American Ninja Warrior (2009–…): Season 14, Episode 9 - Semifinals 4 - full transcript

Our Ninja journey
started nine weeks ago

with qualifying
in San Antonio.

Looks like you're going
to Los Angeles!

Those who survived moved on
to the bright lights

of LA and the semifinals.

Matt, this is impressive.

And tonight,
it's the last chance

for ninjas to book
their ticket

to Las Vegas
and the National Finals.

Hello, everyone, and welcome
to Universal Studios.

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



Matt, these past few weeks
have been a roller coaster

and it's gonna be another
wild ride tonight.

Absolutely, big man.

These semifinals
have been like nothing

we've seen before,
with familiar faces falling

but new heroes
rising to take their place.

And tonight, we're gonna
see some of the sport's

best young stars.

That includes the Flyboy,
Texas teenager Isaiah Thomas.

I'm built different!

Plus last year's
top rookie among the women,

18-year-old Isabella Wakeham.

Unbelievable!

But don't forget
the veterans.



We've got the runner-up
from the past two seasons,

Austin Gray.

Oh, my goodness!

And his roommate,
the Little Big Man,

5'2" (157cm) "Gnarly" Nate Hansen.

Go! Whoo!

And we're gonna
kick things off

with one of the breakout stars
of the season.

Zuri, get her going.

Guys, Katie Bone came out
like a boss in her Ninja debut

just a few weeks ago.

At 16, she became just
the second teenage girl

ever to hit a buzzer.

And what made it
even more impressive,

she did it as a
type-1 diabetic.

When I was nine years old,
I had gotten interviewed

for a local newspaper.

They asked me some of
my goals and dreams.

And my two biggest ones
were to go to the Olympics

and hopefully one day be
on "American Ninja Warrior."

Here we go!

Yes! Yes!

Katie Bone!

Oh, my goodness!

I have dreamed of hitting
that buzzer for so long now

and being able to execute that
my first year

is something that
I'll never forget.

Diabetes has definitely
made competing

and just living so much harder.

I'm fighting my body
every single day.

Type-1 diabetes has
changed all of our lives,

in every single way.

When Katie's competing
and adrenaline starts to spike

and her glucose
is gonna spike,

that determines whether
she can concentrate,

whether she can
think properly.

She makes it look easy,
and it is anything but easy.

I have wanted this
so bad for so long.

And knowing how many people
I can and will inspire

makes everything I ever
fought through so worth it.

What a stud she is,

and she's got her parents
and some of the ninjas

she trains with
on the sideline.

5'2", 110 (158cm, 50kg)

Boy, she did come up big
in qualifying.

She was one of the five women
who hit a buzzer.

Go, Katie!

You can see on the
back of her arms,

insulin pump on the left arm,
glucose monitor on her right.

Without insulin,
her body would shut down.

What's she gonna do
at Over Under?

Well, climbing
across underneath like this

is the longer
and more tiring option.

No doubting her power,
obviously,

with the rock climber,
that grip strength,

but this semis course
is 10 obstacles long.

You don't want to use up
a lot of strength

on the second obstacle.

Yeah, she's got
grip strength for days.

Ooh, falls back hard
but hangs on.

That's her
climbing experience.

But she is spending a lot
more time on this obstacle

than she wanted to.

This could catch up to her.

But again,
I think you said it, Akbar,

I don't think her grip's gonna
be the thing that gives out.

She is powerful.

She's glad
that one's behind her.

Come on, Katie!
Mama said that's two down.

Now the third obstacle,
Air Surfer.

Gotta fly with that
upside-down snowboard

across the pads.

Top 15 in the U.S.
in climbing right now.

It's the Air Surfer,
a little different move here.

Been doing Ninja for three
years, got to be precise.

This is not something
you'll see in rock climbing.

You don't see this
on a mountain!

Well, you do see it
on a mountain, I'm guessing,

but not like this!

Normally, the board
is strapped to your feet,

not your hands.

Ooh!

Here we go.
Good correction.

That right side
still a little ahead.

Ooh.

Big throw, lands it.

Whew, she's our lightest
competitor tonight

at only 110 pounds.

But let me tell you,
she is fearless.

She is through.

Takes a deep breath.

She's really expended
a lot of energy

on these early obstacles.
Whoo! Go, Katie!

Balance obstacles
always a challenge.

Especially at 5'2" (157cm),
not a long stride.

Watch it on Diamond Dash.

The key is to get
into the center.

Oh!
Nice! Nice, nice! Ooh!

Slow but sure,
there's the smile.

Gave Mom a scare.

Her parents are such
a big part of her success,

taking her to climbing
or Ninja events

almost every weekend.

Now this starts
to get fun for her.

Kaleidoscope should absolutely
be in her wheelhouse.

This is a lot of the skills
she uses in climbing.

She's got to turn
those wheels then swing over

and land on the narrow ledges.

We're starting to get
a little drizzle out here.

That's gonna make those ledges
even harder to latch on to.

Ooh! You can see it spin now!

Yes, didn't have it all the
way down but that's all right.

She's got the grip strength.
Good focus!

She is not letting
this Kaleidoscope

distort her vision
of getting to that buzzer!

Well, there's the climber.
You can see her just elevate.

And even at 5'2" (157cm),
with that back strength,

she is controlling
these windows.

Come on, stay calm.

You see the concern
on her face,

but she's staying calm.

Come on, swing. Get it.

Only a quarter inch!
Nice!

Just needs a big swing
and the dismount.

And she's done it.

Come on, Katie!

I see you, Katie Bone.
I see you.

And, Akbar,
with her diabetes,

it's a constant struggle
to maintain energy levels.

She pushed herself to get here.
What does she have left?

Beat that wall! Beat that wall!

5'2" (157cm), no problems.

Nice!
No problem.

Let's go!

Well, her run
back in qualifying

created a huge response
on social media.

She's such an inspiration
to young girls,

especially those
who are diabetic.

I can't wait to see what
she does on the back half here.

Such a special talent.

First time facing a
Salmon Ladder in competition.

She's only the second woman
all season

to reach the back half
of the semis course.

Karen Potts did it last week.

Katie Bone doing it
as a type-1 diabetic!

Nice!
Yes!

And now she's reached
the eighth obstacle.

Another unbelievable run
for this rookie.

Got to swing the bar and land
softly on those ghosts.

She's three obstacles away
from a buzzer.

She'd be the youngest woman
ever to do it.

No!

That was just a miss. Oh!

But what a great way
to start the night.

One of the best runs
by a woman this year.

She had to battle to get
through the first half

and made it up
the Warped Wall once again.

But on Ghost Town, she was
looking at the right side

and overshot on the left.

Still, a great run
by the 16-year-old.

Getting hugs
from the family.

And it's early,
but that run may have earned

Katie Bone a trip to Vegas.

It's the last night
of LA Semifinals,

and we've got
an all-star lineup,

including the Sparkly Ninja,
Barclay Stockett,

and the Beast,
Ninja veteran James McGrath.

Plus, the man who
almost won it all,

Austin Gray, and his roommate,

the 5'2" (157cm) fan favorite
Nate Hansen.

We'll see them...

He's about to make it rain
on this Ninja course.

And a lot more...
Time to break camp.

Find out who's punching
their ticket to Vegas

on "American Ninja Warrior."

Welcome back to
"American Ninja Warrior."

Rohan Sebastian's
a med student

about to become a doctor.

Hopefully he studied
this course tonight

because it is difficult.

Before entering
med school,

Sebastian was an
all-American gymnast

at the University of Michigan.

And he had no problem
on the bars.

Nice one!

In his two previous seasons,
the 31-year-old

fell on balance obstacles.
Ooh! Oh, no!

And he did it again tonight.

Take a look
at this right here.

Yo, right on his face.

The balance obstacles!

I'm gonna get it.
I'm gonna get it next time.

Colorado teenager
Anabella Heinrichs

was ready to flex
on the semifinals

after a strong run
back in qualifying.

With her family and training
partners cheering her on,

the recent high school grad
schooled Over Under.

Yeah, got to clear
this gap right here.

Nice.

Heinrichs
is an avid skier,

but when she tried to fly with
the snowboard on Air Surfer...

Oh!

Her run came to an end.

That kind of sucks,
but it is what it is.

Well, it's time
to let the beat drop.

That's because up next is a
17-year-old hip-hop producer.

It's Marietta, Georgia's,
Ethan Bartnicki.

Ooh!
That boy can spit and flip!

Definitely has many talents.

He was adopted as a baby,

and Ninja and music have
helped him express himself.

I've been producing music
for about six years now,

since I was 12.

The instruments
I use are electronic,

so it's just one keyboard
with all the sounds on it.

I normally start out
with a drum pattern.

And then I'll either sample
or chop up a melody

to make it sound how I want.

And then I'll start
adding in more layers

like the kick, the bass,
effects, and vocal chops.

