American Ninja Warrior (2009–…): Season 14, Episode 10 - National Finals #1 - full transcript

What a moment!

Being in Vegas,
man, it's always

such an amazing opportunity.

And I'm gonna show the world
what I've got.

35 feet closer to my dad!

It's the promised land
in my rookie year.

Let it out, let it out.

I got goose bumps.

I'm trying
to make sure this is real.

Having type 1 diabetes
and living with it every day

and competing with it
is not easy.



You got your buzzer, Katie!

It is so incredible
just to be sitting here.

I got to give it
everything I have.

Let's go!

You never fail until you quit,

and I have not quit yet.

It's already been such a
great comeback season for me.

I'm, like,
super grateful for it.

I'm having
my best season ever.

It feels like it's all coming
into place for me this year.

National Finals, baby.
Let's go!

Lots of big shows
on the Vegas Strip,

but nothing's more exciting
than the National Finals

of "American Ninja Warrior"!



Hello, everyone,
and thanks for joining us.

I'm Matt Iseman.
And I'm Akbar Gbajabiamila.

This is it.

This is our Super Bowl.

Only the top athletes
are left,

and one of them could walk away

with a millie,
a million dollars!

It's not gonna be easy,
though.

They'll have to get
through four stages,

and we start tonight
with stage one.

For a closer look
at the course,

let's go down to Zuri Hall.

Guys, we have
taken the obstacles

to another level all season,

and we're doing it again
here on stage one.

It starts with a sprint
across Slide Surfer.

That leads to the brand-new
Three Ring Circus.

Ninjas have to swing up
and make a blind grab,

then use the final ring
to get to the landing pad.

The third obstacle
is the wild ride

of the Giant Roller Coaster...

Ride it, ride it!

Nice!

Followed
by the Jumping Spider.

Right through it.

Then it's
the all-new Tetherball,

where ninjas have to swing
round and round on the rope

and land safely.

Nailed it.

After a run
up the modified Warped Wall,

it's a Split Decision.

Ninjas can hit the button

and run across
the Dipping Birds

to jump up and grab the
ring on the High Road--

a quicker but riskier option--

or they can take the slower
but safer choice--

the Fly Hooks.

And they'll have to do it
in 2 minutes, 50 seconds.

It's gonna be great. Guys?

Well, we're gonna
kick things off

with one of this season's
biggest success stories.

This is Levi Enright,

one of those high-energy
group of ninjas from Iowa

that includes
his best friend, Chris.

There's Levi's fiancée,
Bailey.

Those two
happen to be first cousins.

Yeah, Levi's not
your everyday farm boy.

So this year
has been amazing so far.

I proposed to Chris's cousin
Bailey, and she said yes.

Yeah, he's going
for it, he wants it.

In San Antonio,
I scaled that Mega Wall.

Bro-tein shake!

Weddings are expensive,

so having that ten grand
from the Mega Wall

is really helping out a lot.

Then the semifinals
came around.

Here we go. Nice!

First time
on an extended course,

and finished the ten obstacles
with the fastest time.

Noggin!

And then on
to the Power Tower,

I had to go against
the homey Jackson Twait.

Now they're neck and neck!

I beat Jackson
by 9/100ths of a second.

Look at this!
Oh!

It can't get much
closer than that.

And now I'm here

at National Finals
for the first time

with Chris and Jackson

and the Safety Pass
in my back pocket.

It's gonna be a good time.

And there's that Safety Pass
he won on the Power Tower,

so if he falls,
he'll get another shot.

And Levi's gonna get
plenty of support

from that rowdy Iowa
cheering section.

Well, here we go, Akbar.

The clock will count down
from 2 minutes, 50 seconds.

First up, Slide Surfer.

Boom, boom, boom,
boom, boom, nice!

Yeah!
Let's go!

Here's a new one,
Three Ring Circus.

All right, lean back,
pull back, get that momentum.

Going to that big top
to a blind grab.

Got it!
Oh, nice!

Now get to that third ring
and slide down,

get the dismount.

Nice and easy.

Perfect!

But now here comes
Giant Roller Coaster,

and this thing is colossal!

60 feet long!

Gotta ride down with the bar
and make those jumps.

Here we go.

Nice!
Now another move,

got to take that
little rhythm, and he did it!

Ooh, Levi Enright,
show you're right!

Just needs the dismount.

Boom!
No problem!

And obstacle four
is the iconic Jumping Spider.

Okay, get a good jump
and lock in.

Got it!

And you can see that
Safety Pass on his butt.

That only saves him
on stage one or two.

Hoping he doesn't have
to use that tonight.

Went fast in qualifying
and semifinals.

But he's having trouble
making progress here, Akbar,

and that's eating up
some time.

He better get going.

Come on.
Finally gets through.

Halfway through the course,

but these final obstacles
can eat up time.

On to another new one,
Tetherball, Akbar.

The first one to attempt this
new obstacle, grab that rope,

and then wind his way around
to the landing platform.

All right, spin around,
spin that ball around.

You are the ball!

And you will get
lower and lower

on that rope as you go around.

Well, there's nothing
like this in Iowa.

All right, there he goes.

See if he tries
to land it this time.

Uh-oh!

Oh, now his feet are
getting close to the water.

He's got to go.

And he lands it.

Still got a minute left, Akbar.

Now the 14-foot Warped Wall.

And he's reached
Split Decision.

He may need High Road.
Yeah.

Noggin!
Oh, noggin!

Has to fly across
the Dipping Birds

to get to that ring.

Oh, no!
No!

He was scrambling to get
to the High Road

and came up short
on Dipping Birds,

but he's got that Safety Pass
he won on the Power Tower

back in semifinals,
so he'll get to run again.

With the clock ticking down,
he used his noggin

to activate the quicker
option, High Road.

And he was rushing!

When those Dipping Birds
drop down,

you've gotta move fast,
and Levi came up short.

So he'll get another chance
to take on stage one.

Guess we're going
back at it.

Another round on it.

Shoot!

Up next is another athlete
who's had a memorable season.

This is 15-year-old
Jacob Arnstein,

carrying the Guatemalan flag.

That's where Jacob was born
before being adopted

by an American family.

He's come to the start line
with his little brother Sam,

who was also adopted.

Sam has special needs,
but Jacob says

it's Sam's courage
that really motivates him

out here on the course.

Oh, he's showing him
how to do it.

Giving him tips
for the first obstacle.

What a special bond
these two have.

Now you can't jump me.

I call myself the Guat Ninja

because I was born
in Guatemala.

But my brother Sam was adopted
from Colombia

around 1,000 miles away.

Even though me and Sam came
from two different countries,

we were meant to be brothers.

Hey, Sam, what are you
excited about Vegas for?

I'm excited
about the hotel...

and the pool.

5'3" (160cm), can he get
his first buzzer?

Yes!

Oh, my goodness!

When Jacob hit the
buzzer in San Antonio,

I've never seen Sam
as emotional as he was.

It was pretty emotional for me

seeing those two hug
when Jacob came down

from the Warped Wall.

I'm just so happy.

So proud of you,
dude, so proud.

It doesn't matter
that they're not,

you know, blood brothers
or biological brothers.

They were supposed
to be brothers.

All right, go to the X now.

Grab on to those sides.

Me and Sam do Ninja together.

As I've excelled,
I've really wanted

to help Sam grow
in the sport too.

Sam's going to be here
in Vegas cheering me on,

and that means a lot to me.

If I hit a buzzer on stage one,

Sam's going to be going crazy,
not only 'cause I'm going

on to stage two,
but because we get to stay

one more night at the hotel.

All right, Jacob!

And, of course,
Sam is on the sideline

with Jacob's parents
and training partners.

Watching from Guatemala, the
woman who runs the orphanage

where Jacob was adopted from.

Let's go!
Come on, come on!

Explodes across
the Slide Surfer.

Just like Sam showed him!

Now Three Ring Circus.

And there's a good look there.

He can't see that second ring
that's on the other side.

All right, now lean back and
then ride it all the way up.

Makes the blind grab.

Arnstein only 5'3" (160cm),
battling an obstacle

two stories above the ground.

Come on.

And gets through!

But here goes the ride
on the Giant Roller Coaster.

Yeah.
These super-sized obstacles

can be so intimidating.

Here we go.
Watch the transition.

Nice.

There you go, nice,

just throwing his body
into it.

Good transfer!
Ooh!

Tight, tight, tight, tight!

Got through it!

They can hear Sam
all over Vegas!

He is so proud of his brother.

But at 5'3" (160cm), gonna need
a good powerful leap

to get deep into the chute
on Jumping Spider.

Boom, just like that!
Nice!

Nice flexibility too.

So amazing when we saw him
in qualifying,

as those kids from
the Luz de Maria Orphanage

from where he was adopted

were watching him
on the course.

What a special moment
that was.

Got to be so proud
of this young man.

But now only a minute
and a half left.

Needs to get through
Tetherball quickly.

Having that clock on
stage one adds extra pressure.

And, again,
he's only 15 years old.

Hit a buzzer
back in qualifying.

