

♪ ♪

‐ Welcome back to St. Louis,

where we're at the Dome
in America's Center,

kicking off another season
of "American Ninja Warrior,"

and, Akbar,
what a start it's been.

‐ Yeah, it's been
very unpredictable.

Our only finisher
is an unknown 5'2" rookie.

‐ Let's go! [horn blaring]

‐ While top ninja veterans
Casey Suchocki...

‐ Oh, no! ‐ No!

Dave Cavanagh...

‐ Oh, no!
‐ Ooh, oh, my goodness!

And Flip Rodriguez
came up short.

Oh, my word!

And minutes ago,
the two ninjas Flip invited

got to hit the course.

First, it was Peter Liston,

a zipline tour guide
from Corona, California,

and he flew through
the first two obstacles.

‐ That a boy. Way to go, bro.

‐ But he couldn't
put a ring on it

when he reached the third. ‐ Oh!

‐ Oh.

‐ Then it was David Alvarez.

‐ No matter what happens,
just never give up.

Keep going.

‐ Unlike Peter Liston,

he powered across Ring Chaser.

‐ What a grab!
‐ Yes! Good catch.

‐ But just like Flip,

his night also ended
at the fifth obstacle.

‐ No!

‐ Up next, one of the coolest
teachers in the country.

‐ All right,
fifth time stepping up

for qualifying course.

Ready for that fourth buzzer.

Can't wait. I'm so ready.

‐ Well, Akbar, we have come
to expect big things

from Allyssa Beird.

Can she come up
big again tonight?

She's got her mom
and her sisters

sporting the Got Beird shirts,

and, of course, her boyfriend,

James "The Beast" McGrath.

‐ Where's his Got Beird shirt?
‐ [laughs]

‐ Well, he's got a beard
on his face.

‐ You've got this!

Teacher strong! ‐ Yeah!

‐ Allyssa
and her fellow teachers

have been cooped up at home
teaching remotely.

It's gotta feel good
to be out on the course.

[countdown clock beeping]

Okay, here we go.

She was a little careful there
on the Shrinking Steps,

but she's through. ‐ Nice, nice.

‐ All right, good try, good job.

‐ No doubt she's seen the big
names fall early tonight.

Can't take any obstacle
for granted,

including this one,
Weight For It.

Can Ms. Beird solve it?

‐ Well, before she was
a teacher,

Allyssa did gymnastics
for 12 years,

and she was a state champion
on the uneven bars.

She should be comfortable here.

‐ Good transition there. ‐ Nice.

‐ Good job, Lys, whoo!
‐ Such a challenge

catching that bar midair
as it's moving.

‐ Only the second woman
in "Ninja Warrior" history

to complete stage one
in the national finals, Matt.

‐ But she didn't hit a buzzer
last season.

Looking for a big comeback
this year.

And reaches the final bar.

Now just needs the dismount.

‐ And, Matt, when
she's flying through the air

like that with those laches,

she's so just fluid,
so easy with it.

‐ Yeah!

There you go! Good job, whoo!

‐ Well, Matt,
it's been the thing

with "American Ninja Warrior."

Every single year
it gets harder.

Look at her race
through Ring Chaser.

‐ Good pace. ‐ Get it! Oh!

‐ Oh! ‐ Just missed it.

‐ That's all right, though,
can go

for that smaller ring there.
‐ Whew!

‐ Well, we talked about it.
You have to be so much

more precise on this lache,
this transition.

‐ Come on, Allyssa!

‐ All right, she's gotta see it.

You see her looking up at it?
Now she's gotta aim it.

‐ And you could see‐‐
‐ Get the target.

‐ You could see how
that ring shifts.

‐ Bull's‐eye! ‐ But got it.

Perfect. ‐ Yeah! Yeah!

‐ And Ms. Beird continuing
this A‐plus performance.

‐ Let's go! ‐ Good job.

‐ But now facing the obstacle

that took out
both her teammates, Rib Run.

Can Ms. Beird
teach this obstacle a lesson?

‐ Okay, fast feet on this one.
Just go, go, go, go, go.

‐ Build up that momentum.
Quick feet.

‐ Come on, you got this.
‐ Nice, nice, nice, oh!

‐ And she's done it!

‐ Oh, she done did it!
She done did it!

‐ Ms. Beird aces the test
on Rib Run.

‐ Yes! Whoo! Yes!

‐ Let's go!

Awesome! ‐ That was big time.

Yeah, you can tell
she's gotta catch her breath.

Catch your breath, girl.
Catch your breath.

‐ You got one more
and then the wall.

You can do this.

‐ But now facing the Slingshot,

already ended the night
of some top ninjas.

‐ It's the bungee
that makes it so tricky,

but you see she's going
to‐‐with that switch grip.

She's gotta be able
to land it softly.

This first one
she's gotta go up.

‐ Use that balance. ‐ Nice.

‐ And you can see about
an 8‐inch flex

on these smaller cradles here.

‐ Now, coming down
is the hard part.

Look. Okay.

‐ And you mentioned
that switch grip.

This bar will roll,
and a long drop now.

‐ Oh, jo‐‐ooh! ‐ Oh.

‐ And it got hung up,
but she fixed it!

‐ Look at the‐‐look
at the right side of the bar,

uneven, and she's correcting it.

‐ Come on, come on.

‐ Great awareness
out of Allyssa Beird.

‐ She ain't playing around.

‐ And those arms
getting extended, Akbar.

I'm concerned about the grip.

‐ That's all right, Matt.
She's got it.

I think she's got it. Come on.

‐ Yeah! ‐ Great movement.

You could see the power
from the hips,

allowing those laches.
Another long drop.

