American Ninja Warrior (2009–…): Season 8, Episode 5 - Philadelphia Qualifying - full transcript

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- Tonight,
"American Ninja Warrior"

touches down in Philadelphia.

- I traveled to the big city
of Philadelphia

to prove a point.

I can do anything
the young folks can do.

- It's known as the
City of Brotherly Love.

- My twin brother's like having
a built-in best friend.

We're always there
for each other.

- And it's also known
for its fighting spirit.

- Philly is the underdog city,



people
who will stick behind you,

just never giving up.

- I want people to know that
you can be on your deathbed

and you can come back better
than you were before.

- And in a city with such
a rich history,

tonight's competitors
are looking to make

some history of their own.

[crowd chanting]

- I made it to Stage 2
as a rookie.

In my second year,
I made it to Stage 3.

So there's only one more,
right?

- I see you, Joe Moravsky!
- I see you!

I want to get into
the history books.

I want to be
an American ninja warrior.



- Geoff Britten did it!

- I hit six buzzers in a row.

- The first
American Ninja Warrior!

- It would be a dream
to hit 12 in a row.

- Welcome to the City
of Brotherly Love,

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,

our fifth destination
as we travel the nation

to find the next
American ninja warrior.

Hello, everyone.
I'm Matt Iseman,

here as always with
my partner,

former NFL defensive
end Akbar Gbajabiamila.

- Well, Matt, it is
our first time in Philly,

and we are all the way
live in the 215.

And these fans are louder
than the Liberty Bell.

- As you can see,
we built our course

right outside the old
Richmond power plant,

which was built
almost 100 years ago

and served this city
for six decades.

But tonight,
if you want to advance

to the city finals and beyond,

you're gonna have
to generate your own power.

- And you know, it's so fitting
that we are at a power plant,

because these athletes
are going to be electric.

It starts with Geoff Britten.

Last year, he climbed
Stage 4 in Vegas

to become the first
American ninja warrior.

- Geoff Britten did it!

- Plus another guy who could
win it all this year...

- Yeah!

- The Weatherman,
Joe Moravsky.

And we've got a strong
group of women,

led by one of the top
female competitors

of all time, Michelle Warnky.

- Get it!
- Yeah, she's done it!

- For more on the obstacles
they'll be facing,

let's go down
to Kristine Leahy.

- Thanks, Matt.

Tonight, the ninjas will be
faced with a few

challenging new obstacles

on this Philadelphia
qualifying course.

As in every city, it starts
with the new first obstacle,

the Floating Steps,

where ninjas must run
across five angled platforms,

each increasingly higher,
before swinging to safety.

On the Log Grip, competitors

will cling to the log
and slide down 25 feet,

enduring two jolting
drops along the way.

The Paddle Boards
will test their balance

as they run across a series
of tilting paddles

supported by a center axis.

On the Wall Drop, athletes must
work their way up to the wall

before jumping on a trampoline,

wrapping around one
of the two hanging tubes,

and swinging to safety.

Making its debut tonight,
Rolling Thunder.

Competitors must rotate
a metal wheel

across 26 feet of track

with two drops before swinging
for the landing platform.

Finally, competitors will face
the iconic Warped Wall,

measuring 14 feet,
6 inches this year.

If they make it past
all six obstacles,

they're heading to
the Philadelphia finals.

Guys.

- And for an insider's look

at the secrets
of the Philadelphia course,

check out the NBC
digital exclusive

"Crashing the Course"

- Well, our first athlete
is guaranteed

to put a smile on your face.

This is Clint Sarion
from Columbus, New Jersey.

He had a life-threatening
brain tumor

and, when he survived,
it changed his outlook on life.

He now tries to spread
a positive message

and calls himself
the Smiling Ninja.

And he's got his wife
and two kids here,

plus a big group
of smiling supporters.

And he's gonna get us
started here in Philly.

Clint Sarion,
a 43-year-old rookie.

He got a pass to
the Movement Lab Ninja Gym

for his 42nd birthday,
and he got hooked.

One year later,
he's here on our course.

- Ooh, having a little trouble
on the rope...

got it!
And of course, he's smiling.

- Now the 24-foot ride
on the Log Grip.

Pulling up his shirt up
for traction.

This is an
interesting technique.

A lot of people
feel you get better contact

on the log with pure skin
as opposed to the shirt.

- That's it... body contact.

- And the Smiling Ninja is
moving on to the Paddle Boards.

- And this is a tough
obstacle... 18 feet across,

and you better move quick.

Whoo-hoo-hoo!

Oh, barely!
Iconic!

- He is still smiling.
- Look at this.

- Well, an impressive run
by our first athlete.

This is a guy who had
a golf-ball-sized tumor,

thought he was going to die.

And now here he is,
taking on the fourth obstacle.

- And Matt, this is a new one,
the Wall Drop,

and let me tell you,
it's a beast.

Has to use his upper body
to climb up to the top

of that wall, then jump down
onto the trampoline.

- Look at that... just
fighting his way up there.

- He's still smiling, Matt.
- Well, there's a sudden impact

when you drop down
onto this trampoline,

so watch the legs.

Watch how he controls
that impact, Akbar.

- Yeah, that's an 11-foot drop.

- Legs lock,
but they're buckled!

- Ooh! Ooh!
- Oh, ends up wet.

But Clint Sarion
is still smiling.

I can't tell you enough

that technique is critical
on the trampoline.

You can see the legs are apart.

Then his knees buckle,

and he just doesn't get
a enough good bounce.

But that's a good run
for the 43-year-old rookie.

- Whatever happens in life,
you can always

make the most of it.
Keep going.

You'll see me again.

- Well, we've got
a strong group

of women competitors tonight,
and this is one of them.

It's Rachael Goldstein from
nearby Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

She's been tearing it up
in local competitions,

but she does her best
work off the course.

- Yeah, good job!
- Oh, you are awesome!

I'm an occupational therapist.

- I've never done this before.
- I know.

Well, that's the challenge.

Right now, I'm working
with older teens with autism

to cerebral palsy
and Down syndrome.

Are you going backwards?
No way.

If they're working
on motor planning

for coordination or fine
motor skills and hand strength,

I'll try to make
ninja warrior obstacles

to work on those skills,

because I think
it's the most fun way

in the world to work out.

And one, two, three,
four...

I'm doing "Ninja Warrior"
to show them

that they can do
whatever they set their mind to.

That was so good!

And I'm also doing it
to show myself

that I can do anything
that I set my mind to.

- Time to go home.

- [laughing]

- And Rachael's got
a big group of supporters,

including Jamie Rahn
with whom she's been training.

- You got it, Rachael!

[countdown clock beeping]

- Well, Rachael Goldstein
a bit of phenom.

She just started training on
ninja obstacles

four months ago,
but she's been entering

competitions at local gyms,
and she's been winning them.

- And Jamie Rahn says
she's got that fire!

- Trust it, Rach!

- He says to watch out
for Rachael Goldstein.

- Struggling a bit
here on the rope.

It's her first time
on any of these obstacles.

But she's through.

Now the Log Grip,
which took out more than half

the female competitors
last year in Pittsburgh.

Going with the closer handles.

- She's 5'4", 115 pounds.

It makes a lot of sense there

to keep it close
to your body weight there.

- Gets through it.

Now she's moving on
to the Paddle Boards,

which have also been tough
in the past for women.

Only a few have ever
made it past them.

Oh, but Goldstein
rockets through!

Has a background
in gymnastics and diving.

- Goldstein! Goldstein!
- Goldstein!

- And listen to this...

you can hear the crowd
chanting "Goldstein."

- Goldstein!
- Goldstein! Goldstein!

- She's already
at the fourth obstacle,

- the Wall Drop.
- And Matt,

this is going to be
a tough one tonight.

You need upper body strength
here at the beginning,

and then you've got to have
trampoline skills for the back.

- And look at the power there.

- She is the real-deal athlete.
- Light it up, Rach!

- Deep breaths!
- You gotta be on point,

jump right in the middle
of that trampoline.

- Ooh!
- Grab that thing! Oh, boy!

She tackled
that thing like a football.

- Wow, Rachael Goldstein
hitting it like Steve Goldberg.

- And it is unusual
to see anyone get this far

on the course
this early in the night.

- You got this, Rachael!
- But now the fifth obstacle.

It's called Rolling Thunder,

and it's as ominous
as it sounds.

She has to jump up
to that bar, just like that.

Now she's got to grab
onto the wheel

and roll it down
the track using only her arms.

- But this obstacle's
so upper-body intensive.

Very taxing
for the women... 5'4", 115.

You can see there,
every third section

in the wheel
has Plexiglas in it,

so you have to work around it.

- You can see the power.
- I like what she's showing here.

- Well, she only began training

ninja-warrior
obstacles four months ago.

Talk about natural athleticism.

- Oh, Matt, this is where she
starts to really tire out here.

Matt, at 5'4", she doesn't
have enough power there. Ooh!

- You were saying?
- About to break the course.

- Look at her!

- She's about to break
this obstacle!

You see that thing rumbling?
She's about to pull it down!

- This is so impressive.

- Matt, she doesn't
even look like she's tired.

Look at her face.

- She's at the next
Plexiglas section now.

Have to reach past it.

- That long reach at just 5'4",
kipping up...

- Her hands have to be
burning right now.

- Oh!
- Oh!

[buzzer blares]

So close,
but her grip just gives out.

Well, only a handful of women
have made it

to the fifth obstacle
all season.

Rachael Goldstein just did it
as a rookie.

