American Ninja Warrior (2009–…): Season 9, Episode 10 - Daytona Beach City Finals - full transcript

.

[lively music]

male narrator:
Tonight, the road to

the national finals
heads back east.

- Hello, Cleveland!

- ♪ I'm in a sweet spot ♪

♪ I'm feeling good ♪

♪ The sun is shining ♪

- The rain has stopped,
the sun's coming out,

and I'm ready
to crush this course.

- ♪ I knew it would ♪



- The Weatherman is blazing
through this course.

- I'm gonna go out there
and paint this course green.

- Yes!
- Captain NBC, there it is.

narrator: Five weeks ago,
this group made history,

and they're back for more.

♪ ♪

- Tonight, I want to run the
course and show my students

that anything is possible
if you work hard enough.

- Can your fifth grade teacher
do this?

- Here you go.
- Yes!

- I am definitely looking
to inspire the next generation

of American ninja warriors.

- Oh, my!

- Yes!



- ♪ The world's a playground ♪

- Did you see that?

- ♪ I'm in the clouds ♪
- What a save.

- ♪ Let me show you
what it's all about ♪

♪ Shake it out ♪

♪ I'm gonna light it up ♪

♪ Yeah, I'm gonna
light it up ♪

- Yes!

- Tonight, I'm not coming down
to Earth

until I hit that buzzer.

- I see you, big dog.

- ♪ I'm gonna light it up ♪

♪ Yeah, I'm gonna
light it up ♪

- The Phoenix is gonna fly
through the finals.

- Oh, yeah.

- ♪ Let me show you
what it's all about ♪

- O-H!

all: I-O!

[cheers and applause]

- Get ready to rock,
because we're in one

of the hottest sports towns in
America,

Cleveland, Ohio,

and tonight it plays host
to the city finals

round of "American
Ninja Warrior."

Hello, everyone, and welcome
once again to Public Square

in downtown Cleveland.
I'm Matt Iseman.

- And I'm Akbar Gbajabiamila.

Matt, these fans love the Cavs,
they love the Indians,

and they even love the Browns,

but tonight, this crowd
wants to see ninjas.

- A few weeks ago
in qualifying,

just 14 athletes
finished the course,

including for
the first time ever,

two woman hitting the buzzer,

but tonight the stakes
are even higher,

as these athletes
fight for a spot

in the national finals
in Las Vegas.

- And here's who I expect
to rock Cleveland tonight.

First, there's the Weatherman,
Joe Moravsky.

The Connecticut meteorologist
was the fastest in qualifying.

- Whoo!

- Then there's the phenom
from Philadelphia,

Najee Richardson.

- Destroys this course.

- Among the women,
we've got the fifth grade

teacher Allyssa Beird.

- First buzzer for a woman
this season.

- And the other woman
who hit a buzzer

in qualifying,
former track star

Jesse "Flex" Labreck.

- Yes!

- We've added
four more obstacles

for this city finals round.

For our first look
at the course,

let's go down
to Kristine Leahy.

- Thanks, guys.
- This course tonight features

ten difficult obstacles
and a few surprises.

The first six are the ones
these athletes

saw in qualifying,

including the wild Rolling Log

and the challenging I-Beam
Gap.

Then it's on
to the four obstacles

added for the finals,
starting with the iconic

Salmon Ladder,

followed by a new obstacle,
the Nail Clipper.

They'll have to work their way
across four rolling cylinders

using only their fingertips.

Right behind it is another
upper-body obstacle,

the Clacker, which debuted
last year in Atlanta.

The final obstacle
is the Elevator Climb,

which has been
so tough this year.

Competitors have to use
their upper body

to pump those handles up
the 35-foot chute to the top.

If they can survive
and hit the buzzer,

they've guaranteed themselves
a spot in Las Vegas.

Guys, back to you.

- For a behind-the-scenes look
at how our course

comes together,
check out our digital series,

And we're gonna kick
things off

with our unofficial host here
in the Buckeye State.

This is Worthington,
Ohio's Michelle Warnky.

- O-H!
all: I-O!

- Okay, I see you,
spelling out the O-H-I-O.

- Warnky's always been a
leader in the ninja community.

She was the first woman
to open a ninja gym,

was the elder stateswoman for
the Fantastic Four last year,

and now she's a trendsetter
with her online workouts.

- Hey, everyone.
- Michelle Warnky here

with your Warnky
challenge Wednesday,

and today I have
a fun challenge

that will get you ready
to crush that course.

I got to talking
with Jessie Graff.

She was telling me
she thought I would be great

at doing instructional
fitness videos.

- And they're off.

- I began thinking
about it more

and realized
that I love challenges.

Are you guys ready?
So I started recording them

and called them
Warnky challenge Wednesdays.

This is Michelle Warnky

for your Warnky
challenge Wednesday.

Your Warnky challenge
Wednesday.

Your Warnky
challenge Wednesday.

Now I've gotten people
contacting me,

saying they look forward
to it every Wednesday.

Today's challenge is to hold
a one-arm lock off

as long as you can.

There's a lot of ninjas
that do the challenges.

- Go.

- It's been awesome to see
just the community

of ninjas come together.

- Nice.

- We all can
challenge each other

and help each other get
better.

[laughs]

Tonight's Warnky challenge
is to hit that buzzer

and go to Vegas.

- Here in her home state,
Warnky's got a huge crowd,

along with many of her
fellow competitors

and of course her family,

including her dad Chris, who
ran the course in qualifying.

[countdown clock beeping]

And remember,
there are no more wild cards

to the national finals.

You have to earn it.

You must be among the top 15
overall or the top two women,

and it's a loaded field
in Cleveland,

so Warnky's gonna need
a good run to advance.

She's quickly through
the Floating Steps.

Waiting for her, the always
dangerous Rolling Log.

You have to hold on
with arms and legs

to survive this 23-foot ride
down the track.

- Look at the back muscles.
- Everything's engaged, defined.

- And good flexibility,
getting those legs locked.

A lot of spins,
but she survives.

- Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

- She moves on now
to the Razor's Edge,

and you can see,
she is shaken up.

Wow.

- Find your center,
find your center.

- Now facing a balance
obstacle.

You have to run across the
tops of those three blades.

- I want to see her get it,
I want to see her get it.

- Oh, no. Clever, clever.

- I love the adjustment
she made

in midair on Razor's Edge.

- Whoo!

- But now it's the obstacle
that took her out

in qualifying, the Ring Jump.

Has to jump the ring up
and over the pegs.

- I like this; she's going
with the backwards approach.

- She told Kristine
after falling in qualifying

that she should've
tried this technique.

- Two moves, two moves.
- And look at that,

using the momentum, making
that transition so easy.

- The angle is what's
so tricky here.

This is a 30-degree angle
going down.

- But this is the spot
where she fell in qualifying.

Moving through it
a lot more quickly tonight

and now just needs
the dismount,

and she's got it.

It got her in qualifying,
but not tonight.

[crowd chanting]

And the crowd
chanting her name.

- Yes!
- You got it, Michelle.

- Now the I-Beam Gap.
- Has to go upside down

and work her way across
those small ledges

and then jump
across the middle.

Watch those fingertips here
and watch that lower body.

Look at that, locking in.

- And look at the pace
that she's doing.

- Whoa. Come on.

- Look at her. Look at that,
wasting no time.

- And stands right up.

- Whoo!
- All right.

- But now has to make
the backwards

leap to the other side,
6 1/2 feet, 180 in midair.

- It's a big deal, big deal
- Got it.

- Matt, she wants that
Warped Wall again.

It's been a few years. This
will mean a lot to get back.

- Needs the dismount.

And she's done it.

Michelle Warnky is back
to face the Warped Wall.

Well, it was just three years
ago

when Warnky became
only the second woman

to conquer the Warped Wall.

She did it a week
after mighty Kacy Catanzaro

but she hasn't made it back
since season six,

and the wall is now
6 inches taller.

[together]
Beat that wall, beat that wall.

- You can feel the energy.
- She wants it bad, Matt.

All the way up, all the way up.

- Yes!

- That's her, that's her.

[cheers and applause]

- Michelle Warnky.
- Okay, Michelle.

- On to the back half
of the course,

but this is where it
really gets challenging.

Look at all the hometown
support Warnky's getting.

Well, the last time
she made it up

the Warped Wall, in St. Louis,

she went out on this obstacle,
the Salmon Ladder.

Just didn't get a good
jump off the trampoline.

- This is all you, Michelle.
- You got it.

- She has trained trampolines

relentlessly for
this moment right here.

- Don't think about it.
- Just go for it, Michelle.

Go for it.

- Nice.
- Got it. That was close.

She's smiling,
and her dad's smiling too.

He knows how much
this means to her.

And look at the smile
on her face, Akbar.

- Whoo! You own a gym, and you
just owned the Salmon Ladder.

- This is the farthest she's
ever made it, as she moves on

to this new obstacle,
the Nail Clipper.

You can only use
your upper body

to get across these
four rotating cylinders.

- Let me tell you, this is
gonna be tough for her.

She's only 5'4",
so this would be

a big reach
to that second cylinder.

See where you're going.
Ooh.

- Oh!
- Man.

- Good run!

- What a run
by Michelle Warnky,

gets to the eighth obstacle.

- The crowd is on their feet.
- They get it.

They understand
what she just did.

She waited three years to
get back up the Warped Wall,

and she did it
in her home state of Ohio.