‐ Now‐‐oh, there it is.
‐ Got it!

‐ There it is, Matt.
‐ Just the dismount.

‐ You got it; you got this.
Yeah!

‐ Allyssa Beird,
only the second to survive

Slingshot tonight!
‐ How about that?

Now she's staring
at the Warped Wall again.

‐ And a big smile,
and you can see

Mr. Robert and Funky Mr. Huie
are also so excited.

Trying to become just
the second finisher tonight.

‐ Okay, Lys. ‐ It would almost

guarantee herself
a spot in the semifinals.

The top three women
will move on.

‐ Let's go! Get up that wall!

Both: Beat that wall!
Beat that wall!

‐ Allyssa Beird
in phenomenal shape.

Look at her ready
to hit that wall.

‐ 14‐‐14 1/2 feet! ‐ Go get it!

Both: Beat that wall!

‐ Yes! ‐ Nice! Nice!

♪ ♪

‐ Yeah!

‐ And Allyssa Beird
passes the test.

‐ Nice! ‐ Whoo!

‐ Way to go, Alyssa.
So proud of you!

‐ And she's done it.
She's dancing.

‐ Allyssa, how does that feel?

‐ Oh, so good.

I've been waiting
all last season‐‐none.

‐ None, no buzzers last season,
but you've got it here.

‐ I'm back.
‐ Allyssa Beird, you are back.

‐ ♪ Today is my day ♪

‐ Some big names have
splashed down on Rib Run,

but not Ms. Beird,

and Slingshot has taken out

some ninja veterans,
but, again, not Ms. Beird,

and she's the first woman
to hit a buzzer this season.

‐ Let's go down to Zuri.

‐ Girl, how are you feeling
after that epic performance?

‐ So amazing.

I have been waiting
for another buzzer

for a whole season. ‐ Yeah.

‐ So I was feeling it,

and it's just‐‐
it's a little surreal still,

but I'm feeling back.

‐ Great job tonight. I love it.

Guys, back to you.

‐ Yeah! ‐ Whoo!

‐ Oh, hearts, hearts, hearts.

‐ So Allyssa Beird,

one of just
two finishers so far.

Remember, only those
in tonight's top 12 overall

or the top three women will
move on to the semifinals.

Lots of your favorites
still to come...

♪ ♪

Including the Big Dog,
Jody Avila...

‐ Look at the big fella go!

‐ And the Island Ninja,
Grant McCartney.

‐ He's back bigger and stronger.

‐ Plus is anyone gonna take
down the 18‐foot Mega Wall?

Come on, you know
somebody wants 10,000 bucks.

When "American Ninja Warrior"
returns.

‐ Hey, "Ninja" fans,
you can now watch past seasons

of "American Ninja Warrior"

on the new NBC Universal
streaming service Peacock.

‐ It's got your favorite
TV shows, classic movies,

and "American Ninja Warrior,"
all for free.

While we were away,
four‐time ninja veteran

and the world's most muscular
electronics salesman,

Michael Johnson, kicked things
off for a trio of New Yorkers.

‐ Come on, baby!

New York's
on your back right now!

‐ I live in Atlanta,
but I was born

and raised in Brooklyn,
and I can't tell you

how proud I am to have fellow
New Yorkers with me...

‐ Let's go! ‐ Yes!

‐ On the sides,
just yelling, "Yeah!"

‐ The four‐time ninja veteran
looked strong, as always.

‐ Yes! ‐ Let's go!

‐ Okay! ‐ Yeah!

‐ But at 215 pounds,
he couldn't muscle his way

through Slingshot. ‐ Oh!

‐ [shouting]

‐ Sha‐na‐na!

‐ Then Johnson's teammate
Dilan Gomih

stepped up to represent
the Empire State.

Look at this energy, Akbar.

‐ Yeah, she is pumped, Matt.

‐ Team New York,
we're gonna crush it.

Let's go, team. Come on!

‐ Gomih's a former cheerleader
at Yale

and has an MBA from Harvard.

‐ Good work! ‐ Whoo!

‐ But her education
and enthusiasm

couldn't get her past
the second obstacle.

‐ Oh, it's all right!

‐ Holy crap, that was awesome!
Whoo!

‐ So now it's time for
the last of our New Yorkers,

29‐year‐old welder
Anthony Eardley.

‐ The whole world
is going through a lot,

but the only way
we move forward is together.

Obstacles get overcome in unity,

and I'm here to bring that.

‐ Some heartfelt words from
the welder Anthony Eardley,

and, Akbar,
this guy is so impressive,

a genuine good guy,
and a great athlete too.

‐ And he's got a lot of energy.

‐ Come on, Anthony! ‐ Oh!

‐ And the mask just came off.
‐ The mask comes off.

‐ Nice. Look at that.

Okay, Eardley.

‐ And bows to his family,
so important to him.

♪ ♪

Anthony's been a welder
for 14 years,

and he's used those skills
to weld obstacles

in his parents' back yard.

[uplifting music]

‐ And now from here you go up?
‐ Yeah.

‐ That's awesome. I love it.

‐ At two days old,
he was adopted

into a large family
in Oneonta, New York.

He dedicates all of his runs
to them.

‐ I hit this buzzer tonight,

everybody in Upstate New York's
gonna hear

that little, tiny town
of Oneonta screaming.

[cheering]

‐ There they are, his parents
in Oneonta, New York,

and his sister's family
in Connecticut.

Oh, look at this.

He is overcome
by emotion at this.

‐ Let's go!

‐ Come on, bring them sparks.

Let's see that spark, baby!

‐ Whoo!

‐ So passionate.