- Every third section
on that wheel has Plexiglas,

so you can't put your hands
through it.

Watch Goldstein try to reach up
to get around it.

That really taxed her,
and she fell seconds later.

- I thought I had that.

I thought I had the last jump
and grab,

but I just barely missed,
I think.

- Well, two strong runs
start us off.

We could be in for a wild
qualifying round

here in Philly.

Here's what's
coming up tonight.

He's been to the top.
Geoff Britten did it!

Now Geoff Britten starts
something even tougher...

doing it two years in a row.

- It's gonna be a battle.

- Plus...
- Yes!

- Two women have hit
the buzzer this season.

- E-P-I-C, epic.

- And Michelle Warnky wants
to make it three.

- I really want to join them.

- And if you don't think
ballet dancers are athletes,

wait till you
meet Keegan O'Brien.

- I think that's just
beautiful to watch.

- When "American Ninja Warrior"
returns.

.

- Welcome back to
"American Ninja Warrior"

at the Richmond power plant
in Philadelphia.

While we were away,
three more athletes tried

to electrify the crowd
on this qualifying course.

- 6'1" Tyler Stroud

is one of the night's
biggest competitors.

- Yeah, he's a big body.

- But the former boxer
still got KO'd at the Log Grip.

- Oh!

- It's harder than I thought.

- Alexi Matousek is a surgical
resident at Harvard

who nearly got his head
taken off last season.

- No!

- This year, he faced
the Log Grip once again.

- Nice! Watch your head.
- That was a close one.

- Yeah!

- But the celebration
was short-lived.

- Oh!
- That's tough.

- Orlando entertainer
Faris Xero

came out dressed as a ninja.

- Oh!
- But a save!

- But after reaching the Wall
Drop, he tore off his costume.

- Game face is on.

- And then nearly
tore up the course.

- Hold on!
- Uh-oh!

[buzzer blares]

- Don't worry, he's okay.

- Up next is Keegan O'Brien.

He's a ballet dancer
from Littleton, Colorado,

and as you can see,
he's got some pecs.

This guy has the moves,
the muscles,

and he wants to prove
that dancers are athletes too.

- I'm a ballet dancer
and a bodybuilder.

I'm not considering
just working out.

I'm trying to build a sculpture,
if you will.

I really have to get
that strength

to be able to lift my partners
and lift myself

when I jump
and fly through the air.

Ballet is definitely
the hardest physical activity

I've ever been a part of.

People think that ballet
is girly,

but really, it looks that way

because it's the job of the
dancer to make it graceful.

Just really trying to make
that audience...

"Wow"... gasp.
That's the... that's the goal.

[light instrumental music]

I want to show that dance
really isn't effeminate.

It's masculine.
It's probably

one of the most manly things
you can do out there,

and I just want to prove the
strength that male dancers have.

♪ ♪

[countdown clock beeping]

- Well, look at this guy.

It's like Baryshnikov
with biceps.

He is built.

You know he's got the agility
and the strength.

Ballet dancers
not often thought

of as ninja-warrior
type athletes,

but you know they've got
grace and balance.

- Yeah, Matt, did you see
the way

he bounded through
the Floating Steps though?

You could see the power there.

- 5'9", 155 pounds.
- He's got to lock in.

- Oh!
- Ooh, right in the gut!

- Wow, first position right
there... a little pirouette.

Ooh, nimble footwork.

- And you've got to believe

he can dance his way
across the Paddle Boards.

- Oh!
- What?

- Well, that is not
the obstacle

I expected him to fall on.

- Ironically, the dancer
wasn't light on his feet.

He was moving too slow,

and when he hits
the third step,

the paddle boards
are almost vertical.

He tried to grab
the landing pad,

but it was too late.

- Well, these passionate fans
in this city

will love our next competitor.

This is Philadelphia
native Najee Richardson.

He was once a top-level
gymnast,

and now he's trying
to become a top-level ninja.

And he is ready
to represent for Philly.

- I grew up in
north Philadelphia,

one of the roughest
neighborhoods...

lot of crime, lot of drugs.

I could kind of hear
my parents crying at night

because we didn't know what
was gonna happen financially.

- As parents, it was up to us
to give Najee a better life,

and it turned out it had
to be gymnastics.

- I think when I was about
eight or ten years old,

I did a backflip off
of this third step right here.

I went up, and I came straight
back down on my head right here,

and I had to be rushed
to the hospital.

It was a huge event.

My dreams were
make it to the Olympics,

make it to college.

But during my senior year
of high school,

I blew my knee out.

- I was so devastated for him,

'cause it was a sport
that he loved,

and he trained for it.

- I was super depressed,

and it's hard to try
and find your way back from it.

Out of left field,

"American Ninja Warrior"
comes around.

It was like everything
clicked again.

My mind started
to get better.

My body got better.

- Whoo!

- It was almost like,
through "Ninja Warrior,"

I was reborn again.

- As a father, to see
my son come alive again,

it brought joy to our lives.

[uplifting music]

- I was an athlete
at the top level,

and I feel like that was kind
of cut short for me.

I have a second chance
to get it right this time.

- Najee's girlfriend McKenzie
is here cheering him on,

and so are his parents
Leo and Dara,

all of them wearing the shirts
with a phoenix on it,

symbolizing Najee's return
to competitive sports.

- As he said, he used to be
all about gymnastics.

But after that injury,

it's all about
"American Ninja Warrior."

- And you know he wants
to do well

in front of his hometown crowd.

And he's through.

5'7", 155.

He's lean, he's strong,
and he's smiling.

I like it, Akbar.

- Get your mind right.

Be careful on
the Paddle Boards.

- Wow, look at that distance.
- Whoa!

He makes a long leap!

- And you know, Najee said,

"I'm not fooling
with that one."

- Now facing the Wall Drop.

- And as a gymnast,

he should have some experience
on the trampoline.

That is a big drop
from the top of that wall.

- Oh, come on, Najee warrior.

- He sticks it.

But still has to work
his way to the pad.

- Oh... ooh!
- And he's through!

- Now the Philly Phoenix

is gonna take on this brand-new
fifth obstacle,

Rolling Thunder.

- And this is a killer, Matt.

- He has to use his arms
to roll that huge metal wheel

all the way across
the 22-foot track.

And those Plexiglas sections
really make it tough.

You can't put your hands
through those.

You have to reach past them.

And you can see
this tremendous confidence here

on the Rolling Thunder.

- Whoo, Matt, look at that.

Man, he is going straight G.I.
Joe like his fatigue pants.

- But he's been training
for a year for this moment,

and this phoenix is rising
to the occasion.

Oh, look at that!

- Did he just go
Michael Jordan with the tongue?

- The Philly crowd
loving the local kid.

- Najee's not playing.

crowd: Najee! Najee!
Najee!

- This would mean so much
to succeed here

in front of his home crowd.

Ooh, he is fighting it.

Oh, he's looking around
for a dismount.

- Own it! Grab that!
- Pull that baby down!

- The fingers are absolutely
utterly exhausted,

but Richardson refusing
to succumb!

- He's going for it.

- Whoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!
- Oh!

- I see you, Najee!
- I see you, baby!

Boy, this is a hometown hero
right now.

I see you, baby boy!

- Well, we've never had
a finisher this early.

If Najee Richardson
gets up the wall,

they may put a statue
of him up next to Rocky.

Here we go.

Yes!
He's got it!

[siren blares]

- Yeah!

- And Philadelphia
has a new hero!

- I thought they said
Rocky Balboa

was Philadelphia's favorite!

- Hey, Phoenix is here now!

- Watch his foot
at Rolling Thunder.

He came inches
from hitting the water.

But Philly loves a winner,

and they just got one with
the phoenix, Najee Richardson.

He's our first finisher
tonight.

- Let's go down to Kristine
for the POM post-run interview.

- Najee, congratulations.

- Thank you.
- You dedicated your life

to this this past year.

How great does it feel to be
at the top of the Warped Wall?

- It feels so good. It's... it's
such an amazing feeling

when you work for something
for so hard,

and just see yourself
accomplish everything

you've been working for
for such a long time.

- Rest up those arms,

because we will see you
in the city finals.

- Yes, thank you.
- Thank you.

- Matt and Akbar,
back to you.

[dramatic music]

- Well, this field in Philly
is packed with ninja greats,

including those two,
Joe Moravsky and Jamie Rahn.

They'll be running
a little later on.

Also coming up,
no one his age

has ever made it past
the first obstacle,

but 64-year-old John Loobey
thinks he can go all the way.

- Those young guys,
they don't intimidate me.

- When "American Ninja Warrior"
returns.

.

- Welcome back to "American
Ninja Warrior" in Philadelphia.

While we were away,

three more athletes
took their turn on the course.

Caroline Ramsay
came all the way

from Bellevue, Washington.

- Look at the strength there.

- But the power-lifting
botany student

got bounced at the Log Grip.

- Ooh!
- Ooh, right there in her face.

- Pittsburgh schoolteacher
Mike Shuck had one

of the biggest
cheering sections.

- Aw, shucks, come on, Shuck.

- But at the Wall Drop,
Shuck ran out of luck.

- What? How did that happen?
- Oh!

57-year-old Miles Avery

bounced all the way
to the fifth obstacle.

- Oh, he's determined.

- Come on, Miles!
- But the former

U.S. Olympic gymnastics coach

finally gassed out
at Rolling Thunder.

- That's impressive.

- Gotta train a little harder.

- And up next is a guy
who's a world-class athlete

in a sport you
may not be familiar with.