But on the Nail Clipper,

she had the tongue
wagging like Michael Jordan,

but she couldn't reach
across that gap.

But the best run ever
for Michelle Warnky.

- Let's go down to Kristine

for the POM Post Run
Interview.

- Michelle, congratulations.

You look so happy,
as you should be.

I want to go back, though,
to the Ring Jump

that took you out
in qualifying.

How did you get
past it tonight?

- Yeah, in city qualifiers,

I saw a lot of people
going backwards,

and they looked good,
but I wasn't sure.

I'd never tried it before,
so this time I was like,

"I got to go for it."

So it was good.
It worked well.

- You also got some redemption
on the Salmon Ladder.

We all remember that moment.

What was that like for you?

- Yes.
- I knew I'd trained it,

so I was like, "Michelle,
you know you can do this.

You just got to do it."

It felt amazing
to finally do it.

- We'll see if you made it
far enough fast enough

to go to Las Vegas.

- Thank you. I appreciate it.

- Guys, back to you.

- Tonight, the rock stars of
"Ninja" take over Cleveland.

We'll see the Weatherman,
Joe Moravsky.

Putting on a show here.

The Phoenix, Najee Richardson.

- That was crazy.

- And Captain NBC, Jamie Rahn.

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

It's Jamie Rahn.

Plus, we're going back
to school...

all: Go, Ms. Beird!

- With the fifth grade teacher
who can tear it up

on the course.

- ♪ Let me show you
what it's all about ♪

♪ Shake it out ♪

[cheers and applause]

- ♪ Shake it out ♪

- And later, whether he's
running up 19-foot walls...

- Ooh.

- Or jumping out of planes,

Jon Alexis Jr.
always makes it exciting.

- ♪ Let me show you what
it's all about ♪

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

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

.
While we were away,

three more athletes took on
this city finals course.

Pittsburgh school teacher
Mike Shuck

was making his first
appearance in the city finals.

And he's through,
but he didn't

get to enjoy it for long,

as he spun out
on the Rolling Log.

- Oh, no.
- And there it is.

- Rejected.

- Rhode Island's
Fabio Figueiredo

had some smooth moves
on the course.

- I love the dance moves
he's pulling out here.

- But seconds later,

the barber was turned upside
down at the Razor's Edge.

Oh, wow. And the Barber Ninja
snipped out there.

Ohio mailman Cory Cook
came out ready to deliver.

- I see you, Cory Cook.

- And after taking off
the uniform,

Cook made the leap
on the I-beam,

but then his grip gave out.

- Oh! Wow.

- Our next athlete
is truly impressive.

Coming up in
his surgical scrubs,

it's Boston's Alexi Matousek.

He's a surgeon for
the Harvard Medical School,

and he also runs a program
that brings medical care

to the people of Haiti.

- I'm a surgeon at the Brigham
and Women's Hospital,

in Boston, but the
work that I do in Haiti

is absolutely what makes me
feel most alive.

I work in a small mountain
village high up in the hills

that is very far from
any sort of civilization.

The people there are really
cast off and forgotten.

They can't read or write

and have a hard time
getting down to the hospital,

so we started a program
to take them by the hand

and go to the hospital
with them.

We've treated diabetes. We've
treated fractures and tumors.

We've had 240 families
in the last two years

have access to surgical care

that they never
would've gotten.

Being able to use my skills in
Haiti means everything to me.

I know what my purpose is,
and that's what I have,

and they have given it to me,
and I'm forever grateful.

- There are the doctor's wife
and two kids.

They're wearing scrubs
just like dad.

[countdown clock beeping]

Between the charity work,
the hospital work,

and his family, it's amazing
this guy has time to train.

- Well, he got all the way
to the fifth obstacle

until he met his match
with I-Beam Gap,

but he showed in qualifying
that he is no scrub,

even though he was
competing in scrubs.

- Now the wild ride
that is the Rolling Log.

- Look, this is a surgeon
right here,

so you know
he's got good hands.

Good placement.
Oh.

- Thrown off.
- Yeah.

- Well, this guy's
a cardiothoracic surgeon;

he operates
on hearts and lungs,

where one mistake
can mean life or death.

This guy knows pressure,
now facing the Razor's Edge.

No problem. Cuts right
through it.

Rolling right into
the Ring Jump.

- This doctor getting surgical
with it.

He's in a hurry.

- Wow,
skipped three pegs there.

- Just because he's a doctor
doesn't mean he ain't strong.

- Well, the doctor
is operating tonight.

Tremendous power here
out of Matousek,

good control,
great efficiency.

I like it. This is
a good pace, Akbar.

- Somebody spent a lot of time
in the gym during med school.

- Now stepping up to take on
the I-Beam Gap.

This is the obstacle that
took him out in qualifying.

He was able to make
the transition

but just lost his grip
near the end.

- I can't watch.

- 5'10" and 165 pounds.

He said he's been working
on his grip strength.

- The doc is an athlete.

He played college basketball
at Rhodes College.

Go Lynx.

- But struggling a bit here
to get past these gaps.

You can see that
2-foot space there.

Trying to move
his legs around it.

- All right, here we go again.
- There's this pull up here.

That pull up,
you got to go for it.

- Good power.
- Nice, nice.

Come on, doc.

- Oh, he's really working.
- All right, here we go.

Come on, Matousek. All right.

- He's up.

[cheers and applause]

This transition, 6 1/2 feet,

got to flip 180 degrees
in midair.

- Yes.
- But he's not home free.

This is where he fell
in qualifying,

after he made the leap
to the other side.

Still only a 2-inch ledge.

- You know, Matt, I think
he's got it this time.

Just needs the dismount.

- Oh!

- Dang gum!
- Deja vu.

The doctor flatlines once
again on the I-Beam Gap,

just inches away
from the finish.

- He was so close.

He's almost right above
the landing pad.

But watch his fingers.
They just slide right off.

- That was so much fun,
so thankful.

Thank you, guys.

- Coming up, he's Captain NBC,

the ninja world's
favorite superhero.

- I am faster than
a speeding bullet.

- But there's a big change
in Jamie Rahn's future.

And later, she made big moves
on the course

as a history-making rookie.

Yes!

Now Jesse Labreck

is making another
big move off the course.

- I think it's gonna
be really fun.

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

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

.
While we were away,

three more finalists
got their shot at the course.

Nursing student
Annika Nieshalla

looked like she needed CPR

after a wild ride
on the Rolling Log.

- And she collapses.
- It shakes everyone up.

And that seemed to affect her
balance on the next obstacle.

Oh!

Nieshalla cut down
by the Razor's Edge.

Boston police officer
Steve Allen was resourceful

and used his feet
to get through the Ring Jump.

- See, that's the type
of police officer

you want in the field,

somebody who can problem
solve on the go.

- But at the I-Beam Gap,
the 41-year-old needed backup.

- No, no, no.
- Oh.

- Then it was New Jersey
auditor Anthony DeFranco,

who's known for his speed.

- Ooh, look at him go.

- But the former
track star's impressive

run came to an end
at the Nail Clipper.

Oh.

And just starting on the
course, from Maineville, Ohio,

is pharmaceutical sales rep
Naeem Mulkey,

and he's through
the Floating Steps.

As you can see,
this is a big energy guy.

His wife Kellie
on the sideline,

along with a big group
for Team Naeem.

Now steps up
to the Rolling Log.

- This guy is a 37-year-old
rookie,

and let me tell you,
he is a CrossFit beast.

He can dead lift
almost 500 pounds.

- Those feet, though,
not locked.

- Oh, he better watch out.

- Got a little pincer grip.
- Whoa.

- One leg comes flying off,
but somehow Mulkey survives.

- That log will mess
with your head.

Gave it a little kiss.
[laughter]

- Now starts to climb up and
gives a smile to Team Naeem,

including his sister.

And just like him,
she is excited,

but now it's this balance
obstacle, Razor's Edge.

We've already seen a couple
athletes go out here.

- He's from the Buckeye State,

representing
for the Buckeye State.

- A little bow to the
obstacle he just conquered.

And now steps up to take on
the Ring Jump.

These pegs are farther apart
than in qualifying,

so a bigger gap to jump.

- We've seen a lot of
different

techniques on this one.

We've seen people
go backwards,

but Naeem's
going straight ahead.

Get the swing and reach out.

- Good job out
of the 5'7" Mulkey.

- As little time
as possible here.

On the back foot, get up.

And up, up and over.

- There we go.
- Kind of counterintuitive.

You have to do it
on the backswing.

- That backswing and up
and over. Whoo!

- That ring moved with him.

That was good power
out of Mulkey.

- And the fact that he didn't
let go

with all that turbulence.

- But this is where he
went out

in qualifying,
this I-Beam Gap.

He made it halfway
but couldn't pull himself up.

- You got this.
- You got this.

- He's got a lot of muscles,

but this requires
fingers and feet.

Lock in those heels and watch
this 2-foot gap here.

- He is locked in and loaded.

- Whoa. Whoa.
- And there it is.

And the reason
that's important

is that
really taxes the upper body.

- And this is where he fell
in qualifying,

trying to pull himself up.

- These athletes,
they go home,

they train to get better,

and he looks like he's figured
this one out.

Wow.

- Come on, baby.
- You got this.

- And now has to jump over
to the other side.

6 1/2 feet.
He's only 5'7".

He's got it.

