All language subtitles for American.Ninja.Warrior.S17E01.1080p.WEB.h264-EDITH

[cheers and applause]

- Tonight,
we begin a season-long

celebration of ninjas past...

- The last time we
saw him was season 7.

- Present...
- Let's go!

- And future.
- Yeah!

- This year,
old-school and new school,

they're going to collide.

[dramatic music]

- [shouts]

- We're bringing back
fan favorite competitors

and iconic obstacles from
the show's storied history.

[audience exclaims]

- I do kind of feel like

I stepped through
a time machine,

looking back
at these obstacles.

- I get to do some obstacles
I haven't done in a decade.

I'm so excited.

* *

- It's like, hello old friend.
We meet again.

- But we're also
looking forward,

with exciting new athletes
anxious to make their mark.

- What?
Are you kidding me?

- And for the first time ever,

the National Finals
will be all racing.

- He is going for speed!

- The sport's most elite
competitors will square off

in thrilling
head-to-head races,

pushing each other
to the limit.

- Whoo!
- Oh, my goodness!

- He made that look easy!

- When you're going fast
like that,

you just let your instincts
take over and just let it go.

- She is doing it big.

- It's nerve-racking,

but I think it's going
to be really fun.

- Women racing men?
Bring it on.

- Let's get this party started.

- It's a new season of "Ninja."

- Oh!

- It's going to be such
a blast from the past.

I'm so pumped.

This year,
we're going back to the future.

- This is going to be epic.

[dramatic music]

- For the first time,

we're kicking off the year
in Las Vegas!

Welcome to the season premiere
of "American Ninja Warrior."

Hello, everyone,
and thanks for joining us.

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

Here we go again, Matt,
our 13th season together,

and this one's going
to be special.

- Absolutely, big man.

We're looking
towards the future

while also remembering
ninjas past,

and the celebration starts

with tonight's
unique qualifying course.

For that, let's go down
to the third member

of our team, Zuri Hall.

- It is so great to be here
once again, guys.

This year, we are bringing back
iconic obstacles

from seasons past.

Remember this one?

Yeah, it's the Quad Steps.

We had a version of this
in the very first season.

[air horn blares]
- Oh!

- Ninja dreams die quickly
on these guys.

Up next is the Log Grip.

This one took out
20 competitors

the last time we saw it.

- Oh, my goodness!

- We've brought back
one of the most feared

balance obstacles, Block Run.

Even the best fall
on this one.

- Oh, no, no!
- Ooh.

- Spin Cycle is so popular,

it's in almost every Ninja gym
across the country.

We've brought it back for
the first time in nine years.

It's followed by the
Battering Ram,

which has one of the highest
knockout rates

in "Ninja" history
and eliminated

some of the top athletes
in seasons 9 and 10.

- Oh.

- And nothing's more iconic
than the Warped Wall,

back for the 17th season.

Get up it and hit the buzzer
in under one minute,

you'll get a shot
at the Mega Wall.

And if they get up the
18 1/2-foot Mega Wall,

they win $10,000,

courtesy of the Wells Fargo
Active Cash credit card.

The Active Cash credit card

earns unlimited 2% cash
rewards on purchases.

Terms apply.

- Thanks, Zuri.

All season long,
we'll be counting down

"Ninja's" greatest moments.

- And we've also got
some great ninjas

ready to kick off our season.

- That includes
one of the best to ever do it,

Houston's Daniel Gil.

Yes!
- Oh, my gosh!

- And 15-time "Ninja" veteran,

Florida's Flip Rodriguez...

[buzzer blares]

Plus, the trail-blazing
Hollywood stuntwoman,

Jessie Graff.

Jessie Graff has done it!

* *

Only 20 athletes from tonight

will move on
to the semifinals,

so let's get it started.

And we're going to kick it off

with one of our memorable
ninjas from the past.

This is Texas pastor
Johnathan Morin,

who last appeared
ten years ago,

and his start in Ninja
is quite a story.

We got our next guy
on the course, Johnathan Morin.

- Yeah, so season 4 was
kind of a wild ride.

Dallas qualifiers came
and brought a group of students

to watch in the audience.

They talked me into competing
as a walk-on.

- And he is on
to the Quad Steps,

a little slow out of the gate.

- I had never been on
or even touched

a single Ninja obstacle
in my life.

- This guy wasn't even planning
on attempting the course today,

and already he is
through the Jump Hang.

- I thought, oh, boy,

don't make yourself look like
an idiot on national TV.

- Asking the crowd
to cheer him on

and tearing off his shirt
and the crowd obliging.

They're going nuts.

[cheers and applause]

Johnathan Morin
came out of nowhere

to tame this qualifying course.

- The second I hit that
buzzer, man, I was elated.

The youth group was
freaking out.

- It's just crazy.

- I took a long time off

from "Ninja Warrior"
the last ten years.

I've been a pastor at the
same church for 15 years.

I also host a YouTube show
on custom cars.

This truck doesn't look like
anything else on the road.

And it has blown up, over
hundreds of millions of views,

so it's been
a pretty cool ride

that I wasn't expecting.

But I'm back.

Ninja Pastor's here and he's
here to keep hitting buzzers.

[cheers and applause]

- His wife and two sons will
be watching back in Texas,

along with his sister.

- What's up, boys?
[cheers and applause]

[countdown clock beeping]

- We had these Quad Steps
back when he competed,

but it's been ten years
and he's now 40 and 200 pounds.

- Wow.
There we go.

OK, big fella.

[cheers and applause]

- His boys are loving it.

They weren't even born when he
first came out of the stands,

so they're seeing him compete
for the first time.

With his size,
Log Grip is going to be tough.

It's just those small handles
to grab onto,

and the drops are jarring.

Especially that second drop.

Let it go!
Let it go!

Ah!

- Johnathan Morin,
the Ninja Pastor,

baptized on the Log Run.
- Wow, wow.

- That's all right!
That's all right!

- He was a lot younger

when he came out of the stands
years ago.

Now 40 and 230 pounds,

it's tough
to hang on to that log,

but good to see
Johnathan Morin once again.