Let's see if he
can go for a ride here,

end up
on that landing platform.

All right, here we go,
go around for that spin.

Nice, even--you see how his
body's straight like a pencil?

Uh-oh, now he's starting to get
a little bit of movement here.

Got to stay calm,
see the landing.

Find that target, land it.

Nice--no!
No!

The impact!

Arnstein bounced off!

Oh, my goodness.

Looked like he
had it lined up.

Jacob Arnstein
out on Tetherball.

He gave Sam and his family
some thrills

like he's done all year,
but on Tetherball,

couldn't stay on top
of the landing pad

and just slid right off.

Tonight, it's Vegas, baby!

And we're ready to roll!

Get excited!

Get excited!

We've got "Ninja's"
biggest stars...

This is going to be
big-time!

And the best stories
of the season.

Oh, my goodness!

For some, their season
will end in heartbreak.

Oh, no!
No, no, no!

While others keep their
million-dollar dreams alive.

What the what?

Less than a second!

It's gonna be a party.

We are ready to rock out
in Vegas.

It's the wildest show
on the Strip.

Awesome.
Yeah, bro.

On night one
at the National Finals...

Hey, there we go. Hey!

Of "American Ninja Warrior."

Welcome back to Las Vegas,

where the NFL's Raiderettes
cheerleaders

are keeping this crowd hyped.

Minutes ago, Illinois
teenager Maggie Owen

made her
National Finals debut.

She trains in Chicago
with one of the best--

Jesse "Flex" Labreck.

And Owen, at just 5 feet tall
and 105 pounds,

came up big
on Three Ring Circus.

That was impressive!

Then the recent
high school grad

went for a ride
on the Giant Roller Coaster.

All right,
throw yourself--oh!

Oh, just missed the grab!

Another Chicagoan,
Derrick Pavoni,

is better known as
the Pizza Ninja.

Let's go!

We've got Pavoni and cheese!

The 28-year-old
sliced his way

through the early obstacles

and knew how to handle
the Giant Roller Coaster.

Technique is
required, though.

Nice!

Then tried to deliver

on the Jumping Spider.

He's got to stick this one
like he ain't gluten-free.

Ooh!
Oh!

Not bringing in
the dough this year.

We may need
some divine intervention

to change the luck
of our ninjas,

and we've got just
the guy for that.

It's the Papal Ninja,
Sean Bryan.

The 37-year-old
Catholic Church worker

is one of the best.

He's been part of Team USA

in our international
competition

and has been as far
as stage three twice.

The former college gymnast,
a legit threat to win it all.

He's got his dad
on the sidelines,

along with some priests
and other friends,

plus lots of family
watching back in Jersey.

There it is,
the gymnast salute.

Last year had a perfect season

going to the very end
of stage two.

Hoping to get back there
once again.

Four-year gymnast
at Temple and Cal.

You can tell, Matt,
he is super focused.

Here we go, Sean Bryan.

Holy Spirit, activate!

Oh, no!
Oh, no, no, no!

No!

No!
Thought he was going

to levitate,
but Sean Bryan

shockingly out
on just the second obstacle.

My goodness.

Look at it again!

He made the initial grab,

but as he tried
to adjust his grip,

it slipped
right out of his hands!

And that's a long way down,
18 feet (5.5m) to the water.

Well, up next,
another "Ninja" favorite,

it's the Big Dog,
6'6" (198cm) Jody Avila.

The heating and
air-conditioning technician

and father of two from Texas

is making his fourth
appearance in Vegas.

But last year
didn't go as planned.

Avila went for the High Road
with plenty of time left.

Here we go, he's
got the long legs--

No!

But even with his long legs,

he couldn't get past
Dipping Birds,

and he fell on stage one
for the second time

in his career.

Hi, boys.
Love you!

Watching from back in Texas,
Jody's wife and two sons.

We love you, babe.

I love you, boys.
I love you, babe.

And good friends
Barclay Stockett,

Flip Rodriguez,
and RJ Roman on his sideline.

Time to let the Big Dog eat!

36 years old,
7th season competing

in "American Ninja Warrior,"
made it to stage two

only once back in season nine.

Looking to turn
the clock back,

show these young teens
he's still the Big Dog.

Yes, he is, Matt.

This dude's got
a lot of bite in him.

It's all about really
putting it together!

Ooh!
Come on, big guy!

Stays alive!
Whoa-ho-ho!

He's smiling.

He knows he escaped
a near disaster!

Well, he's definitely tall
enough to ride this ride,

but can he handle
the Giant Roller Coaster?

I like what you did there.
That was really cool.

Yes, he can.

Land it, land it.

You see how calm he came in.

Yeah!
Let's go!

Jumping Spider
shouldn't be a problem,

but get those legs
in simultaneously.

Nice.
There it is.

Almost too wide, that's
good flexibility there!

Yeah, look,
that's not great flexibility,

but he's in there bunched up.

He is a big dude, though.

Let's see you
in there, big man.

Nah, I'm not making it.
Yeah, nor am I.

Long drop.
Ooh, ooh!

Oh, be careful, dog!

Yeah!
Come on!

All right, okay.

All right, I'll let you
borrow the jacket.

Hey, watch your legs
here on the water, Big Dog!

Here he goes on Tetherball.

Yeah, I can tell,
Matt, he's 36 years old.

It's been a long time
since he played tetherball.

Well, this obstacle
is new to him,

and with those long legs,

you'll have to really
be careful

as that rope
lowers closer to the water.

Oh, here we go
for a big old spin here.

That's 6'6" (198cm),
215 pounds (97kg) going around.

Looks like he's finding
the control there,

sliding down the rope,
here we go.

Okay--oh, boy!
One extra push!

He's got to land it on this
one 'cause it's getting--

The rope is getting lower! Oh!

Did you see the way
he used his long legs?

But now under a minute.

He's gonna have to hustle.

No problem
with the Warped Wall.

Looking a bit winded.

He needs the High Road,

but that means he's going
to have to sprint

across the Dipping Birds,

and that's what made him
fall last time!

Hits the button.

No time to think
about a rematch

with the Dipping Birds--
he's got to go.

He's not--no, no!

No--oh!
Thank God he's 6'6" (198cm)!

He's still alive,
but now got to get going!

Doesn't have a lot of time!

Go, Jody!
He may be shaken up,

'cause he's moving very slow.

You got to go, you got to go!
You have 30 seconds, come on!

This can eat up
a lot of time here

on the Fly Hooks,
these transitions,

and that clock is ticking!

Oh,
he's got to be efficient.

Oh, Akbar,
he just put himself

in a big hole here.

Oh, I'm not liking it.
Go for it!

Nice!

Get on to that net, get on!
Come on!

Go!
Hustle, hustle!

Oh, boy.
Oh, my God!

Jody Avila is gonna time out!

Oh, my goodness!

Feet away from
going back to stage two!

Oh, my goodness.

Oh, my gosh!

Oh.
The Big Dog put down,

timed out on stage one.
Oh.

Oh, babe, you got so close.

He almost fell
on Dipping Birds

for the second-straight year,

was able to save himself
with those long legs.

But it took extra time,
and he just didn't have enough

to get to the buzzer.

Coming up, he gets his
training down on the farm.

Whoo!
The Country Boy Ninja,

Josiah Singleton,

and his wild bunch of Loonies

are ready to run wild
on the course.

Let's go!

Welcome back
to "American Ninja Warrior,"

where it's night one
of our National Finals.

Minutes ago,
Utah nurse Mady Howard

had her biggest fan on hand,

her eight-month-old son,
Beckham.

Aw, look at Beckham.

Then the "Ninja" veteran
hit the course

with Beckham and her
husband cheering her on.

The last time she was on
stage one was three years ago,

but she couldn't get
past the third obstacle.

No!

Tonight
on the Giant Roller Coaster,

history repeated itself.

Oh!

Don't worry, baby Beckham.
Mommy's okay.

It's a bummer.

We'll get it next year.

Then it was one of the
bro-tastic ninjas from Iowa,

Chris Behrends.

Fumbling, bumbling through
there, but he made it.

He's the second of three
ninjas from the Hawkeye State

to make it
to the National Finals.

Iowa's definitely
representing

out here in the desert.

The 21-year-old
college student

was looking good as he
approached the Dipping Birds,

where his buddy Levi Enwright
fell earlier.

All right, keep
your feet high,

keep your feet high,
keep your feet high!

Oh, no!

Behrends fell
on the very same obstacle,

but he doesn't have
a Safety Pass like Levi.

So for Chris Behrends,
his season is over.

Well, our next runner is
sure to get this crowd going.

This is the Country Boy Ninja,
Josiah Singleton.

He's a grad student
at Liberty University,

and he's another ninja

who's got a Safety Pass
on his shorts.

But his biggest advantage
may be the Looney bunch

from Virginia on his sideline.
Whoo!

Are y'all ready?

Three, two, one, action!
Whoo!

I'm from a really small town,
and country people like us,

we don't really
travel to Vegas too much.

Whoo!

Country Boy to the big city!

I looked
at Mount Midoriyama,

and I'm like, "My gosh, that's
bigger than our whole town."