There's a rhythm
to the beats he lays down,

and there's a timing precision

that you have to have in Ninja.

It goes hand in hand,

and I think it's a window
into how his brain works.

I was adopted,
and music has got me

through a lot of tough times.

Sometimes, it is hard to fit
in with the Black community,

and it also is obviously hard
to fit in

with the white community,
but I'm able to now

get into my own world
with my headphones,

and it helps me
express my mood.

Music definitely
means a lot to me.

So let's get hyped.

Ethan's parents
here to support him.

And a big bunch
of his training buddies

watching back in Atlanta.

Just graduated
from high school,

on his way to college
to study music producing.

Only 5'4" and 114 pounds.

Watch him fly
through Over Under.

Oh, he falls back so now
gotta work his way

across underneath
or lache across like that.

Handles that 7-foot gap,
and this time, he goes over.

That's the easy way,
and he is through quickly.

But don't be fooled
by his baby face,

this dude is a man when
he steps on a Ninja course.

On to Air Surfer.

And he looks a lot different
than when we first saw him.

We saw him on "Ninja Junior"
season one.

He was 4'8" (142cm), 72 pounds (33 kg)

Grown up a bit since then.

Called himself
Lil Dolla back then.

He knew he wanted to be
in music at a young age.

Well, he's making some sweet
music on the course so far.

He's flying
through Air Surfer.

There you go! There you go!
There you go!

Big lache! Big lache!

Just needs the dismount.

And he's through.

Watch the Diamond Dash.

Got to get the speed right
in the center of the diamonds.

Nice, yeah!
Perfect.

Whoo!

On now to Kaleidoscope.

Probably gonna need
to get past this one

if you wanna be
in the top 15 and move on.

You got it, buddy,
you got it!

It's gonna test
his technique,

the ability to make the reach,

especially on that
third window.

Nice!

He's got the rhythm, Matt.
Look at that.

Now gotta rotate this one
180 degrees.

In the fourth window,
a quarter-inch ledge.

Bartnicki looks like
a featherweight

just throwing himself around.

Now just needs the dismount.

And he's through.

Gonna take on the Warped Wall
at just 5'4" (163cm)

And Bartnicki crushes it.

Bartnicki on the back half.

Oh, rock, paper, scissors?
What you got?

One, two, three, shoot. Ahh!
Okay.

We both did scissors.
Oh!

What a showman!

He just took time to roshambo
with us, did a flip.

And did a flip.
Now is on to the back half.

Just steppin'.
That's confidence.

Stepping up now
for the Salmon Ladder.

Got to jump it up four rungs.

Oh, he can lay down
some percussions right here.

Rat-a-tat,

rat-a-tat.

Looking strong.

His parents, so supportive.

They adopted Ethan
when he was a baby.

Ethan's got two older brothers
going to Georgia Tech.

Let's see what
he can do on Ghost Town.

Got to be precise
with the bar.

This tripped up
Katie Bone minutes ago.

It's unnerving the way
your momentum moves

with these counterweighted
ghost cradles.

We had this a few weeks ago.

This obstacle knocked out
a lot of top ninjas.

This one right here,
Matt, you got to kick up,

and you got to elevate it.

A foot and a half,
and he just barely got it.

And he's through!

Yeah! Let's go!

Well, now he's facing
a choice at Split Decision.

The balance obstacle,
Diving Boards,

or the upper body tester,
Flipped Around.

And he's going straight
to Flipped Around.

Look at all his boys there
in Atlanta watching.

This will really
test that grip.

5'4" (163cm), not a big wingspan,
but only 114 pounds (52kg).

Got to climb to the top,
flip the board over,

and lock it in place.
I love the confidence.

He didn't hesitate
to attack this obstacle.

He went right at it.

The future music producer

has hit all the right notes
tonight.

But he's struggling to get
that lower body locked in.

Really relying
on the upper body there.

See if he can lock it in.

That board is about half
his body weight, Matt,

so he's gonna really have
to get that momentum

to lock it in.

You can do it!

He's getting so close!

And switching that grip.

You can see he's running
out of steam here.

Oh, yeah, but he's
17 years old, 114 pounds.

He should have enough energy.
Just needs the body weight.

He's trying to swing
before he locks it in.

Your fulcrum point is
actually shifting on you,

and now he's gone backwards.

This kid's got
a lot of moxie,

and he has no quit--
Oh!

Well, he got
flipped around there,

but not before making it
to that ninth obstacle.

I got this far.
I'm so proud of how I did.

That was insane.

This music producer
can definitely entertain.

Played a little rock, paper,
scissors, threw in a backflip,

and made it
to the ninth obstacle

where he tried hard
but couldn't get it locked in.

I'm so proud of you. Mwah.

Well, it's early,
but I think that might earn

the music man a gig in Vegas.

Coming up, his dying father
taught him to live wide.

And Christopher Harding Jones
has lived up to that legacy.

For Father!

This inspirational teenager
is up next...

Yes! Living wide!

On "American Ninja Warrior."

Welcome back to
"American Ninja Warrior."

Moments ago, Mohawk
39-year-old Mark Farrell

got the party started with
some interesting dance moves

at the start line.
He's hyped! He's hyped!

Wearing jean shorts and
weighing almost 200 pounds,

the Utah dad
and software engineer

was still able
to pull off some big moves.

Okay!

And he brought
some big energy.

Ahh!

Shirt's coming off.

After going bare-chested,

he went out
in a blaze of glory.

Oh! Oh!

No!

Whoo!
That was beautiful.

There was money on the line
for Atlanta's Brad Giles.

He's about to make it rain
on this Ninja course.

Giles, the Give-Back Ninja,

donates $500 to charity for
every obstacle he completes.

Yeah, here we go!

At 39, the healthcare
company owner

is one of our
older competitors.

All right, here comes
$1,000 right here.

And though his run
ended earlier

than he would've liked...
Ooh! No!

He still donated
$1,000 to charity.

It happens.
Best y'all heard.

I love Ninja. Let's go.

Our next competitor
had one of the most

emotional runs we've ever had
a few weeks ago in qualifying.

This is so amazing!

Let's go!

This is Georgia teenager
Christopher Harding Jones.

His shirt says "Living Wide,"
the motto of his dad,

who died from cancer.

But that's not all this
17-year-old has had to face.

I think the thing
that makes me proudest

is that I've had
to overcome a lot of things

to even get to the start line.

I lost my dad to lung cancer.

And I was diagnosed with
sensory processing disorder

when I was in the second grade.

I struggled know where I am
and how my body interacts

with the space around me.

Good, good. Good.

I'm very clumsy, and it
makes anything physical

very difficult for me.

After Christopher
got diagnosed,

they said, try things like
gymnastics and dancing.

They didn't really
make any difference.

When I found "American Ninja
Warrior," everything changed.

Before he died, my dad built a
whole Ninja course in my yard.

He started to do
better in school,

he became more athletic
and more confident.

Ninja requires
so much coordination

and spatial awareness.

You have to grab things
precisely.

Boy, he is moving
with speed.

Sometimes, I'll still stumble
or struggle a little bit more

than other people, but hitting
a buzzer just shows

how far Ninja
has helped me come.

If my dad taught me anything,
it was to never

let challenges hold you back.

Tonight, no matter
how I do, I know

he will be so
incredibly proud of me

just for getting out there
and being here.

Such an impressive kid.

He'll have his mom and sister
on the sideline

along with other
Georgia ninjas.

And that group of
Atlanta training partners

we saw earlier will
also be cheering him on.

We see a lot of potential
in this young man.

Full name
Christopher Harding Jones,

but his friends
just call him Topher.

You can hear the
"living wide" chant.

Everyone here tonight
wants to see this kid succeed.

And if you missed
his run in qualifying,

"living wide" was
the motto of his dad

who was given
four months to live.

It means you can't control
how long you live,

but you can control
how wide you live,

so live it to the fullest.

Now on to Air Surfer.

This is an easy one
to make a mistake,

get too energized
and overshoot.

Ooh!
Watch it! Good correction!

And just as you were talking
about overshooting,

almost overshot that one.

And you see the landing pads
are getting smaller.

And perfect right there.
Now 4-foot gap.

Big gap. Overcome it. Nice.
Nice launch.

A lot of good, young ninjas
have come out of Atlanta.

Guys like Vance Walker.

Christopher Harding Jones
was kind of unheralded,

but he is impressing us.

Yes, he is.

He's living wide out here,
enjoying every moment.

But his sensory
processing disorder

could make this
balance obstacle challenging.

Watch the footwork.
Nice, nice. Ooh!

Tripped up, but he's
still able to recover.

Great job there
by Christopher Harding Jones.

All right, he's living wide,
and that's a great motto

to have here on Kaleidoscope

as he's starting
to make that turn.

There you go,
wide reach right there.

That's the most efficient way
there on Kaleidoscope.