Our next ninja's bringing
his dog to the start line.

This is University of Colorado
student Leo Heuring,

who's got his robotic pet dog
Corndog here to do some tricks.

- Nice little handshake
from Corndog.

- This kid is
really impressive.

Struggles with severe ADHD
and dyslexia,

but doesn't
let it slow him down.

[soft dramatic music]

- I discovered
around second grade

that I had some
learning disabilities.

ADHD, dyslexia,
and dysgraphia.

But dyslexia impacts me
in the largest way.

- There's a center here
in Houston that helped us

truly diagnose the dyslexia,

and he had to work hard
to reprogram his brain.

- If I'm reading a book,
sometimes a word

looks jumbled in a way
that I don't quite understand,

and I'll get into, like,
a very panicked state.

I had to learn other ways

around how the average person
has to learn.

[upbeat music]

I started falling in love with
robotics around third grade.

* *

I built a six-legged robot
called the Hexapod,

and my current favorite
project is Corndog.

Behold, Corndog.

He's got eyes and a screen
on his butt

where you can see what
he's thinking.

He's just the best
to work with.

I am ecstatic
to be competing this year.

It's been a long-time dream
of mine.

I've been training for probably
five to six years at least.

- [grunts and laughs]
- There we go.

- That's the way, dude.

- Ninja has helped him
with his dyslexia

because I think it built
his confidence

and he also met a lot
of other athletes

who may have some issues
and they can bond together.

They can talk about it

'cause everybody has
a little bit of something.

- If I, with my
learning disabilities,

can overcome those obstacles,

I definitely think
I have a good chance

of getting over every obstacle

that "American Ninja Warrior"
throws at me.

* *

- Yeah, he calls himself
the Dyslexic "Nijna."

You can see the letters
are all mixed up.

But that's how it appears
to him.

He'll have his family on the
sideline cheering him on.

[countdown clock beeping]

His severe dyslexia can make
normal tasks a little harder,

but he doesn't shy away
from challenges.

Loves problem-solving--that's
why he loves "Ninja Warrior."

[cheers and applause]

The back of his shirt says
"words are hard."

But certainly has no struggles
with ideas and concepts

and understands problem-solving
these obstacles.

- Ooh.

- Yes!
- He's pumped.

He first started Ninja training
in Texas with Daniel Gil

and others, who are thrilled
at how well he's doing.

It gives us our first
look at Block Run.

- All right.
Keep your feet hot.

Keep your feet hot!
Go, go, go, go!

- Yes, he can!
- Yes!

Leo Heuring,
electrifying this crowd.

- Now it's Spin Cycle.

Has to swing
across three baskets.

With his challenges,
he's got to be thrilled

to make it this far
on the course.

- Yeah, he loves
to solve problems.

That's what he's doing
right now.

Nice.

- And he's going
to get through.

What a performance
by Leo Heuring.

- Whoo!

- Hey, Matt, he's doing it
in prime time.

- It'll now give us our
first look at Battering Ram.

- Here it is, here it is.

All right, now you got to throw
yourself to that next one.

- This is a tough move.

both: Oh!
[air horn blares]

- You could just see the grip
got extended, couldn't hang on.

But still, Leo's got
to be happy

with that performance tonight.

Words may be hard for Leo,

but he made the Ninja course
look easy.

You can just see the joy
he had running the course,

but he just couldn't make
the grab on Battering Ram.

* *

- We're so proud of you!

- Tonight, we're kicking off
this special season

with stars from the past,
the present,

and maybe the future.

Plus,

all season, we're reliving

some of "Ninja's"
most memorable moments.

- Corndog?
- Cannonball!

- There, go, go, go, go.

- Yes, yes!
She's done it!

- And Zuri's got a preview.

- Guys, this is gonna be epic.

We have seen thousands
of falls over the years.

- Oh!

- And tonight,
we're counting down

the wildest wipeouts
in "Ninja" history.

- Almost.
- Oh!

- It's all coming up--
- Oh!

- On "American Ninja Warrior."

- Our new season's
off and running.

Minutes ago, the crowd was
going bananas

for Florida coconut seller,
Teoma Zhigulin.

- There's the Coconut Kid.

- The rookie climbs
and collects coconuts

and sells them
on Florida beaches.

But his tree climbing skills

didn't translate
to the Log Grip.

- Oh, hold on!

- Oh!
- Oh, coconuts.

- Three-time "Ninja" veteran

Lisa Hair was
back on the course

after delivering her second
child just five months ago.

- Now that is
one strong mother.

- The former
college track athlete

bounded through
the Quad Steps,

then came within a hair
of finishing the Log Grip.

- Nice. Hold on.

Nice! Oh!

Oh!
- Oh!

[air horn blares]

- Then it was budding
stand-up comedian John Pyne,

who calls himself
the Dad Jokes Ninja.

- Do you know where
basketball players go

to get their uniforms?

New Jersey.
[rim shot]

- The jokes
may have not landed,

but Pyne did,
at least on Log Grip.

Then the father of five
reached Block Run

and the show was over.

- Oh, no!
[air horn blares]

- Well, let's see
this nutcracker again.

Ooh!
Got him in the babymaker.

And that was it.

- Thank you all.
You've been a great audience.

Don't forget to tip
your waiters and waitresses.

Have a good night.
[rim shot]

[sad horn]

- Up next,
it's two best friends

fulfilling a dream of competing
on "Ninja Warrior" together.

Going first will be
Milo Carpenter

here with her BFF,
Maddie Valentine.

The East Philadelphia
high school students

met through Ninja and
they're almost like sisters.

[upbeat music]

- Ah!
- No!

- I started doing Ninja
when I was seven years old.

Oh! Come on, come on!

And I met Maddie about a year
after I started doing Ninja.

- [gasps]
- Oh, my gosh.

- Wait.
- That's the first day we met.

- I met Milo
at my first competition

and ever since,

we've just been, like,
best friends.

both: Go.

- We talk to each other
every single day.

- Every single day.

[laughter]

- Yes.
- No!