But Lynchburg, for sure,
is becoming a hub for Ninja.

Let's go!

The Lynchburg Loonies,

it's my best friends
from back home.

Here we go! Go!

We love to just come
together and just hang out

and have fun.

Loonies!

It's super crucial
to have the Loonies

out here with me in Vegas.
Let's go!

Whoo!
Come on!

Come on, let's go!

I love you, Loonies!

Whoo!

Yes!
You did it!

We're gonna bring
the noise to Vegas.

Might get a little
rowdy out here.

Besides the Loonies
on the sidelines,

he's got big groups watching
back in Virginia,

including his family and
a bunch of fellow students

at Liberty University.

Won that Safety Pass in a race
against teenager Evan Andrews.

This is the challenge, Akbar--
we can see that disk

in the middle, but they can't.

Yeah.
On a leap of faith here

on Three Ring Circus.

Perfect.
Very, very easy.

And for Josiah Singleton,

this is his
first time to Las Vegas.

The first time in the finals.

Oh, boy, you don't let the
Country Boy out in Vegas!

Nice.

With the Loonies behind him,
he's had his best season.

Competed three times,

but never had
this kind of success.

Matt, they've got roller
coasters at state fairs,

but not like this.

Boom!

Now he's just got to
make that dismount.

Whoo!
And he's got it!

Let's go!
5'8" (173cm), 155 (70kg),

getting ready
for Jumping Spider.

Hit a straight line
here like a line dance.

Nice!

Well, country acts
do well in Vegas.

Josiah Singleton's
killing it like Shania Twain

up the street
at Planet Hollywood.

And he's on to the back half
of the course.

Got about a minute, 45 left,
but has to keep moving,

and this new one,
Tetherball, is next.

All that training
in the country

has prepared him
for the desert,

and he is doing it right now
on Tetherball.

Here we go.

And you can see
that push-off.

Now, you're not gonna
move in a circle.

You're likely gonna
move in an oval.

You just need the long end
of that oval

to be right there
at the landing pad.

It looks like this next pass--

He's going
counterclockwise here.

He's got to make that
landing right there--nice!

And you can see
the clock ticking down.

All right, here we go,
power up!

Nice!

Josiah Singleton
looking country strong!

And I suspect, Matt, he's
gonna go for some speed here.

I think he's going
to go with High Road.

Here he goes.

You got about
eight seconds now

to get to that trampoline.

No problem!

Can he time it?

Oh, he missed it!
Oh, he missed it.

So now he'll be the second
tonight to try Fly Hooks,

and this is the slower option.

It can eat up a lot of time.

He's got to be
very efficient here.

He's got 40 seconds
to complete it.

The trick here
on the Fly Hooks,

you got to kick
that ring up,

launch himself
high into the net.

And he's done it!

Josiah Singleton's gonna be

our first finisher
of the night!

Oh!
The Country Boy can survive!

And most importantly,
he's keeping that Safety Pass

for stage two, Akbar.

Josiah Singleton
making the most

of his first-ever trip
to Vegas!

Let's go!

Aah!

And the Loonies
are losing it!

Whoo!

Let's go!

That farm work was perfect
training for stage one.

Jumping out of barns is
a lot like the Jumping Spider.

Swinging on the tractor got
him ready for Tetherball,

and running across hay bales

was good practice
for Dipping Birds.

And it led him
to our first buzzer tonight.

And the Loonies
are going wild in Las Vegas.

Coming up,
he mastered Harvard,

and he's mastered
stage one before.

Yeah!

Can "Ninja" veteran
Josh Levin

keep his perfect streak alive?

Whoo!

He's next
on "American Ninja Warrior."

Welcome back to night one
of the National Finals.

17-year-old Karen Potts
is a star

on her high-school
softball team.

Matt, she's trying to knock
this one out of the park.

And she was a "Ninja" star
back in semifinals.

She made it
to the eighth obstacle--

as far as any woman this year.

Tonight the ball player nearly
slid off the first obstacle.

Oh, my goodness!

The shortstop then
showed good hands

on the second obstacle and
tried to go deep on the third.

Oh!

And her impressive
rookie season was over.

No one brings the energy

quite like New York welder
Anthony Eardley.

Whoo!

The four-time veteran
was making

his first appearance
in the National Finals.

Nice--oh, hold on!

And he did get past
the Giant Roller Coaster.

He is wild.

Then the welder tried to
lock it in on Jumping Spider.

Whoa, oh, no! Oh!

There were a boatload
of fans on hand

to watch professional
gondolier Jonah Bonner.

The 25-year-old was hoping
for smooth sailing

in his Vegas debut

but got hung up
on the second...

Come on, you got this!

And the third obstacle...

Whoa!
Okay, that's a great save!

Bonner recovered

and made it through the middle
of the course.

But he was scrambling
to make up time.

Hit and run.

His only hope
was to hit the button

and try the High Road.

Oh, he missed it!

Oh, no!

Check this out.
Oh, so close!

So close!

I was just, like,
a millisecond too late.

Don't call it a comeback,

but up next is our old friend
Josh Levin.

And he's back on stage one

for the first time
in four years.

He was one of the best,

then he stepped away
from Ninja for a few years

to pursue some other goals.

His story is brought
to you by NerdWallet--

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all your financial decisions.

Josh Levin looking
confident here on stage one.

And he's through!

Wow!

Whoo!

After season ten, I took off

three years
of Ninja competition.

I've been very fortunate
to earn my master's degree

from Harvard University.

I also got the opportunity
to try and qualify

for the first-ever Olympics
in rock climbing.

Even though I didn't make
it there as an athlete,

I realized that I need
to take some risks

in order to reach my goals.

Yeah!

Knowing that
really gave me the fire

to come back
to "American Ninja Warrior"

and give it one more shot.

Josh Levin's like clockwork.

He's incredibly consistent.

So dynamic!

In the past, I'd always been
trying to avoid mistakes.

Whoo!

And now I'm just going to go
out there and take some risks

you may not have
seen me take in the past.

What an aggressive pace.

Oh!

Just stays alive.

But I'm really excited
to show you Josh 2.0.

And the shirt's coming off.

Oh, Josh 2.0 is ripped!

This dude's got a Harvard
degree and a six-pack?

Come on.

He's got his parents
and a big group of friends

on the sideline.

Matt,
I don't want to jinx him,

but Josh Levin has
a perfect record on stage one.

Three runs, three buzzers.

What can't he do?

He can Ninja, he can
rock-climb, he can Harvard.

Watch this swing now.

This course is a lot
more agility

than it is upper-body
strength.

So it's gonna be interesting
to see how Josh Levin does.

Levin, a 19-time
national champion

in rock climbing,

won't be intimidated
hanging 18 feet in the air

here on Three Ring Circus.

And he's through.

He's got
an engineering degree,

probably knows all the angles
on Giant Roller Coaster.

You got to have great
anticipatory skills here

to be able to make
that transition,

anticipate the throw here,
make that timing good!

Now just needs the dismount.

Got it.

Just 5'6" (168cm), so needs a big
bounce into Jumping Spider.

Boom!

Ooh, did a little hop
in there!

The old Josh Levin used
to be much more methodical.

Josh 2.0 is moving.

There really is a difference.

He's been teaching an obstacle
design class for a few years,

but probably never seen
anything like Tetherball.

Gotta use his engineering
degree to figure this one out.

But can he execute it?

Well, Matt, you remember
he was very big

in bringing rock climbing
to the Olympics.

Maybe he's going to bring
Tetherball to the Olympics!

Who knows?

Watch this push here.

All right, come on,
master it.

And it looked like he didn't
give a very strong push,

Akbar,
just trusting that circle

to bring him up
to that landing pad.

Yeah, you see him--
he's seeing himself.

He's got to get
his body out wide.

The further he's away--
Working the legs!

Gives him a chance--boom!

Great job!
You see how he bear claws?

Used that lower body
to control his momentum.

And rolls right up
the Warped Wall.

Got about a minute left.

Probably doesn't need
the High Road,

But I think
he's gonna try it.

This is Josh 2.0!

And he's doing it.

Eight seconds
to get through here

on Dipping Birds.

Nice, all right,
look over your left!

Got to look over to your left!

Get it, grab it!

Yes!
Perfect!

Josh Levin!

Now he can ride to the ladder
and skip the cargo net!

The old Josh
would've never tried that!

And he keeps his perfect
streak on stage one alive.

How far can Josh Levin go
in this comeback season?

Yeah!

Our second finisher tonight!

Whoo!

Matt, I'll put that
on everything I love.

I think this dude could make it
all the way to stage four!

Whoo!

He normally plays it safe,
but not tonight.

He moved quickly
through the course

and then took the riskier
option, the High Road,

and nailed it--

the first
to conquer it tonight.

Josh 2.0 is moving on
to stage two!

More of our national
finalists are coming up,

including the rock and roller
from Orlando, RJ Roman,

the stuntman out to change
his luck in Vegas,

Flip Rodriguez,

plus the type 1 diabetic
who's defied the odds,

16-year-old Katie Bone.