This is Logan Broadbent
from Cleveland, Ohio,

and he is one of America's
best with a boomerang.

[upbeat music]

- Boomerangs are
the most ferocious, bodacious,

vivacious, gregarious,
low-to-the-ground,

hard-to-bring-down,
bopping and weaving,

shaking and baking,
stopping on a dime

and leave nine cents behind,
number-one,

second-to-none sport
in the world.

Whoo!

I'm currently
the number-one-ranked

boomerang
thrower in America,

and I'm the reigning world
trick catch champion.

I'm the only one
who can do a backflip

and catch the boomerang
mid-flip.

Yeah!

A lot of the same skills
that it takes to be

a ninja are involved
in boomerang throwing.

You have to be fast.
You have to be agile.

The boomerangs that we throw
and catch

are moving in excess
of 80 miles per hour.

Hand-eye coordination
is extremely important.

One slip, one mistake,
can cause you to lose an event.

I see
"American Ninja Warrior"

as being the pinnacle
of athletic achievement.

I'm always pushing myself.

And without pushing
your limits,

you never know
what you can achieve.

- And he's got his family here
from Cleveland,

along with his girlfriend.

What can the Boomerang Ninja
do?

Well, there's actually
a lot more to Logan Broadbent

than boomerangs. He is a solid
all-around athlete.

- Yeah, he really is.

He was an all-American diver
in high school.

- 5'5", 128... very lean,
very small,

but powerful...
a very athletic competitor.

Lifting up his shirt

so it's easier
to stick on the Log Grip.

- Hang on tight, Logan!
- You got this!

- Check it out... he's using
the handles farthest from him.

- Looking strong.

And getting the crowd
into it.

All right, now needs balance
for the Paddle Boards.

- Be light on your feet.
- Be light on your feet.

- Right through it and upright.
- Look at that!

- Ooh!

- He told the... he just told
the Paddle Boards,

"Shut your mouth."

- But now onto the Wall Drop.

Again, this is
a brand-new obstacle,

so let's see what the world
champion boomerang thrower

has for grip strength.

- Uh-oh.
- Uh-oh.

- Well, he is a rookie.
- This is his first time.

That's an 11-foot
drop to the tramp.

- The key here is the secret...

hit it compressed
and fly up!

- Boom!
- Look at that!

Looked a little Spider-Man

flying through the air there.

- Well, he went
right onto the log.

He hit that trampoline a little
in the back, but locked on.

- You got this!

- You got this!

- Uh-oh,
get that momentum going.

- Well, and this is
the thing, Akbar.

I think he needs to drop
down lower on the log.

- He's having trouble extending.
- He does.

I don't think
he's figuring that out.

- That's it.
- Yeah!

- The Boomerang Ninja
gets through...

- Yes! Yes!
- Yes!

- And he's moving on
to Rolling Thunder.

- You got it!
- You got it!

- Now here, at 128 pounds,

is where that lack of mass
can be a disadvantage,

moving this massive wheel.

- Oh, look at him
going forearm here.

I like that!

Okay, I don't have
grip strength,

so I'm gonna use
my forearm here.

But watch out
for the drop here.

- Well, he's only 5'5",

so he's really got to work
for it.

Oh!

[buzzer blares]

- It's okay, Logan!
- Logan Broadbent,

out at Rolling Thunder.

But we know the Boomerang
Ninja will come back.

- Well, he tried
a different technique,

hooking his forearms
through the wheel.

That takes pressure
off the arms.

But even with that,

the Boomerang Ninja
came up short.

- Well, she is one of the best.

Michelle Warnky has made it
to the city finals

the past two seasons.

She'll try to make it
three later tonight.

Also coming up...

[horn blares]
- Yeah!

- Last season,
Geoff Britten hit the buzzer

on every course he ran.

Geoff Britten did it!

Can he keep his
streak alive this year?

- Is that possible?
- Stay tuned.

- When "American Ninja Warrior"
returns.

.

- Welcome back to
Philadelphia Qualifying.

"American Ninja Warrior"
is brought to you in part

by our friends at SB Nation.

For more behind-the-scenes
ninja action,

And right now on the course,
25-year-old Allyssa Beird.

Oh!

The Beird survives.

She's a fifth-grade teacher

from Marlborough,
Massachusetts.

- And she's got
a gymnastics background,

which should help her
on the Paddle Boards.

Yes!

Allyssa's mom, dad, and sister
here in Philadelphia tonight.

And probably every kid
from Henry B. Burkland

Elementary School
in Middleborough, Mass.,

is watching
their teacher right now.

- Look at that tremendous
strength... that ascent.

She's making it look easy.

This is an impressive
rookie here.

- Get this girl an apple,

because she is
the teacher of the year.

- It's gonna be this
dismount here.

It's a long drop.
Wow!

- Whoa!
- And the gymnast in her

just made that look easy.

- My fifth-grade teacher, Mrs.
- Winterson, couldn't do that!

- One more!
- Yeah!

- Building up momentum,

but on the back side
of the log... hooks it in!

- Ooh, wow.
- Gets the other one.

- All right!

- And now she's gonna take on

the fifth obstacle,
Rolling Thunder.

Only the Philly Phoenix,
Najee Richardson,

has conquered it so far.

- Well, she's only 5'4",
125 pounds,

so she's really gonna have
to work to move this wheel.

- Well, she was the state
champion on the uneven bars.

You know she's got a lot of
upper-body power and control.

- Ooh, ooh!
- That almost threw her off

right there, that uneven drop.

- Look at that!
- Look at her!

- She's smiling!
- She is all right with this.

Wow!

- Well, you can
teach me anything.

- And right past
the Plexiglas wall

on that every third spoke.

The difficulty level of this
obstacle... so impressive.

- Well, Matt, I can tell you,
she's already on her way

to becoming the most popular
fifth-grade teacher...

- Whoa!
- In America... look at this!

- What body control!
- What power!

- Yes!
- Come on!

- Unbelievable effort out
of Allyssa Beird.

- Wow, Matt.
- And what's crazy

is that
she's only been training

on ninja obstacles for a year.

- Only had a handful of women
have made it

to the fifth obstacle
all season.

- I got to tell you, what
an effort out of this woman.

She might be going
for a dismount here, Akbar.

- She's gonna have to go
for a backward dismount here.

But I think she's going up.
Look at her, getting her L...

- There's the Plexiglas.
- Oh!

- Splashes down.
- The Beird gets wet.

What an effort out
of Allyssa Beird.

Look at her give a thumbs up
midway through the obstacle.

That's confidence
for a rookie.

She's now the second woman to
make it to the fifth obstacle.

We'll have to wait and see,

but that might
keep them both in the top 30.

- I just lost it on that
last grab... so close.

- Well, our ninja athletes
come from all backgrounds,

and our next competitor
is proof of that.

From Queens, New York,
this is Akiva Neuman.

He's studying to become
a rabbi,

and he's ready to blow away
some expectations.

- Zoreg Ahaz,
he would juggle, right?

The rabbis themselves...
we have a tradition

that some of the greatest
rabbis

would learn acrobatic skills

in order
to make other people happy.

- I'm a student
at Yeshiva University,

training to be a rabbi.

Usually, rabbi goes along
with pot belly,

so I'm gonna try
and change that.

Rabbi and being in shape
is not a contradiction.

- My husband is very strong.

And for some reason, people
just don't assume that

religious Jews are
gonna have time to work out,

'cause they just imagine

that they're sitting
in the shul all day

or they're learning all day.

- Hey!

Ooh!

My son, Yaakov Shmuel,
he was born five months ago.

Definitely adds to the
excitement going on in my life.

Between studying Talmudic law
or playing with baby toys

and my son...
And one, and two...

If I didn't train
for "American Ninja Warrior,"

I'd be on shpilkes!

Next time you see a rabbi
walking in the street,

don't just think,
"He can't do any of that."

Maybe he's gonna be
the next ninja warrior.

- He's got the whole family
here

and a big bunch of supporters

ready to cheer on
the Rabbi Ninja.

[countdown clock beeping]

- You can see the religion's
so important to him,

competing with a yarmulke on.

- Yeah, hold on
to that yarmulke.

- Well, he's 5'6", 150 pounds,

and this is his first time
trying a ninja course.

Being cautious
on the Floating Steps.

- And there he is pointing
to the crowd, though.

I love the confidence
out of Akiva.

- But a little hung up here.
- Oh, boy,

I hope you did your
studying here on this course.

- What're doing?
- Playing games?

- He's good.
- He's good.

- Is he doing the split...
is he stretching now?

Okay, I like that.
Okay, he's stretching out.

- I'm not sure if he felt
an injury there,

but he's pulling up his pants
and his tzitzit there.

That's the religious garb
for the Orthodox Jews.

He's got those legs locked on,
trying to get some grip.

Oh, look at this!

- He's got the grip strength
for sure.

Look at that, Matt!

- And the celebration,
it's... some might think

it's Christmastime in Hollis,
Queens,

but I think it's Hanukkah time.

He's celebrating, Akbar.

But talk about a taxing
obstacle... the Paddle Boards.

5'6", 150... can he be light
on his feet?

- And Matt, he sold it.
- He sold it!

He has got a lot
of fight here, Matt.

Matt, I'm telling you
right now,

getting past the Paddle Board

that has taken out
so many competitors tonight,

Matt, Akiva just had
his ninja bar mitzvah.

He has come of age right now,
as a rookie.

[crowd chanting]

Pull up, now, pull up!
You gotta man up here.