- When we were about
nine years old,

we decided that we would like
to have some Ninja names,

- So I was Fladdie
and she was Flylo.

- We were the Flying Ninjas

and we made shirts for that.

- I think we still have them.

- Yeah, I think
we do actually.

* *

I think Maddie's
a really good ninja

because of how much
she just cares about the sport

and just puts her work in
all the time.

- Every time
Milo tries an obstacle,

she won't stop
until she gets it.

Come on.

- Ah!
- There you go.

- I wonder if we told
little us in this photo

that we were competing
on the show

how excited would they be.

- This is all we've ever wanted
to do since we were younger.

- And being here together is
probably the best part of it,

because it's like I could never
imagine this without Maddie.

- That was awesome.
- That was so good.

- Good job.

- It's full circle.

Everything we've ever wanted,

and we're doing it
side by side.

* *

- And we are out of here.

[cheers and applause]

- That's awesome.

Maddie will run
in just a moment.

She's on the sideline,
along with Milo's parents.

[countdown clock beeping]

Milo just had
her 16th birthday.

- Just had her sweet 16,

and how sweet is it for her
to be out here

in her first year
on "Ninja Warrior"?

- They're younger
than the show.

We're in season 17.
[cheers and applause]

These two have been
doing very well

in local Ninja competitions.

Milo's 5'7", got to hold
on tight for these drops.

- Uh-oh.
Hold on, hold on.

Nice.

both: Oh!

- Looked like she had it,
but couldn't stick the landing.

And Milo Carpenter's run ends
on the Log Grip.

Her buddy Maddie will
get her shot in just a bit.

Up next is a fan favorite,
Sweet T, Tiana Webberley.

The stuntwoman
from Southern California

has missed
the last couple seasons

as she's battled back
from injuries.

Doing stunts
can be dangerous work,

and T broke her ankle
and collarbone

in two stunt-related accidents
six months apart.

It earned Sweet T
a brand-new nickname.

- When I broke my collarbone,
it was kind in a lot of pieces,

and so the doctor called me
"Humpty Dumpty."

Not super-fun,
but we got through it

and, yeah,
grateful to be back.

[cheers and applause]

- Tiana's family is here
for her return,

along with a big group
of friends.

[countdown clock beeping]

- First saw her back
in season 7.

- A former pole vaulter
at Cal State Northridge.

- Matt, take a look
at her left ankle.

She's got the flexibility back
in that left ankle.

She looks pretty good to me.

- This is her ninth season,

been on so long,
but never faced the Log Grip.

Got to hold on tight
to this one.

- Go, come on.
Get up, get up.

Yeah!

- Smooth.
- A little fall.

- Yeah, but you saw, she tried
to land on her side there,

didn't want to land awkwardly
on her ankle.

- Well, that ankle will be
tested here on Block Run.

- Good, good, good. Get up!

Yes!

- Sweet T taking the fall,
but looking no worse for wear.

Not letting the injury
slow her down now.

Jumps to take on Spin Cycle.

Gotta swing across
the three baskets

that move
in different directions.

- So here it is.

You got to throw
your body here.

Oh, you got to see it.
You see she's struggling now.

Now she's got to catch
the different angle!

- Oh.
- Oh, nice!

- That was a fight.

Now, this one--
this basket's a foot higher up,

a bigger transfer here.

- Yeah, and that means
she's got to get up and out.

- Bigger, bigger!

More hip action.

The bigger the hip action,
the bigger the throw,

and the bigger the throw...
- Oh!

- The more likely
to make the grab.

Just like that.

- But she's expended
a lot of energy, Akbar.

- Gets through it,
but she had to work for it.

- Now a rematch
with the obstacle

that ended her run in season 9,
Battering Ram.

This obstacle was a
ninja killer that season.

Took out a lot of greats,
including Tiana,

as she went
for that final cylinder.

both: Oh!
[air horn blares]

- My biggest concern is
that her grip strength

might have been wiped out
on Spin Cycle.

- Absolutely.

- Come on! You got this!

- That was a smooth move.

It's these transfers.
- Nice.

- Particularly at 5'3"
that are big.

- But we can't trip.

She's a nine-time
"Ninja" veteran.

She knows how to fight
through difficult times.

- And you can see it.

She's locking her wrist,
trying to preserve

some grip strength,
anything left for this switch!

- Yeah, she's got to lock it in
and then make that switch.

You see, she's eyeballing it.

- Oh!
Oh, no!

[air horn blares]

[dramatic music]

Just like the last time,

but made it
to the fifth obstacle.

We'll have to wait
and see if that

gets her into the semifinals.

But a strong return
for Sweet T.

[cheers and applause]

- Up next, we're catching
a wave with hotshot rookie,

Bray Weinacker.

He's got athletic greatness
in his genes.

And who will be
the first this season

to take down the Mega Wall
and win 10 grand?

We'll see if it happens tonight
on "American Ninja Warrior."

- Moments ago,
it was the second half

of the Maddie and Milo show

as Maddie Valentine leapt
to the start line over her BFF,

Milo Carpenter,
who ran earlier.

- Oh, I love the friendship.

[upbeat music]

- The two
Pennsylvania teenagers

do everything together.

Milo fell on the Log Grip,
and so did Maddie.

- Woah!

Wow, did they have
the exact same fall?

- She did so good.
I'm so proud of you.

That was amazing.

- We're looking back
at memorable "Ninja" moments

this season, and tonight,

we're counting down
our wildest wipeouts.

And the Propeller Bar
on stage one in Vegas...

both: Oh!

- Produced a ton
of spectacular splashdowns

during season 7 through 10.

- Oh!

* *

both: Oh!

* *

both: Oh!

- Oh, airball!

- And coming in at number five
on our countdown

is James Bartholomew,
who gave us

the most back-breaking
Propeller fail of them all.

- Put your back into it!

He feels it.
He feels it.

- That's number five
on our countdown.

Our next athlete knows
all about Propellers.

He grew up on the water.

This is 15-year-old
Bray Weinacker.