Mulkey, though, not home free.

Those hands are sliding down,

just barely able
to catch himself.

- I'm telling you, that can
really wear out your grip.

- Well, really relying
on those fingertips.

- Oh, boy, he's struggling.
- He needs to get off right now.

- And Mulkey gets through,
but he looks exhausted.

Now he's gonna face
his first-ever Warped Wall.

[together] Beat that wall.

- This wall, 14 1/2 feet high.

Can this 37-year-old rookie
get through it?

- So far I like what I see.

Already an impressive run.

- And he makes it.

Naeem Mulkey moving on.

- Hey, Naeem the dream.
- Naeem the dream.

This is your dream.

- But this dream can turn
into a nightmare

as things get hard.

He's facing
the upper-body obstacles

added for the city finals,

starting with
the Salmon Ladder.

- Team Naeem, Team Naeem.

- They just got real
on this back half.

He looks a little winded
from those earlier obstacles.

- He's up. Has to jump
that bar up four rungs.

Oh, misses on one side.
Good correction.

- You got to earn your way.
- One more rung, got it.

- Nice.
- And now moves on

to the eighth obstacle,
the Nail Clipper.

- And I think this is gonna
be trouble tonight.

- Well, we've already seen
how hard it is

to reach around to get a grip.

There are only small
handholds to grab onto.

You can see Mulkey
struggling to figure out

where to place his hands.

Has to reach out
to that second cylinder.

- No!

- Mulkey's grip gives out
as he reaches

for that second cylinder,
but a good run.

We'll have to wait and see if
that keeps him in the top 15.

- He nearly slid off
the I-Beam Gap,

and he used a lot
of upper-body strength

to get through that obstacle,

so when he reached
the Nail Clipper,

watch as he shifts his weight
to the second cylinder.

That's a difficult move,
and he had no grip left.

- I'm so stoked to get this
far on the course.

It's amazing.
What an experience down here.

- Well, up next is a small guy
who came up big in qualifying.

This is 5'4" gym owner
Sean Noel from Hilliard, Ohio.

He changed his life around
by going gluten-free,

and he had a memorable

submission tape
to make his case.

- Oh, hi.
- I'm just rolling through.

I'm sure you're wondering why

all this bread is coming
at me.

Well, that's because
I'm a celiac.

I was diagnosed from celiac
disease at nine years old.

It makes me unable
to digest bread or gluten.

I couldn't eat cake.
I couldn't eat pizza.

I couldn't even
eat burritos, man.

Burritos.

Currently, I eat mainly
fruits, vegetables, and meat.

I am feeling way better.

Uh-uh,
it can't touch any of this.

- And besides
owning his own gym,

Sean also works
at Michelle Warnky's gym,

and she's on the sideline,
cheering him on.

[countdown clock beeping]

We told you Noel's
only 5'4",

the smallest male athlete
competing tonight.

But don't underestimate him.

He had the third-fastest time
in qualifying.

- Yeah, he was right behind
Joe Moravsky.

He's ready to run
with the big boys.

- Yeah!

- This guy is proud
of his upper-body strength.

Says he has the unofficial
Guinness World Record

for pull-ups in a minute, 51.

- He can do a lot of pull-ups,

but he's got to hold
this thing,

so he can spin.

- Oh.

Wow, Michelle Warnky
can't believe it.

And neither can Sean Noel.

We thought he had
the potential to go far.

Instead, he's going home.

- You can't take any obstacle
for granted. Look right here.

The log is above
the landing pad,

and Sean Noel looks safe,

but the force from that
spinning log

just flings him
right back into the water.

- Well, something big is
coming up.

6'6" Jon Alexis Jr.,

the giant, is getting loose.

We'll see his run
when we come back.

But so far, the
Nail Clipper's looking like

the giant killer tonight.

Ooh!

In earlier runs, it knocked
out

Ohio chef Patrick Lavanty...

- It just added up
for the chef.

- New York City's
Jonathan Angelilli...

- That's hard. That is hard.

- And New Jersey auctioneer

Judas Licciardello, who
went out with a big splash.

- Whoa.

- But there's more to come on
"American Ninja Warrior."

.

- Welcome back to Cleveland.

Our aerial coverage
is provided by Goodyear,

the tires chosen by experts

for superior performance

in challenging conditions.

Goodyear, more driven.

While we were away,
two more competitors

tried to earn a ticket
to the national finals.

Tori Clement is a former
roommate of fellow

competitor
Jesse "Flex" Labreck.

- Yeah, Tori!

- She made it to the Ring Jump
in qualifying,

but the ninja rookie
rolled off headfirst

on the Rolling Log.

- Oh, I saw it coming.

- Connecticut's Derek Mathews
is known as the Bug Man.

Nicknamed Bug by his mom; said
he looked like a glowworm.

The graphic design student

looked good
until the back half,

when he was eaten up
by the Salmon Ladder.

Look at him up there, one...

both: Oh!

- Up next is one of
the biggest ninja stars.

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

the pride
of Waterville, Maine.

- And he's got the dance moves
going

and now pumping the crowd up.

- This guy ran up
a 19-foot Warped Wall

in our skills challenge
last year,

but he likes
to fly even higher.

- The thing that really drove
me into skydiving

is the desire
to have super powers

and having the ability to fly
or kind of simulate flight.

And it's just, like, a totally
new perspective on the world.

It's pretty high intensity.

Free fall isn't the scariest
part of skydiving.

It's definitely when you
pull the parachute.

Usually you're hoping
it's gonna open right.

Every time I'm jumped,
it's been perfect,

so I just have to make sure
I steer safely to the ground.

- Look at the big fella,
6'6" in the track stance.

- He's going fast.

- In some ways, ninja warrior
is comparable to skydiving.

I feel like I'm in my element
with both of them.

It's something
I really enjoy doing.

- 19 feet!

- I feel so myself and alive
when I'm in the middle of it.

- Look at the big fella,

rolling like he done
lost his mind.

- It's just really cool
to plummet towards the Earth.

I mean, it's pretty crazy,

and I kind of like crazy.

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

including his dad,
Jon Alexis Sr.,

who himself has competed
on "American Ninja Warrior,"

and Flex Labreck.

They were on
the same high school

track team back in Maine.

- You got this! Let's go!

- Look at this, he's loaded
in his track stance to start.

[countdown clock beeping]

- And the Giant striding
through the Floating Steps.

Always makes me nervous

but just looks
so comfortable there.

- Oh, he's doing
the counter-spin

before he gets
on the Rolling Log.

- He's got an aggressive pace
here.

- I like that.

- 6'6", 190.

Impressive, gets right
through the Rolling Log.

- Look at that.
- Okay, doing the counter-spin

again before
and after Rolling Log.

- Well, he's a former
sprinter. He needs to use

those big strides now
to get across Razor's Edge.

Right through it.

And wasting no time,
on to Ring Jump.

This guy has such
tremendous speed.

- Matt, he turns it up
in the finals.

He didn't look this strong
and fast in the qualifying.

- And makes a quick dismount.

- Yes, yes, yes, yes.

- Now facing the obstacle
that took him out

in qualifying, the I-Beam Gap.

- And in that run, he got to
the end of the first beam

and just seemed
to really run out of gas.

- He's being careful on these
ledges with those long legs.

- This is the spot where he
had trouble

pulling himself up.

- Well, you can tell these
ninjas have been training

for this since qualifying.

We're seeing a lot more
success, and Alexis is up.

- And he's going right into
the splits

with those daddy long legs.

- Doing some dance moves,
and he just winked.

He winked at our camera.

- I told you. You can see
the confidence in him.

- And look, he's peeking
around the edge

to find the gaps.

- Ooh, ooh. What is he doing?
- He's fishing.

- You can see,
it's hard to see

where the gap's cut
out there.

- Yeah, very close.
- Watch out, watch out.

- 190 pounds, can he get
that dismount? Got it.

And now it's the Warped Wall,

but as we said, this guy ran up
a 19-foot wall

in our all-star
skills challenge,

so this shouldn't be a problem,
and it's not.

He just walks up to the top,

and he gives a bow to the front
half of the course.

Now moving on to the much
more challenging back half.

Can Jon Alexis Jr.

be the first to solve
the Nail Clipper,

perhaps
our first finisher?

- Here we go. Come on.

- Well, the first test
is the Salmon Ladder.

Don't trip.

- Wow, skipping runs.
- I'm telling you,

there's something different
about the Giant.

- And on to the Nail Clipper.

This came from our
Obstacle Design Challenge

and submitted by 16-year-old
Calvin Boyce from Provo, Utah.

If you've got an obstacle
idea,

Four cylinders, no one's even
made it past this second one.

Oh, my. Well,
even with his long reach,

the Giant couldn't get past
the Nail Clipper,

but he had a fast pace
to this point.

We'll see if that run gets him
to the national finals.

- Well, Alexis definitely
had fun out there,

doing a dance
while doing the splits

and then winks to the camera.
Are you kidding me?

And on the Salmon Ladder,
watch this move.

Jumps up and goes
right up two rungs.

- I'm happy. I don't know
if it was fast enough,

but hopefully it was.

- Well, it's looking like a
tough course

here in Cleveland.

Perhaps a superhero
can save the day.

Captain NBC, Jamie Rahn

will hit the course
when we come back.

Plus, can your teacher
do this?

Oh, my goodness!

Fifth grade teacher
Allyssa Beird

is back
for her final exam.