You can see why Michael Johnson

wanted to be
with Anthony Eardley.

‐ Ah! Yeah!

‐ Eye on the prize, baby.

[countdown clock beeping]

‐ All right, come on, settle in.

‐ Eardley
a high school track star.

Real good start there.
‐ There it is.

There it is. ‐ Amazing.

‐ But now Weight For It.

This is where fellow
New Yorker Dilan Gomih

went out moments ago.

Gotta focus
on these transitions.

Oh, absorb that drop.

‐ Nice. ‐ Great shot by Eardley.

‐ Come on, build it again.
Build it again.

‐ And I gotta say
that enthusiasm,

that passion, seems to have it
under control here

on the course now, Akbar.

‐ Yeah, you wanna get there

just right in front
of the obstacle,

right before it drops down.
‐ Yes, sir.

Yes, sir, build it,
build it, build it.

‐ So for Eardley, early's
on time; on time is late.

Nice. ‐ Real quick.

And I gotta say,
he's doing a great job

building up momentum...

And he's through,
and look at him.

‐ He's a showman.

‐ Remember, fast hands.

‐ Now has to show
what he can do on Ring Chaser.

‐ Fast hands. Don't stop moving.

‐ Now go, go, go.
Speed, speed, speed.

He‐‐oh, he tried to kick it.
This ain't soccer!

‐ He's‐‐he's okay. Not fazed.

Goes for that smaller handle.
Now watch.

You want to build up momentum

before you go;
make it in one move.

Otherwise that ring
can fall off the hook.

‐ Come on, baby, you got this.

‐ Oh, no! ‐ Ooh.

‐ No, you're kidding me!

‐ Oh, no.

‐ The welder mishandled
the metal ring.

Still an energetic run
out of Anthony Eardley.

‐ This New Yorker always
brings energy and heart,

but Ring Chaser
requires real precision.

He hit the ring above the hook,

and his night was over.

‐ Up next, the final member
of Sandy Zimmerman's trio

of tough mothers.
This is Tegan Roobol.

She's a mom of two
from Howell, Michigan,

got into ninja a couple years
ago and loved it so much,

she started a ninja program
for special needs kids.

‐ They have so many obstacles
thrown in their everyday life.

Good job.

It's been amazing to see them
grow and gain confidence.

Jump up and down.
So everybody can be a ninja.

Whatever it means to you,
you can be a ninja warrior.

[cheers and applause]

Let's go!

‐ And look at her flexing.

‐ Come on, Tegan.

‐ And there are her two sons

along with her husband.

Also watching from back
in Michigan, her mom and dad.

On the sidelines,
fellow moms Sheila Williams

and Sandy Zimmerman.

Sandy reached
the fifth obstacle.

Right now she's in
our women's top three.

Tegan hoping to join her.

Well, Sandy inspired both
Tegan and Sheila to compete,

and now here are all three.
‐ Tegan is a beast, Matt.

‐ Tegan on the course. Ooh.

‐ Ooh. ‐ Good recovery there.

That balance seemed to waver
at the end, but survives.

‐ Nice, nice work. Nice work.

‐ 5'2", 110,
you can see a lot of strength.

She started rock climbing
back in high school,

confident with grip strength.

That was a‐‐an abrupt fall
though.

Didn't absorb it
too well, Akbar.

‐ Well, Matt,
she's been training ninja

for, like, two years,

and she's been doing very well

in regional ninja competitions.

‐ But I like the laches,

building up good momentum
with those hips.

Only 5'2", can she reach out,
go arm over arm

to get that third bar?
Yes, she can.

‐ Nice.
Yeah, during the offseason,

Matt, she's had
a lot of success,

and now being here as a rookie
on "American Ninja Warrior,"

let's see if all that success
from the offseason

can translate.

‐ And makes it to the final bar.

If she wants to potentially
join Sandy Zimmerman

in the top three,

gonna need to at least
get through Rib Run.

And makes the dismount. ‐ Whoo!

‐ Nice. Two down.

‐ But this third obstacle,
Ring Chaser,

has been a tough one tonight.

Much easier if you can catch

that big ring as it rolls down.

‐ Here she goes.
Come on, you got this.

‐ Oh, that ring goes.
That's okay.

‐ Yeah, it's a pacing thing,
but she can still do it.

We've seen others do it

with this smaller ring
with the handle.

‐ Only 8 inches in diameter
versus 14 on that big ring;

gotta be more precise here
on the transfer.

‐ Oh, no! ‐ Oh!

‐ Too much weight
on the upswing.

‐ Slid right off. ‐ Whoo!

‐ An unfortunate end
for Tegan Roobol,

still representing so well for
all the super moms tonight.

‐ Welcome back
to the season premiere

of "American Ninja Warrior."

No Olympics this summer,

but we had an Olympic moment
while we were away.

First, Chellsie Memmel,
who won a silver medal

at the 2008 Beijing Games,
made her ninja debut.

Now a mom of two,
Memmel had her family

and Olympic teammate Nastia
Liukin cheering her on.

‐ Doing this for
all the moms out there

and to show my kids that
they can do anything.

‐ Memmel stuck the dismount
on the Shrinking Steps.

‐ Nice. ‐ Whoo!

‐ But the former world
champion on the uneven bars

couldn't handle the bars
on Weight For It.

‐ Ooh, oh! No!

‐ Oh!

‐ Then Jonathan Horton,

another silver‐medal‐winning
gymnast from the 2008 Games,

got his shot.

‐ Let's see Horton! ‐ Got it!

The 5'1" Horton
survived Rib Run.

‐ Ooh! ‐ Yeah!

‐ But he was finally bounced
out on Slingshot.