He comes from a family
of world-class wakeboarders,

and he's got awesomeness
in his blood.

[upbeat music]

- For me, wakeboarding
is probably a little different

than the average person.

My parents were both
professional wakeboarders

for over 20 years.

They both started up the sport

and spread it
all over the world.

- Yeah, Bray. Let's go!

* *

Yeah!
Good job, bud!

- I'm in the Hall of Fame

and my husband was
number six in the world,

so Bray kind of followed suit
into all the athleticism.

- Wakeboarding feels great.

You can feel the wind
blowing through your hair,

feel the water
splashing around.

It's just it's an experience

to be on the water
and be free.

- * I'll make it move *

- When I was about
five years old,

we went over
to some friend's house,

and me and him were playing
on their little playset

with the bungee cord,
and the bungee cord

hit me directly in the eyeball
and just blew it up.

[somber music]

It destroyed everything.

It hurts me.
[whimpers]

My eye definitely does
affect me on the Ninja course

because I'm only seeing it
through one eye.

But I hardly feel challenged
by my eye

since I've been working
through it my whole life.

[upbeat music]

- Yes, yes!
- Yeah, Bray!

Bray wanted to be
a ninja warrior

since he was three years old.

* *

- Ninja and wakeboarding
correlate

by the coordination
and the strength.

And I don't know
if I've ever fallen

on a balance obstacle.

I'm very excited
to take on the course

and my confidence level
is very high

because I've always
had awesomeness in my blood.

* *

[cheers and applause]

- And there are
his proud parents.

But he's also got a huge
group on the sideline

and more friends watching
back in Florida,

including wakeboard legend
and "Ninja" veteran,

Emily Durham.

- Let's go!

[countdown clock beeping]

- Well, here we go.

And--ooh.
- Oh, no!

Ooh, be careful now.

Remember, Matt, he's legally
blind in that one eye.

So on a "Ninja Warrior" course,

that can reduce
his depth perception.

- He's only 15,
but at 6'4",

he's the tallest
competitor tonight.

He's moving through this course
like his hair's on fire.

He's showing no fear.

- Nice, nice, nice.

- Well, he is just going
for it, Akbar, and surviving.

- It wasn't a clean run there,
but he is doing it.

- Pounds his chest
like he's got this.

What a debut by Bray Weinacker.

- They call him Surfing Tarzan
for a reason.

He's riding this wave.

- No one's conquered
Battering Ram so far.

Can the rookie do it?
Can he make this transfer?

- Nice.
- Got it!

- Matt, I think
he wants that Mega Wall.

- He's got time, Akbar,
just needs the dismount.

Bray Weinacker is going
to be the first finisher

of the season.

[buzzer blares]
- Let's go!

- Wow!
[cheers and applause]

And he's gonna get his shot
at $10,000!

- Now, you didn't tell me you
were gonna run it that fast.

Was that your plan?

- I'm gonna be honest.

I kind of just
let my feet carry me.

I was not paying attention.

- Well, listen, buddy,
you got it!

You made it under a minute.
Go back down.

You've earned a shot
at that 18 1/2 foot Mega Wall.

Head on down, Bray.

- All right.
- Let's do it.

- He's the first
to hit the buzzer.

Could be the first of
the season to get 10 grand

courtesy of the Wells Fargo
Active Cash credit card.

- Hey, we're talking
about $10,000.

That's pretty good
for a 15-year-old.

- Being 6'4" should help him.

- All right.
- Here we go.

- All right, get your eyes up,
get your eyes up.

Drive, drive, drive, reach up.

- Oh!
- Aw.

Oh, man.

[cheers and applause]

- Doesn't get the 10K.

What an impressive debut
for Bray Weinacker.

- The wakeboarder nearly had a
wipeout on the first obstacle,

but then turned on the jets
and caught big air

as he cruised across
the course.

This rookie is
season 17's first finisher.

[cheers and applause]

Maybe he does have awesomeness
in his blood.

- Still to come,

she's one of the most popular
ninjas in history.

And at 40,

Jessie Graff hits the course
for her 11th season.

Plus, seven years ago,
he lost one of his legs,

but it's never
slowed him down.

- Let's go!

- The always impressive
Gary Weiland

is back to try
the course again

when "American Ninja Warrior"
returns.

- Minutes ago,
the Big Cheese arrived

as Cooper Cummings came
to the start line

with his prize-winning
wheel of cheese.

- Bring that sucker up here!

- The Ninja rookie
is the winner

of the annual Gloucester
Cheese Chase in England

where participants go rolling
down an insanely steep hill

trying to grab that wheel.

Tonight, Cummings,
a former decathlete

at Western Washington
University,

showed his athleticism
on the early obstacles.

- Nice.
Good timing.

- But the wheels on Spin Cycle

proved harder to grab
than that wheel of cheese.

- Ooh.
[air horn blares]

Well, Matt, he may not be able

to walk away with some cheese,
but we got some cheese up here.

Mm.
- Ooh.

- "Ninja" veteran DC Banks
decided to say cheese

with a selfie
to start out his run.

- DC Banks,
the Dreadhead Ninja.

- The personal trainer
from Florida

is a former college
football player

and he was rumbling
through the course.

- Come on!
He ain't gonna let it go.

He ain't going down.

- The four-time
"Ninja" veteran

fought his way to the end
and was about to face

the Warped Wall
for the first time.

- No! Ah.
He was so close.

[laughing]
I had that.

- Our next Ninja's coming in
with a ton of confidence

after his last season
on the course.

At 35, Jonathan Bange seems
to be getting better with age.

- Bang!

- And as always, he's starting
this season with a bang.

Bange hit his first-ever
buzzer during semifinals

in season 15...

- There it is.

- And then went on
an inspiring run

in the National Finals.
all: Bang!

- Oh-ho!

The biggest of the underdogs,

with Flyboy Ninja,
tears in his eyes.

His coach is going
to stage three.

- First time to Vegas,
I made it to stage three.

What!

- Getting hugs from his crew.

- I was absolutely over--

overflowing with emotion
and joy.

- Feeling good?