It's the National Finals
on "American Ninja Warrior."

Welcome back
to the Las Vegas Strip

and our National Finals.

Ronald Washington's
nickname is Dynamite,

and he was ready to blow
the doors off stage one.

Oh, boy, Matt!

Let's go!

The Florida Fish
and Wildlife officer

had a wild approach
to Three Ring Circus.

He tried to wrap
his legs around it!

The five-time veteran
somehow recovered.

Oh, my goodness!
Explosive!

But his run fizzled out
at the Jumping Spider.

Oh!

He rushed it!

Seven-time veteran,

the Muscle Ball,
Tyler Yamauchi,

rolled through
the front half of stage one.

While only 5'1" (155cm),

he was able to stick the
landing on Jumping Spider.

Looking really Gucci.

And the Muscle Ball had
no problem with Tetherball.

He made that look easy!

His height didn't stop him
from topping the Warped Wall

or getting across
Dipping Birds.

Yeah!
Come on!

He flew across Fly Hooks

and was able to climb his way
to the buzzer,

our third finisher tonight.

Yeah!

And the former gymnast
couldn't help but celebrate.

Okay, Yamauchi.

Our next competitor
is having a really big year.

This is 16-year-old
Addy Herman,

carrying a license plate

because she
just got her driver's license.

And she's equally excited
to be competing

in her first National Finals.

The soon-to-be
high-school senior

had a breakout year
on the course.

Addy Herman
is the real deal.

But it's a dream
years in the making.

She competed on two seasons
of "Ninja Junior."

Addy's got it!
She is fierce!

She's been training
for "Ninja" almost every day

since she was 11 years old.

I wake up, go to school,
go to training,

train for as long as I can.

I have put in so much work
to be where I am today.

It's just so epic to be here.

She just got her
driver's license,

and she likes to drive fast!

Says her dream car
is a Mustang.

If she gets a buzzer,

her parents
may have to buy that for her.

Let's go!
Whoo!

Here we go for a ride
here on Three Ring Circus.

All right, Addy, come on.

Been a strong competitor
but has yet to get a buzzer.

It'd be amazing...
Wow!

To get one here
in stage one.

She'd be only the fourth woman
ever to do it

and join Jessie Graff,
Allyssa Beird,

and Flex Labreck
in the history books.

Yeah!

Yeah! Yeah!
All right, let's go!

She's a teenager--she's
got to like roller coasters,

but you got to know
how to ride this one.

Keep that body passive,
let that bar throw you

to that next one--
Nice!

Find the cradle!

Got it!

That's the biggest
roller coaster

here in Las Vegas,

right here
on "American Ninja Warrior"!

Perfect!
Whoo, and she just owned it.

She'll be the first woman

to try Jumping Spider tonight.

Only 5'4" (162cm).

Got it!
Nice!

You go, girl!

Jumping Spider's
always been a challenge,

especially
for shorter competitors.

So impressive
she stuck that landing

in her first time
on stage one.

And now she's
halfway to a buzzer.

Okay, Addy!

I see you, Addy!

Now she'll be the first woman
ever to try Tetherball.

About to start
her senior year of high school

back in Pembroke,
Massachusetts.

Has been touring colleges.

And Addy told me
on the playground,

she owned tetherball!

Let's see if she can own
the "Ninja" Tetherball.

That clock ticking,
had a good pace to this point.

This is an impressive run
out of the young Herman.

Man, nobody wanted to mess
with her on recess.

There it is!
Oh!

And nobody wants to mess

with her on "Ninja Warrior"!

That screaming you hear
is from

her training partner,
Taylor Johnson.

Let's go!

Got a little over
a minute left

for these final
three obstacles.

Run, run, run, run,
run, get that!

Oh!
Had her fingertips on it!

She had her hand over the top
but couldn't hold on!

Well, at this point,
she's likely gonna

have to get
the High Road, Akbar.

Come on, Addy,
Addy, come on!

A little stumble--

Oh!

Oh, the frustration
has to be building

after that second
failed attempt.

This version of the Warped Wall

has a different run-up,
making it even harder.

Addy! Addy!
Listen to that.

This crowd is behind her.

On tired legs, can she
get up the Warped Wall?

Oh!
No!

What a heartbreaking way
to finish.

Addy! Addy! Addy!
Addy! Addy!

Time's slipping away,
but she will not give up!

Come on, girl, come on!

Yes!
Okay!

All right, go for it!

Got to go for it,
get that High Road!

Might as well!

All right, sprint cross
those Dipping Birds!

Oh!

Falls on Dipping Birds,
but still an impressive

stage one debut
by Addy Herman.

She got up that Warped Wall.

That is something to build on--
a great run out of Addy Herman.

Matt, she never gave up.

She just got her license,
and Addy was ready to roll.

She kicked it
into high gear early,

cruising through
the early obstacles.

The Warped Wall
was a roadblock,

but she kept at it
and got over the top.

Addy, your first time
on stage one, National Finals,

how does that feel?

Feels amazing.

It doesn't even feel real
at this point.

Well, look, you're the

second-youngest
female competitor tonight.

You've been
absolutely impressive.

We can't wait to see
what you do next season.

Congratulations on a great run.
Thanks so much. Thank you.

Of course.
Guys, back to you.

Coming up,

he's known for his high-flying
moves in the ring.

So what's WWE superstar
Ricochet

doing with us in Vegas?

We'll find out.

Plus, another high flyer
is going to try something

that's never been done before.

You won't believe what

social-media superstar
Bob Reese is up to...

Oh!

Coming up
on "American Ninja Warrior."

Welcome back to Las Vegas,
where we are midway

through our first night
of the National Finals,

and these ninjas
have been burning up stage one.

Montana teenager Evan Andrews
came into stage one

with a lot of momentum
after being the only finisher

of his semifinals.

And the soon-to-be high-school
senior from Butte, Montana,

turned in another
beaut tonight.

Boy, this dude's
got some serious game!

In his first time
on stage one,

Andrews was impressive,

cruising through
every obstacle.

He is just
destroying this course!

And even though
he skipped the High Road

and took the Fly Hooks,
he was still able

to put up
the fastest finish so far,

with more than
40 seconds to spare.

Evan Andrews is getting
his first Vegas buzzer!

Montana, let's go!

Fremont, California's,
Grant Nguyen

was sporting a black eye
at the start line.

Just weeks ago,
the college student

was in a bike accident,

and he wasn't sure
he'd even be able to compete.

And he nearly had
another disaster

just seconds into his run.
He's in trouble.

Oh, he's got
to regulate himself!

Got it.
Oh, boy, he almost

threw himself off the mat!

This rookie had a big group
on the sidelines

and watching from home.

The 23-year-old
gave them a thrill.

Nice throw!

He's out there looking
like a madman here!

He made every obstacle
interesting.

Oh!

You got it!
Come on, Grant!

He better M-O-V-E,
start moving!

Yeah!

With time running out,

he had no choice
but to try the High Road.

Oh, boy!

One-handed!

Let's go!

What?
I see you!

And it paid off
as he made it to the buzzer

with just seconds to spare.

Grant this man permission,

because he's going
to stage two!

Well, Vegas is a city
of bright lights and big stars,

and one just wandered
into our booth--

WWE superstar Ricochet!

What's up, guys?
What's up, man?

It is awesome
to have you here.

I know you're a "Ninja" fan.

Yes.
And I can tell you,

this guy's a wrestling fan.

Yes.
It is taking everything

for him not to come
off the top rope on you.

No, yeah, I saw him out
there earlier looking at me

as I was walking by.

Man, you know I'd come
off the top rope, man.

We're thrilled
to have you out here.

Yeah, this is great.
Would you set up there

for a run?
I would absolutely love to.

Well, our next athlete has
a nickname

worthy of the WWE.

It's Electric Enzo, teenager
Enzo DeFerrari Wilson.

Like you, he's got
a big fan base.

There's his family
and friends over there.

Guys, look at this--
he's got shirts,

he's got merch already.

Oh, good branding right here!

Enzo made it to stage two
last year as a rookie.

Ooh!

Wow!

Crashing into the pad.

Landing, hard impact,
a hellacious blow.

Well, he's learning how to
take a bump there, Ricochet.

This is crazy.

Here he goes.
Watch him kind of levitate

here on Three Ring Circus.

Nice!
Turning your body

mid-swing is absolutely wild.

Yeah, you're
absolutely right.

And they're 18 feet
in the air.

That's intimidating.
Yes.

And he's gonna go for a ride
here on Giant Roller Coaster.

This one specifically
is so wild today.

This is crazy!
Yeah, it is!

Got to stick it in the
cradle, get that dismount.

Enzo! Enzo! Enzo!

And he's through.

Electric Enzo looking
to lay the smack down

on the Jumping Spider.

Hesitation step there.

Come on.

Oh!
Oh, no!

What a save!
Wow!

Again, I'm wearing this.
Yeah, what a close call.

Your heart rate gets going.

How do you calm yourself
and continue?

You got to keep going
forward, like, you're gonna--

you might make some mistakes,
but it's about your drive.