‐ Oh! That Slingshot is tough.

‐ Whoo!
‐ Then it was Tyler Gillett's

other dream‐chasing rookie,
Ryan Lashoff,

who calls himself
the Hockey Ninja.

‐ Hey, watch out
for the high stick.

‐ The college student trains
on obstacles

while wearing 25 pounds of gear,

and though he skated
through four obstacles...

[cheering]

Slingshot sent him
to the penalty box.

‐ Ooh, oh! No!

‐ Then the original
Dream Chaser,

Tyler Gillett, took his shot.

‐ Nice. ‐ Got it!

Gillett's running this year
for his cousin Bill,

who's battling
pancreatic cancer.

‐ I love the message.
I love the support.

‐ And the four‐time
ninja veteran delivered.

‐ He might beat Nate's time!

‐ He edged out his buddy
Nate Hansen

for the fastest time
of the night.

‐ Great job, man! ‐ Whoo!

‐ Lots of spirited athletes
here tonight, and up next,

another high‐energy group.

Leading it off for them,

San Diego's Hunter Hollingshead.

‐ Whoo!
‐ The Giant, Jon Alexis Jr,

chose this guy.

Alexis is a skydiver,

and he wanted
some thrill‐seeking ninjas

on his squad.

Wait a second.

‐ Hold on, hold on.
‐ No, no, no‐‐oh.

‐ Is that who‐‐
‐ No, no, no, that was

his twin brother, Nolan.

‐ I thought I was seeing double.

Look at this. ‐ I love it.

‐ Let's go, baby! Whoo!

For the Flying Freckles!

‐ Well, these rookies have been

dreaming of this moment,
and they are fearless.

‐ Fly, fly, fly, baby.
[laughter]

I'm Hunter.

‐ And I'm Nolan.

Both: And we're
the Flying Freckles.

♪ ♪

‐ Whoo!

‐ We both love hang gliding.

‐ 'Cause it's just so cool.

There's no other way
to describe it.

Like, everyone should try it.

♪ ♪

The coolest thing about
hang gliding

in my opinion
is that it's quiet.

‐ Looking off into empty space,

and there's nothing below you,

feels like you're on top
of the world.

I think our whole life has been
training for "Ninja Warrior."

‐ We're constantly looking for

the most adrenaline we can get,

and maximum‐level adrenaline

is hitting that buzzer
on top of the wall.

The other competitors better
watch out, 'cause tonight...

‐ The Flying Freckles,
we're gonna take it all.

‐ Matt, I keep my feet
on the ground.

‐ Well, keeping
the Flying Freckles grounded

are their family
and hang gliding friends

cheering them on.

[countdown clock beeping]

Just graduated
with a master's degree

in engineering
from Virginia Tech,

and he's already flown
through the Shrinking Steps.

‐ Here we go, Hunter!
Yeah, baby!

‐ As hang gliders, used to
having a bar in their hands.

‐ Well, between the hang gliding

and the aerospace
engineering degree,

he should be able
to figure out this one.

‐ Hang gliders can fly
10,000 feet in the air

and be up there for hours,

so you know he's fearless.

Good transition there.

‐ Come on! ‐ But you can see,

a little challenge
finding that rhythm.

You have to drive with your
hips, not your upper body.

‐ Come on, come on.
Come on, come on.

‐ Really use the pendulum,
long reach.

There he is, got that third bar.

But watch,
try to get that bar up high

so as you come down,
you can absorb it.

‐ Dialed, yeah. Yes, Hunter!

Come on, baby! You got this!

‐ Well, he's a rookie,
first time on the big course,

and he's eating up
a lot of time here.

‐ There you go.

‐ Let's go! Come on, baby!

‐ His mom and brother getting
a kick out of this too.

‐ That's amazing.

‐ Now gonna try to make
this grab on Ring Chaser.

Yeah! ‐ Oh, nice!

‐ Whoo! ‐ A real good approach

out of this rookie Hunter.

He's looking real confident.
Ooh!

‐ Ooh!
One hand almost slipped off!

‐ Oh!
That's what I'm talking about!

‐ The left hand came off.
‐ That's a great save.

Well, Matt, you know
that those hang gliders,

they know
all about that safety hold.

‐ Your very best, Hunter!
Come on!

‐ And somehow he survives.

‐ Yes! ‐ That was sick.

Let's go, baby.

‐ But now Rib Run.
This has been a challenge.

‐ Side to side, stay on top.
Nice!

‐ Got it! Stays up.

‐ Oh, yeah! ‐ Whoo!

‐ Yes, Hunter!
‐ Come on, get some!

Whoo!

‐ Don't quit
till you hit that buzzer!

‐ The rookie now
staring down Slingshot.

‐ Matt, this hasn't been
the fastest run,

but he's definitely
having fun out here.

Can you imagine what he'll do
if he gets to the buzzer?

‐ And he went
to the switch grip,

trying to keep that bar
from rolling in his hands.

This obstacle has taken down
some good ninjas tonight.

Can this high‐flying rookie
figure it out?

It's such a challenge,
long drop here.

‐ So you gotta come in compact,

come in com‐‐nice! ‐ Got it.

‐ Oh, he felt that one. ‐ Yeah!

‐ Yes!
‐ Only got one more big drop.

‐ Dig deep, baby, dig deep!
‐ Keep it in.

‐ Yeah, he is running out
of gas, Matt.

I don't like it.

‐ Oh, no! ‐ Ooh!

‐ Dude, that was awesome!
‐ Whoo!

‐ Crashes on Slingshot,
doesn't make it to the buzzer,

but no one had more fun
out here tonight

than Hunter Hollingshead.

‐ Whoo!