- I'm feeling pretty dang good
right now.

Hard work pays off.

I got great community
around me, got a loving family.

- Congratulations.
Celebrate.

- Hey, what's up?
What's up? What's up?

- Guys, back to you.

- Bang!

So this season, absolutely
anything's possible.

[dramatic music]

[cheers and applause]

- He's got friends
and family members

doing his signature bang move
on the sideline

and more supporters
are watching back in Texas,

including some of the students
he coaches.

[countdown clock beeping]

Everybody loves Jonathan Bange.

- Nice. Ooh.

- No!

- Oh, what the--

- Oh, my God.
- No freakin' way.

- From the highs
of making it to stage three

to the lows of falling
on obstacle one,

this sport will humble you.

And you have to feel
for Jonathan Bange.

He was feeling confident and
tried to skip the third step

and go up the left side,
a huge gamble that backfired,

and his season is over.

- Oh, my God.
[cheers and applause]

- Well, Jonathan's shocking
fall on the Quad Steps

leads us to our wildest
wipeout countdown.

- Uh-oh.

both: No!

- We've had
some memorable stumbles

on this obstacle
over the years.

- Oh!

* *

- [chuckles]
Where's he going? No.

- And coming in at number four
on our list

is Chicago's
Natalia Kley-Wisniewska.

The kickboxer got KO'd
by the steps in season 6.

- Ooh!

- That comes in at number four

on our countdown
of wildest wipeouts.

Well, hopefully, our next
athlete has the balance

to get past those steps.

This is circus performer
Cecilia Bogle,

flipping onto the stage
for her "Ninja" debut.

This 19-year-old from Miami
knows how to entertain.

* *

- I'm in the circus
and I do flying trapeze.

The name of my troupe
is The High-Flying Pages.

We travel from town to town,
build up our rigs,

set up everything, and then we
perform all around the world.

I do flips and spins
about 20 feet up in the air,

so practice is pretty grueling

because one mistake
can be catastrophic.

[indistinct chatter]

Every time, it's different.

Sometimes I'll be up on the
board and right before I jump,

they'll tell me what trick
I'm doing,

so I have to adjust
in that second.

My family thinks
I'm a little bit crazy,

but it gives me adrenaline.

'cause everyone's
clapping for you

and then you're way up there

and you can see everybody.

You feel on top of the world.

Taking on the
"Ninja Warrior" course,

height isn't going
to be a problem for me.

I'm not afraid
of falling in the water,

although I am used to someone
catching me when I do fall.

I've never performed in Vegas,

but tonight,
I'm going to put on a show.

[cheers and applause]

- She's got her family here
to support her,

along with her coach,
Flip Rodriguez.

[countdown clock beeping]

- You know, the benefit of
training gymnastics, trapeze,

and "Ninja Warrior"
is the development

of exceptional body awareness
and control,

and Cecilia's displaying that
right now.

- Cece, rock it!
You got to push it hard!

- 5'2", 120, can she lock
in here on the Log Grip?

Already seen three of the four
women fall on this obstacle.

- Go! Go!

- Smooth!
- She made that look easy.

- Can the rookie keep it going
on Block Run?

- Stay in the middle!
Stay in the middle block!

- Getting some advice
from Flip.

- Push it!
Yeah!

- Wow, an impressive run
from Cecilia Bogle.

She's got makeup like she's
ready for Cirque Du Soleil

here in Vegas.

Let's see if she can
fly through Spin Cycle.

- She should be
very comfortable

with throwing her body,
especially doing trapeze.

- Cece, breathe!

- And you see her do
a good job of using

that lower body
to control the momentum.

And makes it
to the third basket.

What a rookie debut.

Her friends back in Miami
getting excited.

The circus performer now
reached the fifth obstacle.

This equals the
best performance

by a woman so far tonight.

But just 5'2" right here,

and you can see the challenge
locking on.

- Yeah, she's got to
find that right grip, Matt.

I'm a little concerned
about this transfer over.

both: Oh!

- Can't solve
the Battering Ram,

but what a great debut
by Cecilia Bogle.

That could get her
into the semifinals.

The circus performer walked
the tightrope on Block Run

and showed those
trapeze skills on Spin Cycle,

but just couldn't make
the grab on Battering Ram.

Coming up, this
Alabama firefighter's runs

were always pec-tacular.

- With the left-right
double-double.

- But after
a six-year absence,

can Eddy Stewart still
do his signature move?

- [groans]

I don't think I can do it.

- Coming up on
"American Ninja Warrior."

- Welcome back to Vegas,

where three Ninjas
hit the course minutes ago.

Alabama teenager Cohen Smith

calls himself
the Fishing Ninja.

He had a boatload
of family and friends

here to support him.

- All right, here we go.

- The 16-year-old was
living out

a lifelong dream
to compete on "Ninja."

But on Log Grip...
- Watch out for the drop.

[dramatic music]

Oh!

- The fisherman couldn't
stay out of the water.

Louisiana's Kristen Brickner
is a hard hat-wearing

safety officer
at a petroleum plant.

This mom of two had
family watching

as she celebrated getting past
the first obstacle.

- She is doing it.

- The powerlifting 34-year-old
calls herself the Brick Ninja.

- Oh, no.
Hold on for your life here.

No!

- But she hit the wall
on Log Grip.

By day, Nyjle Henry works

at the massive
Newport News shipyard

building huge ships
for the U.S. Navy.

Tonight, the 39-year-old dad
went to work on our course.

- Keep your feet
nice and light.

[cheers and applause]
- All right.

- And at 190 pounds, he
survived the drop on Log Grip.

- Right, nice.

- Yeah! You did it!

- But the shipbuilder was sunk
by Block Run.

- Uh-oh, uh-oh, oh, oh!

- Nyjle fall won't make our
countdown of wildest wipeouts,

but we've had plenty of other
spectacular falls

on balance obstacles
over the years.

both: Oh!

- No!

[cheers and applause]

both: Oh!

[upbeat music]

both: Oh!

- And one of them comes in
at number three on our list.