- This teacher's gonna school
the course.

[together] Go, Ms. Beird!
Go, Ms. Beird!

- When "American Ninja
Warrior" returns.

.

- Welcome back to
"American Ninja Warrior,"

coming to you from Public
Square in downtown Cleveland.

We're midway through
the city finals round,

and, Akbar, as we all know,

Cleveland is home to the Rock
and Roll Hall of Fame,

but tonight this course has
the ninjas singing the blues.

- Yeah, that's spot-on, Matt,

and there's one obstacle
in particular

that's doing nearly
all the damage.

This Nail Clipper
has been a ninja killer,

and the numbers are
really starting to add up.

Just in the last few minutes,

we saw Vegas veteran
Dan Galiczynski,

last year's hotshot rookie
Michael Torres...

- Oh!

- And college student
Tyler Cravens.

- Oh, my.

- In all, ten competitors
have made it here.

No one has made it
through so far.

- Well, it may take
a superhero

to get past that obstacle.

Luckily, we've got one.

Coming to the starting line
is Captain NBC, Jamie Rahn.

The green-haired gym owner
is a crowd favorite,

and he makes a heart there.

That's for his girlfriend Kim.

They've got some
big news to share.

- A little up.
- Yeah, in that divot.

Me and Kim have been dating
for a little over two years.

Done.

We have a lot of fun together.
You going?

- I'm going swimming
in a waterfall.

- Bye.

Whether it's playing
board games or going for a run

or spending time with the dog
or ninja training.

Whee.

- Jamie's the most thoughtful,
the most creative,

the most loving person I know.

- Very recently,
we got engaged.

both: We're engaged.

- So this is our
storyboard, right.

In terms of planning
the wedding,

it's a lot of me and Kim

trying to figure out what we
like, what we want to do.

I would like this to be, like,
okay, I'm now a superhero.

You're a Disney princess.

- We're definitely throwing
a little bit

of ninja-superhero flair
into it.

And this is where we're tying
in, really, the ninja aspect,

since we're not gonna force
all our guests

to go up the Warped Wall
coming into our reception.

- I mean, I'm for it.

Doogie, our little ninja guy,
will be in the wedding.

We'd like him
to be the ring bearer.

He's already worn
a tux before,

so we know he can
handle looking nice.

About 70 of the 100 people

coming are ninja people
that we're friends with.

We're super excited
to share with our friends

and really just celebrate

all the fun times
we've had together

and that we plan
to have further on.

- Well, congrats to those two,
and Rahn's on the course

finishing up
with the Ring Jump.

And there's his bride-to-be,
Kim,

who's wearing the green wig,

along with Jamie's parents.

- Looks like Jamie's gonna
take off the shirt

before he takes
on the I-Beam Gap.

- The crowd likes it.

They're starting up
the Jamie chant.

- Even Doogie likes it.

- Here he goes on
the I-Beam Gap.

Well, his goal, stage four,
all the way to the top.

- Well, if anyone can do it,
it's Jamie Rahn.

He's got the experience.
He's got the strength.

- And he'll need
that strength here.

This is the tough spot where
you have to pull yourself up.

Look at that power.
He's doing it.

- Take your time.

- Now the jump
to the other side.

- He's a superhero.
- He's probably just gonna fly.

- Whoa-oh-oh!

And he makes it.
Got to be careful though.

It's easy to slide off
these narrow ledges.

Got it.

And the Warped Wall is next.

This should not be
a problem for Jamie Rahn.

The real challenge
will come on the back half.

- Go!

- There it is,
and he just keeps going.

Now the drama begins.

On this back half
of the course,

no one has figured out
the Nail Clipper.

- I think Jamie Rahn
can be the guy

- to break through.
- Come on, Jamie!

- Two members of last year's
Fantastic Four, Rahn's friends

Rachel Goldstein
and Michelle Warnky,

have joined in
to offer support.

First up, the Salmon Ladder.

His experience, Rahn should
be able to fly up this one.

- I want you to watch
the speed that he does here.

He is no joke
on the Salmon Ladder.

Look at that, no joke.

- Right up it.
- He ain't joking around.

That's not the Joker.

- So efficient,
trying to conserve

that energy for this one.

- Here we go.
- It's show time.

Jamie Rahn is smart. He's
been watching others try it.

I think he's got a chance
to figure it out.

- No one tonight's made it
past that third cylinder.

You can see how these
cylinders rotate clockwise.

They'll lock in place as that
top handle

moves to horizontal.

- Look at the ninjas
on the sideline.

They are watching, and they'd
better be taking notes.

He's got the rhythm.

- Oh, my.
- He's got the rhythm.

- Jamie Rahn,
will he be the first?

- Oh, boy.

Jamie Rahn really
is a superhero.

- Just the dismount.

And Jamie Rahn, the first to
complete the Nail Clipper.

This obstacle
looked unbeatable.

Ten straight failures,

but Jamie Rahn just proved
it can be beaten.

- And, Matt, these athletes
learn from watching

other ninjas.

We're gonna see some others
copy what Rahn did here.

- The question now, how far
can Jamie Rahn go?

Up next, the ninth obstacle,
the Clacker.

- I thought it was
the Clapper.

- No, Jamie,
it's not the Clapper.

- Clap on, clap off.
- No, it's the Clacker.

- We saw this last year
in Atlanta.

You have to flip those
levers up and over.

There are ten in all.
You can hear them.

Look at that, really
making good progress.

- And the change here.
- Now he's got to be able

to transfer over,
then try to make that...

oh, going backwards,

showing a little bit
of shoulder flexibility.

- And look at this.
- Jamie Rahn.

- I think he is a superhero.

- And now he's close enough.

He may skip the final ones
and go for the dismount.

He skipped the final handles,

and Jamie Rahn,
35 feet away from a buzzer.

- Oh, man.

- And so now it's this
deadly tenth obstacle,

the Elevator Climb.

The last two weeks,
no one got through it

until the final runner
of the night.

Jamie Rahn trying to get
early success

on this brutal obstacle.

- Let's see it, Jame.

- Has to work those handles
35 feet to the top.

We've only had six people

finish this thing
all season long.

It's that tough.

- Nice and strong.
- Let's see a buzzer.

- And here he goes.

After the Nail Clipper
and the Clacker,

does he have enough left?

- We've had so many gas out
halfway up this thing.

Rahn's taking a slow
and steady approach.

- Come on.
- 15 feet up.

Rahn, though, looking gassed.

- Oh, man, Matt,
he's feeling it.

- Come on, Jamie.
- You got this!

- Jamie Rahn, the first
to even make it here

to this tenth obstacle.

- Smell the victory, smell it.
- You can get there.

- Amazing.
- He dominated nine obstacles.

This tenth obstacle,
the Elevator Climb,

push the button
and get to the penthouse.

- And now he's picking up
the pace.

- Uh-oh, uh-oh. What?

[cheers and applause]

- Somehow still fighting.

Yes!

- He's getting to
the penthouse.

- His feet are up.
- So close.

Yes, he's gonna do it.

- The superhero
is at the penthouse.

- Break out the green wigs.

Jamie Rahn is going back
to Vegas, and he's the first

to hit a buzzer
here in Cleveland.

- Whoo!

- That was big time,
and we're gonna go ahead

and make that our
POM Wonderful

Crazy Healthy Run
of the Night.

Jamie Rahn was the first
to get past the Nail Clipper,

the first to get past
the Clacker,

and the first to hit
the buzzer tonight.

- And he's standing by
with Kristine.

- Jamie, congratulations.

Hi, buddy. He looked like
he was running away.

What was going on?

- No, he's got to pee, I'm
sure. He's been here all night.

- He's just so excited for you,
as are we.

I want to start back
with the Nail Clipper.

How were you able
to make it through?

- I knew I would just keep
moving smooth

if I match, move, match, move,

I was gonna get through
before I got too tired.

- And the Elevator Climb.

It looked like you
almost got a second wind

when you were halfway up.
What was going on?

- It felt like I lost the wind.
- It was good.

I had to close my eyes
and just gut it out.

- Congratulations, Jamie.
- We're so proud of you.

- Oh, thank you so much.

- Guys, back to you.

- So Jamie Rahn's our only
finisher so far.

Remember, only the top 15
competitors and top two women

will move on to
the national finals.

Well, they don't call
her Flex for nothing.

Jesse Labreck is one of our
strongest competitors.

How far can she go
on this course tonight?

Her run is up next.

And later, he was
a breakout star last year.

- Whoo!
- I see you, baby.

- Now the Phoenix,
Najee Richardson,

is ready to fly even higher.

- The Phoenix is gonna fly
through the finals.

- His run's coming up,

when "American Ninja Warrior"
returns.

.

- She's a Labreck house.

- Last year,
Jesse "Flex" Labreck

became just the fourth woman
ever

to reach
the ninth obstacle,

and she did it as a rookie.

- Yes!

- This year, she's already
hit one buzzer.

Tonight, she's gunning
for another.

Here she comes, but there
have been some big changes

for Jesse Labreck
in the past few months.

For one, she's got
her new boyfriend,

fellow competitor
Chris DiGangi,

and she's had to leave
Emeline,

the young woman
with cerebral palsy

that she's cared for over
the past two years.

That's because
Flex has followed

her dreams to Illinois.

- Chris and I have moved to
a new gym outside of Chicago

in Naperville.