- Come of age!
- Oh, this guy seems unaware

of how difficult
this obstacle really is.

- Matt, if he doesn't show
that upper-body strength,

it's gonna be
night-night for him.

- Oh, my goodness.

- Uh-oh, okay,
he's got his glasses on.

He's got that wall
rocking back and forth.

You want to slide down,
hit that trampoline.

Uh-oh,
you see him fighting it.

- And you can see it
rocking there.

- Hit it. Hit it!
- Lock in... oh!

- It's like he stuck there
like a fly on a glue stick!

- Wow!
- Look at that!

- This is
a fight here indeed.

- You got to hold on.
- Don't get your yarmulke wet!

Hold on.
Hold on.

- Oh, my goodness.
- He doesn't have a plan, Matt.

He doesn't have a plan.
Get that other one out my way.

- Move out the way.
- The Ninja Rabbi

still fighting,
but he has lost his momentum.

- Get the... oh, no.

Matt, I think he's gonna
go night-night.

Somebody sing a lullaby
for the rabbi!

- Well, it's like he's got
no energy.

- Oh!

- But no, he splashes down.

Akiva coming up
just a bit short,

but you wouldn't know it
by the smile on his face.

- Hey,
can your rabbi do this?

Look at Akiva Neuman hit
the trampoline

and go boom,
right up the tube.

He didn't get any further,

but that's an impressive run
by the rookie rabbi.

- Whew!
- That was awesome.

Whew!
What a thrill.

- Still to come, she was
a superstar in track and field.

Now Flex Labreck is bringing
her talent to our course.

- It's going to be amazing.

- Plus, Joe Moravsky's come
close to winning it all.

- I'm coming for you!

- But this year his training
is different.

- He's licking your finger.
- It's a new world for me.

- The Weatherman's coming up
on "American Ninja Warrior."

.

- Welcome back to
"American Ninja Warrior"

from the City of
Brotherly Love.

While we were away,
a trio of athletes

took their shot on the course.

Hula hoop instructor
Dayna Fisher

wowed the crowd
at the start line.

- That's impressive.

- But not so much
on the course.

- Oh!
- And the hoop dreams

have been crushed.

Mike Meyers was one of
last year's top rookies,

making it all the way
to Stage 2 in Vegas.

Schwing from Mike Meyers.

But the engineer was bounced
this year at the Wall Drop.

- Oh!
- Mike Meyers, not excellent.

He will not party on.

E.R. Doctor Richard Shoemaker
was impressive from the start.

- Who do you think you are,
Dr. Bruce Lee?

- But even more impressive,

the 40-year-old dad came within

a few feet of finishing
Rolling Thunder.

- Oh, he goes down!
- Shoemaker just gassed... out.

[crowd cheering]

But right now
at the start line,

it's Anita Daniel
from Brooklyn, New York,

and she is a firefighter
in New York City.

- It's very difficult
taking care of a four year old

and being a firefighter,

but somehow it just works.

[laughs]

Being in something
that's so male-dominated,

it kind of gives me
that confidence

and kind of just like,
"Look, I'm gonna show you too."

I have a lot going on
right now,

Being a firefighter,
being a single mom.

But that doesn't mean
that I can't take on

one more challenge,
and especially if it helps

other girls see that
they can do

whatever they want to do,
I'm gonna do it.

- My mommy's gonna be
the next ninja warrior.

- And kisses.

- And there's Anita's daughter

on the shoulders
of her boyfriend,

plus some of the other
female firefighters

in the New York Fire
Department.

- Look at that smile.

This is a woman of
determination, a single mother

and one of only 52 women
on the FDNY, Akbar.

- Yeah, Matt, and that's
a huge accomplishment for her.

And now she finds herself
on the Floating Steps,

front and center
on "American Ninja Warrior,"

competing alongside
some of the best in the sport.

- Come on, baby, you got this!
- You got this.

- Well, we've had
so many great firefighters

in the day, guys, like... whoa.

- Ooh, uh-oh, hold on, girl.
- A little hung up.

Daniel, she seems to be
a bit disoriented here,

- having trouble.
- Well, as a firefighter,

she knows how to fight
on the rope there.

Girl, you know how to fight.
Come on.

- And a good push.
- Oh... ooh!

Anita Daniel...

Her run not
extinguished just yet!

- Now onto the Log Grip.

Only 5'3", so it may be tough
to wrap her arms

around the log.

- Oh, hold on, girl!
- And right through.

- I see you,
representing for the Big Apple.

Anita, Apple bomb,
you got to keep it going!

- I love you, Erin!

- And look at the smile
on her daughter's face.

Now the Paddle Boards.

- Uh-oh, uh-oh!

- Oh!
- Emergency! No!

[buzzer blares]

- It was a fun run,
but the firefighter gets wet.

- Well, she never
looked comfortable.

On her left side,
she's barely on the paddles.

On the right side,
she's much further out,

and that caused the whole thing

to lean right
and throw her into the water.

- Ah, I'm kind of upset,
but I had fun.

Had fun.

- Our next competitor comes

from just up the road
in Horsham, Pennsylvania.

This is John Gowder, Jr.

He's a hard-working
industrial electrician,

and he's doing this
for the whole Gowder family.

- I'm a third-generation
electrician...

my grandfather
and my father, and then me.

My dad has MS,

and it just
progressively got worse,

and now he's permanently
in a wheelchair.

Times got hard,
and he got sicker...

So me and my wife
moved back in to help them.

I do a lot of the house chores
that my dad can't physically do.

One day, my father...

- Here's what's
coming up tonight!

- He turns the show on.

- Oh, my God, look at him go.
- Oh, my God.

He's like, "I love these guys!
They're so great!"

And I just thought to myself,
like, "That's awesome."

I'm like, "I could do this,
and I could do it for him."

- Come on, keep going.
- Come on.

That's it, keep going.

- He was saying that
this morning,

when I was about to leave,
you know,

"How awesome would that be,
if you hit the buzzer?"

You know?

And I really want to do that
for him, and I'm gonna.

- This is my son John,
and he's gonna be the next

"American Ninja Warrior."

- And look at the family
support... his mom,

dad, his wife,
all out here wearing shirts.

The mom and dad, their shirts
say, "Our son is a ninja."

And he is right now, floating
through the Floating Steps.

- Yeah, a big ninja
at 6'2" and 170 pounds.

But he's never been
on a course before.

- He gets through.

This is a guy who didn't play

a lot of organized sports
growing up,

but at 34, went from the couch
to the course.

And he's through the Log Grip.

And look at that...
double point to his dad.

And makes it through
the Paddle Boards.

He and his dad
had some disagreements

over the family business.

"American Ninja Warrior"
bringing them back together.

Good seeing the family
out here together, Akbar.

- Yeah, and you gotta imagine

he's making
his family proud right now,

already at the fourth obstacle.

- And this is a good pace
he's got going,

but the trampoline here
at the Wall Drop can be tough

if you don't have
obstacle experience.

- Oh!
- Ooh, the electrician.

- Did he touch the water?
- How did he keep his feet dry?

- I have no idea.
- This is a guy

that doesn't get to spend
a lot of time at the gym.

He's a blue-collar guy,
already at the fifth obstacle.

He is grounded!

- If you're gonna
put on a performance

as an electrician,

why not do it in front
of a big old power plant?

- And he continues on...
John Gowder, Jr.

- And he was smart, Matt.

By getting to
the Rolling Thunder quickly,

he got a good chance
of staying in the top 30.

- But he's slowing down here.

Oh, I think the electrician
is running out of juice.

- Oh!

[buzzer blares]

John Gowder, Jr.
goes down,

but a strong run
for the 34-year-old rookie.

- Well, check this out again
at the wall drop.

Gowder hits the trampoline,

and it blasts him
right past the tubes.

But he clawed
his way back up,

and that should be enough
to get him into the finals.

- Right now, he's standing
by with Kristine.

- John,
"American Ninja Warrior"

has brought you
and your father closer.

How cool is it having him here
on the sidelines for you?

- It's the experience
of a lifetime.

I just... I wouldn't share it
with anybody else.

- How proud are you of your son?
- Ah, I just...

I don't know what to say.
I love you.

- We'll let you guys
enjoy this moment.

- Matt and Akbar, back to you.
- Thank you.

- Well, it's almost time
for Geoff Britten.

His run's just ahead.

And if you want to see
the Britten family's road

to Philadelphia,
check out our digital series,

Also coming up,
John Loobey is pure country,

and this 64-year-old
Sunday school teacher

thinks
he can finish the course.

- Why else would I be here?

- When "American Ninja Warrior"
returns.

.

- Welcome to our qualifying
course

here in historic
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,

where the Declaration
of Independence

was signed in 1776.

- And speaking of historic...
- no, that's not a lost grandpa

shuffling to the start line.

It's our next athlete,
64-year-old John Loobey.

- Oh, he's doing dips!
- Say what?

- As you can tell, this is
not your average 64 year old.

Loobey is a tool salesman
from Bristol, Tennessee,

and he calls himself
the Geriatric Ninja.

[mellow music]

- I like the slow pace
of country living.

I love the clean air.

It's good for my lungs,
good for my health.

It's good for my training.

[dramatic notes]

About age 52, I got involved
with martial arts.

Kung fu means hardworking.

If you're not breaking a sweat,
it's not kung fu.

[upbeat music]

I don't much like the gym.

My training is
everyday things that we do.

I try to get some speed
walking in, pick raspberries.

Splitting wood's
one of the good ones.

It keeps me in shape,
keeps me going.