In season 10's LA semifinals,
chess instructor Scott Wilson

went scorpion
on the Spinning Bridge.

- My goodness!
Take a look at this again.

The human body's not
supposed to bend this way.

- He walked away
from that back-bending exit,

but it earned him a spot at
number three on our countdown.

[cheers and applause]

Hopefully,
no scorpions tonight,

but we do have a flamingo.

Up next is Owen Dyer, sporting
his trademark flamingo hat.

The four-time Ninja vet
from Arkansas

wasn't sure he'd come back
this season

until he got encouragement
from his biggest fan,

his little brother, Hayes.

[cheers and applause]

- I am so stoked to be back
here for my fourth season.

It's kind of crazy to believe
I'm a veteran now on the show.

But without my
little brother Hayes,

I wouldn't even
be doing Ninja.

He's the one that
got me into it.

- Do you think the water's
going to be cold?

- Why would you think
I'm going in the water, man?

I'm going to go there
for a buzzer.

Me and Hayes are
six years apart,

and so it's really unique

how with such a big gap
in our age,

we have so many activities
we enjoy doing together.

Hey, is it getting any bites?

- Nothing much right now.

How about you?
- Nothing much?

No, nothing over here.

I've caught about
three sticks so far.

- Training with Owen
really helps motivate me

because of course,

I want to be as good
as my older brother

and he doesn't want his
little brother to beat him.

- Yeah, that's true.
- [chuckles]

- I don't want him whooping up
on me, because, you know,

that'd be embarrassing,
but I love seeing

how much he's improved
at the sport,

especially recently
in this past year here.

He's really stepped it up
a notch.

Let's go.

- Right now I'm 14,

and the age
for going on the show is 15,

so we're really hoping
I can get on next year.

- That would be so rad.

Like, both of our dreams

are to compete
on the show together.

I cannot wait to hit
the course with him.

[cheers and applause]

- You got to love the bond Owen
has with his brother Hayes,

who'll be cheering
alongside their dad.

- What's up, boys?

- Plus, fellow ninjas
Kaden Lebsack and Max Feinberg

will be watching from Colorado.

[countdown clock beeping]

Owen freely admits
he fell into depression

after graduating high school,

had a disappointing
Ninja season,

thought about quitting.

But his brother Hayes
and Ninja friends

helped him get through it.

- Let's go! Big push!

- Hoping to regain the joy

he first showed
as a rookie four years ago.

- Nice.
Uh-oh, uh-oh, uh-oh, uh-oh!

Oh, hoo!
- That was close!

[cheers and applause]

Well, he was on one leg
just like a flamingo.

- That was almost a dire
situation right there.

It says it right there
on his shirt, be bold.

And you got to be bold
to go through Block Run.

- Second-guessing it.

- Nice!
- Whoa.

- He doesn't even want to mess
with the last two.

He's like, I'm out of there.
- And right into it.

- Whoo!
Look at him fly!

- I didn't know
flamingos could fly!

- Yeah, buddy!

- Yeah. We're good.
We're good.

- Owen Dyer, and he is smiling.
I love seeing it.

- He hit the accelerator
on this run.

He ain't messing around.

It's like he's driving his
Corvette back in Bentonville.

- Go, go.
- Go.

[cheers and applause]

- Let's go, let's go!
- Let's go, let's go.

- Nice transfer there.

- Nice.
Good, good, good.

- Owen Dyer.

He's back
to having fun on the course

and he's headed
up the Warped Wall.

And Owen Dyer gets that buzzer!

And you can see
how much it means to him.

- Let's go! Whoo!

- Yeah, baby! Whoa!

[cheers and applause]

Let's go, Hayes!

Come on!

And look at this, Hayes
is taking over the course.

- You can do this.

- And you can just see
his brother point at him.

Come on, Hayes!

- Go celebrate
with your brother.

- Come on, bro.

- He's only a little
over 5 feet tall.

all: Beat that wall!
Beat that wall!

- Nice!

[buzzer blares]
That's 14 1/2 feet, man!

[cheers and applause]

- Oh, what a moment there!

- Hey, Hayes.

He's like, big bro, you better
get your hand out the way.

Oh, that's amazing.

- Well, Owen, listen, man,
I want to salute you, buddy.

You've been very open about
some of the struggles you had.

What's it like being
atop that Warped Wall,

getting that buzzer, my friend?

- Oh, man. It's just such
a blessing to be back.

I love this show.

- Owen, I love seeing
the smile, my friend.

We're going to see more of it.

You go celebrate with Hayes

and we'll see you
on the semifinal course!

[buzzer blares]
- Wow, that was so special.

- I'm tearing up, man.
- I know, man.

- It is beautiful.

Now, I just--
I love what this show's about.

- Yeah.

- And he becomes our second
finisher of the night.

Up next, his runs are
always electrifying.

- Get me outta here!

- The entire crowd
on their feet!

- Get me outta here!

- The inspirational amputee
Gary Weiland takes the course

when we come back
on "American Ninja Warrior."

- It's opening night on
"American Ninja Warrior,"

and this season,
we're featuring

fan-favorite obstacles
from the past.

- And so far,
these ninjas are loving them.

- The Quad Steps made their
debut about the same time

Arkansas teenager Joseph Rouse
was born.

- This one's a classic,

but the 16-year-old
conquered 'em

along with the Log Grip,
Block Run, and Spin Cycle.

- Great transition.
Gets through.

And completed Battering Ram

and climbed up the Warped Wall
for his first career buzzer.

You got your buzzer.
How good did it feel?

- Absolutely amazing.

- College student
Austin Baron was back

for his second season
of "Ninja."

- Wow.
- Fast footwork there.

- The freshman at Notre Dame
makes and sells dog toys

to raise money
to fight hunger.

Looking strong,
looking locked in.

- And in his second year,
the 19-year-old

was also able to collect
his very first buzzer.

[buzzer blares]

Then it was the return of a
memorable ninja from the past,

William "The Spartan" Brown.

He looks like he's aged
pretty well, Akbar.

Brown had good success back
in seasons 4 through 7

running as the
costumed warrior.