Well, he's hearing it
from the crowd.

He's 16. Is this unbelievable?

What were you doing at 16?

I was wrestling probably

in Tennessee
or something somewhere.

Well, look at Enzo, Matt.

He's got
a pretty good time going.

But it's easy to eat up a lot
of time here on Tetherball.

Never had any obstacle
like this before.

Speed endurance
is so crucial here,

especially on this
extended stage one course.

And they never know
what they're going to face,

so this is
a brand-new obstacle.

What's it like in wrestling

when you go up
against new opponents?

And that's the thing,
like, you might--

Whoa!

Oh, no!
No!

Hold yourself--

Oh, boy.
Clock's ticking!

Oh, my gosh.
Oh, no!

You can feel it,
you can feel the intensity.

He's in no-man's land.

Climb up, climb up,
climb up, climb up.

That's it, that's
exactly what he needs to do.

If he can just climb up, he's
getting so close to the water.

He's 5'4" (162cm) 130 pounds (59kg).

Oh!

Electric Enzo had a great
run going, plenty of time left,

but his season ends
on the Tetherball.

Enzo had
this crowd energized!

He was really flying
through the early obstacles,

but when he couldn't stick
the landing on Tetherball,

had to swing back
over the water

and just couldn't recover.

Ricochet, we know you've been
the U.S. champion.

You've been
the Intercontinental Champion.

Will you ever be
a Ninja Warrior?

Hey, if I get one chance,
I am going to take it.

I am definitely going
to try, absolutely.

There it is!
If I get one chance.

Be sure to catch Ricochet

and all your
favorite WWE superstars in--

Akbar, what is it?
The Clash at the Castle!

Live from Cardiff, Wales,
streaming September 3rd,

only on Peacock.

You gonna win it all?
Oh, of course, absolutely.

There it is!

There's your prediction--
money in the bank.

Up next is another teenager
with a cool nickname.

It's Jay "Lache" Lewis,

and this talented 18-year-old
is a threat to win it all.

Fell early
on stage one last year,

but this year,
he's got insurance.

You can see it on his shorts.
He's got a Safety Pass.

You got it, Jay.
You got it, Jay!

Family down on the sideline.

And Jay's training partner,
Joe Moravsky,

is watching,
but from Connecticut.

Joe, unfortunately,
is not going to be here

for the National Finals.

Due to health and safety
protocols, had to withdraw.

And, Joe, I know it's
got to be disappointing.

Yeah, it's really,
really heartbreaking,

and, you know,
as much as I want to be there,

I'm going to do my best
to be there for Jay.

I love him so much, and I just
want total victory for him.

Let's go, Jay!

We'll get Jay started,
but reassure all your fans

and tell them
you'll be back next year.

Oh, come on,
I'm the Weatherman.

I don't give up.
I will be back next season.

You better count on it.

Great to hear,
and love the support

Joe's showing
for a fellow ninja and friend.

Nice!

And Jay Lache
looking very comfortable.

Jay Lewis
with the Safety Pass--

he can relax
and just go all out.

But he fell on the third
obstacle last year,

so he may be
a little careful here.

All right, but this is
the Giant Roller Coaster--

a little different.

Nice! Ooh! Hold on!

Boom! Okay!

There we go!

Oh, dusting
his shoulders off!

Good, yes!

Only weighs 115 pounds,
so needs to get

a good bounce here
on Jumping Spider.

And he's got it!
He just crushed it!

Just 5'4" (162cm), looks taller
than he is.

Lache is flying.

This kid is built for speed.

Through the first half
of the course

in less than a minute.

Now time for the teenager
to play some Tetherball.

Starts college
in just a couple weeks.

Come on, Jay.
You got it, Jay.

Matt, this new obstacle
has been problematic tonight,

knocked out
Electric Enzo minutes ago.

Yep, you're good.
Here we go, Jay!

He said he's going
to college, but let's see

if he can remember how
to play Tetherball at recess.

Ride with it, ride with it.
Come on.

Let's see,
he's spinning around,

can he line it up
for that platform?

Ooh, one more pass.

Can he land it this time?

Got it! Yes, yes! Yes!

Keep it going, keep it going.
You got a lot of time.

This kid is showing
why so many of the ninjas have

so much respect for him.

And just waves off
the High Road button.

He's going to take his
chances on the Fly Hooks,

but first has to get
across the balance obstacle.

Here we go--Dipping Birds.

Nice!

And he's smiling because
he's got plenty of time.

His pace
gave him a cushion.

Well, he has
to be efficient.

If he can get up
and over and out

just like that, he's good,
he's in a good spot.

Well, he came out
with some confidence,

and you can see why.

How about that for a lache,
Jay Lache?

Just so impressive--
didn't need the High Road.

Still gonna
have a very fast time.

And he can save that
Safety Pass for stage two.

Let's go!

Whoo-hoo!

Jay "Lache" Lewis
going to stage two!

After getting past
that third obstacle,

Jay was feeling pretty good.

He made stage one look easy.

There's a reason ninjas say

this kid could win
a million dollars.

Go ahead and dust
your shoulders off, Jay.

Great job--we'll see you
at stage two, buddy.

Thank you so much.
I appreciate it.

Coming up,
an insulin pump on her arm

hasn't stopped Katie Bone from
reaching incredible heights

as a world-class climber
or a world-class ninja.

The 16-year-old rookie
takes on stage one next

on "American Ninja Warrior."

The party's poppin'
here in Las Vegas,

and while we were away,

three "Ninja" veterans got
their shot.

Captain NBC, Jamie Rahn,
hit the stage one course

for the eighth time,

with his pregnant wife,
Kim, watching from home.

Get up there!

But the superhero
couldn't fly right

on the second obstacle.

Three Ring Circus is causing
confusion for Jamie Rahn.

And though he got through,
he was rushing

to beat the clock
the rest of the way.

Just keep moving, babe!
You got it!

He does have to get
going here, Matt.

And when the 12-time Ninja
veteran reached Tetherball...

He's got to make
this drop right now.

Make that drop--oh!

He hit the wall.

Oh!

One of "Ninja's" originals,
Lorin Ball,

was making his
sixth appearance in Vegas.

He's been doing it
for a long time, Matt.

Yeah!

Come on, keep going!
You got it!

Ball competed
on the very first

season of "Ninja Warrior."

Just do it, just do it, go!

And though he's known
for speed,

he was slow tonight

and knew his best hope
was the High Road.

Explode!

And the former break dancer

had to rush
across Dipping Birds...

Ah! Oh!

And it cost him.

Then it was The Godfather,
David Campbell,

who's competed
on every single season.

Whoa, here we go.

The 44-year-old has a
unique history with stage one.

He's failed six of the seven
times he's been here.

Oh, no!

It's all about the clock.
Whoa.

No!

David Campbell--

a heartbreaking end
to his season.

So the 14-time veteran
came into tonight

determined to break
his stage one curse.

Okay, Godfather!

But after sprinting
through the early obstacles,

it caught up to him.

Oh, he's in trouble, Matt!

With the clock ticking,

he went for the High Road
but stumbled...

Oh, my goodness.

And had to take his chances
with the Fly Hooks.

Oh, this
is going to haunt him

Time ran out,
and the pizza delivery driver

couldn't deliver
on stage one again.

Stage one has been the
kryptonite for The Godfather.

Guys, Katie Bone has
made quite an impression

in her rookie season.

She got a buzzer
in qualifying,

and no woman went further

than she did
in the semifinals.

The 16-year-old
from New Mexico

is a true inspiration

because she does it all
as a type 1 diabetic.

I have climbing competitions

and Ninja competitions
pretty much every week.

Nice, Katie.

It's a lot,
and it can be hard,

but I love it.

But having type 1
and living with it every day

and competing with it
is not easy.

If her glucose
drops too low,

it could affect her balance,
her eyesight.

She could
even lose consciousness.

The insulin helps keep it
at manageable levels.

In semifinals,
my blood sugar was low,

and I was dizzy
by the Salmon Ladder,

and I had a hard time
seeing it,

so that definitely affected
my run.

No!

I definitely have to
work harder at competitions,

but every time that I can hit
a buzzer or have a win,

it makes it so worth it.

One of my big goals
this season was making Vegas,

so being here
is a dream come true.

Tonight I'd love
to hit my second buzzer.

Katie's parents
on the sideline

along with some
of the ninjas she trains with.

Only 5'2" (157cm),
will need big strides here.

Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh!
Got through it!

Rough start there
by Katie Bone,

but great recovery.

See the type 1 diabetic

with her glucose monitor
and pump.

So impressive
what she's doing.

Hasn't let that diabetes
slow her down at all.

Gets the blind grab.

She made that 18-foot swing
look easy.

Really confident throwing
her body through the air.

Of course, looking to go
to the 2024 Olympics

as a contender
for rock climbing.

She's been climbing
since she was eight years old,

among the best in the country.

And gets
through Three Ring Circus.

Watch her
on the Giant Roller Coaster,

about to go for a big ride.

This is little different
than rock climbing.

Yes, it is.

Here we go.