It's an amazing new job
at United Ninjas,

and I am the classes manager.

- All right, guys, you ready?
- Yeah!

- What I love about my new job
is teaching kids

stuff that they really want
to learn,

fun stuff, like ninja.

- Good job.

- It makes me feel really good

that they're coming
and asking me,

because they've seen
what I can do.

- She's an amazing coach.

I'm completely in awe
of her, constantly.

- Yeah.
- Yeah, let's hear it.

Let's hear it.

- Flex Labreck,

and Emeline's smiling;
says it all, really.

- It was definitely really
hard to leave Emeline,

but when I talked with her,
you know,

she was super supportive,

and she was excited for me.

We message all the time.

We talk all the time,
and she loves Chris,

so she was especially happy
that I was moving with him.

Oh, my God.

- It's a great opportunity
for us,

and we're extremely excited
to start a future.

- I'm so excited to have this

new ninja warrior experience
with Chris,

because the couple who ninjas
together

hits buzzers together.

- Chris will be running later,
but he's on the sideline,

and so is Emeline.
She loves being here for Flex.

Michelle Warnky and Allyssa
Beird also watching.

Remember, only two women
are guaranteed

to move on from this region.

Flex is gonna need a good run
to stay ahead of those two.

[countdown clock beeping]

Flex finished the course
in qualifying,

along with Allyssa Beird.

The first time
we've had two women

hit the buzzer in
a city qualifying round.

- Yes, she was impressive
last year as a rookie.

I think she's gonna go
even further here

in her sophomore season.

Well, the way
this night is going,

it looks like
you'll have to get to

at least the Nail Clipper

and get there in a fast time

if you want to get
to the national finals,

but you can't overlook
the Rolling Log.

- Keep it tight.
- Keep your core tight.

Keep your core tight.

- Locked in, tremendous power

out of Flex on
the Rolling Log.

- She's not playing around.

- Labreck was a track star
at the University of Maine,

still holds a lot
of school records there.

Right now needs to sprint
across the Razor's Edge.

- Look at the balance there.
- Ooh. Whoa, whoa.

She ain't playing,
she ain't playing.

- You know, the balance
obstacles can be

such equalizers,
got to be a relief,

and Flex now into
her wheelhouse,

going on to
the Ring Jump here.

What we saw her do
in qualifying,

she did it as well as anyone,
male or female.

What power, right up,
two moves there.

- She ain't playing, Matt.
- She is so strong.

- I'm telling you,
I've got a feeling

she could be the first female
American Ninja Warrior.

- Well, she was
a pentathlete at Maine,

a very well-rounded
athlete, has good upper-

and lower-body strength,
and she's through.

The crowd all on their feet,

eagerly watching Flex Labreck

and now another
upper-body obstacle.

It's the I-Beam Gap.
And by reaching this point,

She's gone farther
than Annika Nieshalla

and Tori Clement,

so she's assured of being
in the top three

among the women.

Right now she's ahead of
Warnky's time to this point,

with Allyssa Beird
still to come.

- This is the tough spot
on the I-beam.

You see how she wasted
no time, was smooth.

You see how she just slid
there like a snake.

- So strong.

[cheers and applause]

- Now she's just got
to shake, rattle,

and roll on this transfer.

- Nice.
- Locked in.

And Flex Labreck continues
to roll here in Cleveland.

- Watch your heels,
watch your heels.

- Just a few more feet
and she can dismount.

Come on, she's got it.

Time now for the Warped Wall
for Flex Labreck.

- You're doing great.
- Great time, great time.

- So far, she's ahead
of Warnky's pace.

Got to get up this wall,
though.

Look at that lean.

- Ooh, look at that lean.
- Look at that track lean.

- And boom, Flex Labreck on
the back half of the course.

- She's showing it all off now.

- And right now, with her
time to this point,

if she gets up
the Salmon Ladder,

she'll move ahead of Warnky
and guarantee herself a spot

in the national finals.

- Come on, Jesse.

- Well, she destroyed
the Salmon Ladder

last year in Philadelphia.

Can she do it again here?

- All right.
- Going with that switch grip.

- Good rhythm.

- Smooth
- Right up it.

Come on.
The power in Flex Labreck.

- Matt, she is
a Labreck house.

Look how strong she is.

- She's going back to Vegas
but now the Nail Clipper.

Can she get through it?

Only Jamie Rahn
has survived this obstacle.

- Watch her get through
Nail Clipper.

- Makes it to
the second cylinder.

- Look at this, reaching around.
- Watch her.

- 5'7",
trying to use those arms.

Oh, but looking fatigued!

- Breathe, breathe, breathe,
Jesse. Breathe, Jesse.

- Oh, my.
- I'm telling you.

- Oh, my, makes it to
the third cylinder.

- Let's go!
- Come on.

She can do this.
Just one more.

- Come on.
- Jesse Labreck.

- Oh!
- No!

- She made it
to the third cylinder.

Looked like she might complete
the obstacle,

but Jesse Labreck
comes up just short.

But that definitely
deserves a kiss.

- Watch her make the move
over to the third cylinder.

She's just the second
to do that tonight.

And look at her face.

She gave it all she had, but
her grip finally gave out.

- Let's go down to Kristine

for the POM Post Run
Interview.

- Jesse, you made it all
the way to the Nail Clipper

and very far
on the Nail Clipper.

Explain to me what goes through
your mind as you're doing that.

- I kept thinking about
how close I was,

and I could just feel
my forearms giving out

and my fingers giving out,
and I wanted it so bad,

and there was nothing
I could do about it.

- I know you and Emeline
don't get to see each other

as much since you've moved now.

How much did her presence
here push you on?

- Oh, her presence pushes me
all the time.

I can hear her cheering.

I can hear her cheering
the whole time,

and it just makes me really
happy that she could come.

- Jesse, I am so excited
to tell you

that you have officially
qualified for Las Vegas,

so we're gonna see you back
there at the national finals.

- Go, Jesse.

- Congratulations,
go celebrate.

Matt and Akbar, back to you.

- Well, there are so many
strong women here tonight;

it's gonna be a real battle
for those final two spots.

Allyssa Beird's run
coming up in a bit.

Plus, we've seen
an engagement, a wedding,

and his first-born child.

Now Joe Moravsky's got
some other big news to share.

The Weatherman's story
is coming up

on "American Ninja Warrior."

.

- Welcome back to
"American Ninja Warrior"

in downtown Cleveland.

While we were away,
two more competitors

tried to earn their ticket
to the national finals.

Connecticut's Samer Delgado

got spun right out
of his shoes

on the Rolling Log.

- Don't forget your shoes.
- Tie your shoes.

- But the acrobat bounced
back

and made it
to the Nail Clipper,

where he became
the 12th victim.

- Ah!

The Nail Clipper will
definitely cut you off.

- Another rookie,
Matthew Ilgenfritz,

couldn't make it up the
Warped Wall in qualifying,

but he did tonight.
Got it.

- Quick learner.
- The Pennsylvania

construction worker
put together a strong run,

and he became
the 13th competitor

knocked out
by the Nail Clipper.

both: Oh!

- Oh!

- And on the course right now
with a good run going

is six-time ninja veteran
Chris DiGangi.

He was just on
the sidelines minutes ago

for his girlfriend's run,
Jesse "Flex" Labreck.

- Let's go, babe.

- We know Flex is moving on.

DiGangi hasn't been to the
national finals in five years.

He's finished just
outside the top 15,

but training with Labreck
seems to have helped.

He just needs to get up the
Salmon Ladder, and he is in.

- And he fell on this
obstacle back in season five.

That's the last time
he's made it this far.

- Look at that, right up it.

He's done it.
Now the Nail Clipper.

Let's see if he can match
his girlfriend.

- This is the pressure,
though, to do better

than his girlfriend did,
Jesse, on this obstacle.

We've seen a lot of
competitors

go out on the second cylinder.

- Well, you see how they
rotate. They'll lock in place.

- Ooh, somebody really
studied Jesse's notes.

- But now has to reach over
for that third one.

This is where the arms
really start to hurt,

but he gets it,
just like Flex.

Oh!

And DiGangi falls in
the same spot as Flex.

They do everything together.

- I want you to look
at these two

right on top of each other,

and you can see,
they're eerily similar.

They both made it to that
third cylinder

and reached around it.

Jesse hung on a second longer,
but a good run for both.

- And they're now standing by
with Kristine.

- Chris, your girlfriend
Jesse

has already qualified
for Las Vegas.

How much would it mean
to you to get back there?

- Oh, it would mean so much
just to do it with her

and to get back there
since season

four would be...
it would mean a lot.

- Jesse, what about you?
- How much would it mean to you

to have you both
going to Las Vegas?

Oh.

- It got her.
- Why are you crying?

- 'Cause I want him to make it.

- If I told you
he's going to Vegas,

would you stop crying?

- No.

- Well, he's going
to Las Vegas.

You're both going together,
congratulations.

Matt and Akbar, back to you.

- Well, congrats to those
two for making it

to the national finals.

Up next is former pro
volleyball player

Mark Ribeiro.

He lives in New York City,

and his nickname
is Concrete Tarzan,

but he's got a soft spot
for his two nieces.

- Yeah!

- My sister's name is Iris,
and she has two daughters

that are challenged
with autism.

Their names are
Adrianna and Melia.

Adrianna and Melia
are challenged with,

more than anything else,
communication.