Competing tonight
on many of the same obstacles

he saw back then,
the now 39-year-old

power plant manager showed
he's still got some power.

Have anything left
for the dismount?

Yes!

And after 10 seasons away,

he made it all the way
to the buzzer.

There it is!
The Spartan has done it!

You're back, baby!
- Whoo!

So that brings us to five

finishers so far.

They're guaranteed to move on.

Remember, only 20

from tonight will advance

to the semifinals.

And up next,
we've got another one

of our favorite ninjas
from the past.

This is the pec-tacular
Alabama firefighter,

Eddy Stewart.

And you can see from his shirt,
he's the Double-Double Ninja,

and he's about to show us why.

Oh-ho!
[cheers and applause]

- I haven't done a left-right
double-double since season 11,

so I think tonight it's time
to knock some rust off.

Coach, I don't know, man.
I'm--[sighs] I'm rusty.

- Eddy, you used to
be the best at this.

- Ah, it's been five years.

I don't know if
I can do it anymore.

- Flex that chest, boy.

It's all about timing
and control.

- [groans]
I don't think I can do it.

- We need more training.

[dramatic music]

* *

You gotta believe, son.

You gotta believe.

* *

[bell rings]

* *

[bell ringing]

[applause]

* *

[cheers and applause]

- Look at that.

Look at him with the
left-right double-double.

Here we go, Matt.

Left-right double-double.

My chest don't move the
same way it used to move.

- Eddy's been away
for the past six years.

His family's here to watch
his return to the course.

Let's face it, Akbar,
the dude is jacked.

41 years old.

Does he still have the agility
for the Quad Steps?

- Yeah, yeah!

- Nice.
OK.

He's been on some of these
throwback obstacles before,

but it'll be his first time
on this one, Log Grip.

5'10", 200, really got
to lock in, see if he can

get that lower body
to help him out here.

- It's so difficult.

You just have those
small handles to latch on to

and survive two big drops
as you go down the track.

Here we go.

Oh, smooth!
- Nice!

Ooh, almost tore his ACL
on that landing.

- Come on!

- Well, here it is.

This was the obstacle
that took him out

back in season 11, Block Run.

- Oh, yeah, he remembers that.

He stumbled midway through

and took a shot right
in the pectoralis major.

He probably has nightmares
about this obstacle.

- Take your time.

- All right, here we go.
Stay light on your feet.

Nice. Light on your feet.

Ooh!
[air horn blares]

Almost at the same spot!

- History repeats itself.

The big firefighter felled
once again by Block Run.

We pick these obstacles
for a reason.

They are tough.

Eddy's run started
the same as years ago,

with the left-right
double-double,

but it ended the same way too.

The big fella just lost
his balance on the blocks.

- Well, now it's time for one
of the most unforgettable

athletes in Ninja history,

Texas fire marshal
Gary Weiland.

Despite competing
with a prosthetic leg,

he's provided some of our
most exhilarating runs,

and at 44,
he's not slowing down.

- Season 14,
I got stuck on Log Runner

and ultimately fell.

Season 15, I got to face
my arch nemesis.

- Nice!
Go, go, go, go!

No, no, no! Oh, no!

- Oh, what a save!
- OK, save it.

- And I found myself again
in the same situation.

- Look at the fight
in this man.

- You can beat this, Gary!

- Everything you got!
Baby, let's go!

- And then instantly I thought,
no, I am beating this thing.

- Adapt, overcome,
just go for it.

all: Gary! Gary!

- Oh!

- Oh, my God! Oh, my God!
Get me out of here!

- The entire crowd
on their feet!

- Get me out of here!

- After that save,
people that I don't even know

are telling me that they were
screaming and hollering

and they just felt like
I had overcome the world.

- Ask yourself,
what is holding you back?

When you see Gary Weiland,
you got to rethink it.

- And this year, I wanted to
challenge myself in other ways

and decided to run
in the Boston Marathon.

- Go, Gary.
Go, Gary.

- My shirt had my name on it

and there would be hundreds of
people screaming and chanting.

[cheers and applause]

Let's go!
Let's go!

It was one of the most
exhilarating,

epic times of my life.

all: Gary! Gary!
Gary!

- I've accomplished
a lot of incredible things,

and I don't plan
on stopping that tonight.

[cheers and applause]

- Gary's going to have an army
of supporters on the sidelines,

including his son Alex.

And he's got a new fan
watching back in Texas.

- That's my granddaughter!

- That's his granddaughter,
Lucy.

[countdown clock beeping]

- Gary's got a new prosthetic
and it's going to be

put to the test right away
on these Quad Steps.

- Come on, Gary.
- Go, Gary.

- What's your reason?
What's your excuse?

Look at Gary Weiland out here.

- Nice.
- One leg.

- And he makes no excuses,

bounding his way through
the Quad Steps.

- Yeah!
[cheers and applause]

- Lost that leg in 2018
after a complication

during a knee replacement,

but has obviously never
let it slow him down.

- Got to get locked in here.

Gary Weiland, 5'10" 165,
Deputy Fire Marshal.

- He's trying to figure
out how to--hold on!

Yeah!
- Got it

- Yeah!
- OK, Weiland!

[cheers and applause]

- Well, here's the real test,
Block Run.

We saw him get
through Log Runner,

in one of the greatest runs of
all time, perhaps the greatest

single obstacle battle.

- This is amazing.

Gary Weiland, truly
looking to do something

special in season 17.

- Man, I want him to get
through Block Run so badly.

There is no doubt.
Just go for it now.

Believe it.
Trust it.

Trust the process.
Trust it!

- Yes!

- That's what
I'm talking about!

- Gary Weiland, yes!
- Yes! Yeah!

- Just no limitations!

- Oh, my goodness.
That's what I'm talking about.

If you had doubts at home

watching Gary Weiland getting
ready to go through Block Run,

that's done with.

He believed.
Now you believe.

- What more can
Gary Weiland do?

- Run up that Warp Wall
and hit that buzzer.

- He's got two more obstacles

before we can even
think of that.