Nice throw!

Uh-oh, fumbled a little bit.
Got it, nice!

16 years old
and just 110 pounds,

but she is so impressive.

And she gets through.

Katie sizing up
the Jumping Spider

with the clock ticking.

Needs a big jump here
at just 5'2" (157cm).

All right, so here's
what Katie Bone needs to do.

She has to evenly distribute
her weight.

Hands and feet have
to hit at the same time--boom!

Oh!

Just maxed out,
rolled forward,

Katie Bone bitten
on the Jumping Spider,

but what a rookie campaign.

Good work, Katie!
Good job, Katie!

Man, she's got
a lot to be proud of.

Made it to Vegas
as a 16-year-old rookie.

On Jumping Spider,
she couldn't quite get

deep enough into the chute
to lock herself in,

but what a year
for Katie Bone.

Well, our next ninja
is famous for his falls.

Whoa!

This is social-media
sensation Bob Reese.

He's got millions of fans
who check out

his crazy antics
on TikTok and YouTube,

and he's got something special
planned for tonight.

On YouTube, I just hit
a million followers.

On TikTok, I have almost
4 million followers.

Viral videos is essentially
my actual current job,

but tonight, I'm going
to do something

that's never been done before
on stage one.

I really want to front-flip
into the Jumping Spider.

What?
Are you kidding me?

Front flip--
You trippin', homey.

I've been practicing
in the gym

to make sure I can get that.

I actually had planned
to do this last year.

Oh, no!
And he is in no-man's land.

And I didn't get
the opportunity

because I fell
on the obstacle before it.

My mom and other people think
it's kind of crazy

that I want to, like,
risk doing a front flip

and then potentially mess up
and not get a million dollars,

but the goal for me is to get
out there and have some fun,

entertain some people,
and get that flip

into the Jumping Spider, so you
do not want to miss this.

Okay, he's got my attention.

Also with a front-row seat
are his family

and his training partners,
Brett and Grace Sims.

Well, it just
sounds insane, but--

It sounds insane?
It sounds impossible!

You either do it big,
or you don't do it at all.

But first has to get through
these next two obstacles.

Matt, he is a circus act,
and he's on Three Ring Circus.

Check him out online.

This guy is just throwing
his body constantly,

but really knows how to move.

And Matt,
he's not a small guy.

He's 6 feet, 190 pounds.

Oh, and he just did a flip
out of Three Ring Circus!

You Circus Ninja, you!

Bob Reese!
He is having fun!

The main event will be
on the Jumping Spider

if he can get through this.

Come on big fella. Nice!

Well, here it is,
just needs that dismount.

Matt, I swear on my mama,
if this dude--what!

He is flipping out!

If he flips
into Jumping Spider, man,

I'm gonna lose it.

This is unbelievable.

And understand--
it's very hard to land

in the Jumping Spider
if you do it the normal way.

We've seen top ninjas
fall here tonight.

To do it
with a flip is ridiculous.

No, this is more
than keeping it a hundred.

This is keeping it a millie.

No one's
ever tried this before.

Come on, Bob.

Here we go!

No, he ain't, no, he ain't,
no, he ain't--

oh, no!

Reese's Pieces!
He had it!

Oh, my goodness!

Splashes down
on the Jumping Spider,

but not before bringing
this crowd to their feet.

All right, take a look--
he stuck the landing at first

but just couldn't
stay up in the chute.

He was so close.

I know the next time he tries,
he'll get it.

Bob, what the what?
What just happened here?

I mean, look, I get the M.O.

Break it down for me
one more time.

So what was the plan here,
what was the vision?

Oh, I just opened
a little bit early,

so I was leaning back.

If I would have held
that tuck a little bit longer,

rotate a little more,
I would have had it,

but I found those two other
flips to do before it,

and I'm happy
I got to do those

because I sadly didn't get
the Jumping Spider.

But I'm just happy I got to try
it--I'm happy to be here.

You're going viral
either way,

so I think mission
accomplished, all right?

We'll see you
out here next season?

All right, yeah, I'm going
to get it next season.

All right, there we go.
Guys, back to you.

They're roommates
and friendly rivals,

but only one has
a Safety Pass.

Austin Gray
and Gnarly Nate Hansen

take on stage one

when "American Ninja Warrior"
returns.

Welcome back to Vegas

and the first night
of our National Finals.

The bright lights in the Strip
pale in comparison

to the Sparkly Ninja,
Barclay Stockett.

Look at that grand entrance.

And she had her fiancée,
Tee, cheering her on.

The six-time veteran has had
success on stage one before,

which is why tonight's run
was so shocking.

Whoa, whoa, whoa!
Oh, no!

Oh, my gosh!

And her comeback season
ended in disappointment.

Wow, she is livid, Matt.

The Axe-Throwing Ninja,
Megan Rowe,

was ready to cut
stage one down to size.

Oh, she is ready.

The 25-year-old
was back in Vegas

for the second year in a row.

Last year the graphic designer
fell on the third obstacle.

Nice, take it. Whoo!

And she was determined not

to let it happen again
tonight.

We've seen a lot of flips
tonight on stage one.

Then the former gymnast

tried to stick the landing
on Jumping Spider.

Look at how focused,
dial it in--oh!

The Flamingo Kid,
Arkansas teenager Owen Dyer,

has been flying high
all season.

He hit a buzzer in qualifying

and in the semifinals.

I see you!

So tonight,
he was trying to keep

his perfect season going.

Yeah! He's pumped!

And the 17-year-old
came through.

Yeah, buddy!
Have some fun, baby!

Everything was looking good

until he reached
the Dipping Birds.

Fly here, fly here,
Flamingo!

Oh, no!

But the high-school senior
survived the dire situation

and swung his way to his
third buzzer of the season.

Nice!

Yo, Owen, what's up, man?
Do flamingos fly?

Yes, they do! Yes, sir!

Well, our next athlete
was runner-up

the last two years.

It's Colorado's Austin Gray.

He and his roommate,
Nate Hansen,

have had a friendly battle
going all season.

Now they're both ready
to conquer Vegas.

I got fastest time
in qualifying.

Gnarly Ninja Nate
gets that buzzer!

Let's go! Whoo!

Austin was a little bit behind.

Go, go, go!

And just off the fastest
time, Austin Gray.

But now he's catching up
a little bit.

Austin's hitting the first
place in semifinals.

Austin Gray,
the fastest time of the night!

But I've got the Safety Pass
in my pocket.

We're going back to Nate first.

Oh, and Austin falls!

It's never over
on "American Ninja Warrior"!

Never underestimate
Gnarly Ninja Nate!

Let's go!

That's just
how it's going to be.

I don't know, man.
I think it's really--

I just--there's a mistake
in qualifying.

You know, this is
a showdown of roommates.

And a million dollars
is on the line.

I'm ready.
We're big ready.

I'm readier.
Uh, maybe, we'll see.

Readiest, honestly.
Read--eh...

Can't top that.

And Austin starts
every run with a back flip.

That's how
he gets pumped up!

Nate's on the sideline.
He'll run later.

Also over there is Austin's
girlfriend, Jaelyn Bennett.

Last season in Vegas,
had a Safety Pass,

but not this time.

Austin running without a net
here on stage one.

Matt, he is tired
of finishing second.

He wants to be number one.

He wants that million dollars.

25 years old and one of
the most influential ninjas.

So many top athletes come
to Colorado to train with him.

There are a few of them
on the sidelines.

Five-time veteran now
at Giant Roller Coaster.

A lot of people think
this is Austin's year,

and let me tell you,
he looked dominant

in qualifying and semifinals.

Sliding out
on Giant Roller Coaster.

Come on.
Good transition.

Got this big move here.
Nice, got it.

And he's easily
through three obstacles.

Gnarly Nate taking notes.

Let's see now
on Jumping Spider.

All right, here we go, Matt.

Boom, nice.
Wow!

Good height!
Nice!

Austin Gray looking
in complete command so far.

Has just under
two minutes on the clock.

Yes, babe, you got this!

But this new obstacle,
Tetherball

has taken out
some big names tonight.

There's no obstacle
like this in a Ninja gym.

No one's been able
to practice for this.

All these ninjas out here
seeing it for the first time.

Austin Gray's been training
so hard for this season.

Doesn't want
to end up second again.

Come on, Austin, let's go!

Look up!

A little push there.

This has been
another tricky obstacle.

One revolution around,
here we go.

And you can see him
kicking that lower body again,

trying to build up
that momentum.

Got good speed!

Oh, no!
Oh!

And he's low, Akbar!

Oh, he's very low.
Pull those legs up--oh, no!

Oh, my goodness!

Oh, and look at him--
he's trying to climb up!

Holding on,
and he's regrouping.

All right, he's got to do it.

He's got to go all the way
back again.

He's resetting it,
you can see that arm recoils.

Go for it, dude!
Do it!

He has
got to make up some time--

Wow!
What the--

No!

Austin Gray seemed
to have found a solution

but can't stick the dismount.

Another fall
here on Tetherball.

And without a Safety Pass,
that's it.

The season is over
for last year's runner-up.