- How does she feel?
- Sad.

- Adrianna is doing
a bit better.

She can create sentences.

She can verbalize that
she's hungry, she's tired,

she has to go to the bathroom,
things like that.

Melia, on the other hand,

doesn't put together
sentences as well.

- And going to?
- School.

- School.
- Yay.

- My sister Iris,
everything that she does,

she's always smiling and happy.

The drive which she has daily
to take care of these twins,

she still has a great
attitude about it.

- Ribeiro demolishes
the ascent.

- And on the course,
that is the inspiration.

- Yes!
- I can go farther.

I can keep pushing,
just like my sister.

- Go, Tarzan!
- There's his sister Iris

holding one
of the twins, Adrianna,

but the whole family is here
to watch this run tonight.

[countdown clock beeping]

- Ribeiro is a big guy now,
6'3",

one of the taller
competitors tonight.

- He started out as
a basketball player

but then found volleyball,

ended up becoming
a national champion

at Springfield College.

Explosive hops.

He can use those long arms and
legs here on the Rolling Log.

This is his first season
competing,

not a lot of experience.

- Oh, that almost whipped him
off the log.

- This Rolling Log
being real vicious tonight.

- All day!

- If he wants to move on,

Ribeiro's gonna have to at
least get to the Nail Clipper,

but up next,
the Razor's Edge.

Ribeiro, with long
strides, no problem.

[cheers and applause]

- We got a full moon.
- Let the beast come out.

- Ribeiro played
pro volleyball in Europe

and can use some big hops
here on the Ring Jump.

- Listen to the sound
on Ring Jump.

- An unusual
pull-up technique.

He's got the wingspan
to just reach over.

Seems to be wasting a lot
of energy.

Now he gets it.

- Yeah, efficiency, strategy,
understanding the obstacle,

especially in your
rookie year.

- Making quick work
of these 8-inch pegs,

going for the dismount.

Just barely makes it.

- Oh, he's taking off
the shirt. Tight jean shorts.

- Uncle Mark.
- [inaudible]

Uncle Mark!

- His two nieces,
Adrianna and Melia,

really responding
to Uncle Mark,

but now it's the I-Beam Gap.

This is where his run
ended in qualifying.

Could not pull himself up
the first beam.

His nickname is the Concrete
Tarzan, loves to climb, jump,

and swing on anything.

Really is... you can see that
lower body dropping down.

That's gonna sap
some more energy.

- We saw that before
in qualifying.

He did that twice.

- This is a real challenge
here.

What kind of vise grip
strength can he get,

and he is struggling here.

- All right, let's see if he

learned anything
since qualifying.

- Part of it looks like
the flexibility,

but he is finding a way.

- He is fighting.
- He's being scrappy.

I see you, Concrete Tarzan.

- Now with his height, he may
be able to just step across.

- Let's go.
- There you go.

- There we go.
- He's 6'3",

so he can cheat this here.

Real vulnerable transition.
Look at the core.

Engage the core
so you don't fall.

- There he goes.
- All right, all right.

Showing really good ankle
mobility and flexibility.

- You got to use that
lower body and lock in.

- All right. Watch out.

- That foot is not on.
- Now, watch out, watch out.

Engage the heel and watch out
for the little gap.

- His feet are sliding off.

I think the bigger guy's having
trouble with that flexibility,

really pincering.

- He looked like he was
about to peel off.

- He's going for the dismount.

Whoa!

- Inches away.

- I could feel it and see it.
- It was right there.

- It's all right.
- Yeah.

- Look at how close
he was.

That landing pad is right

in front of him,
but watch his fingers.

He's trying to wind up
for the dismount,

and they just peel right off.

- We've got some big names
still to come here

in Cleveland,

including the Phoenix,
Najee Richardson.

His run's just ahead.

But up next, she rules
in the classroom...

[together]
Go, Ms. Beird.

- And on the course.

Yes!

Allyssa Beird runs next
on "American Ninja Warrior."

.

- Welcome back to
"American Ninja Warrior,"

coming to you
from Cleveland, Ohio.

Our coverage tonight is
powered

in part by Crazy Healthy
POM Wonderful.

Up next, it's the last of
our women competitors tonight.

From Marlborough,
Massachusetts,

this is fifth grade teacher
Allyssa Beird.

She had a huge run
in qualifying,

making it up the Warped Wall
to hit the buzzer,

and she's become quite
a celebrity to her students.

Yes!
Allyssa Beird.

Yes!

- This was the first buzzer
I have ever hit

on "American Ninja Warrior,"

and that feels
absolutely amazing.

- Here you go. You ready?

- Wow!
- Yes.

An apple for the teacher,
and she earned it.

- What you guys are going
to do is, you're going to be

in groups of two or three,

and you are going to be doing
some ninja frog flipping.

So you have your
note card frogs.

All you do is, you push
the back of it here

and do a flip forward.

I teach fifth grade in
Middleborough, Massachusetts.

There you go.
That was a good one.

It's been pretty cool
going back to work

and having kids in the hall
kind of whisper and wave

and say, "Hi, Ms. Beird.

You're on 'American
Ninja Warrior.'"

I'm not used to being
in the spotlight.

[together]
Go, Ms. Beird! Go, Ms. Beird!

- Working a day job and also
needing a lot of time

to train for ninja,

it's a difficult amount
of stuff to balance.

I drive an hour
to work every day,

and I work 12, 13 hours.

Walk me through
the story a little bit.

So Jack is the main character.

- Yeah.
- Okay, so how is this

starting out?

I head to a gym that's an hour
in a different direction,

train for a couple of hours...

and then drive another
45 minutes home.

So it's a lot to balance.

- Wow!

- Can your fifth grade
teacher do this?

- The next step in my ninja
journey is to crush finals

and bring myself to Vegas
and hit more buzzers there.

- There's her boyfriend,
James "The Beast" McGrath.

He'll run later.

Allyssa's parents and
family are also here,

and watching closely
will be Michelle Warnky.

She's in second place
among the women,

but could be edged out
if Beird has a good run.

[countdown clock beeping]

- All right, it's getting hot
in here, Matt.

This is a real battle
among these women,

Beird, Warnky, and Labreck
fighting for those two spots.

- Oh, whoa,
whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Nuh-uh, not my teacher.

My teacher's not
going out like that.

- Well, we see it.

You're gonna have a stumble
in Ninja Warrior.

You've just got to be able
to respond and survive,

and Beird no longer smiling.

She is focused now.

It can end so quickly
here on Ninja Warrior.

- Locked down, ready to go.
- 5'4", 125.

- All right, hold on.
- Keep it tight, keep it tight.

- Wow, what a ride.
- That spin is just wicked.

- It's like the merry-go-round
at recess.

Ms. Beird, though,
she's through,

climbing up slowly to
take on the Razor's Edge.

Trying to line it up,
but you can see,

she's got a little blood
on that knee,

cut it on the Floating Steps.

- That's all right,
a little blood.

Ninjas like
a little bit of blood.

- Keep it down a little bit.
- Come on back down.

- And she's through.
- I don't know too many

fifth grade teachers
who can do that.

- [inaudible].
- Jesse Labreck, she's already

punched her ticket,

but Michelle Warnky, even
after that great run earlier,

is in jeopardy of not making
the national finals.

That's how competitive
these women are.

Beird now starting
the Ring Jump.

If she gets to the
Nail Clipper

in less than Warnky's 6:42,

she'll lock up
that second spot.

- She's using that
backward technique.

- Good power.

Oh. Another close call
for Beird.

She's been flirting
with disaster in this run

but still alive.

- Well, this is
big-time pressure.

She had an amazing run
in qualifying,

but if she doesn't
deliver tonight,

her season could be over.

- A lot of extra swings here.

- There you go.

You're locked in now.
Let's go!

- Just needs the dismount.

- She's swinging
side to side.

She's all over the place now.

She's got to get
north and south.

Good, good.

- A shaky run so far
for Beird.

Now has
to take on the I-Beam Gap,

and it's very easy
to make a slipup here.

- Matt, this is like geometry.

She got through this
in qualifying.

She knows how to do it.

- You can see, at just 5'4",
that 2-foot gap there,

that is a big stretch,
but she's through it.

Can she make the ascent
once again?

- Now come on up.
- Come on up, come on up.

- What power
out of Allyssa Beird.

- Man.
- Remarkable strength

out of the teacher.

But now this jump
to the other side.

- Yes!
- Whoo!

- Well, it's just her second
year of ninja competition,

and she's established herself
as one of the top women.

Teachers everywhere got
to be proud of Allyssa Beird.

And she's through.

Now Beird takes on
the Warped Wall,

and you got to feel
for Michelle Warnky,

made it to the eighth obstacle.

Only a few women
have ever made it further.

It may not be good enough,
because

Beird's time is faster
to this point.

- Beat that wall,
beat that wall.

- First has to make it up
the wall.

- You got this!
- There's the lean.

Looks like Flex.

- Nice.
- Got it.

- Nice.
- Ms. Beird

on the back half of the course.

Oh, my.

Well, here we go.

At this point, if she gets to
the top of the Salmon Ladder

faster than 6:42,

she will edge out
Michelle Warnky,

and she will be going
to Las Vegas.

- That's a lot of pressure.
- That's a lot of pressure,

and you know that's in
the back of her head too.

- Take a breather,
take a breather.

- Her boyfriend James McGrath

offering some advice.