I saw "American Ninja Warriors"
on TV,

and I thought,
"I could do this."

Those young guys
with all those muscles,

they don't intimidate me.

Travel to the big city
of Philadelphia,

and I'm running this course
to finish it.

Whey else would I be here?

- Come on, John!
- 64 years old.

- Matt, can you imagine moving
like this at 64 years old?

We've had some memorable
older competitors... guys

like the Chuckster,
Chuck Mammay...

but none of them has
ever made it

past the first obstacle.

He is about
to make history here.

John Loobey, the man
with the walker...

- Oh, oh!

- Oh, he's still having fun here.
- He continues to fight.

- Come on, now.

Come on, you got to go strong.
Go hard.

- Loobey will not give up!

- He's still going, Matt.
- Yes!

- Whoo!

- John Loobey,
the oldest competitor

- ever to complete an obstacle.
- [laughing]

Well,
he's rolling up his pants.

[laughing]

- Shirt's coming off, ladies.
- Look at this!

- Use your legs... hold on!

- John Loobey,

- on now to Log Grip.
- Hold on, hold on...

- Whoa!
- What?

- Yeah!
- You are not a senior citizen!

You are not!

- Age ain't nothing
but a number

as the 64-year-old
Sunday school teacher

now takes on the Paddle Boards.

- You got this, Loobey!

I'm about to lose my mind!

- Oh!
- Oh!

Hey, you know what, I have
to give it up to Loobey.

- No, we all have
to give it up.

- Absolutely.
- I mean,

that was big-time
prime time right there.

- Philadelphia,
this crowd on its feet.

- Check this out.

History is made
as 64-year-old John Loobey

gets past the Floating Steps

and then the Log Grip...

the oldest to make it
that far on the course.

- Let's go down
to Kristine Leahy.

- John,
did you have any idea

that you are officially
the oldest competitor

to make it through not just one,
but two obstacles?

- That's what I was going for.
- Oh, so you knew!

- Actually, three or four
or five, but yeah.

- I mean, talk to me about
those Paddle Boards there.

- What went wrong?
- I honestly don't know.

I may watch the... you know,
the video or something,

and I may still not know.

- You gonna come back
next year at 65?

- Oh, yeah.
- All right.

I'm glad to hear it,
John.

Hey, he's coming back.

Matt and Akbar,
back to you.

- Well, talk about
making history...

here comes a guy
who knows all about that.

This is Geoff Britten,

one of only two
American Ninja Warriors,

and the first man to climb
Stage 4 in Vegas.

The cameraman
from Olney, Maryland

was three seconds
behind Isaac Caldiero,

so he didn't get
the million dollars,

but he became a celebrity
just the same.

- In my life, I've always been
a private person...

never wanted to be
in front of the camera.

My job is being
behind the camera.

And then, here comes
"American Ninja Warrior."

- Oh boy, he's so close!

He did it!
Geoff Britten did it!

- Oh, my goodness!

- Last season, I got to stand
up on top of the tower

and raise my arms up high,
knowing I was the first person

to ever beat Stage 4.

That was awesome.

Since Las Vegas,
I've done all these interviews.

I've been on radio shows.
Wherever I go, whatever I do,

everyone looks at me
a little differently.

- Yeah, there's
our college Geoff Britten,

who recently became the first
American Ninja Warrior.

- It's a new season,
and I'm gonna focus

and do exactly
what I've always done.

This is the world's
greatest playground,

and I'm here to have fun.

- And there's Geoff's wife
Jessica and his mom,

along with his daughter
and nephew.

And he has lots of new fans
that want to see Geoff Britten.

[countdown clock beeping]

- Well, this is it.

Is it the start of a return

to the top of Mount Midoriyama?

- Well, there's a lot
of expectations

for Geoff Britten this year.

Everyone is watching him.

But it's not gonna be easy
to get back to Stage 4 again.

- That's right... this season,
the courses are tougher,

with lots of new obstacles.

But making it through
the Log Grip.

Britten has a family

and a full-time job
as a cameraman.

Doesn't get to train
as much as

some of the other top ninjas.

- This guy's a superstar.

Watch him work
the Paddle Boards.

And look at that... whoa!

That was close.

The rest of these obstacles
should line up pretty well

for the man with the legendary
upper-body and grip strength.

- He's got to go all out here.

- He's got those
huge Popeye forearms,

but the upper body can't help
him here with the trampoline.

- So he's got to stay focused
here. You gotta succeed.

You gotta succeed as bad
as you wanna breathe.

There you go, baby.

- And you can see him now
making his way down the log

to assist with that dismount.

- This is where you got
to hold on.

You see your forearms there?
Use those Popeye forearms...

everything you have...
to hold on.

- What I like is,
he's struggling,

but look at his face.
He looks completely calm.

His wife Jessica
looks a bit nervous,

but he blows her a kiss

as if to say,
"Everything's okay."

- Now Rolling Thunder.
- And he's up.

He's wrestled
with Mount Midoriyama.

Now he's got to wrestle
with this thunder.

- Interestingly, though,

his pace
to this point not that fast.

- But it doesn't matter
how fast he goes,

as long as he's effective.

- Absolutely.
- He has to be effective here,

and he's got to conquer
Rolling Thunder.

Look at him,
using a little bit

of lightening speed here
on Rolling Thunder.

- Rolling Thunder coming
in here like an F-5, man.

This is impressive.

Look at those Vise
grips... those hands.

- But listen, Matt.
- Do you hear that, Matt?

Do you hear the big boom
from the thunder?

That thunder is Geoff Britten,
because that boy's got talent.

Get off of that
Rolling Thunder!

- And he's going
for the dismount here, Akbar.

A little awkward, though.

But he's through!
Geoff Britten,

14 1/2 feet away
from hitting the first buzzer

in what he hopes to be
a return journey

to the top of Mount Midoriyama.

crowd: Beat that wall!
Beat that wall! Beat that wall!

- Yeah, baby!

- Well, you know the Brittens

have not had much luck
in Philadelphia,

- but it starts right now!
- Yes, he can!

It starts right now!
Number one.

Hit that thing again.

- Whoo!

- Geoff Britten,
the first step back.

Geoff Britten is moving on.

- Wow, that was hard!

- You want to know
how tough Rolling Thunder is?

Look at Geoff Britten.
But he still gets the finish.

That's the seventh
straight buzzer,

and that's a new record.

- And he's standing
by with Kristine.

- Geoff,
I think you just said

that this is the hardest
qualifying course

you've ever seen.

- That was definitely
the hardest qualifying course

I've ever done.
Look at me.

I'm out of breath.
I'm pumped.

- And you're the first
American Ninja Warrior.

How do you deal
with the pressure?

Because I think you,
out of all the competitors,

probably have the most
pressure on you.

- I think I have
the least pressure on me.

- Oh, that's a great way
to look at it.

- I've already done it.
- Confidence, I like it.

All right, so what do you want
to change, if anything,

about the city finals
course?

- I want them to take away
obstacle number five.

- All right, I'll make a call.
- We'll see if that can happen.

I kind of doubt it,
just to let you know.

But it's always great
seeing you out here.

Congratulations on your first
button, Geoff.

- Thank you.
- Guys, back to you.

- So Geoff Britten jumps
onto the leaderboard

after hitting yet
another buzzer.

And right now, we've got two
women near the top,

with Rachael Goldstein
and Allyssa Beird.

We'll have to wait
to see if their time

keeps them in the top 30
by the end of the night.

And we've got another strong
female competitor coming up.

It's Jesse "Flex" Labreck.

This track star
turned ninja hopeful

takes the course
in just a few minutes.

Plus, he's come close
to winning it all.

- He's got it!

- Now, Joe Moravsky
has extra motivation.

- I'm gonna go further
than ever.

- His run's coming up
on "American Ninja Warrior."

.

- Welcome back to "American
Ninja Warrior" in Philadelphia.

While we were away,
three more competitors

took a shot at the course.

Engineer Eliannah Hunderfund

made a great
save at the Paddle Boards.

- Oh!
- But the former college diver

dove head first
at the Wall Drop.

- Oh, Hunderfund takes a dip!

- Dan Liburd
is the strength coach

for the NFL's Buffalo Bills.

- You got a body like that,
show it.

- But even
he couldn't muscle his way

past Rolling Thunder.

- Oh!

DC firefighter Mike Bernardo
came out strong.

- [shouts]

- But the seven-time veteran
made a rookie mistake.

- Oh, he's going
for the dismount... no!

- When his toe hit
the water at Rolling Thunder.

- Sha na na!

- Up next, another one

of our promising
female competitors,

this is Jessie Labreck.

Or, as her friends call her,
Flex Labreck.

- She's taking her shirt off.
- And with those muscles,

you can see why.

A year ago, this former
track star moved from Maine

to the Boston area

to concentrate
on ninja training.

It's also when she took a job

as a caregiver
for her number-one fan.

- I didn't ask if you wanted
Indian braids or regular,

but we're going reg,
so I hope that's okay with you.

I am a full-time nanny working
with a 20-year-old girl

with cerebral palsy.

Her name is Emeline,
and she is just amazing.

Em, your hair's getting so long.

Ooh!

[both laughing]

She can't use her arms
or her legs,

and she can't speak.

Emeline communicates
with her computer.

She has a little dot on her
glasses that moves her mouse.

Emeline and I
will go to the park.

I do her hair.
We'll go swimming.

So do you think we should go
to the pool and the swing today?

- Yes, definitely.

[squealing]

- My job with Em
has definitely given me

a different outlook on life.