Lands softly on the
first one, only 137 pounds.

Ooh, he's got his hair
in his face.

He's got to blow that hair
out his face,

I don't know what that's like.

Look at him, he's shaking
his head back and forth.

I'm not sure he can even see
as he makes these moves.

These obstacles
are hard enough.

If you've got your hair
obstructing your view,

that's almost impossible.

Nice!

And the impressive run of
Christopher Harding Jones.

Ah, get out of here,
Christopher Harding Jones.

Got it.
Okay.

Back to the Warped Wall.

Good job, man! Good job!
Whoo!

He might want
to put that hair

in a ponytail or something.

Problems we don't
have to worry about.

Just take your time!
All day!

Just needs the Warped Wall,

and he'll be headed
to the back half.

Nice!
Got it.

And look at the celebration.
There you go.

This is so sick!
Yeah.

Living wide, baby.

Living wide!
This kid is having a blast.

I'm sure his dad
is watching from up above

and just so proud
of this young man.

So many of these athletes,
the obstacles on the course

are nothing compared
to the obstacles

they've overcome to get here.

It's already been an
amazing rookie year for him.

If he can get
another buzzer, wow.

First time
on the Salmon Ladder.

Nice! Whoo!

Look at that!
Reverse grip.

Nice, even pace.

You got this!

I think he's got
a full tank.

Now, we saw him almost
overshoot on Air Surfer,

so watch it here.
Possible to pop this bar out.

Breathe! Whoo!

Get that swing! Good job.

Nice!

Just graduated
from high school.

With his sensory disorder,
he could

never do traditional sports,

but he has found a home
in Ninja.

18 inches up,
needs some power here.

Big up!

Looked like he was going
for it and thought again.

Oh, nice!
Got it!

He's said, "I'm not about
to make the rookie mistake."

Teenager Ethan Bartnicki
got through this earlier.

Topher trying
to be the second.

The teen invasion continuing.

And this amazing run
continuing.

He's reached
the ninth obstacle.

What will he do
at Split Decision?

He's walking straight
to Flipped Around.

Go for it.
Swing into it.

Make sure it locks.

Ethan Bartnicki,
who fell on this

minutes ago giving advice.

Got to love how the ninjas
support each other.

This right here
is an upper-body test.

What does he have left?

Get that lower body
locked in.

He needs to use his legs.
Wrap them around.

There you go. Okay!

Did he learn
from watching Bartnicki?

Will he be able
to lock the board in place?

You got it, Topher! Whoo!

Gotta generate the power.

Locked in, and good job.

And on to that second board.

And got the foot on the cleat.
He's learning.

He's improving from first
board to the second board.

Wow, look at that.

Here we go.
Gotta get up there.

Give it all you got!

Matt, where did
this kid come from?

He wasn't on "Ninja Junior,"
we didn't know much about him

before the season,
but he continues to amaze us.

He may be
our rookie of the year.

Just needs the dismount.
If he can hold on.

And he holds on!

And look at this,
Christopher Harding Jones.

Okay!
And he's gonna do it.

Living wide! Living wide!

35 feet away from getting
his second buzzer.

Big man, first person
to take on the Spider Trap.

Three sets of doors,
each side weighing 50 pounds.

Living wide! Living wide!

And this entire crowd
chanting "living wide."

That's what this kid is doing.

What a way to honor his dad.

His dad started this
"Living Wide" movement,

what a legacy to leave behind.

And his son is showing
what it's all about.

This young man with
sensory processing disorder

has figured out how to handle
the bright lights here.

One more set of doors.

Matt, no other rookie
this season

has hit a buzzer
in qualifying and semifinals,

but Christopher Harding Jones
is about to do it!

And a storybook ending
for this emotional journey.

Come on. Get it.

Putting his shoulder
into it.

There you go. Yeah!

And Christopher Harding
Jones continues to live wide

and enjoy the high life 35 up.

Getting the first buzzer
of the night!

And overcome with emotion.

Let's go!

Absolutely, Christopher.

You did it, buddy.

I can't even believe it, bro.
35 feet closer to my dad.

Aww. Oh, wow.
Oh, man.

Oh, my gosh.

Christopher,
that is so beautiful.

Well said.

What do you think your dad
would be thinking

right now seeing you
living wide?

I don't even know, bro.
He'd be so proud,

I can't even, like,
express it with words.

Well, Topher, let me
tell you something.

I can some express
some words to you, man.

You're going to Las Vegas.

Oh, my gosh,
thank you so much!

He honors his dad
every time he hits the course,

and Christopher Harding Jones
lived wide tonight.

The first to conquer
the ninth obstacle

and our first finisher
of the night.

And he's gonna share
a big hug with Mom.

How can you not love this kid?

Don't let anyone tell you
you can't do something.

Welcome back to
"American Ninja Warrior."

A couple of athletes
from other sports

hit the course minutes ago.

Basketball coach
Liv Hackmann showed off

her impressive handles
at the start line.

Matt, she's got hoop dreams,
she's ready for it.

Hackmann played
college hoops

at Southeast Missouri State.

And she got some big air
on Over Under.

Oh, was able
to slam it through!

The 5'9" (175cm) rookie was making

all the right moves
on Air Surfer.

Come on, come on. Ooh!
No!

Until she came up short
on the dismount.

That's a bummer.

Professional wrestler
Sem Garay was ready

to drop the hammer
on the semifinals.

Well, let's see if
Sem Garay is gonna

huff and blow
this course down.

He's been
entertaining audiences

in the Chicago area
for five years.

Nice!

And he put on
a show tonight.

All right, come on. Whoo!

Like Ric Flair! Whoo!

The four-time
Ninja veteran was wrestling

his way across Kaleidoscope...

Oh!

When he went down
for the count.

One, two, three.

And you're out!

Well, you can never
count out our next athlete.

It's the legendary ninja
James "The Beast" McGrath.

After injuries
kept him out for years,

the veteran returned
a few weeks ago in qualifying

and had a life-changing run.

And James McGrath is
going for the 10,000.

Beat that wall! Beat that wall!

Oh!

Yeah!

The Beast conquered the
Mega Wall, winning $10,000.

The Beast is back!

And then proposed to his
long-time girlfriend,

fellow ninja Allyssa Beird.

He's dropping to one knee!

She said yes!
She said yes!

Oh, she said yes!
She said yes!

Allyssa won't be
on the sideline tonight.

She's watching
from back in Massachusetts.

You got this.
I love you.

I love you.

Aww, look at that, Matt.
Love is in the air.

McGrath first competed
way back in season two.

I nicknamed him
"The Beast" because

he was a dominant figure.

He was one
of the sport's elites.

Nice. Yes.

He missed
three seasons because

of multiple
shoulder surgeries.

Returned with a vengeance
in qualifying,

got that Mega Wall,
and hasn't missed a beat.

Wants to show these
young bucks that an old hand

like him can still do it.

Ooh, he was rushing right
there and fell backwards.

Now he's got
to make this big lache.

You know that extra work
can catch up to you.

He's got friends
and fellow ninjas

from Massachusetts
on the sideline.

The Beast's always been
a fan favorite.

Been to the National Finals
seven times in his career,

including making it
as far as stage three.

Nice and precise here.
You've got this.

James is really looking
to complete his comeback

by getting back to the
National Finals this year.

Just an explosive athlete.

Track, football,
really came into his own

in "Ninja Warrior."

And looks like he's gonna
get through Air Surfer.

Whoo! Yes!

All right, let's see him
sprint through Diamond Dash.

Let's see that
track form here.

Nice form.
Perfect.

At Kaleidoscope now.

He's worked so hard to recover
from those shoulder injuries.

Years of rehab and training
to rebuild his strength.

You can see him using
those lats just to elevate,

make those power moves.

He's showing some good
upper-body strength there.

6'2" (188cm), one of
our taller ninjas,

so he's got good reach.

Making a comeback
at 35 years old.

That's how dedicated
he is to Ninja.

You can just see
how calm he looks.

That's where that height
comes into play for him,

making those reaches.

Now this quarter-inch lip.

Lot of falls right here.

Oh, no!

No! No!

Oh, man,
he's devastated, Matt.

Well, three years away,
was so strong in qualifying,

and it just comes
to a shocking end.

The Beast bested
by the Kaleidoscope.

It's okay.

He had to make
a few extra moves early,

and that may have
caught up to him.

On Kaleidoscope,
he just didn't get a grip

on that final ledge,

and his fingers
slipped right off.

And years of fighting
his way back,

you can feel his frustration.

Ah, look at him,
his boys coming out.

That's what friends are for.

Not the way James McGrath
wanted his comeback to end,

but hopefully, we'll see him
and Allyssa back next year.

Coming up,
he's amazed us before.

Oh, he just 360'ed!

What's the Classy Ninja,
Donovan Metoyer,

gonna pull out tonight?