- She's got to be
conscious of time.

- She's gonna go
right into this.

- All right, four rungs,
don't get hung.

And she's in.

- Ooh.
- Really kipping that body.

- Yeah, she's doing everything.

She can't just rely
on the upper body.

She's using the swing.

- Okay, but she still has
to reach out, and she's got it.

Allyssa Beird, the fifth grade
teacher's going to Vegas,

but means Warnky
will not be moving on.

But now how far can
Allyssa Beird go?

Flex Labreck
almost got through this.

- Oh, but she's struggling.

She's fighting it.

- Oh!
- No!

- Splashes down,
but no matter.

Allyssa Beird did
what she had to do.

- Great job, Allyssa!

- Give her an apple, Akbar.
- She passed the test.

- Yeah, she did.

And she also gave us
a scare early

when she stumbled
on the steps,

but she came through
when it counted.

She finished the Salmon
Ladder to secure her spot

in the national finals.

Then, like so many others,

she couldn't get a grip
on the Nail Clipper.

- And Allyssa Beird
celebrating with Flex Labreck.

This was a loaded field
of women in Cleveland,

and those two are
the ones moving on.

Well, we want another
finisher tonight,

and if anyone can do it,
it's this man,

five-time ninja veteran,
Joe Moravsky.

The Weatherman almost
always hits the buzzer,

and his run's coming up
on "American Ninja Warrior."

- Welcome back to downtown
Cleveland.

.
While we were away,

two more athletes got
their chance on the course.

Rookie Kevin Weng made it
to the city finals

after less than a year
of training.

Mom and dad so proud
of their son.

But the IT consultant
went offline

when he fell at Razor's Edge.

Wow!

5'6" Mike Meyers managed to
pull off the splits

on the I-Beam Gap.

- Wow!
- Showing off that flexibility.

- But the three-time veteran,
nicknamed the Course Killer,

became the 16th victim
of the Nail Clipper.

- I think he's gonna get it.
- Oh!

- But he clicked his heels
because his fast time

guaranteed him
a spot in the top 15.

- He's going to Vegas.
- On the course right now

we've got some real drama.

This is seven-time veteran
James "The Beast" McGrath,

but right now he is not
acting like the Beast.

And you can see him
just collapse there.

He's been this way
through the entire run.

- He's coming off
major shoulder surgery

earlier this year

and has not been able to train
the way he would like.

He just doesn't have
any stamina right now.

- There's his girlfriend,
who ran just minutes ago.

And she is looking concerned.

Well, McGrath now up,

gonna start
the I-Beam Gap.

- He's moving slow.

- But here's the situation.

With only
a few runners left,

and if McGrath wants to be
in the top 15 and move on,

he needs to at least
finish the Salmon Ladder

in under five minutes.

- Well, if that's the case,

he needs to pick it up here.

He's got to get
up this first beam.

All right, look up, stand up,
and don't ever give up.

All right, he's standing up.

- Stretch it out.

- He's 6'2".

He can just step across
this gap.

Normally he just
attacks the course,

but tonight looking tentative.

But across safely.
He survives.

- And the clock keeps
tick-tick-ticking.

- Keep in mind,

this is one of
the all-time greats,

has made it to the national
finals six years in a row,

but tonight not looking
like himself.

- And look at him.
- He can barely dismount.

- And now just collapses again.

Well, that shoulder injury
really set him back.

He wasn't sure he'd even
be able to compete this year,

and you can see,
the beast is not 100%.

Allyssa Beird has to be
worried.

She may be going
to Vegas alone.

Now he's getting up.

Keep in mind, the clock
continues to tick.

- You're all right, James.
- You're all right. You're good.

- This is the guy
we call the Beast.

I've never seen him looking
this vulnerable on the course

and yet, right up
the Warped Wall.

He is still the Beast.

- Oh, my goodness.
- He looks like he's sick.

Yo, James.

Yo, James, you feeling a
little sick, a little nauseous?

- Just tired.
- You're tired?

- I'm just tired.
- Okay.

Well, you got 40 seconds.
You better get going.

- You better get up
that Salmon Ladder, bro.

The clock's ticking.

- You can do it, James.
- Come on, all you got.

- Well, everyone here
cheering him on,

but he's not gonna make it up
the Salmon Ladder

in under five minutes,

which means he'll have to
complete the next obstacle,

the Nail Clipper, which only
Jamie Rahn has done tonight.

- All you got, James.
- Come on.

- Well, it's definitely tough
to stay in peak condition

when you're coming off
surgery.

It is gonna be tough to get
through the Salmon Ladder

and the Nail Clipper.

Oh, okay.
Oh, oh.

- And he just destroyed
the Salmon Ladder,

but now he's put himself
in a tough position, Akbar.

- Okay, but you know what,
some athletes compete better

when their back
is against the wall,

and James McGrath
might just be that guy.

- Well, he's 6'2",

using that long wingspan
here on the Nail Clipper.

- Okay, he's got it, Matt.
- Here's the veteran.

- Come on.
- Lock in. Lock it in.

- And look at this.

We thought he was dead,
but look at James McGrath.

- Look at the confidence.
- Locking it in.

- He ain't playing.

Oh, boy.
The Beast.

The Beast wants to join
his beauty in Las Vegas.

- Only the second person
to make it this far.

He's almost got it.

Got to get the dismount.

- He's turning around.

Oh, no, no!
Oh, my goodness.

- James McGrath,
the Beast splashes down.

A word of support from his
old roommate Drew Drechsel.

Well, what a run.

And his entire season,
the training, the surgery,

all of it came down
to just a few inches.

Two inches more
on that dismount

and he'd be going
to the national finals.

Instead, his season is done,

and Allyssa Beird
is going to Vegas alone.

- It seemed as if he caught
a second wind

and handled these cylinders
as well as anyone tonight.

But look at that face
as he goes for the dismount.

He had to do a 180 in midair,

and his feet just missed
the landing pad,

and he can't hang on.
So close.

- Oh, man.

I just...

wasn't strong enough.

- Well, we're getting
near the end,

and we need another finisher.

Can the Phoenix,
Najee Richardson,

rise to the occasion?

We'll see his run

when "American Ninja Warrior"
returns.

.

- Welcome back to
"American Ninja Warrior."

Minutes ago, two more
athletes got their shot

at this Cleveland
city finals course.

- [shouts]

- Daniel Arnold,
younger brother

of ninja veteran Brian Arnold,

was a surprise
in his rookie season.

- Daniel's trying to make
his own name out here.

- The Ohio father of four
made it

to the back half of
the course,

then became the 18th victim
of the Nail Clipper.

- Oh!
- Wow.

- Right behind him,
firefighter Mike Bernardo

became the 19th competitor
to be taken out.

- Oh!
- But the firefighter's time

was fast enough to guarantee
a spot in the national finals.

- You are going back
to Las Vegas.

- Wow!

[cheers and applause]

- Up next, one of
the breakout stars

from last season.

It's the Phoenix,

Philadelphia's 26-year-old
Najee Richardson.

He was once a top-level
gymnast

but he saw his Olympic dreams
cut short.

Now he's trying
to inspire others

who've faced disappointment.

- I was a former elite-level
athlete in gymnastics,

and that got cut short for me

when I suffered my knee
injury.

I had to retire from the sport
before I was ready to retire.

After my career in gymnastics
ended,

I didn't know what to do.

I had no idea
where I was going.

I didn't know
what my identity was,

and then I found
"American Ninja Warrior."

- Yes, he's got it.

- Yeah!

And then I was kind of reborn.

Ninja warrior has really
given me stability in my life,

and it changed my life
for the better

just because of
the inspiration

and the message that
I've been able to pass on

just to my students
and people of all ages.

No matter what they're
going through in their life,

no matter what they've been
through in their life,

no matter how far
they've fallen, they can rise.

- Let's see him fly,
Phoenix, fly.

- When one door closes,

another door can open.

You just have to be willing
to go through it.

It can be the beginning
of an amazing new journey.

- Najee Richardson destroyed
this qualifying course.

- And that's what ninja's
done for me.

- Najee's got his girlfriend
McKenzie on the sidelines,

along with his buddy
Drew Drechsel.

Drew and Najee bonded after

competing in our all-star
skills special last year.

[countdown clock beeping]

Najee's story is similar
to Olympian Jonathan Horton.

Both were elite gymnasts,

now bringing those skills
to "American Ninja Warrior."

Najee's quickly through,
headed to the Rolling Log.

Over the years,
we've seen a lot

of great athletes
in other sports

come try Ninja Warrior

to continue
their athletic careers.

- Ooh, watch out
for Rolling Log.

- Good grip here.

Some violent spins on the log,

but he survives.

Now stepping up to take on
Razor's Edge,

and he needs to be
conscious of the time.

He'll need to get
to the Nail Clipper

in under five minutes
to be safe.

- Ooh, that boy is smooth.

- No problem.
- On now to the Ring Jump.

- Just hands.
- Relax your arms.

- We've seen his power,

tremendous upper-body
strength.

As a gymnast, this should be
in his wheelhouse.

Oh.

- Just one jump,
that's all he needs.

- Wow.
- He's got wings.

- Uh-oh, watch out.
- Good save there by Najee.

- Yeah, this ring will make
you jump, jump.

Get off there.
All right, Najee.

- What a run out
of Richardson thus far.

Looking very confident.