‐ I love this rookie's
enthusiasm on the course.

His energy was infectious,

and even after he fell,

he still had a smile
on his face.

‐ Coming up, he always knows
how to make an entrance.

‐ Whoo! Okay!

‐ The Speedo Ninja's ready to
dive into the competition

when "American Ninja Warrior"
returns.

♪ ♪

‐ Welcome back to St. Louis.

Tonight is just the start
of this jam‐packed season.

Over the next few weeks,

you're gonna see
all your ninja favorites.

‐ Come on, country boy! Yes!

‐ Including stuntwoman
Jessie Graff...

‐ Her‐story,
her‐story right there!

‐ The first woman ever!

The Weatherman, Joe Moravsky...

‐ My goodness, look at him!

‐ Chicago's Jesse
"Flex" Labreck...

‐ She's a straight‐up superstar.

‐ And the Philly Phoenix,
Najee Richardson.

‐ Oh! ‐ Yeah!

‐ And that's just for starters.

All of these ninja superstars
will be fighting

to make it to the finals

and be crowned this year's

"American Ninja Warrior"
champion.

While we were away,
Nolan Hollingshead,

the other hang gliding
twin brother,

got his chance
to fly through the course.

‐ Nice.
‐ Good job‐‐oh, he is pumped.

‐ Yeah, Nolan!
‐ His brother Hunter made it

to the fifth obstacle,

but Nolan, despite being
a mechanical engineer,

couldn't solve Ring Chaser.

‐ Ooh! ‐ Aww.

‐ Well, his brother
beat him in this.

‐ Well, up next is another

of Grant McCartney's
big‐body ninjas.

This is Mike Wright.

‐ [barking] Let's go, Mike!

‐ He's a diving coach
at the University of Tennessee

who calls himself
the Speedo Ninja,

but back in Knoxville
he's better known as Dad.

‐ Jump, jump, jump, jump.

‐ Since the last season,

we've got
an addition to our family.

Baby Cam.

Got a son, actually,
Camden Wright.

‐ [babbling]

‐ He's almost one years old now.

He's almost walking,
but he's hanging on

to everything
and kinda shuffling around.

Hey, what you doing up there?
What you doing up there?

Camden's brought a whole new
level of joy to the family.

Hello, buddy. [laughs]

We got, like,
a little swim Speedo for him

that he rocks in the pool too,

so we're‐‐we're both
hanging onto the Speedo.

[cheers and applause]

I've been on this show
for four seasons now,

and I've yet to hit a buzzer.

‐ No!

‐ Oh, oh! ‐ Oh!

‐ But that's all gonna
change tonight.

♪ ♪

This one's for baby Cam,

so the Speedo's
getting up that wall.

‐ Good luck for your daddy.

‐ And there's Camden cheering
with Mike's wife

and his daughter.

Mike's parents
and sisters also watching.

‐ Well, this time around, Matt,

he's not wearing the Speedo.

‐ Mike Wr‐‐oh, wait. Uh‐oh.

‐ Oh, hold on, what's this?
‐ Uh‐oh, whoa.

‐ What's this? What‐‐
‐ Come on‐‐Akbar.

Oh, there we go.

Does not disappoint,
and G‐Mac in a Speedo.

‐ Let's go!
‐ Hold on, what about Kam?

‐ Kam Wimbley saying,

"Team‐‐team only goes
so far, guys."

Mike Wright, the smallest of
our big‐body ninjas at 6'2",

200 pounds, and quickly
through the Shrinking Steps.

‐ Okay, he's gotta be
careful here on Weight For It.

This is where we saw
Kam Wimbley struggle, Matt.

‐ A real challenge here.

Great kip work, kipping out,
Mike Wright.

‐ I think the bigger
you are, Matt,

the faster you've gotta get
through Weight For It.

‐ Absolutely, Akbar.
‐ It's a lot of weight.

‐ Try to preserve
that grip strength.

Got to absorb it, absorb
this bar in on the drop.

‐ Nice. ‐ Perfect!

‐ Matt, he's in rhythm.
He's in rhythm; I can see it.

‐ Well, the diving coach trying

to stay out of the water...

And he's through.

‐ There you go, good job.
Good job.

‐ Mike Wright now on
Ring Chaser,

and again,
you really want that big ring.

‐ Being a big guy,
you don't want to settle

for the smaller ring.
This obstacle is tough enough.

‐ And you've gotta figure out
your hand work.

‐ Go, go, go, go, go.

‐ Go, reach, reach, reach!
‐ Go, go, go, go, go get it!

‐ Yeah, boy!
‐ Go get it, big dog! Yeah!

‐ Mike Wright, you can see,
didn't even get to

that last bar,
just relied on his wingspan.

‐ I see you, big fella.
‐ And building up momentum,

going right for the transition.

Great approach!

Mike Wright has been
flawless in technique.

‐ Yes!

‐ Gotta get his big frame
across Rib Run.

‐ All right, you can't spell
Speedo without speed.

Fast feet! Oh!

‐ Oh, my! ‐ Yay, yeah!

Yeah, yeah, yeah!

‐ Divers can run, too.

‐ The Speedo Ninja looking like

a running back, long strides
there, skipping ribs.

‐ He wants that buzzer.
Matt, he wants that buzzer.

‐ He's one step closer

but first has to
survive Slingshot.

‐ Remember, not too
close a grip.

‐ And this is an obstacle
he has yet to conquer.

He couldn't get past it

last year in Cincinnati
qualifying...

‐ Oh! ‐ Or in the city finals.

No!

‐ Matt, this year is different.

He's doing this
for his son Camden.

‐ Go, Daddy, go. Go, Daddy, go.