Plus, wait till you see
who's running the course next.

It's gonna be
a jolly good time.

Ho ho ho ho!

Christmas came early
here at Universal Studios.

When Tristan Wyman
from North Pole, Alaska,

hit the start line
minutes ago,

that other guy from the
North Pole hit our booth.

Oh, hey, what's up, Santa?

Oh, my,
he's brought us gifts.

What did you get, Akbar?
Oh, I got a candy cane.

What'd he bring you?
I don't know, it feels heavy.

Oh, boy.

A lump of coal.

Oh, man.

On the course,
Wyman was hoping

for the best gift of all,
a trip to Vegas.

This obstacle right here,
this thing can be naughty.

The 21-year-old
college student

who trains in sub-zero
temperatures in Alaska

made it to the semifinals
as a rookie.

Oh, no! He slipped!

But his holiday
in Hollywood ended

after just three obstacles.

Well, back to the North Pole
with you, my friend.

Bye, Santa.

Atlanta actor DeShawn Harris
was ready for his closeup

and showed
his range of emotions.

That's right, baby.
Let's get this course, baby!

That earned him
a round of applause.

And his performance on the
course also showed promise.

Matt, he's got
so much energy.

The five-time veteran
was trying to get to Vegas

for the second year in a row.

Oh!

His fall on Kaleidoscope
left his hopes in doubt,

but he went out
with a showstopper.

Oh!

Oh, he's having fun.
Go out with a splash.

Avid outdoorsman
Parker Hewes

cooked up some campfire
s'mores before his run.

That'll give him
some energy!

Hewes gets his
Ninja training out

in the mountains of Wyoming.

But he wore a Hawaiian shirt
for his run tonight.

Out there looking like
Magnum PI!

He was looking good
when he reached Air Surfer,

but the chiropractor couldn't
make the right adjustments.

Oh!

He just hit the wall, Matt.

On the course right now,

the Classy Ninja,
Donovan Metoyer.

Wears a suit
every time he runs.

Oh, check him out.

He looks good tonight,
don't he?

Nice, nice, nice, keep going.

A great pace.

Let's do it!

Everybody loves
to watch the Classy Ninja,

especially that guy.
He's got a suit too.

Well, fans know, not only
does Donovan look good,

he does crazy moves like
going 360 on the Warped Wall.

I just don't know how you
have the reach in this jacket.

I mean, my jacket's
got a little stretch.

I'm not doing Kaleidoscope
in a three-piece suit.

All right,
he means business, Matt.

All he needs is a briefcase.

He is a businessman.

Runs the biggest Ninja gym
in the Kansas City area.

Started competing
in season five,

but had his best success
the past two years.

And gets through.

Known for doing 360s
on the Warped Wall.

He's done it
a couple of times.

Is he going to do it,
you think?

No trick. Straight up.

No tricks tonight.
He just wants a buzzer.

Now on to the back half,
jacket's coming off.

Oh, okay.

They call him the Classy
Ninja for a good reason.

Take a look at his suits

he's run the course in
over the years.

I like the white one.
That was sharp.

Somebody needs
to get him a suit dealer.

See if he can keep
that suit dry

for these
final four obstacles.

All right, here we go.

Click-clack.
Right up on the Salmon Ladder.

Oh, had a decent pace
to this point, Akbar.

If he gets through Ghost Town,

he'll have done a good job
of positioning himself

to return to Vegas.

Donovan! Donovan!

And listen to the crowd,
they're chanting his name.

They love this guy.

Up 18 inches here.

Got to launch it.
All right, here we go.

Go up. Up and over.

Just like
a double Windsor tie.

And Donovan Metoyer
is through.

Only the third person tonight
to reach Split Decision.

Remember, last year,
he made it here

and chose the Diving Boards,
and it did not end well.

Oh! He was so close!

What's he gonna do tonight?

Oh, headed towards
Flipped Around.

No, going back
to Diving Boards.

He's like,
"I'm coming back for you."

It's revenge!

He said,
"Oh, you think I forgot?"

Maybe this is the trick
he was saving up for.

Go! You got this!

Maybe he'll try a different
technique this year.

Ooh, oh, oh, oh!
Oh!

Again.

But his fans loved it,

and he's almost assured
himself a spot in Vegas,

but done in again
by the Diving Boards.

Last year, he led off
with his right foot.

This year, he started
with his left.

But the result was the same.

Came up short and slammed
right into the pad.

Coming up, at only 5'2" (157cm),

he's become one of Ninja's
biggest stars.

Whoo!

Hey! No, wait!

But it's his big family

that made Nate so gnarly.

No. No, no, no.

And we'll meet them next
on "American Ninja Warrior."

Welcome back to
Universal Studios, Hollywood,

where we're midway through
our last night of semifinals.

This is your last chance
to punch your ticket to Vegas,

and these ninjas
are going all out.

Moments ago, Jacob Arnstein

was carrying the flag
of Guatemala,

the country
he was adopted from.

How cool is it?

Kids from the orphanage
where Arnstein once lived

were watching, and his family,

including his little brother,
were on the sidelines

as the 5'3" (160cm) teenager rolled
through the early obstacles.

Good power. Wow.

His brother and Jacob
both asked

for some help from above
before Diamond Dash,

and their prayers
were answered.

The high school student
hit a buzzer in qualifying,

and he made it
up the wall again.

Hey, show me them muscles.

Show me them muscles!

At only 113 pounds,
he was able to fly

through Ghost Town.

Got it.

At 15, Arnstein is the
night's youngest competitor.

But he made it all the way
to the ninth obstacle--

Oh, no!

And he's almost assured
of moving on to Vegas.

The Maker, obstacle designer
Kevin Carbone,

came out running
like he wanted

to get to the Power Tower.

Running with
an urgency here, Akbar.

The 26-year-old
kept up the fast pace

and powered through
Ghost Town.

Here he is,
the ninth obstacle,

and a great pace
to this point.

And when he reached
Split Decision,

he waved off Flipped Around

and went with the
quicker option, Diving Boards.

I think he's going
for the Power Tower.

No!

The Maker Ninja couldn't
make it work on Diving Boards.

But with his speed,
he's got a good chance

at moving on
to the National Finals.

He is only 5'2" (157cm),
but Nate Hansen

is quickly becoming one
of the biggest stars in Ninja.

And he blew us away
with the fastest time

in qualifying a few weeks ago.

And tonight,
Nate's got extra motivation.

His entire family
is on the sideline

for the very first time.

You ready to go?
Yeah.

Please don't hurt each other.

Growing up in a large family
made me who I am today.

You got socks on, bro,
you're about to die.

Ahh!

Our house is loud.

Stop playing with the avocados!
Hey!

Very loud.
Very loud and very crazy.

No. No, no, no.

He's drinking milk
in the corner.

Is there no other place
to sit in the kitchen?

I'm the oldest of five.

I have two biological brothers

and two adopted brothers
as well.

Hey, no, wait.
Give me that.

And we go through a lot
of food and a lot of laundry.

About 17 loads a week.

A lot of laughs, though.

Yes. A lot of laughs.

Nathan is an
excellent big brother.

Him off the course, he's more
impressive than on the course.

Oh, that was better!

Which, as a parent,
to watch him not only

be a remarkable human but a
remarkable athlete is a gift,

and I don't know that
you could really ask for more.

Whoa!
He's taking me out.

He's definitely
an inspiration.

His work ethic is like no
other person I've ever seen.

Because of his height,
Nathan's always been

the underdog in whatever
he'd do.

But he would do it really,
really well.

Oh, they are hungry.

The fact that my brothers
get to come out here

and watch me tonight
is absolutely incredible.

They've never seen me live,
so it's going to be amazing

to have them there
cheering me on.

They are my number one fans.

And you can already hear
the chants of Gnarly Nate.

This guy's an inspiration
to his brothers

and all Ninja fans,
especially underdogs.

He was diagnosed with
growth hormone deficiency,

stopped growing at 5'2" (157cm),
but never let it stop him.

Got fans watching back
in Colorado as well.

Well, Gnarly Ninja Nate
exploded onto the scene

in season 12 in St. Louis.

Blew us away not just
with his performance,

but with that confidence,
that swag.

I tell ya,
every time he comes out here,

you know he means business.

And he's studying
business marketing

at the University of Colorado.

About to graduate.

And he is quickly
through Over Under.

Nate Hansen, confident pace
out of this guy.

It's the way he attacks life.

He knows what he wants.
He believes in his talent.

This is a young man that's
been doubted his whole life.

And you can just see him
eyeing the cradle,

checking it up,
being so precise.

Seriously, I want to invest
with this young man.

'Cause I believe big things
await him, not just in Ninja.

Great dismount.

This business student
means business.

Diamond Dash can be a little
trickier for shorter ninjas.

Bop, bop, bop, bop, bop!
Nice!

He's giving the family
a good show.