He did a lot of work
in the offseason

to improve his grip strength,

and he can use that here
on the I-Beam Gap.

- Got to have plenty
of grip strength.

- You can see, 3 inches.

The ledge goes down to 1 inch
and those gaps,

those 2-foot gaps.

Watch the lower body.

Good efficiency there
out of Richardson.

- And this was the tough spot
in qualifying,

but they've figured it out.

He's doing almost all of it

with just his grip,
barely using his legs.

- And he's up.

both: Phoenix,
Phoenix, Phoenix.

- Look at him
pointing to the crowd.

Richardson,
he's getting fired up.

But now has to make the move
to the other side.

- All right, make that turn,
make that turn.

Lock it, lock it, lock it.

- Good job out of
the gymnast there.

Really shaking out
those forearms though.

- I'm telling you, Matt,
I really do believe

he's gonna be the next
American Ninja Warrior.

- Bold prediction here.

These 2-inch ledges
make this dismount so hard.

Right through it.

But not a real sense
of urgency.

- And he needs to be
very careful.

He doesn't want to do
what James McGrath did

and run out of time.

- Well, this shouldn't be
an issue.

We know he can make it
up the wall.

- Watch him fly up here.
- Watch the Phoenix fly.

Whoo!

- Goodness.
- Look at that.

Hang time, hang time.

Looking like LeBron James
up there.

Looking like LeBron James.

- Well, he can't joke around
too much.

He needs to get up
the Salmon Ladder

in under five minutes

to assure himself a spot
in the national finals.

This is gonna come down

to who gets to the Nail
Clipper in a fast time.

James McGrath was too slow.

Najee should be okay
if he keeps moving.

- You got it, babe.

- Remember, his season ended
on the Down-Up Salmon Ladder

on stage two last year.

He wants redemption
right here.

- And he's up.
- Here we go, going reverse.

We saw Drew Drechsel
talk about this.

- Bicep, nice.

- And what they said is it...

I'll better visualize
the placement of the bar.

- All right, now go touch it.
- Touch it, touch it.

- He's... not yet.

- He hasn't touched it.
- Touch it. Touch it.

- There we go.

Najee Richardson's
going back to Vegas.

- All right, now, this
is gonna be the real test,

the Nail Clipper.

It has been as annoying
as a hangnail,

but he's got it going here.

- Only Jamie Rahn's
gotten through this tonight.

- Come on, Najee.

- And you can see
the difficulty there

on the transition.

Good move out of Najee.
Now it'll rotate.

It only rotates
one direction, clockwise.

He's got to test it, make
sure it's locked in place.

- I love the strategy.
- He's... because... oh.

- Najee Richardson.

Even a top ninja
like the Phoenix

can't get past
the Nail Clipper,

but he did secure a spot
in the top 15.

He's moving on.

- Najee got big air
on the Warped Wall,

and then he tried a new
technique on the Nail Clipper.

Instead of reaching over,

he just jumped from
one cylinder to another.

It worked at first,

but he couldn't hang on
to that third cylinder,

and down he went.

- I just didn't have
what it took tonight,

but it's a lot of fun.

I'm glad I got redemption
on the Salmon Ladder.

- Well, there's a storm
brewing,

because the last runner
of the night

is gonna be the Weatherman,
Joe Moravsky,

and he's gonna be going
for the buzzer.

His run's next on
"American Ninja Warrior."

.

- Welcome back to Cleveland.

Our aerial coverage
is provided by Goodyear,

the tires chosen by experts
for superior performance

in challenging conditions.

Goodyear, more driven.

Well, we're down to the final
runner of the night,

and he is one of
the all-time greats.

It's the Weatherman,

Connecticut meteorologist
Joe Moravsky.

No one's been more
consistent than this guy.

In the past five years,

he's had some huge moments
on the course

and some major
life changes off of it.

A 26-year-old weatherman
from Sherman, Connecticut.

- It's really cool seeing
Stephanie and I progress.

Season five was all about me
and my fiancée.

I love you.

- Oh, look at him, saying
"I love you" to his fiancée.

- Look at this!

Joe Moravsky past
the Ultimate Cliffhanger.

- Season six was about me
and my lovely wife.

There's only one thing
left to do.

Honeymoon at the top
of Mount Midoriyama.

- No!
- [cries]

- Season seven all about the
little baby we have coming.

- Stephanie fighting
a little morning sickness.

- Whoo!

Last season, I'm a dad.

- How is it as a dad?

- It's the greatest
feeling, man.

- Oh!

- So this season,
the biggest news is,

we're having a second child.

[both scream]

It's a boy!

We just get to experience
the best of both worlds now,

a little boy
and a little girl.

It's so cool, and to have
that documented for us

on "American Ninja Warrior,"

it's, like, a dream
come true.

I love it.

- And Joe Moravsky
is on the course,

and he's flying
through it so far.

Oh, wow.

You can see, he's waving
to his wife, Stephanie.

Her due date is coming up,
so she's at home

watching on FaceTime
with Joe's good friend

Jesse holding the phone.

Now he steps up
to take on the I-Beam Gap,

and you can hear the crowd
chanting "Let's go, Joe."

- They want another finisher.
- That's what they want.

- Moravsky always has
his foot on the pedal

and has a plan in his head,
and look at him go,

flying up on the I-Beam Gap.

- He wants it, Matt.
- Good transition.

- Oh, look at that.

Just don't make
a mistake here.

- He's going for the dismount.

Yes!

He's destroying this course,

ahead of his pace
in qualifying.

Going after the Warped Wall.

- This is nothing
for Joe Moravsky.

- No problem for Moravsky,

and now he moves on
to the back half,

and this is where
the real drama begins.

He must reach the Nail Clipper

to earn his spot
in the top 15.

Then it's a question is,
can he finish?

- You got it,
just straight forward.

- Trying to get back
to the national finals

for the fifth straight year,

and he's up
on the Salmon Ladder.

Wow. Well, Joe Moravsky's
going back to Vegas,

but he wants to hit a buzzer.

- You better believe he does.

He's got to get through
the Nail Clipper first.

- 21 ninjas have faced
the Nail Clipper.

Only one has survived it.

Moravsky hoping
to be the second.

He said he had a plan for it,

talking about this
reverse approach here.

Moravsky making
short work of it thus far.

Oh, my.

He came into it with a plan,

and he is executing
it flawlessly.

- But this dismount is where
James McGrath went down.

It's hard to get a good swing.

- And he's done it!

Moravsky made it look easy,

and the Weatherman
has this crowd on their feet,

as he moves on to face the
ninth obstacle, the Clacker.

- I know the Nail Clipper is
tough,

but this is a beast, too.

- He is well ahead
of Jamie Rahn's pace.

- He's like a machine.

- Moravsky, once he gets
on an obstacle,

he is going full speed.

And the crowd chanting,
"Let's go, Joe."

Going for the dismount here.

And he's got it!

[cheers and applause]

Joe Moravsky's
going for the buzzer.

- Matt, he better watch out.
- With all this excitement,

Stephanie might
go into early labor.

- And now he'll face this
brutal final obstacle,

the Elevator Climb,

35 feet up to the buzzer.

All season, we've seen great
ninjas come up short here.

Can Joe Moravsky
be our second finisher?

- Let's go!

- Here we go.

Will we end the night
with a second buzzer?

Oh, look at Moravsky.

- He's got plenty of strength
left in that body.

- A high pressure front.

He is rising,
over halfway there.

- Boy, he's rising high.
- The arms starting to extend.

You can see him using
his full body.

- But he's already close
to 30 feet.

Looks like
an altocumulus cloud.

Look at him,
looking real high.

- And it's gonna be
the Weatherman

reigning supreme in Cleveland.

- That's it!

- The final run of the night,
the fastest run of the night.

Joe Moravsky's
going back to Vegas,

and he's done it in style
here in Cleveland.

- Joe Moravsky is just
the second person all night

to get past the Nail Clipper,

and he just crushed
the Clacker,

then he pumped his way up
the Elevator Climb

as fast as anyone this season.

- And he's standing by
with Kristine.

- Joe, you said coming
into this

that you felt stronger
than ever this year.

I mean, was that just
the best way of showing it?

- You know what, I think so.
- It's hard,

because
when you compare seasons,

they always get harder,
but yeah, I feel great.

I'm definitely sore now,
but I got some time to sleep.

- Stephanie was watching
on FaceTime tonight.

It's the first time
that she hasn't been

on the sidelines for you

in all the years that you've
competed. What was that like?

- You know, it's tough not
having her physically here,

but FaceTime, it's great.
You know, I can't be upset.

- Congratulations.
- Thank you.

- Guys, back to you.

- So Joe Moravsky
and Jamie Rahn

sit atop our leaderboard.

They're the only two finishers
in Cleveland tonight.

All the others moving on
are those who made it

to the Nail Clipper
in a fast time.

That includes Chris DiGangi,
as well as his girlfriend,

Jesse "Flex" Labreck,
who ended up in the 15th spot.

Joining her as the other
woman to advance,

is fifth grade teacher
Allyssa Beird.

All these competitors
will move on

to the national finals
in Vegas,

now just three weeks away.

We can't wait for that,
but next week,

we'll be in Kansas City,
Missouri,

the fifth stop for our
city finals competition.

Well, that wraps up
an electric night

of competition
here in Cleveland.

For Akbar Gbajabiamila
and Kristine Leahy,

I'm Matt Iseman.

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