‐ Can the third time
be the charm

for the Speedo Ninja?

‐ Good, yes, Plenty, yo, plenty.

‐ He's a diver. He's comfortable

flying through the air.
‐ Good, good.

‐ Keep in mind, this is
gonna be a long drop.

‐ You got it, bud. ‐ Got it!

‐ Man, he's in great shape,
great technique.

‐ And so efficient, Akbar.
‐ Take your time.

‐ He is being efficient.

That's preserving
the grip strength.

‐ Yes, you're good. You're good.

‐ But that bar getting up.
‐ Come on.

‐ Improper bar placement

can spell
the end here on Slingshot.

‐ Come on. ‐ Nice, nice.

‐ He's never made it
to the Warped Wall

in qualifying.
A couple of moves away.

‐ Oh, yes! ‐ Oh, he is fighting!

‐ And this obstacle took him
out last year.

‐ Twice, but he gets
his revenge!

‐ Get out of there!

‐ Mike Wright through Slingshot,

and now he can feel it.

His first buzzer's in sight.

‐ Yay! Way to go!

‐ You got it, bro.
Catch your breath.

Catch your breath.
Hit a buzzer here.

‐ You got it, you got it.
‐ Get your eyes up.

Get your eyes up, homey.

‐ Beat that wall!
‐ With his family watching,

this is
what every ninja dreams of.

‐ Oh, he's got this one.
Up, up, up and away!

[cheers and applause]
‐ And he's gonna do it!

[buzzer blares]

‐ Yeah!

‐ Yeah, Daddy!

‐ Such a great run‐‐his first
buzzer in competition.

‐ Yeah!

‐ Mike, you never touched
that buzzer before.

How do‐‐how does it feel?
How does it feel?

‐ It's great.

Oh, I've been waiting
for this moment.

‐ Let's go, big boy!
‐ You got it.

‐ Oh, big ninjas do big things.

‐ Let's go!

♪ ♪

‐ The Speedo Ninja always knows

how to make an entrance.

He got his revenge on Slingshot

and, with his son
Camden watching,

he got his first buzzer ever.

That grin says it all.

Big things. That felt good.

‐ Coming up, he's danced
his way into our hearts.

‐ And McCartney, he's the
master of funky dance moves.

‐ The fun‐loving Island Ninja,
Grant McCartney,

is ready to crush the course,

up next on
"American Ninja Warrior."

‐ We're nearing the end of our
first qualifying night

on "American Ninja Warrior."

While we were away,

two more ninjas
got their chance to shine.

First up was Julius Ferguson,

also known as rapper
Black Jewels.

‐ Ninjas are back again.

Even a pandemic couldn't
stop it from happening.

‐ He can bust rhymes,

and he busted
through the course.

‐ Gotta hit it hard and fast.

‐ Taking Akbar's advice,

Ferguson finished the course,

his best run in three seasons.

First buzzer ever.

‐ Why you play so hard
to get, girl?

‐ Then it was our final female
competitor of the night,

Taylor Johnson.
Though only 4'11" tall,

"Teej," as she's known,
rose to the occasion.

‐ Bound, bound, bound, bound!
Yeah!

‐ Oh, my.

‐ Yeah! ‐ Let's go!

‐ Coming out big.
The gymnastics coach

from Foxborough, Massachusetts,

finally fell on Slingshot,

but she's in the top three
among the women.

She'll join Sandy Zimmerman

and Allyssa Beird
in the semifinals.

‐ Matt, I don't care.
That was a hell of a run.

‐ Whoo!

‐ And now is the final member

of that big boy ninja group,

dancing his way
to the start line.

You already know
it's Grant McCartney,

and the Island Ninja
is a six‐time veteran

who makes it fun whenever
he comes out to compete,

but this year has
a fresh new training method

to help him crush the course.

‐ What? Oh, yeah, turn it up!

Now for my greatest
ninja feat ever.

Ahh!

[groaning]

Ahh.

Some people would say
my training techniques

are a little unique...

♪ ♪

But I like to produce results
with produce.

The old apple trick.

I ripped apart apples...

There you go. ‐ Dang!

‐ [laughs, grunts]

‐ Pineapples, coconuts...
[grunting]

watermelons. [laughter]

[screams]

Yeah!

No fruit is safe
in the produce aisle.

♪ ♪

It's actually good
grip strength training,

and when your hands
get all juicy

and you're still trying
to rip it apart,

it's the same thing

as if my hands get sweaty
when I'm on the ninja course

and I'm holding on to something.

‐ Oh!

‐ Look, it's great training,
and it's delicious.

♪ ♪

‐ Matt, I bet you he makes
a mean fruit salad.

‐ We miss you.

‐ And there's his sister Staley,

along with his niece,
Ivy May, and his nephew, Jack.

‐ Island Ninja, baby!

‐ Plus his dad, former
NFL player Ron McCartney.

‐ Let's go, bruh!

‐ On the sidelines,
the big bodies

Grant invited for this season,
Mike Wright,

who just hit a buzzer,
and former NFLer

Kamerion Wimbley.

[countdown clock beeping]

Ever since he exploded
onto the scene

back in season seven,

Grant McCartney
has been a bringer of joy,

looking to represent
for the big boys.

‐ Well, this is where his
teammate Kam Wimbley went out.

‐ First chance to see
if that fruit crushing

has improved his grip.

Big drop, great technique
there out of G‐Mac,

and we know he's had
his problems with the bar,

really struggled
on the Salmon Ladder

in the past,
but looking comfortable here

on Weight For It.

‐ You got it! ‐ Buh‐‐

‐ He's not showing
any sense of urgency.