On his first approach,
he came in hot

and couldn't stop himself
with his legs.

On the second attempt,
he was so low on the rope,

he couldn't stop again.

So his only chance
was a Hail Mary jump.

He tried to hook the
landing pad, but his momentum

pulled him to the side,
and you can see his foot

just hit the water.

Austin, I am so sorry.

I know you're devastated.
I am gutted for you, man.

What went wrong here,
first of all, on Tetherball?

Uh, well, I have no idea
how it works, apparently.

Got hung up.

Instead of trying
to make it swing around,

I went for the big jump
and was off by a tiny bit.

At this level,
flukes like that can't happen.

So, you know, this was my year.

I had all the capability
in the world

to win the whole thing.

I still know I can do it,

but, you know, we'll see
where we go from here.

Well, at the end of the day,

you have had
an incredible season.

You continue to blow
our minds year after year.

I hope you'll be back
next season, okay?

Appreciate that.

Okay, of course.

And more of your "Ninja"
favorites are coming up.

While we were away,

two more ninjas got
their shot at stage one.

Former college track
athlete Casey Rothschild

got off to a hot start.

Boom, bust a move!

The 23-year-old
was one of five women

to hit a buzzer this season,
and she was cruising

in her second appearance
on stage one.

Rothschild looking
real rich right now.

The four-time veteran
was a long jumper

at Wesleyan University.

But she came up short
on Jumping Spider.

We'll jump higher next time.

It was a Max attack
when teenager Max Feinberg

hit the stage one course.

Let's go, Max!

The 17-year-old uses
his runs to raise awareness

for breast cancer,
inspired by his mom, Debbie,

a breast cancer survivor.

All right, you ready?

Though he's heading
to college this fall,

he took on Tetherball like
he was back on the playground.

Aah, nice!

Feinberg finished
stage one last year...

This kid's good.
And he did it again tonight.

What an amazing run
right there.

Let's go!

And another top ninja
has just started his run.

This is RJ Roman,

and he is just
shredding the course.

Finishes the Roller Coaster

and flies right
into Jumping Spider.

He's going all out.

Look at how fast
he's moving!

Just flying
through the course!

This dude rocks, yeah!

Rock out, man, rock out!
Didn't even look up!

RJ's totally dialed in.

Well, he's got a score
to settle with stage one.

Last year, he was
a favorite to win it all

and shockingly fell
on the Fly Hooks.

Been working
all year to get back

and get some redemption,

and he's a contender
to win it all again this year.

One more, one more, one more!

You can see Flip Rodriguez
offering advice

from the sidelines.

The 12-time veteran and RJ
trained together a lot

to prepare for this season.

Come on, come on!

Got it, nice.

Look at that--
a minute, 30 left

for the final three obstacles.

Looking to get that revenge
with Fly Hooks.

Made it there last year
with plenty of time

but couldn't get the ring
off the hook,

so you know he wants
another shot.

Let's go, RJ!

Not even gonna mess
with the High Road.

He is laser-focused
on the Fly Hooks.

Still got over a minute left.

Let's go, RJ!
Come on, RJ!

All right, Matt,
he's got to go fast here.

He's got to go fast! Okay!

And he's made it back
to Fly Hooks.

All right, now,
you got to be efficient--

super efficient here,
up and out.

Well, just couldn't make
that move last year.

He's trained it, though.
He says it's automatic now.

Here we go on this
eighth obstacle, Fly Hooks.

There it is.

That is a lot of work
for that one move.

He put in the work,
and RJ Roman...

Throw yourself up high.

He's gonna be going back
to stage two.

Well, in season 11, made it
all the way to stage three.

This guy is
a threat to win it all.

RJ Roman one step closer
to a million dollars!

Let's go, RJ!

Hard work pays off, baby!

Yeah! Let's go! Let's go!

RJ Roman!

I'm back, baby!
Yeah!

Last year, you got tripped up
on the Fly Hooks.

How many times did you practice

for that one move
you got tonight?

Over and over,
3:00 in the morning,

all by myself.

The grind pays off. Let's go.

We'll see you
on stage two, RJ!

Thank you, guys.

Gnarly Nate!
Gnarly Nate! Gnarly Nate!

Well, this crowd's already
chanting the name

of our next athlete.

He's one smallest competitors
but one of our biggest stars.

We're talking about
5'2" (157cm) Gnarly Nate Hansen.

He's wearing a semifinals
finisher patch on one leg

and a Safety Pass
on the other.

Earned it
with a come-from-behind win

on the Power Tower...

Yeah, let's go!

Beating his roommate,
Austin Gray.

Gnarly Nate!
Gnarly Nate!

Nate Hansen has blown us
away since he exploded

onto the scene in season 12.

Most of his family's
here in Vegas to watch.

We've told you his story.

Despite taking
growth hormones,

never got past 5'2" (157cm),
but he has become

such an inspiration to kids,
especially undersized ones.

It's not hard to root
for Nate Hansen.

And it looks like he's going
full send in here.

He's not
going to play it safe.

You can't be too careful
with that clock ticking.

You have to keep it moving.

Through Three Ring Circus,

but now
the Giant Roller Coaster.

These super-size obstacles

are especially tough
when you're 5'2" (157cm).

He knows what to do.

Nice, throw yourself into it
right here!

Got it.
Whoa, okay!

So he's reached
the Jumping Spider,

and this is where his season
ended last year.

Oh!

Just couldn't hold
himself up.

5'2" (157cm), 135 (61kg),
got to get deep into the chute

here on the Jumping Spider.

If I'm Nate Hansen, I'm not
thinking about last year.

I'm thinking about getting
deep into that chute.

Oh, no!
Oh!

That is exactly why
you have that Safety Pass.

The Jumping Spider bites him,

but Nate
will get another chance.

With his size, he needs
an almost perfect jump,

and he didn't quite get
deep enough,

but he's going to get
another shot at stage one.

It's all right.
Glad I have it.

Blessed to have it.
Can't wait for another shot.

He's one
of the craziest ninjas of all.

You never know
what will happen

when Cat Daddy Jackson Twait
hits the course.

He's up next
on "American Ninja Warrior."

Welcome back to Las Vegas.

Minutes ago, 18-year-old
Isabella Wakeham made

her second straight appearance
in the National Finals.

She's about to start college
at Texas A&M,

and she passed the test
on the early obstacles

with flying colors.

Look at that!

Last season on stage one,
Wakeham went farther

than any female rookie
in history.

All right, come on,
wakey-wakey, don't breaky.

Let's go!

But tonight, her run was cut
short by the Jumping Spider.

No!

It happens, but grateful
for another year in Vegas.

The Classy Ninja,
Donovan Metoyer,

came dressed for success.

Even his sidelines got
into the act.

Stay classy, Vegas.

The seven-time veteran
took a slower approach

on the Slide Surfer.

Looking clean,
trying to stay clean.

Though the 34-year-old
from the Kansas City area

looked smooth...

Oh, no! Hold on!

His run wasn't,

and he was running
out of time at the end.

Time is ticking.
He's got to hustle.

Metoyer successfully
took the High Road

last season and went
for it again tonight.

He's gonna go for it!
Whoa!

He's now
the first athlete to get

the High Road
in two straight seasons.

Wow, Matt, high top,

High Road, he did it!

Yes, let's go!

Then it was the reigning
Last Ninja Standing,

Colorado's Kaden Lebsack.

The 16-year-old made it

all the way to stage four
last year

and came up just short of
winning the million dollars.

He's had the best start
of any ninja

in the history of "ANW."

In his "ANW" career,
he's never hit the water.

That streak
nearly ended tonight.

Oh, boy!

But Lebsack stayed calm
under pressure...

That's a sign
of a really good ninja!

And powered his way through
the rest of the course,

proving he's still
a threat to win it all.

In Vegas,
you never bet against Kaden.

Up next, another ninja
with a huge group of fans.

Cat lovers,
this run's for you.

It's the wild and crazy ninja
from Iowa, Jackson Twait,

making his Vegas debut.

Finally made it!

Matt, we know we're about
to have some fun

watching this one.

Ah, he's going old school
with that camera!

Wait, do they
still make those?

And his cat, Hashbrown,
looks like he's hosting

a poker night back home.

It's a cat-sino,
baby!

And his whole crew from Iowa
in the Vegas spirit.

They're going
to hold up a card

for every obstacle
he conquers.

Jackson Twait is
definitely a wild card.

Never know
what he's going to do.

What was the first one?
Little ace.

Good launch.

Kid's got good power--
6'1" (185cm), 160 (72kg).

He's been prone to mistakes
in the past.

Well, Matt, he's got
to represent for Iowa, Matt.

Got it! Good.
And up goes the deuce.

Remember,
the other Iowa ninjas,

Chris Behrends
and Levi Enright,

both fell
on Dipping Birds tonight.

Jackson Twait trying
to avoid that fate,

riding down now
on the Roller Coaster.

Well, a good pace
out of Twait.

And right
into the Jumping Spider.

Whoo!
Boom! Nice stick!

Showing catlike reflexes.