Things that I've taken
for granted,

like itching your nose

or your ear...
she can't just do that.

But she is always laughing.
She's always in a good mood.

And it's infectious.

- Jesse is crazy lovable
and definitely a weirdo.

[laughing]

- Emeline is very
excited tonight.

She can't wait to see me.

- Jesse will
crush the course.

- She's been saying how proud
she is of me,

which makes me really happy.

[sniffles]

Um, I'm glad
that I make her proud,

'cause I'm proud of her, so...

I think everything happens
for a reason,

and I have no idea what my life
would be like right now,

but I know it wouldn't be
as amazing without Em.

- And there is Emeline
on the sidelines,

alongside Jesse's father
and her boyfriend.

And she's got a huge group
of supporters

sporting those
Flex Lebreck T-shirts.

- Well, here we go.
- She's 5'7",

the tallest woman
we'll see tonight.

- Well, she was
a record-setting

track and field collegiate
star.

Still holds 11
school records

at the University of Maine.

- Wow!
- What a push.

This is a strong woman here.

- That's because of her
background.

She was a sprinter.
She was a high jumper.

She is a well-rounded athlete.

- Locked on.
- Oh, and she barely budged.

Flex Lebreck and Emeline
smiling says it all, really.

- Keep it hot here. Let... nice.
- Look at... wow!

- That was so smooth!

- And now onto the Wall Drop.

- This is where she can use her
upper-body strength

to climb up here,
and then I think her height

will help her
on the trampoline.

- Remember, she is a rookie.

It's her first time
on the course,

but she's looking
like a veteran.

- Wow.
- And Emeline is loving it.

- There's a new kid
on the block,

and her name is Jesse Labreck.

She's taking down
each obstacle right now.

- Whoo-hoo-hoo!
- Whoa!

- Did you see that? She's like
Michael Jordan in the air!

- My goodness!

- Game time!

- She almost jumped out
of the gym!

- Are you kidding me?

- What perfect technique
on the trampoline.

- She was up in the air
for, like, ten seconds.

- And gets a leg on,
spinning around.

- Use them abs to pull you
back over there.

- Well, every year,
we have breakout stars...

unknowns
who come to shock us.

Could it be
Jesse "Flex" Labreck?

- Jesse! Jesse!

- This Rolling Thunder wheel
weighs over 100 pounds.

We are gonna see what kind
of strength Flex really has.

crowd: Flex! Flex!
Flex! Flex!

- Wow, these women
are tearing it up tonight.

- And look at the power
in Flex Labreck.

- Yeah, Labreck,
she's a la-brick house.

- She is mighty mighty,

and letting it all hang out
on the Rolling Thunder.

- Oh, boy.
- "Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry."

And you can see she's feeling
the pain right now,

but that's all right...
crying all the way through.

Cry it out.
Cry it out, bro.

- Oh! One hand!
- Hang on!

Hang on!
She's gonna recover!

- Get back up!
- She's gonna recover!

- Incredible effort, and she's
going in on the Plexiglas.

- Wow!
- Hang on!

Another recovery!

You got to want it!

If you want to succeed,
you got to get it.

- Not allowed
to use her legs here.

Jesse "Flex" Labreck refusing
to give in.

She is hung up.
What can she do?

Just loses her grip.

[cheers and applause]

- Well, she may not have
hit the buzzer,

but a breakout performance
by Labreck.

She's got a good chance
of staying in the top 30.

We could have three women
in the city finals,

something that has
never happened before.

- Look at Labreck
on the trampoline.

That's as high as anyone
we've seen.

And at Rolling Thunder,
she drops to one arm,

but look at her face.

She never panicked.
Flex Labreck is a star.

And right now
she's down with Kristine.

[cheers and applause]

- Jesse, you looked
amazing out there.

You did such a great job,

and I could tell you
were trying your hardest

to make it through
the Rolling Thunder.

Tell me, what kind of things
are going through your mind?

- I'm just thinking, "Keep
going, keep that knee drive,

just get to the next Plexiglas
and then reach really big."

And that last one,
I just couldn't reach higher.

- Emeline loves being out here.
- She was cheering for you.

What does that mean to you, to
have her support here with you?

- It just makes me so happy

that she could come
and that she's here.

And I'm glad that she's
just excited about it

and she's proud of me, so...

- We're proud of you too,
and I am really

hoping that you made it
far enough fast enough

so we can see you both back
in the city finals.

- Thank you.
- Thank you.

- We'll let you guys
enjoy it together.

Matt and Akbar, back up to you.

- Coming up, Ryan Stratis
is coming off major surgery.

- I'm taking you down,
mountain.

- But he's still gonna
try this course.

- Nice.

- His run's coming up...

- [yells]

- On "American Ninja Warrior."

.

- Welcome back to Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania,

here in the shadow
of the Betsy Ross Bridge.

And that is fitting
because tonight,

we've seen some strong women
flying their flags.

- First, it was
rookie Rachael Goldestein.

- Look at her!

- Then Massachusetts teacher
Allyssa Beird.

- Right through it.

- And then another rookie,
Jesse "Flex" Labreck.

- Look at the power
in Flex Labreck!

- All three made it
to the fifth obstacle,

and all three have a shot
to stay in the top 30.

We've never had three women
advance to a city finals.

- And one of our top women,
Michelle Warnky,

has yet to take the course,

so we could even have
four women moving on.

At the start line right now,

one of the most
exciting athletes out here.

It's the giant 6'6"
Jon Alexis, Jr.

Now living in Newton,
Massachusetts,

he put up the fastest time

in qualifying in Orlando
last year.

- Uh-oh, in a track spirit.

Uh-oh, look at the big fella,
6'6" in a track stance!

I see that coming out
the block strong.

- You can do that at 6'6".

And honestly he's going fast,

but there may be
some design to this, Akbar.

- Whoo!
- He may well know

it could come down
to farthest the fastest.

- Uh-oh, look at the big fella.
- Oh, Jolly Green Giant!

- Oh!
- I see you, baby!

Matt, he's wasting
absolutely no time.

Look at the big 6'6" fella,

rolling like he done
lost his mind!

- Stay firm!
- Stay firm!

- And look at that bounce!

- Oh!

- He's got his dad here
and a big group of supporters,

but they can barely
keep up with him.

Came out of nowhere
last year as a rookie,

put up the fastest time
in Orlando,

and he's obviously
going for it again.

- Well, Matt,
the Rolling Thunder here

is definitely gonna go

to the advantage
of a guy like Alexis.

Now, he's got long arms,

so he can reach back past
the Plexiglas there

on the third spoke.

Every third spoke
has that Plexiglas.

Look at him
showing off his strength.

- But keep in mind,
he's 193 pounds,

so his grip strength
is really being taxed.

And there it is, the Plexi...

- Uh-oh, uh-oh.
- Reach back, big fella!

- And even at 6'6", he's having
trouble with the reach.

- Reach back, big fella!
- Going for the dismount!

- I say fly backwards.
- Fly backwards, Alexis!

No, don't fool with it.
Don't fool with it. Get off!

- The giant, can he do it?
- Come on, big fella!

You're hanging over the water!

Well, Matt,
I think he's going down.

Come on, just fly backwards!
Let's go!

- John Alexis... his feet
are over the landing platform.

- Matt, he's only about
5 inches from the water.

Go!
Oh!

- Ohh!
- Ahh, I see you big fella!

- The big man does it!
- I see you, big fella!

- And right up the Warped Wall!
- I see you, big dog!

- But look at the fatigue.

[buzzer sounds]

[cheers and applause]

both: Ohh!

- I see you doing
the cat daddy!

I see you doing the cat daddy!

- The giant with the biggest
run thus far...

fastest time of the night!

- My goodness.

He took off like a sprinter

and used those long legs
on the Floating Steps.

And look at him
on Rolling Thunder.

He's still way
out over the water,

but with his height,
he just steps off.

- Well, up next, one of
the most popular ninja athletes

of all time.

From Kennesaw, Georgia,
this is Ryan Stratis.

He's one of the few to compete
in all eight seasons,

but he almost didn't
make it this year

because he's coming off
a very serious injury.

- I've been competing
with a bad shoulder

for a couple years now,

and I was just trying to fight
through the pain.

My shoulder was one of
the reasons

why I fell at the Salmon Ladder
in Las Vegas last year.

crowd: Oh!

- When I went to get
my shoulder checked

and they saw
how bad it was,

they said I needed surgery
immediately.

I'm taking you down, mountain.

After the surgery, going through
the rehab... it was grueling, man.

- He couldn't do his stunts.
- He couldn't work at the gym.

He was really down.

- But I knew baby steps
wasn't gonna get me back

to where I was
and stronger than before.

And when it was tough, I was
just thinking about everybody

that loves watching me
on the show.

I only have one month to
get ready for this competition,

but muscle memory's
coming back pretty quick.

[all yell]

Going into it, I got to block
out all the doubt

and just fight on through.

[yells]

- Well, his boss, Glenn Davis,
is here,

along with Ryan's
rehab therapist,

plus his pals Mike Bernardo
and James McGrath...

a lot of people worried
about this run.

- Let's get this, Strat!
- Come on!

- You can see him really
putting a little focus there

on the shoulder.

[countdown clock beeping]

- Well, it's amazing. He had
surgery just four months ago,

but has worked so hard
to get back into shape.

That shoulder will be tested
on this course.

- And here's the thing,
though, Matt.

Not everyone
gets to compete at 100%.

We know he's not at 100%.

- Get up there, Strat!
- Get up there!