Remember, only the top 12
move on,

and with only
a few more runners left,

he may need to finish
to guarantee a spot

in the semifinals.

‐ Makes the dismount.
‐ Let's go, buddy! Let's go!

‐ Let's go, Grant!
‐ Only through two obstacles,

can save some time if he makes
the catch on Ring Chaser.

‐ Go, go, go, go, go, go, go,
go, go, go, go!

Get it, get it! Oh, he‐‐ ‐ Oh!

‐ Ooh, right on the tip
of his finger!

‐ And now here's the challenge,

much smaller diameter,

only eight inches
on this smaller handle.

‐ I don't like this
for Grant McCartney.

Remember, he's 205 pounds.

‐ Well, the challenge here,
will he make it in one move?

And these extra swings‐‐watch,
this ring can slide off.

G‐Mac‐‐
‐ That's a lot of weight.

‐ Trouble to build up momentum.

‐ That's a lot of weight
to hold...

‐ Here we go.
‐ And absorb on that ring!

Oh, but he got it! ‐ Oh, my!

That's confidence there,
and you could see him.

He knew you can't
take extra swings,

or that ring will slide off.

‐ I'm never doing that again.

‐ Yeah! There we go, buddy!

‐ You got it! ‐ Heck yeah!

‐ Look at this on Ring Chaser.

He had it. He saw it, and oh!

‐ Fingertips.
Watch his footwork here.

G‐Mac likes to dance.
Can he dance through Rib Run?

‐ Oh, he's got rhythm.
I'm not worried about him.

Rib Run is nothing.
‐ Staying to the right side.

‐ This is rip run for him,
rip and run.

‐ Got it. ‐ Rip and run, baby.

‐ And that was smooth.

‐ I wanna know what kinda dance
he's gonna do

on the Warped Wall.

You know he's got a new one.

‐ I like the confidence, Akbar,

representing big boys,

but not a fast time
to this point,

so he really needs to finish

to guarantee a spot
in the top 12,

and we've seen it,
be precise with this bar.

‐ Yeah, you seeing him
looking left, right,

left, right,
making sure that it's even.

‐ And going a little wider
with those hands,

making him a better set‐‐ooh.
‐ Ooh.

‐ Overshot on the left side.
‐ Overshot, yup.

Oh, and that Slingshot
has got so much give to it.

‐ Especially as a bigger boy.
‐ Nice!

‐ Oh, the fruit training
really paying off here

on Slingshot.
‐ Yeah, he got through this

twice last year in Cincinnati,

so he's very familiar
with this obstacle.

‐ And G‐Mac, you can see him,

he's just focusing
on the right side,

trusting the left side
will follow suit.

‐ Yeah, he better keep his eye
on that left side.

Ooh.

‐ Keeping the placement
but doing a great job

with spacing,
keeping that bar centered.

‐ Come on, come on. ‐ Long drop!

‐ Come on, Grant.
Come on, Grant.

‐ Got it!
He'll be guaranteed a spot

in the top 12
if he gets through this,

and he's moving on!

But will he do the Mega Wall?

‐ Do big ninjas do big things?
‐ Do big things!

‐ Big ninjas do big things,
baby.

‐ Do big things! ‐ Let's go.

‐ He'll be the first to try

the 18‐foot Mega Wall
this season.

‐ He got it last year.
He gonna get that money.

‐ Cleared for takeoff. ‐ Ooh.

Both: Yeah!

‐ Oh!

‐ Yeah! Yeah!

‐ The Island Ninja pumped up!

‐ Make some money for a new car.

‐ Will he be the first
to get the Mega Wall?

$10,000 on the line.

‐ You got it, you got it,
you got it, bro, you got it.

‐ The Island Ninja, 6'2",

205 pounds,
and looking to get up 18 feet.

‐ Come on, baby. ‐ One shot.

‐ Come on! ‐ 10K!

‐ No crowd, no problem.

He's got his teammates
on the side cheering him on.

‐ Island Ninja!
‐ Come on, come on!

‐ Oh! ‐ Oh!

‐ You could see it
just peeled out.

Looked like he
didn't have the traction.

‐ Finish it out, baby. Let's go.

‐ Yeah, you got this.
Finish strong.

‐ Yeah, he needed a little bit
more speed up that ramp.

‐ 14 1/2 feet.

‐ Nice. ‐ No problem.

‐ Hit it. ‐ There it is.

He gets it.

Another big boy gets a buzzer.

‐ Yeah, baby!

‐ The man!

‐ Yo, yo, yo!

Where's my dance, homey?
‐ You know what?

I'll bring one back.

Yeah, but then
I'll take it in, boy.

‐ Oh! ‐ And yeah, hey.

‐ Oh, okay.

‐ A shimmy. ‐ Let's go, baby!

‐ What's it feel like,
in these conditions,

getting here,
getting to the top of the wall?

‐ I feel thankful
that we're doing it, right?

I'm just happy
to see my friends,

have another opportunity
to do this.

Always hitting a buzzer
feels good,

but honestly, it's just good
to see everybody again.

‐ Hey, Grant,
you've been pent up,

and you let it all out tonight.
‐ Yeah!

‐ There it is! The Island Ninja!

Moving on to the semifinals.

‐ See you, guys.

‐ Coming up. ‐ Let's go, babe!

You got this! ‐ There you go.

‐ Earlier he watched his hero,
his wife Pauline,

fulfill her dream.

‐ Let's go! ‐ Whoo!

‐ Now it's his turn.
Jody Avila takes the course

when "American Ninja Warrior"
returns.

‐ Welcome back to St. Louis
and the conclusion

of our season premiere
of "American Ninja Warrior."