The Cat Daddy--
so fur, so good.

Way to stay right there
underneath his center of mass.

And then a big drop-off.

That's four.

Twait rolling on, pumped up.

Okay, Twait!

All right, show 'em
how you do it in Iowa.

Hashbrown's got to be
so nervous right now.

Climbing around there,
getting up high,

controlling the speed,
slowly making his way down.

This is a kid I bet
still plays Tetherball.

I bet he does.
Oh, no, not there.

Extra swing.

Okay, third time
around here,

but he's got some time
to recover.

This is it.
Got it. Good balance!

Five down, and he's getting
closer to those Dipping Birds.

The Dipping Birds
has taken out

all of the ninjas from Iowa.

Can Jackson Twait get
the revenge for all of them?

Looks like he's going
for the High Road.

All right,
here we go, Dipping Birds!

Got it!

A little stumble!
Got to time it.

Oh, he missed it.
He missed it.

That's all right,
has plenty of time

to get through the Fly Hooks.

Yeah, he missed it
because he was so focused

on Dipping Birds.

He's like, "Uh-uh,
I ain't goin' out, not on me."

Got to kick it up and out,
that ring, lift it--

Ooh.

You can see he's
struggling with the move.

This could be trouble.

This back half--oh!

Up and out,
up and out, Twait!

Up and out!

Nice!
There it is!

Okay, he heard me.
He's got plenty of time.

Now bring your knees up
and generate some momentum.

And an extra swing--

got to launch
high on this cargo net.

Yeah, he's got to go, Matt.
Another swing!

He's got to get
on that net by 15 seconds.

He's been using
all nine lives

on this run on stage one.

All right, he's got to go
meow right now.

The siren's sounding!

Matt, he's got five seconds!
Hurry up!

Oh, you messing around!
You are messing around!

And he did!
Oh, my goodness!

Less than a second!

Whoo!

We love you, Jackson!

Jackson, what you trying
to do, man?

You trying to kill me
up here, man, huh?

Holy cow.

Did you realize
you were that close?

I didn't realize I sucked
that much at cargo nets.

Jackson, we'll see you
on stage two.

Whoo!

Coming up, he's one
of "Ninja's" all-time greats.

Yeah!

But he hasn't had
much luck in Vegas lately.

Oh, no!

Can Flip Rodriguez
turn it around tonight?

He's up next
on "American Ninja Warrior."

Minutes ago, some of our
top ninjas got their shot

on stage one, including
16-year-old Josiah Pippel.

This is a kid that has
a passion for Ninja,

and it shows.

The New Jersey teenager
is a big Formula 1 racing fan,

so it was no surprise
he was moving fast.

He's got plenty of time.

Though he got spun around
at Tetherball...

Oh, look at that.

Pippel found a way.

He hit buzzers in both
qualifying and semifinals,

and he sailed to another

with one of the fastest times
of the night.

Then it was another
impressive teenager--

the Flyboy, Isaiah Thomas.

He's got the wings
on the back of his shirt,

and he's flying.
Okay, Flyboy Ninja.

The 17-year-old has had an
outstanding sophomore season,

hitting his
first semifinals buzzer.

Yeah, he's built
for speed, Matt.

And he had one
of the fastest times

on stage one last year.

He's got plenty
of flexibility!

No!

Oh, my God.

So his fall
on Jumping Spider

was one of the biggest shocks
of the night.

Well, that's it.

Then it was another ninja
who likes to go fast,

stuntman Kyle Soderman.

The 27-year-old was one

of the final four competitors
last season

and looked like
he might be a threat again.

Ooh, jumped
right into it, nice!

Last year,
Soderman was one of the few

to try the High Road,

and though he had plenty of
time, he did it again tonight.

Yes! Whoo!

Just like last year, right?

And that allowed Soderman to
finish in under two minutes--

the fastest finish
of the night.

Let's go!

Whoo!

Our final runner tonight,

12-time veteran
Flip Rodriguez.

And there's the trademark mask
he wears

to raise awareness
for child sexual abuse,

which Flip himself
was a victim of.

Written a book
about his journey

and now advocates for others.

And Flip is having
a huge season,

and he gives
much of the credit

to training with fellow ninja
RJ Roman.

Let's go, Flip!

I've been to National Finals
seven times,

and the farthest
I've ever been is stage two.

Yeah, he's starting
to make that look--oh, no!

It drives me insane.

And time runs out, just
feet away from the buzzer!

Ugh.

But I believe
in my heart and soul

that this year
is going to be different.

I've been going
to Orlando every week,

three hours up
and three hours down,

to get some really fantastic
training with RJ Roman.

All right,
ready to hit it again?

Yeah, something like that.

Honestly,
I've learned so much from RJ.

Oh!

He's amazing at creating
replicas of stage one,

stage two, stage three.

He's so passionate,
driven, and disciplined.

I couldn't ask
for anyone better.

When you transferred
to the top of the white one,

you were right on the corner.

Listen, I like to live
on the edge, okay?

Flip and I push each other
on a daily basis.

Want to go all the way up?

The biggest thing
I've been able to offer him

is more technique,
since I'm in a gym year round.

Let's do that arch
on your back swing.

And the leg kick--
oh, yeah.

Oh!

And the biggest thing

that I've gotten
from training with Flip

is just how
to push through pain.

Aah!

You always
have a little bit left,

even when
you don't think you do.

Flip always
forces me to keep going.

What do you mean, bro?
Let's go.

Come on, Vegas, let's go!
Ah, let's do it.

When I hit that buzzer
in the semifinals course...

Yeah!

It brought me back to when
I was at the top of my game

on "American Ninja Warrior."

I believe everything
happens for a reason,

and the people you keep
around you are so important.

I mean, if you don't have
an RJ on your side,

I don't know what you're doing
with your life.

I love it,
and to show his respect,

Flip's actually wearing
RJ's double-R shirt

during his run tonight!

RJ hit a buzzer earlier.

He's on the sideline

with some
of the ninjas Flip coaches.

The extra training's
already paid off.

Flip got a buzzer
in semifinals

for the first time
in three years.

Last time he was on stage one
in season 11,

had a Safety Pass.

Didn't get one this year,

so one mistake,
and his season's over.

This is his season bet.

He's been at the game
for a long time.

One of the all-time
great ninjas--

so explosive
and really has become

such a big force
as a coach and mentor.

Many of his students
cheering for him tonight,

including Jordan Carr
and Cal Plohoros.

Now 33 years old,

celebrated his birthday
during the semifinals.

Going for a ride.
All right, here we go.

Very smooth,
very under control.

And I'm sure RJ,
who ran earlier,

shared some intel
on how to run the course.

5'11" (180cm), 170 (77kg)
gonna take on Jumping Spider.

Locked in, good power!

Here at the Jumping Spider,

he's done this
many times before.

Flying through,
picking up the pace now.

His sidelines
really cheering him on.

You have to love
how the Ninja community

always supports each other.

Everyone loves
to see Flip succeed.

Got to be careful
on Tetherball.

Seen a lot of good ninjas
go down right here tonight.

There's a certain calmness

about Flip Rodriguez right now,
where you just feel it.

Flip Rodriguez is about
to go to stage two.

You can see
the efficiency in this run.

Watch those feet!

All right.

Lining up the platform,
using that lower body

to build up
a little more momentum.

Nice!

Did you see how high up
he got to give himself

the ability to adjust
and make it on the landing pad?

No problem
on the Warped Wall.

Will he go High Road?

I don't think so, homey.

He's given himself
enough time.

He's going to take his chance
on Fly Hooks.

But first got to get
through Dipping Birds,

and we've seen a lot
of falls here tonight, too,

but not for Flip.

Well, this is the obstacle
RJ trained for relentlessly.

I'm sure he gave Flip
some tips on this one.

Everyone's on their feet,

want to Flip end it
with a buzzer.

Nice! Great landing!

Let's go, Flip!
Let's go, Flip!

And you can hear the crowd.

All that work
with RJ Roman has paid off,

about to get another buzzer.

Let's go, Flip!

And a new chapter
in his book.

That time I came back.
I'm going to stage two!

And so much emotion,
everyone's so happy for Flip.

And the man behind the mask,
Flip Rodriguez,

moving on to stage two!

Let's go!

Let's go!

I see you, God.

I see you, God, let's go!

Look, man, I got to ask you--

you've been doing this
a long time.

What brings you the most pride

as you're standing atop stage
one with a buzzer yet again?

Leading by example.

Wow, it's been three years
since you made it

back to stage two.

Did you have any doubt

that you were hitting
this buzzer tonight?

No, sir,
no room for doubt in here.

I got great friends,
supporters.

Got everybody
behind me this year.

No distractions.
We're gonna crush it.

Well, man, you did that,
man.

You did your thing, man.
Congratulations.

We'll see you on stage two.
Appreciate it.

The man behind the mask
is moving on once again!

Next week,
we're turning up the heat

at the National Finals.

We'll see our remaining
finalists take on stage one.

Then we'll slide over to the
even tougher stage two...

Oh!

As we move a step closer
to the million-dollar prize.

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

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