- Well, Stratis has been around

since the very beginning
of "American Ninja Warrior,"

so well-liked
by his fellow athletes.

- He understands the spirit
of this sport perhaps

- as well as anyone.
- Check him out.

He's already feeling that
shoulder. That's not good.

- Come on, Strat!
- Quick feet!

- Oh!

- Oh-ho, and he survives.

- Boy, he's lucky he's safe.
- He's safe.

- Yeah!

- Not pretty,
but he survived it.

- You got this, Ryan!

- But now the first real test
for his shoulder

- at the Wall Drop.
- Just like the gym, man.

Here we go.

- And the crowd starting up
a chant.

- Well, this is all upper body.

- Oh, but look at him!

He's fighting
his way through it.

- [yelling indistinctly]

- Get it, get it,
get it, get it!

- Has to be careful
on the trampoline.

- Oh, oh, ooh.

- Hanging on,
and he's gonna get through!

[cheers and applause]

- You can see he favored
the left shoulder there.

And look at that... that shoulder
is injured, Akbar.

- Oh, man, he went
into that tackle pretty hard.

Yeah, take another look
at this again.

You see him.
He gets there a little uneven...

right foot then left foot,

and then goes shoulder first
into the tackling dummy.

You know he's got to be
in pain.

- Well, the surgery on that
right shoulder was extensive.

The doctors went
and shaved down the bone.

- Ooh, yikes.

Rolling Thunder is not gonna
be fun with a bad shoulder.

- But look at him!
- He is attacking this obstacle.

- Big reach!
- Big reach!

- Wow.
- Good grab! Good grab!

- Where did this come from?

How is he fighting
through the pain?

- Keep the Ls... if you want
to keep pressure off

of your shoulder, keep the Ls.

- Big reach!
- Big reach!

[cheers and applause]

- This is all heart, Matt.

I don't know if he can
keep this up.

Whoo!

This is what a veteran does!

[cheers and applause]

- Come on, one more!
- One more!

- He's putting the long reach
with the left arm,

trying to offload that injured
right shoulder.

- Ryan also knows
what he's doing.

On every third one,
he's really getting

a nice little swing
to get him that momentum.

- And he's looking
for the dismount.

- Uh-oh, he's stretched out,
Matt.

He's stretched out.

Look at him
grimacing on his face.

Fight through it!

- It's hard to build up
movement for the dismount

'cause the wheel is rolling,

but he does it!
Ryan Stratis!

- Yes!

[cheers and applause]
crowd: Beat that wall!

- Stratis has done a lot
of runs

on "American Ninja Warrior,"

but if he gets up
the Warped Wall,

this may be his greatest ever.

- Uh-oh, mama.

[cheers and applause]

- He's got it!

Just needs to pull himself up.

Is there anything left
in that shoulder?

He can barely hit the buzzer.

What a run!

- [yells]

[cheers and applause]

- I love watching
this man compete.

Ryan Stratis going back to the
city finals where he belongs!

[cheers and applause]

- Look at Ryan Stratis
on Rolling Thunder.

You know that shoulder's
hurting, but look at that face.

That's the face of a guy
who does not quit.

- Right now he's standing
by with Kristine.

- Ryan, this completion has
to feel better than any other.

- Yeah, this has been something
that has been a lot of work.

Coming from a surgery like this
and having all my friends

and fans and everybody
just supporting me

is just... I'm trying not
to get emotional,

but man, this is...
I love doing this

for the fans, and this is what
it's all about.

- We saw you were grabbing
your shoulder.

How do you push through?

- I just heard everybody
in the crowd.

And they just kept chanting and
just kept pushing me forward.

And I didn't want
to let them down.

- Well, you mean so much
to this competition.

I really couldn't
be prouder of you.

You did great up there, and we
will see you in the city finals.

- Sweet. Thanks.
- Guys, back to you.

- Well, the ladies have been
the story of the night,

but Michelle Warnky
hasn't even run yet.

We could have four women
in the city finals,

but it's gonna come down
to the final runs

on "American Ninja Warrior."

- Welcome back to
"American Ninja Warrior."

While we were away,
three more athletes

got their chance
on this Philadelphia course.

Seven-time veteran
Chris Wilczewski dressed

in pink to raise awareness
for breast cancer.

- A huge ambassador
for "Ninja Warrior."

- And though he came up short
at Rolling Thunder,

it was fast enough
to get him into the finals.

He's moving on.

- Course is hard.

- Jamie Rahn had his
green-haired groupies

out in force.

- Look at Rahn!

- And Captain NBC used
his superpowers

to get past Rolling Thunder
and hit the buzzer.

- It ain't a bird.
- It ain't a plane.

It's Jamie Rahn!

- Whoo!

- High school math
teacher Greg Smith

survived multiple
cancer operations.

Amazing he is here.

But the man who calls himself
the Scarred Ninja

still made it
to the third obstacle.

- And he is not a victim.
- He is a victor.

- And Greg's good friend
Anthony DeFranco

is up next on the course.

He's a high school track coach

from Berkeley Heights,
New Jersey.

He and Greg were teammates
on the track team.

When the cancer diagnosis came,

that formed
an unbreakable bond.

[light piano music]

- I met Greg through track.
- I was a pole vaulter.

He was a long jumper.
We became very good friends.

[crowd cheering]

- My junior year,
I was doing great.

I was hitting
all my personal bests.

Then I found a lump one day,
and I was diagnosed

with stage two testicular cancer
at the age of 21.

♪ ♪

I had two major surgeries.

- Seeing him go through
the worst pain

he's ever been through...
nothing can compare.

- It was very difficult to go
from being a top athlete

and now not be able
to even sit up.

Going through, like,
all the rounds of chemotherapy,

Anthony was right
by my side the whole way,

trying to, you know,
cheer me up

and keeping me
on my path to beat it.

On January 11, 2013,
my doctors told me

that I was cured
from the cancer.

Well, the next step was
I had to get healthy

and get back to my life.

So I'm going left,
right, big pull.

- Greg and I began training

for "American Ninja Warrior"
together,

and I've never seen a fire
in his eye to improve

and get so much stronger.

It's so much fun
seeing him improve,

us improve together.

It's incredible
how far he's come

and how I'm lucky enough to be
by his side and be his friend.

And I'm gonna try to hit
that buzzer for him.

[cheers and applause]

- And there's Greg.
- He ran just moments ago.

Now gonna cheer on his buddy

along with Anthony's parents
and girlfriend.

[countdown clock beeping]

Anthony DeFranco
was a track star

at Rider University
in New Jersey.

Conference champion
in the pole vault.

- Well, pole vaulters have had
a lot of success on

"American Ninja Warrior,"
and he's not wasting any time.

- Quickly through the Log Grip.

DeFranco's 5'8", 140.

Now he's through
the Paddle Boards.

[cheers and applause]

- Whoo, the pole vaulter looks
like a sprinter right now.

He hasn't slowed down yet.

And the crowd is starting
to notice this rookie's run.

Now the trampoline.

Oh!

[cheers and applause]

Well, DeFranco
with the fastest pace

to this point thus far,
Akbar.

Put himself in excellent
position to move on.

And this guy's beaten
Captain NBC Jamie Rahn

in some of these
off-season competitions.

He is the real deal.

His time fast enough to this
point that he's already in.

But he's got a chance
to beat John Alexis, Jr.

for the fastest time.

- We've seen the Rolling
Thunder take people out,

but his aggressive pace
and that... he looks like

he's about to complete
Rolling Thunder.

Boy, DeFranco
is bringing the boom...

the mighty boom...
here to the Rolling Thunder.

- And his friend Greg Smith
cheering him on.

- One more pull!

- What a run by the rookie.

Now just needs the dismount.

And he's got it!

Wow, he's racing
for the fastest time!

- Are you crazy?
- Are you crazy?

- Are you crazy?
- A rookie!

- Whoo!

[cheers and applause]

- Fastest time of
the night thus far!

- Whoo!

- We're gonna make that
tonight's POM Wonderful

Crazy Healthy run of the night.

Anthony DeFranco, a rookie,

just sprinted through
this course

faster than anyone tonight.

- Whoo!

[cheers and applause]

- So with that amazing run,

rookie Anthony DeFranco lands
atop our leaderboard.

Remember, at the end
of the night,

only the top 30 will advance
to the city finals.

And it's gonna come down
to the wire

for those three women,

Jesse Labreck,
Rachael Goldstein,

and Allyssa Beird
are at numbers 26, 27, and 28.

If they can stay in the top 30,
they'll make history.

But it's gonna be close.
And look who's coming up next.

It's one of the best ever...
the Weatherman, Joe Moravsky,

on "American Ninja Warrior."

.

- Welcome back to
"American Ninja Warrior."

This season, our friends
at POM Wonderful are offering

a special bonus for the fans.

to enter the Train Like a Crazy
Healthy Ninja sweepstakes,

where you could win
$10,000 and a trip to L.A.

to work out with
"American Ninja Warrior" champ

Isaac Caldiero.

- Well, up next, another one of
the ninja greats here

in Philadelphia.

It's the meteorologist
from Sherman, Connecticut...

the Weatherman,
Joe Moravsky.

And since last year,

there's been a big change
at the Moravsky house.

- He's licking your fingers.

[laughs]

Oh, look out, puppy.

My life has changed yet again.

Last season, when I was
running the course,

my wife was actually
very pregnant.

- Joe's about to become a dad.

His wife Stephanie
expecting their first child

in a few weeks.

- Had a daughter this
off-season,

and now it's just... it's just
a whole new world for me.