Gnarly Nate! Gnarly Nate!

The crowd loves it.

On to Kaleidoscope.

Impossible not to be impacted
by this dude's positive energy.

Really have enjoyed
getting to know Nate.

Wears 12 on his shirt.

That was the age when
he was diagnosed

with growth hormone deficiency.
That was when his life changed.

And look at this,
he's starting

to spin in circles, Matt.

He needs to straighten it out.

Watch it here, though,
Kaleidoscope's a challenge.

These handles get small.

Some big reaches.

And there's a good look at
him hanging by his fingertips.

Not easy to hold on.
Now the final ledge.

It's only a quarter inch wide.

Oh, and he lands it!

And he is through.

And Nate just effortlessly
down through five obstacles.

He's calling for the crowd.
He's hyping it up.

Beat that wall! Beat that wall!

And Nate Hansen on
to the back half again.

Nate has been training
so hard for this season

with his roommate Austin Gray.

They're both planning
to go far in Vegas.

There's Austin
coming down to join the family

on the sidelines.

And Nate keeping it moving.

Four more obstacles
to go to a buzzer.

Here we go.

Rat-a-tat,
here on the Salmon Ladder.

Now the eighth obstacle,
and Ghost Town

has spooked
a few ninjas this season.

You can pop that bar
right out of the cradle.

Easy mistake to make.

Matt, that one wasn't clean,
and this one,

he's gotta go
18 inches up here.

So he's gotta make sure
that he has enough power.

Nice.
Got it.

Nate Hansen always rises
to the occasion,

and he's gonna get
through Ghost Town.

And right now, he's well ahead

of Christopher Harding Jones'
time for the fastest finish.

What will he do
at Split Decision?

Being 5'25'2" (157cm),
I think he'd be trippin'

if he tried the Diving Boards.
Nah!

He's not messing
around with Diving Boards.

Come on, Nate.
You got this, Nate.

For some of these smaller,
lighter athletes,

it's a challenge
to get this big board

flipped around and locked in.

But look at the power
he's already getting.

Yeah, and Matt,
you know what's so hard?

This thing is rocking him
like a baby,

and that makes it
hard to find that grip.

There! That's power!
Nice!

Nate Hansen
always finds a way.

Got to do it again.
Nice! Oh!

Get those feet on!

You gotta get your feet on
and wrap around.

That's it, wrap it around

and then you gotta
make your start

marching towards
the top there,

but again, that board starts
to swivel back and forth,

can be a little disruptive.

He's trying to--
ooh, don't jump--

he's trying to jump for it,
Matt.

You can see--
oh, he's slipping.

And now locked in.

Big move. Got it!
Nice.

Hold on!

And Gnarly Ninja Nate,

35 feet away from his second
straight semifinals buzzer.

Oh, this is
gonna be impressive.

Here we go!

And he should have
a very fast time.

And with his roommate
Austin Gray coming up later,

we could see best friends
on the Power Tower.

Well, Nate fell
on stage one last year,

so he'd love
to have a Safety Pass.

What a gnarly performance.

135 pounds, and he is moving

these 100-pound door sets
very easily.

That's why they
call him Gnarly Nate.

Look at this! Look at this!
Get that buzzer!

Gnarly Ninja Nate
coming up big once again.

Oh, look at him!

He gets his second buzzer
in the season

and is the fastest time
of the night so far!

Let's go!

Nate Hansen.
Never a doubt, buddy.

Never a doubt.

But what's it like having
your family here

watching you dominate again,
my friend?

Yeah, you know, without them,
I wouldn't be who I am today.

And having my family here
in person

to watch me hit a buzzer,
it means everything to me.

Gnarly Nate! Gnarly Nate!

They love you out here
in Los Angeles.

Congratulations,
you're going to Las Vegas.

Yes, sir!

We may see you
on the Power Tower

because you got the
fastest time so far!

Go celebrate, man.
Great job.

That's right! Here we go!

Gnarly Ninja Nate
rollin' into Vegas!

Coming up, last season,

she had a run to remember
on stage one.

Oh, wow! Strong!

Isabella Wakeham
will try to punch

her return trip to Vegas

when "American Ninja Warrior"
returns.

Welcome back to
"American Ninja Warrior"

at Universal Studios,
Hollywood,

where you can soar
over Hogwarts Castle,

journey into Jurassic World,

or let loose on Illumination's

Off the Leash.

And let's not forget
the world-famous studio tour,

where you'll go
behind the scenes

of your favorite film sets.

Make it your best day in LA.

The shark from "Jaws"
is also at Universal,

and minutes ago,
we had our own shark attack

as Mark "The Shark" Antioquia

sent the crowd
into a feeding frenzy.

Mark the Shark!

Mark the Shark has got to
smell that blood in the water.

The 35-year-old
from Massachusetts

hit his first buzzer
back in qualifying.

Nice!

But tonight, when he
reached Air Surfer...

Oh!

He bit off more
than he could chew.

Mark the Shark
missed the mark.

Next time, right?

21-year-old Isaiah Wakeham
made it all the way

to stage two last season.
Let's go!

With his sister
and mom watching,

the filmmaker
and artist from Texas

made quick work
of the first few obstacles.

Shake 'em off, Wakeham.

But he ran into trouble
on Kaleidoscope...

He's having a hard time
with the swing.

Moving around
like a kaleidoscope.

And the extra swing
seemed to sap his energy.

Oh!

Wow, he's looking up.
He's in shock.

Well, now his
younger sister, Isabella,

gets her turn.
She is a rising star.

She was our top
female rookie last season,

and she credits
her success to her faith.

She is doing it big.

Naturally, I'm a super
competitive person.

And I just want to be the best.

But faith is a huge,
huge part of my life.

Father God, we just
thank you for this day,

for the opportunity
to train with each other.

My faith has shown me
that it's not

about winning
every single time,

it's about the impact you can
have on the people around you

and the friendships
you get to make.

Amen! Whoo!

Let's go!

That's one of the things
I love about Ninja,

is that my athletic goals
go right alongside my faith.

Yes!

Even though we're competing
against each other,

we're a community that wants
to see each other succeed.

We want to cheer
each other on.

Let's go!

I hope to be one of the top
competitors for years to come.

No matter what happens
on the course,

I want to set a good example,
and I want people

to know what I stand for.

Yeah!

But hopefully,
I'll still hit a buzzer.

One of Isabella's
inspirations

is the Kingdom Ninja,
Daniel Gil,

who's always open
about his faith.

And there he is
with his wife, Abby.

Isabella's mom and brother
on the sideline.

So mature for her age.

Going to Texas A&M this fall.

I love her intensity.
5'5", 138.

And she goes
right into Over Under.

See if she can generate
the power to go over the top.

Yep.

Matt, she's been doing Ninja

since she was ten years old.

She knows her way
around obstacles.

She's not gonna panic.

Whoa! Goes under.

She's gonna need that
long lache, though.

She trusts her power.

That's a 7-foot lache
right there.

You got this!

You can hear the support
on the sidelines

saying she's got this,
and you can tell she's got it.

I mean, 18 years old,
but such confidence.

Let's go!

Headed into Air Surfer.

Blew us away last year
making it to Vegas.

She and her brother both did.

Feel it out, dude.
Feel it out.

She was the top woman
in qualifying

and the semis last year.

This year in qualifying
was the second woman.

Watch that board.

That left side barely
got on the cradle.

Even smaller cradle here.

The top three women from
tonight will move on to Vegas.

Most expect Isabella Wakeham
to be one of them.

Perfect! Come on! Come on!

Great technique,
not making any mistakes.

And she's through.

Her second favorite sport
after Ninja

is Formula 1 racing.

Let's see if she can speed
across Diamond Dash.

Whoa!
Just great balance!

Did you see that, Matt?

She just jumped right
over the last diamond

and barely made the landing.
Teetered right on the edge.

That's explosive.

But now facing Kaleidoscope,

where her brother fell
minutes ago.

And I don't wanna
jinx her,

but they have a history of
falling on the same obstacle.

Well, if she can get
past this obstacle,

she'll have a very good shot
of getting back to Vegas.

And remember, last year,
on stage one,

she went further than any
female rookie in history.

Yes! Let's go!

You have such a small handle.

That's three quarters
of an inch.

And she may wanna
say a prayer for this one.

Kaleidoscope is tough.

Just love the intensity
and the f--the hand sliding.

Uh-oh, uh-oh.

You can see she's got
to reach up higher.

Matt, she's got to reach.

She's slipping,
but she's fighting.

Slipping! Good adjustment!

Whoa!

Now there's just a quarter
inch on this final lip.

Does she have anything left?

Oh!
No!

The grip gives out,
she flips out.

And the Wakehams once again
fall on the same obstacle.

You could see she was
struggling to get a grip.

And when she tried
to generate a swing,

just slipped off
and did a backflip.