While we were away,
it was Roge't Maddox,

the other Houston‐area ninja
invited by Jody Avila.

Maddox comes from a huge family.

He's got 19 siblings.

‐ He's got a lot
of support here.

‐ The videographer looked good
at the start

but lost his focus
on the second obstacle.

Oh, no!

‐ No! Too aggressive.

‐ Now here comes the leader
of that group from Houston

and our final runner
of the night.

It's the Big Dog, 6'6"

heating and air conditioning
technician,

Jody Avila.

Earlier we told you
how Jody's wife, Pauline,

has been on the frontlines
of the COVID‐19 pandemic

as an ICU nurse,

and how she's had
to self‐quarantine

from her family.

‐ I've had to step up
in helping out with homework

and making dinner
and cleaning the house.

Trying to take care
of the family, it's been hard,

but with everyone
in quarantine, me and Brandon

have been crushing courses
in the backyard.

I plan on going further
than ever before,

and with the help of this guy,
I'll be sure to do it.

‐ Not if you're gonna sit here
talking all day.

Let's get back to work!

‐ Not having Brandon
on my sideline this year

is really gonna affect me
'cause he's always coaching me

through these obstacles,

but his coaching
has gotten me far enough

where I can do this on my own.

‐ I think he's ready.

‐ After the last few months
that we've been through,

hitting a buzzer this year
for my family,

especially with my wife
watching on the sideline,

would be amazing.

[cheers and applause]

‐ And there is Pauline.

Such an emotional moment
earlier tonight.

Big group of family and friends

watching back in Texas.

‐ Papi! ‐ Including their boys,

Brandon and Christian.

‐ And according to Jody,

Brandon's the best ninja
in the house.

He even calls him Coach.

‐ Well, Jody wants to be
considered one of the elite.

He finished his first city
finals course last year,

and tonight he's gunning
for the fastest time.

[countdown clock beeping]

To do it, he'll need to top
Tyler Gillett's 1:45.

‐ And he moves well
for his size,

but that's gonna be
a tough time to beat.

‐ This is a challenging
obstacle for the big boys.

Gonna be some heavy drops here,

but great hip power
for these laches.

‐ Nice.

Yeah, you see how
he came up over the top of it?

‐ He caught that with his belly.

‐ Yeah, but that's it.
You wanna shoot higher,

so that way you have time
to make that grab.

‐ Absolutely, and to absorb it.

Use the back to take some
of that shock coming down.

He wrapped his arm around it!

‐ Matt, he is securing it.

He did the Vince Carter
on that one.

He said, "Uh‐uh, I am not
going out on this one."

[cheering]

‐ Now Ring Chaser.

Now, keep in mind,
a long frame here, Akbar.

Can he use that wingspan
to get out there fast?

Oh, skipping them.
‐ He was waiting for it.

He went from Weight For It
to waiting for that ring.

‐ And in one move, Jody Avila,

a blistering pace
for the Big Dog.

‐ Oh, he's trucking. Woof, woof!

‐ And if he gets through
Rib Run,

he'll be guaranteed a spot
in the top 12.

‐ Stay on top. Stay on top.

Stay on top.
Oh, he good, he good.

‐ Let's go! Come on!

‐ And he's pumped.

‐ Yes! ‐ Let's go!

‐ That's my Dog right there.

‐ So he knows he's moving on.

Now he can go
for the fastest time.

‐ Come on, man!
Let them dogs out!

‐ Says he's not gonna go
for the Mega Wall,

wants the top time,

would love to get it
for his wife, Pauline.

‐ Come on, babe! ‐ There you go.

‐ Watch the left side
of that bar!

Good correction. ‐ Boy.

‐ Yeah, bring it on!

‐ But he is running out of time,

only about 15 seconds left.
Can he do it?

‐ Come on, one more to go, Jody.

That's my Dog. That's my Dog!

‐ Needs the dismount‐‐
only a few seconds left!

He's got a chance
for the fastest time.

He's going for it!
‐ Oh, he's going for it!

Go for it! Go for it! Go for it!

‐ Can he get to that buzzer?
‐ Go! Go! Go! Oh!

‐ We're gonna
have to check the time!

‐ Oh! ‐ Let's go!

‐ Oh! Ohh! ‐ Let's go!

‐ Jody Avila, the fastest time
of the night!

‐ That's what I'm talking about!

♪ ♪

‐ Yes! Yes! Yes!

‐ Hey, who said big dogs
can't run fast, huh?

‐ Let's go, baby!

‐ What do you think your coach
is gonna say?

What's Brandon
gonna have to say?

‐ Man, I couldn't even look
at him on the starting line,

'cause I knew I was gonna cry.

‐ Look, Brandon's right there.

‐ Brandon,
what do you think, bud?

‐ I love you, Papi!
‐ I love you, bud.

I love you, bud.

‐ Yes! Yes! Yes!

‐ Whoo. I'm tired.

‐ Well, no wonder he's tired.

He used those long arms
on Ring Chaser

and those long legs on Rib Run,

and he let out
a big bark to celebrate.

‐ Well, here's a look
at all the ninjas

moving on from tonight.

Behind Jody are Tyler Gillett
and his buddy,

Gnarly Ninja Nate Hansen.

Others advancing include
the Island Ninja,

Grant McCartney,
and teacher Allyssa Beird.

Stuntman Flip Rodriguez

will also join them
in the semifinals,

which start in just four weeks.

Joining Allyssa Beird
in the top three women

are gymnastics coach
Taylor Johnson

and super mom Sandy Zimmerman.

For Akbar Gbajabiamila
and Zuri Hall, I'm Matt Iseman.

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