[baby giggling]

Emily, my daughter...

when she was first born,
I knew it was gonna be hard.

I knew we were gonna be
having very long nights.

I have been so tired so long
that it was very hard

to get back into that mentality

that I really got to start
focusing on working out again.

- Good.

- "American Ninja Warrior"
used to be a lot about me.

- Well, he's done it!
- Joe Moravsky!

- And now, I...
[sighs]

[sobs]

[sighs]

I'm...

[uplifting music]

Running the course tonight
is about my daughter.

I'm gonna go further than ever.

[cheers and applause]

- Go, Joe!
- And there's little Emily

watching her first ninja
competition with Mom.

And there's a big group
of Moravsky fans here.

Three seasons,
he has never failed to hit

a buzzer on a city qualifying
or a city finals course.

- Are you kidding me?

That is just amazing
consistency.

These courses
are so challenging,

but Moravsky finds a way.

- And already to the third
obstacle... he is flying. Whoo!

- He kept it nice
and tight there.

- Well, he knows if he gets
to the Rolling Thunder

fast enough, it'll guarantee
a spot in the top 30.

But you know he wants
to finish.

- Oh, big hop by Moravsky!

- Oh, and he's hung up though.

- Oh, he's got it.

[cheers and applause]

- There you go!

- And a wave to Emily.

She's watching Daddy
for the first time.

But now Rolling Thunder.
By making it here so quickly,

he's already guaranteed a spot
in the city finals.

Look at that reach...
5'10", 165.

- I love the 90 degrees that
he's keeping in his arms here,

controlling
the Rolling Thunder.

- Let's go!
- You got it!

- And this pace is blistering.

- The forecast looks great
for Joe Morovsky.

- Well, we thought coming in

he was facing
a high-pressure front,

but Joe Moravsky seems
to respond.

Looked like a bit of a dead
end there, but he continues.

- Oh my goodness, Joe Moravsky.
- Going for the dismount.

- Are you serious?

This man would throw lightning
in jail

and handcuff thunder.

- Joe Moravsky delivers!

This is gonna be one of
the fastest times of the night!

- Your Weatherman moving on
to the city finals once again!

- Yeah, baby!

Whoo!

- Delivering in front
of his whole family.

- How is it as a dad?

- It's the greatest feeling,
man.

- Probably every father
can relate

to what Joe Moravsky's feeling
right now.

- Check out Moravsky
on the Wall Drop.

He gets a nearly perfect
jump to the tubes,

but it took him a few
extra swings on the dismount.

And at the end, a look down
to Daddy's little girl.

- Let's go down to Kristine
for the POM post-run interview.

- Joe, you have been one of,
if not the, most consistent

ninjas out here, but how has
being a dad changed your life?

- I was just telling Matt
and Akbar, standing up there,

it's not just about me
or my wife anymore.

It's like my...
my own little one... man.

Holy cow, you got to live it.

You can't... mm.

Yeah.

This is her first ninja event,

and hopefully it'll be
one of many, many more.

And maybe in the future she'll
be out here doing it too.

- How bad do you want Stage 4?

- Oh, I want Stage 3 first,
and then Stage 4.

- All right, well,
you are one button down, Joe.

- Congratulations.
- Thank you.

- Guys, back to you.

- And now, those three women
are sitting in 27th, 28th,

and 29th,
with four runners to go.

Can they stay in the top 30?

And can Michelle Warnky
join them?

It could be an historic
finish in Philly

when "American Ninja Warrior"
returns.

.

- Welcome back
to Philadelphia qualifying.

And we've had big drama
in the last few minutes,

as the fate of three female
competitors was decided

by the final runs of the night.

First, college student
Sami Newton got her shot.

- Come on, Sami!
- But went out on the Log Grip.

Oh!

That fall guaranteed
Jesse Labreck

a spot in the top 30.

Fore!

Then New Jersey
golf club salesman

Brian Keane also went out
on the Log Grip.

And the water hazard
for Brian Keane.

And that meant
Rachel Goldstein

also made it
to the city finals.

Finally,
it was Abel Gonzalez,

who made it to Stage 3
in Vegas last year.

- Oh, my goodness.

- But in one of the biggest
shocks of the night,

he was eliminated
at the third obstacle

when he stepped
on the middle beam.

- And everyone is
in complete shock.

- That surprise ending
secured a spot

for teacher Allyssa Beird,

meaning three women
are in the top 30

for the first time ever.

But the women aren't done.

We could have a fourth,
because one of the athletes

congratulating the others
minutes ago now gets her shot.

It's Michelle Warnky.

The Ohio gym owner has been

a trailblazer
on the course and off.

- Welcome to Movement Lab Ohio.

Starting down
the gym-owner path

has been quite an experience.

- The past year has really been
a transitional phase

for Michelle,
because in the past,

she really has been focused
solely on her athletics.

Now she's a businesswoman.

- Whoo-hoo!

A lot of people, I think,
assume because I'm a gym owner

that I'm just training
ninja stuff all the time.

And for me, any time
I walk in the gym,

all I see is my to-do list.

Hi, welcome to the Movement Lab.
This is Michelle.

So it's really hard for me
to put that aside

and still try to train myself.

- You're good to go.
- All right.

- Have fun.

But then, over
the last few months,

in preparation for this season,

I've learned to manage
my time better,

and I have no doubt I'm ready
for a good run tonight.

[all cheering]

- Michelle has her whole
family here,

including her dad Chris,

one of the loudest ninja fans
in the country.

And speaking of girl power,
Jessie Graff is here.

We'll see Jessie in two weeks
in the L.A. city finals.

Michelle needs to get
to Rolling Thunder

in less than two minutes,

and she'll be a part of
history.

- Well, this is her fourth year
in "American Ninja Warrior."

One of the most storied
female competitors,

the second woman ever to get up
that Warped Wall,

just after Kacy Catanzaro.

- Oh, a little hung up.
- Uh-oh. Stay strong here.

- Good confidence there out
of the veteran Warnky.

Three times she's been
to Vegas... so strong.

Having a little trouble

finding a comfortable
grip hold, though, Akbar.

- Oh, she's holding on,
though, Matt.

- But you know
she has fists of steel.

[cheers and applause]

- You got it, Michelle!
- You got it!

- Michelle Warnky looking to
cap a huge night for the women.

- Oh, yeah!

- Michelle Warnky...
great agility there.

- She's got a little over

a minute left
to get to Rolling Thunder.

But now the Wall Drop.

- And Matt, Michelle has
tremendous upper-body strength,

but she's had trouble
in the past with trampolines.

- And this may be
the big test right here.

Oh, she's got it!

But struggling a little bit.

- Come on, Warnky.

- Just needs to complete this
obstacle and she is in.

- Now she's got it.
- Yes!

- Warnky's moving on!

- Whoo!

Yes, yes, yes!

- Michelle Warnky has done it!

She's now part of history,

becoming the fourth woman
tonight

advancing to a city finals
round.

[cheers and applause]

How much further can she go?

- [yells]
- Listen to that scream!

- Well, she knows she's in,

but Warnky told us
she wants to hit that buzzer.

This will be a test.

At 135 pounds,
she's just a few pounds

more than this apparatus.

Oh, she's having
to fight to move it,

and again, it looks like
a wheel,

but those spokes,
the way they're spaced,

it locks in every rotation.
You have to force it.

- She's putting in work.

She doesn't need to punch
in her timecard.

You know she's working
and getting busy.

- But there it is,
that spoke that's blocked

with the Plexiglas wall.

- And she... oh!
- Oh, grab up there, girl!

Muscle up!

- I love watching
this woman compete.

- With a smile on her face.

- Well, this crowd
on their feet,

showing their appreciation
for what Warnky

and these other women
have done tonight.

- I think this may be it
though.

all: Oh!

[cheers and applause]

- Well, she didn't finish
the course,

but she helped
make history tonight

as one of four women
moving on to the city finals.

- Well, Michelle Warnky's had
trouble with trampolines

in the past, but not tonight.

She gets big air and then
fought her way to the pad.

Her time got her in the top 30.

Now she's part of history.

- And right now, Kristine's
with the fantastic four.

- Michelle, you've been part

of this competition
for so long.

You're really a staple
of "American Ninja Warrior."

Tell me what this means for
the sport, to have this happen.

- Yeah, this is awesome.

Before this happened,
the competition, we were like,

"You know,
I think we can get, like,

four or five ladies
hitting that buzzer."

So we didn't quite hit
the buzzer,

but we made some extra air,
which is awesome.

- I am so proud of four ladies
making it to the city finals.

Good luck,
and we will see you then.

Matt and Akbar, back to you.

[cheers and applause]

- So our leaderboard ends up
with rookie Anthony DeFranco

having the fastest time,

with Philly's own Najee
Richardson in the five spot.

Other finishers
include Geoff Britten,

who was seventh among
the night's nine finishers.

The rest of the field
is filled by those

who made it to Rolling Thunder,

which was a ninja killer
tonight.

The top female,
Michelle Warnky,

landed in the 17th spot.

All of these athletes
will be back

in a few weeks
for the city finals.

And that includes
the three female rookies

who grabbed the final
three spots.

And there they are,
the fantastic four

who made history tonight.

Next time, we'll see
another top female,

Jessie Graff, plus
Kevin Bull and Flip Rodriguez,

as the intensity reaches
a whole new level.

It's the first of our
city finals competitions,

starting in Los Angeles.

For Akbar Gbajabiamila
and Kristine Leahy,

I'm Matt Iseman,

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