It's the third time
she's fallen

the same place as her brother.

We need to stop doing this,
man.

We'll have to wait
and see if Isabella

went far enough, fast enough
to move on.

Can the Flyboy, Isaiah Thomas,
land a spot in Vegas?

He's coming up.

And don't forget,

our night ends
on the Power Tower,

a head-to-head race
for a Safety Pass in Vegas

when "American Ninja Warrior"
returns.

Welcome back to
"American Ninja Warrior,"

coming to you from
Universal Studios, Hollywood.

Minutes ago, the Muscle Ball,
Tyler Yamauchi,

survived a scare
on Diamond Dash.

Okay, Muscle Ball.

But otherwise,
this father of three

made quick work
of the early obstacles.

Yamauchi, looking Gucci.

At only 5'1",
the seven-time veteran

rolled to the back half.
Nice.

Where the former all-
American collegiate gymnast

flew through Ghost Town.

Yamauchi coming in hot!

At Split Decision,
the 36-year-old

factored in his smaller size
and gymnastic skills

and went with Flipped Around.
Oh, no!

W-w-watch yourself! No!

But it was over quickly.

However, he's already
guaranteed a spot

in the top 15.
He's moving on.

Then it was another
familiar face,

13-time veteran Lorin Ball.

He's been doing this
for a long time.

Whoo! Go, baby, go!

With his wife, Elena,
watching back in Colorado,

the 35-year-old
was trying to get back

to Vegas for the sixth time.

Lorin Ball has finished
in the top five 10 times.

Though he's known
for his speed,

Ball took time to rest on the
first part of the course.

Ready to go to bed?

I think he was saying his
forearms are falling asleep.

But then he flipped
a switch on the back half.

A little style for us.
Okay, man.

That's impressive.

I'm breaking my neck
if I tried that.

And seemed
to get a second wind

as he flew through Ghost Town.

Don't get ghosted
in Ghost Town.

Nice.

At Split Decision,
the former break dancer

went opposite
Tyler Yamauchi and chose

the dangerous Diving Boards.

Explosive! Explosive!
Yes!

And Lorin Ball does it!
Whoa!

He was the first to get
past Diving Boards tonight,

and he put up the
second fastest finish so far.

What an amazing run
right there.

Get ready for one of the
most exciting young ninjas,

it's the Flyboy,
Isaiah Thomas.

Lat year, as a rookie,

he had a breakthrough season
on the course.

This year, he's had
to step it up at home.

Last season was incredible.

And I got the fastest time
in qualifiers.

And I made it
all the way to stage two.

But this year,
there's been some

unfortunate family issues.

So are you struggling with
anything in school right now?

Figurative language.
Figurative language.

Yes.

The last six months have been
so difficult because

I've been helping
raise my nephews.

You see how you brought
that 2X down over here?

You can cross that out?
Yeah.

My cousins had
a tough home life,

so they came to live with us.

We could go work out
after y'all are done.

Now it's you're time to get it.
You're gonna get it?

Mm-hmm.
Let's go, man.

Gotta believe in yourself.

All right, high kick
and a bump forward.

Chris is 13.

There you go.

Oh! You were right there, dude.

And Junior is 11.

Ooh. Ooh!
You gotta jump to the blue.

There you go.

Isaiah's been a big help
taking them to the gym,

taking them to school.

The boys really
look up to Isaiah.

Let go!

Isaiah being
a role model to me.

It helps me want to go places.

He helps me with everything.

Strong kick.
Knees to chest now.

Like Ninja and rock climbing
and basketball.

Get a lock up now.

There you go.

You see?
That one looked perfect.

It means everything to me
to be able to help them out.

And I like being
a good role model for them.

I love y'all!

Let's go, Flyboy, let's go!

Isaiah's cousins
watching back in Texas

with other family members.

And Mom's down on the sideline
with young ninjas

Elijah Browning
and Christian Youst.

This is what I do!
This is what I do.

He's built for this, Matt.

He's played basketball,
played football,

but nothing has called him
more than "Ninja Warrior."

On the high school
basketball team

and also started
his own business designing

and making obstacles.
This kid is a go-getter.

And he's through Over Under.

Now on to the third obstacle.

He fell on the
Air Surfer in Vegas.

That was near the end
of stage two.

Raised by a single mom,
who grew up--

really had a work ethic,
though,

that has served him so well.

This guy trains
seven days a week

up to four hours a day.

Ooh, putting in that work.
Yeah, he is.

Watch that left side, though.

In his short career so far,
Matt,

he hasn't had
a semifinals buzzer.

He's keeping it moving,
taking off on Diamond Dash.

Nice, nice, nice!

Little stumble,
but he's through.

Ready for Kaleidoscope.

He's long and lean
but wasn't always that way.

He had a huge growth spurt.

The shortest kid
in his middle school,

now 6'1", only 145.

And all of them
are watching him

here on national television.
What a display.

What a display of athleticism.

And he's gonna go
counter-clockwise here.

Yeah.

That ledge
in front of him is moving.

All right, he's got to
watch out on that swing.

He's got that long body. Nice.

Isaiah Thomas
is through!

Get up there!

And right up it!

That's a bad boy right there.
That's a bad boy.

Just a point.

That kid is cool, man.
Yeah, he is.

You think those cousins
don't look up to him?

Flyboy! Flyboy! Flyboy!

This crowd's behind him.
They're chanting "Flyboy."

Made it to the semifinals
last year,

went out
on the ninth obstacle.

Ooh! Okay!
It's all right!

He said, "I ain't scurred.
I got this."

Rat-a-tat-tat.
Now on to Ghost Town.

This is one of
the many obstacles

that came from our
obstacle design challenge.

Now, if you have
an obstacle idea,

to submit your ideas
for next year.

All right, come on.

And then elevate,
an 18-inch ascension here,

the second to third cradle.

You got a name like Flyboy,

you know you can fly up
18 inches.

Nice.
Nice power, nice technique.

Well, we've had
three finishers so far

on this unrelenting
semifinals course.

You're good, you're good,
you're good!

And he's through!

Stopping to look down
at Split Decision.

He says "Which one?"

Mom's pointing
at Flipped Around.

Well, he's got a chance
to beat Nate Hansen

for the fastest time,

and the quicker option
is Diving Boards.

He went out
on a balance obstacle

last year in the semifinals.
It was Tuning Forks.

But he may still
be thinking about it.

Oh, yeah,
he's going Flipped Around.

So he'll have to hurry
if he wants the fastest time.

Only 145, but at 6'1",
has a little more leverage.

Anticipate the drop
before you let your feet go.

Nice. Get a hold. Nice.

Got it locked.
Nice.

Now got to do it
all over again.

Matt, he told me
he was gonna do this.

Oh! Almost missed that.

But he got that foot
on that cleat,

that might've saved him.

Yeah, all right,
before you let go,

make sure you secure it.
Nice.

Well, just gotta get
the dismount.

And he's through.

Yes! Come on!

Still has a shot
at the top time,

but it is gonna be close.

Just 35 feet away from his
first semifinals buzzer.

He is looking tired.

How fast can he get up
the Spider Trap?

Speed could get him
to the Power Tower.

Oh, this is gonna
come down to the wire.

Can he push through
these last few seconds?

10 seconds left
to get that top time.

Oh, one more!
Lot of ninjas still to come.

It's gonna be close.
If he can just get it!

Oh, my goodness,
hurry, hurry up top!

Hurry up top! Hurry!

Not gonna be
the fastest,

but still gets
his first semis buzzer!

Oh, boy.

And the Flyboy
overcome with emotion.

I'm built different!

Let's go!

Let's go!

That gives me chills, man.

I love you!
I love you, Isaiah!

He wanted to set
an example for his cousins,

and he did that.

Took down these difficult
back half obstacles

and then climbed to the buzzer
with the second fastest time.

And he's still got a shot
at the Power Tower.

You told me you were gonna get

that semifinals buzzer,
and you did it!

Bro, I worked
for this every day.

If it wasn't for my mom
taking me to the gym,

I don't know
what I would do, bro.

I love everyone down there,

I love everyone
cheering for me.

I love you!

Hey, you got to do
this one with us, all right?

Here we go, on three,
we're gonna

do that "built different."

One, two, three.

I'm built different!

Let's go!

Coming up, her last run
brought me to tears.

What's the Sparkly Ninja,
Barclay Stockett,

going to do tonight?

She is coming up on
"American Ninja Warrior."

Welcome back.

Minutes ago, an old friend
and a couple of new faces

took their shot
at our semifinals course.

Illinois firefighter
Dan Polizzi

looked good for 40.
Flex on them!

With his mom
and his fiancée,

fellow ninja
Heather Wysinger watching,

the ten-time Ninja veteran
was trying

to blaze a trail
back to Vegas.

I see you, big boy.

Polizzi fell on
Diamond Dash two years ago,

and he made it
interesting tonight.

Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa!

Almost had déjà vu.

But one obstacle later,

he went into a tail spin
on Kaleidoscope...

Everything you got!
Hang in there!

And couldn't recover.

Oh!

20 years younger,
Brooklyn, New York,

Zack Eichenstein
came out charging.

Boy, he is hustling.
Hustling, hustling.

The Orthodox Jew
wears a yarmulke when he runs,

and it stayed on even as he
sprinted through the course.

Boy, he is not even
taking a break in between,

he's just going.

In only his second season,

the 20-year-old
was impressive,

making it to the
Salmon Ladder.

Oh!

But his speed to that point

guaranteed him a spot
in the top 15.

Whoo!

Rookie Jaelyn Bennett
was trying to earn

her first trip
to the National Finals.

She's a full-time mechanical
engineering student,

a waitress,
a gymnastics coach,

and girlfriend
to Ninja great Austin Gray.

The 22-year-old is getting
a minor in aerospace,

and she flew
through Air Surfer.

Nice! Good job!

But Diamond Dash
was a different story.

Oh!

She's now in third among the
women with one more to run.

And that final woman athlete

is one of our
most popular ninjas,

it's the Sparkly Ninja,
Barclay Stockett.

She has had a couple
of tough years,

including losing her mom
to cancer.

But as we told you
in qualifying,

her fiancée, Tee, has helped

put Barclay
on the comeback trail.

Let's go, babe!
Let's go, Barclay!

Qualifying was a very
emotional run for me.

She's got that sparkle
in her eyes, Matt.

Seeing Tee on the sideline
is just magic.

The victories are
so much sweeter

when you have someone
to share them with

and who has seen how hard
you've been working.

Tee and I realized that
we were in love back in 2019,

and we're just now
sharing our love publicly.

Once our story aired,

I couldn't believe
the response.

And you can see the joy
back on her face once again.

Barclay!

I'm so proud of you.

Tee and I have had
so much support,

not only from the public,
but from our Ninja family.

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

but hitting a buzzer,

that would be icing
on the cake.

A buzzer tonight
would be amazing.

Getting a return to Vegas
would be pretty good too.

Come on, B! You got this!

Tee is gonna be
cheering for her

along with other
Ninja friends.

Let's go, babe!
Let's go, B!

Everybody loves Barclay.

Well, running last
among the women,

she knows what
she needs to do.

If she gets to Kaleidoscope,
she's going to Vegas.

Yes! Let's go! You got this!
Come on! Come on!

She's the smallest athlete
out here tonight,

but she's a gamer.

And Barclay just attacking.
That's impressive.

5'0", 117,
and she went over the top.

Nice.
Again, good power.

She is through.

She's used to
flying through the air.

She'll need to do that
again here on Air Surfer.

She was a high-level gymnast
and made it to level 10,

the highest level
for the amateurs.

That's why
she looks so comfortable

making these big moves.

This is the old Barclay,
only better.

Now a big lache here,
about 4 feet.

No problem.

She's made it
to the back half

three times in her career.
We know she can go far.

And she's through.
And look at the smiles.

She's having fun.

Yeah!

Well, now, if she can get
through Diamond Dash,

she'll be assured
a spot in Vegas.

You know she wants this
so bad.

She's come so far.

There you go. Nice footwork.

She is looking strong,
big man.

And she can smile now.

She knows she just
earned a ticket

to the National Finals.

And Tee is applauding.
So is this crowd.

Barclay just a fan favorite.

Oh, shirt's coming off!

You know what that means!
She means business!

You can just see how much
happier she is than last year.

She is the Sparkly Ninja.

But what a ferocious
competitor.

And Matt, you see how fast

she's turning the Kaleidoscope,

making sure she gets that
quickly enough,

and then she's
gonna make her move.

Calming her body so she can
generate momentum

and then make that lache.
Nice.

Great. Great technique.

And she's smiling
on the obstacle.

She's got sticky fingers.
Look at her, Matt.

It's like as soon
as she hits it, she sticks.

Easily controlling
these windmills,

but now the quarter inch ledge

on this fourth
and final window.

The Sparkly, Sticky Ninja.
Watch this stick. Stick!

Ooh!
Oh, no!

Ooh! Icky.

Didn't get the buzzer
she wanted,

but she does earn herself
a return trip to Vegas.

She looked like
the Barclay of old

running through
the early obstacles,

but on Kaleidoscope,
she seemed

to rush that last one,
her left hand was too low,

and her right hand
was too high.

And she's down with Zuri.

Barclay, that was
a great run, girl, so close.

Thanks.
We were one away.

What happened
on Kaleidoscope here?

I think I just should've
taken one more swing,

I was starting to feel a pump.

And I probably should've taken,
like,

a little bit more of a break,

but I was so excited,
I just, like,

really wanted to get on it.
Yeah.

But I mean, every time
I come out here,

I just--I'm so grateful
to be here, so.

And to that point,
after everything

that you've been through,
I mean, it must feel

like a victory just to get
to the start line today.

It does, it does.

'Cause, um,

you know, last year--

it just, uh--

I didn't even want to be here.

And actually, like, wanting
to be here and loving it

and feeling that sense
of accomplishment is just,

it's priceless to me.
Wow.

Well, we are so grateful
to be a part

of that journey with you.

It was awesome
to see you celebrate

out here on the course.

It was also far enough,
fast enough

to secure a spot in Las Vegas.

You're headed
to the National Finals!

Congratulations!
So happy for you!

Thank you so much!
I'm so excited!

We'll see you in Vegas, girl.
Guys, back to you.

Coming up, his roommate,
Nate Hansen's,

in line for the Power Tower.

Can Austin Gray get there too?

We'll see him next
on "American Ninja Warrior."

A big dog,
a junior champ,

and a flamingo kid

walked to the start line
while we were away.

First up was 6'6" Jody Avila,

who was given
the nickname Big Dog

by Akbar five years ago.

He's lived up to the name.
Go!

With his two kids
watching back home

and his wife on the sideline,

the heating and
air-conditioning technician

was cool early.

Balance obstacles
can be trippy for him,

but not this time.

But at 215 pounds,
he's our heaviest competitor,

and it was tough
to hang at Kaleidoscope.

Ooh!

Oh, man.

Ah. It's a rough one.

Then it was former
"Ninja Junior" champ

Vance Walker, who was able
to fly past Kaleidoscope.

Look how fast he's moving.
Oh, he's going for that time.

The 17-year-old had
a breakout season last year

when he was one
of the final four ninjas.

He's got a lot left
in the tank, Matt, he's ready.

Tonight, he had a shot
at the Power Tower

as he worked his way
across Flipped Around.

Easy enough for Vance.
Oh, oh! Oh!

He slid right off!

But his fast time
to that point

guaranteed him a spot
in Vegas.

Arkansas teenager Owen Dyer
was ready to fly

with his trademark
pink flamingo hat.

Could he hit his first
semifinals buzzer?

The 17-year-old
quickly rolled

his way to the back half.

I think he's
doing a fire drill.

The high school senior
sailed past Ghost Town.

Nice!

That's how you go, baby!

And then he dared
to take on Diving Boards.

Oh, go, go, go, go, go!

Oh, hold on!

Are you serious?

Dyer then
scrambled to the top

to get his first
semifinals buzzer

and was overcome by emotion.

I see you.

Dreams come true
for Owen Dyer.

Wow.

Dyer's time wasn't
in the top two,

so right now,
our Power Tower matchup

would be Gnarly Nate Hansen

against the Flyboy,
Isaiah Thomas.

But our final runner may have
something to say about it,

so Zuri, get him going.

Guys, Austin Gray
has to be considered

one of the favorites to win
the million dollars this year.

After all, he's been runner up
the past two seasons.

But he doesn't want
to come in second again.

So he's been putting in
extra training

with his roommate, Nate Hansen.

So far, their hard work
has paid off.

This season,
we've had a lot of success.

Oh, he ain't messing around,
he going for the fastest time.

And he's gonna do it!

Let's go!

We were buzzers in qualifying,

and we were ballin'
'cause we got that fast time.

Whoo!

Whoo! That's what's up!

So you know
what the trend says?

Back to buzzers.
Right.

You see what I'm saying?

Let's go!

Tune in next week for more
stock tips with Nate Hansen.

That's right.

We're going into
the semifinal round.

We've been training,
we've been grinding

till 2:00, 3:00
in the morning.

Ah!
That's what's up.

With all the training that

we've been
putting in together,

we are destined for greatness.

In "Ninja Warrior,"

some of the legends
end up on banners.

People like Jessie Graff,

Naj, and Jamie Rahn.

I've gotten second place
twice now,

and I think it's time
for a banner.

Nate, he's also been
looking for a banner spot.

My left side's my good side,

so it's got to be
my left side.

Maybe a little bicep flex.

Or maybe me
on a Salmon Ladder.

Imagine driving
down the highway,

and you see your face
on a billboard.

That's basically what
being on a banner is,

but they better not put us
on the same banner.

I'm not--
Ab--nope.

I'm not selfish, but--
Absolutely not.

We already sleep
in the same room.

Yeah, no shot.

There's only room for one
of us on a banner.

Oh, I think
he's ready, Matt.

Well, joining Nate
on the sideline

is Austin's girlfriend,
Jaelyn, who ran earlier.

Last year, he came so close.

Fell on the next to last
obstacle on stage three.

Only Kaden Lebsack
went farther.

And the word
on the Ninja street is,

he's gonna be battling

for that million dollars
once again.

Only 25 years old,
but he's one of the ninjas

everyone looks up to.

He's become
a sought-after coach.

Katie Bone is just one of the
young ninjas he works with.

And he is running
with an urgency.

You know he's gunning
for that Power Tower.

Well, he did it last year,
beat out Jake Murray

on the Power Tower,
got that Safety Pass.

Didn't have to use it
because he didn't fall

on stage one or two,
but he'd love

to have that
insurance policy again.

He's got a nice sense of
urgency like you talked about,

but he's not rushing
through these obstacles.

Taking a breath
before Diamond Dash.

Wow, effortless.
Skips that final diamond.

Right into Kaleidoscope.

And every time
Austin Gray runs the course,

he's spreading his message
about organ donation.

Yeah, you can see his shirt
says "Share Your Spare."

A couple years ago,
he donated a kidney

to his childhood friend Kaylee
Adams and saved her life.

Whoo! Let's go!

And she's watching
from home with her sister.

Look at that,
it's like he's just

sticking to it like a magnet.

Share Your Spare?
How about sharing your secret

to beating this obstacle?

Great control.
There we go.

Using that lower body.

Oh, he is
in full control, Matt.

Absolutely. And he's through.

And that guarantees him
a spot in the top 15,

but you know
he's aiming higher.

Yeah! Come on, Austin!

You know Austin
wants a buzzer,

and he wants that Power Tower.

Pace that breathing.
Here we go.

Beat that wall! Beat that wall!

And right up the Warped Wall.

On now to the back half
once again.

Nate's closely watching.

These two
are such good friends.

In fact, Nate was the one
who introduced Austin

to his girlfriend, Jaelyn.

Let's go, babe! Come on!

Austin versus Nate
on the Power Tower?

That's the matchup
everybody wants to see.

Well, if he can keep
this pace up, it'll happen.

Right now, he's in good shape
to beat Nate

for the fastest time
of the night.

And no problem
with Salmon Ladder.

Nice and easy!

Ghost Town here.

You can see that cradle
is moving horizontally.

Such a unique movement here.

Yeah.
He's figuring it out.

Yeah, he's just got
to get in sync

with the movement there,
move with it,

and then as soon as you're
on the top end, move it.

That's it, right there.

And you know he and Gnarly
Ninja Nate were talking,

and I'm sure Nate was sharing
feedback on this course.

Nice!
Let's go, let's go, come on!

What's he gonna do
at Split Decision?

He's given himself enough
of a cushion.

He could still go
with Flipped Around.

He's taking a long look
at Diving Boards.

Last season,
he chose Diving Boards

and made it through.

Just like last year, bro,
let's go!

You pretty much have to
double step that second board.

Get on the front
then get up top.

He's got to go
boom-bow, boom-bow.

Nice. Nice! Nice!
Whoa! I stand corrected!

He went single-step
on the second

and double on the third,

and it worked!
He is through!

Great job!
And look at his time, Matt.

He is on pace to blow away
Nate Hansen's time.

And that will push
the Flyboy, Isaiah Thomas,

out of the top two.

It looks like it's gonna be
Austin Gray and Nate Hansen.

I tell you, Matt,

Zuri said it
right in his introduction,

he's got a legitimate shot
at becoming

the next
American Ninja Warrior.

Austin Gray!

Let's go!

That's what's up!

And by almost a minute,
Austin Gray,

the fastest time of the night.

So now, you and Nate
are gonna be squaring off

on the Power Tower, Austin.
Yes, sir!

Safety on the line!

Austin! Austin! Austin!

Austin, hit that buzzer
one more time, buddy.

You earned it.

So these two friends are gonna
get ready for the Power Tower,

but don't forget
what's coming up next week.

It's the biggest show
on the Vegas Strip.

This is it.

Only the best ninjas
are left.

They've got
a legitimate shot

at becoming the next
American Ninja Warrior!

And they'll battle
across all four stages...

Oh!

On a three-week
television event.

Nice! Nice! Nice!
Oh, yeah!

There's $1 million
up for grabs

on the National Finals
of "American Ninja Warrior"!

But don't go away,

because the Power Tower
is next.

Think you're ready
to take on

the world's toughest
obstacle course?

We could see you on the course
next season.

Well, we've got one more
race tonight in Hollywood.

It's our final
Power Tower showdown

with a Safety Pass in Vegas
up for grabs.

And it features two roommates
and best friends,

Nate Hansen and Austin Gray.

Oh, and look at this,
what a sign

of friendship and respect.

They're wearing
each other's shirts.

One big difference
is Nate's height.

At only 5'2" (157cm), he's 8 inches
shorter than Austin.

But these two train together,
live together,

so this is personal.

Nate and I,
we've joked about being

on the Power Tower for a while,
and now it's become a reality.

Tonight, we have
the Safety Pass on the line,

and that's a big deal.

The first time
in Vegas last year,

struggled
with the Jumping Spider

and went right in the water.

He's been doubted
for a long time, Matt.

Oh!
No!

Having that Safety Pass
in my pocket

is gonna be
a nice insurance policy.

And I intend to get it.

We've got another
showdown, Matt.

Oh, got a slight lead!
He's down!

It's Austin Gray!

I got one last season.
Didn't need it.

Come on, Austin!

I'm gonna get it again
this season,

not gonna need it.

This is a roommate showdown.

Whoever loses the
Power Tower tonight

will never hear the end of it.

Let's go!

I'm really proud
of Nate for coming this far,

but I'm sorry, chief,
I'll take it from here.

This Power Tower
is gonna be gnarly.

With all the great ninjas
who ran tonight,

it comes down to the two guys
who live in the same house.

They're even wearing
each other's shirts.

That's mutual respect.

Two friends squaring off
on the Power Tower

with safety on the line!

Okay, drive, drive, drive,
drive!

Ooh, look at the speed,
Nate Hansen!

And it's dead even.

And look at this!

Uh-oh, and then
Austin Gray's got out!

On the lead to the rope.
Watch these transitions.

You've got to be
high on the rope,

and you got to be perfect
on that grab!

Oh! Oh!
And he missed!

Nate Hansen misses,
giving Austin an edge!

And he is hung out!
Nate's still swinging!

This is gonna be tough
to come back from!

And Austin Gray
can take his time,

just needs to avoid a mistake,

and the Safety Pass
will be his.

Gonna be almost impossible
for Nate

because Austin is flying!

Oh, no!

Oh!
Austin Gray is down!

An almost certain victory
slips away!

Now all Nate Hansen
has to do is finish.

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

Well, we've never seen
anything like this!

Looked like Austin
was gonna run away with it,

but it changed in an instant.

But now it's up to Nate Hansen
to avoid a mistake.

Wow! Wow.
And just--

Oh! That was close!
That was close!

Oh, my goodness,
can you believe it?

Well, still needs
to survive Falling Shelves,

but he can take his time.

And you can never
count out Gnarly Nate!

5'2" (157cm), but he always
comes up big!

So Nate Hansen
is gonna do it!

He's earned safety!

Go! Let's go!

And Austin Gray will be
thinking about that one

for a long time.

Austin had the lead
as he reached the ropes,

and when Nate missed
that first grab

and had to take extra swings,

it looked like
it was all over.

But as Austin was
making the final move

on the Cliff Hanger,
he just slipped right off.

A shocking fall!

That allowed Nate to take
his time and get a buzzer.

Never underestimate
Gnarly Ninja Nate!

He just delivered
a phenomenal victory,

and he's got safety in Vegas.

Austin!
I love you, brother!

And immediately throwing
that love to his brother.

What a race between these two.

And joining them in Vegas
will be the other finishers.

Isaiah "Flyboy" Thomas

along with Owen Dyer,
Lorin Ball,

and Christopher Harding Jones.

Non-finishers moving on
include Georgia teenager

Ethan Bartnicki
and the Classy Ninja,

Donovan Metoyer,
who's going back

for the second straight year.

Rock climbing teenager Katie
Bone landed in the 13th spot.

Joining her
in the women's top three

are Isabella Wakeham

and the Sparkly Ninja,
Barclay Stockett.

So that's a wrap
at Universal Studios.

Next stop, Las Vegas
and the National Finals!

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

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