- That is nuts.
- He's up on Spin Cycle.

He continues to amaze us.

- Come on.

- Yes!

- That's what
I'm talking about!

- Gary Weiland!
- Oh, come on.

Come on. Come on!

- What a run,
the crowd on their feet!

- Got total pandemonium
here in Las Vegas.

- Well, this would
be something special.

One more obstacle
between Gary Weiland

and the first shot
at the Warped Wall.

- The first time in his career

he's completed
the fourth obstacle.

- But Battering Ram has ended a
lot of runs already tonight.

[cheers and applause]

44 years old.
- Come on.

- This has got to be tough,
a huge ask.

- Nice!
- Yes!

- Come on, man! Come on!

- The determination
in Gary Weiland, otherworldly!

both: No!
- [laughs]

- That right there was
the run of the century.

[cheers and applause]

- Yeah, Gary.

- From the start,
every obstacle is

a special challenge
with a prosthetic leg,

and Gary Weiland
almost conquered them all.

Another memorable run from
this inspirational athlete.

- That was awesome.

- Was it awesome?

- Oh, Zuri!
- Congratulations.

That was awesome indeed.
- Whoo!

- How you feeling, man?

- Man, I feel great!

- Do you?
- I do.

You know, I was talking
to my son earlier

and he's like, take out
these obstacles one at a time.

- Yeah?

- And just attack 'em,
attack 'em.

I gave it all I had.

I left it all out there,
that's for sure.

- You did your thing

and we'll see if it was
far enough, fast enough.

Awesome job out there tonight,
Gary.

Great work.

Guys, back to you.

[cheers and applause]

- Ninja great Daniel Gil's

got a new girl
on his sideline.

- Jump.
both: Whoo.

- [laughs]

- He kicks off his season
when we come back.

Plus, more of the
wildest wipeout countdown.

- Oh, no!

- What's going
to be number one?

- Oh!

- Find out when "American
Ninja Warrior" returns.

- A trio of Texans took on
the course minutes ago.

Nick Hinnant runs
a clothing business

with Shark Tank's
Barbara Corcoran.

- Come on, Rick!
You've got this.

- The 50-year-old dad danced
across the first obstacle...

- Let's go!
[cheers and applause]

- But couldn't close the deal
on the second.

- Here we go. Big drop.
Watch it.

Oh!

- 23-year-old artist
Isaiah Wakeham had no problem

with the second obstacle...

- Ain't nothing to it
but to do it.

- And used his 6'1" frame

to breeze through the third...

[cheers and applause]

- Let's go now!
- And fourth.

[cheers and applause]

- Looked clean on Spin Cycle.

- But on the fifth,
his hand slipped right off.

[air horn blares]

He'll have to wait and see

if he went far enough
fast enough.

Grant Kiningham
uses a chainsaw

to make ice sculptures.

[chainsaw whirring]

He even trains
on frozen Ninja obstacles

and he brought a couple
for us.

- I think these
are iced donuts.

- This is--well.
- [laughs]

- I could use some sprinkles
on mine.

His cool training methods
paid off

as the three-time
"Ninja" veteran from Houston

breezed through
every obstacle...

- Look at that smile.
Look at that smile.

- And made it to the end...

[dramatic music]

* *

Collecting
his fourth career buzzer.

- You are too cold to freeze,
brother.

- Yes, sir!
- He's too cold to freeze, man.

* *

- And Kiningham's good buddy,
the Kingdom Ninja, is up next.

Zuri's going
to get him started.

- Daniel Gil has been
one of the top ninjas

for the past ten years,
but this season,

he's got some extra motivation
on his sideline.

The 31-year-old is now a dad.

He and his wife Abby
welcomed their daughter Isla

earlier this year.

- Hey, baby.

Isla Rose was born
seven months ago,

and our lives have
changed a little bit.

Sleeping is a little bit
different than it was.

But she's been traveling
with us everywhere.

When in Japan.

All of the competitions,
all the speaking engagements,

all of the events that I do
as my full-time career.

So life is busy,
busier than it's ever been,

but I am happier
than I've ever been.

Are you ready to go on
a journey with us, Isla?

Yeah, I think she's ready.

- Daniel is the most energetic,
kindhearted dad.

- Whoo!
Hey, baby.

[smooches]

How are we doing?
You having fun watching Daddy?

Train, train, train,
train, train.

- He doesn't want
to miss anything.

- [babbles]
- Good job, little one. Yeah!

Yeah, come on, come on.
- Yeah, come on.

So it's just been really cool

to see him
take on this new role.

- Hi, little one.

[gasps enthusiastically]
Watch Daddy go.

My baby girl
just gives whole new meaning,

that encourages,
that inspires,

and that uplifts me
as an athlete

competing on
"American Ninja Warrior."

Became a dad at 30 years old,
and this season,

I am on the cusp
of my 30th buzzer,

which is mind-blowing to me.

There you go.
Hold on tight.

So to my sweet Isla Rose,
this season is for you.

[cheers and applause]
Whoo.

- Abby never misses
one of Daniel's runs,

but this will be a first
for baby Isla.

[countdown clock beeping]

Gil has a stellar Ninja résumé.

Been to stage four twice,

was our last ninja standing
five years ago.

He is one of the
all-time greats.

- And he's especially good
on qualifying courses.

He's finished them
eight out of nine times,

and five of those times,
he was the fastest finisher.

- And he's moving fast
again tonight,

likely gunning
for the Mega Wall.

- Gil really flying.
- Yes, he is.

- Needs to finish
in under a minute

to earn a shot
at the Mega Wall,

and he's on pace to get that

and have the night's
fastest time.

With little Isla watching,
her first time seeing Daddy.

And he's putting on a show
for his little girl,

just crushing this course.

Gotta be careful on the
last move on Battering Ram.

- Let's go, Daniel.

- Got it.
- Nice.

- Daniel Gil does it again!

He's going to have
the fastest time of the night.

[buzzer blares]

He's going to get another
shot at the Mega Wall.

Daniel Gil delivers!

- Oh, look at Isla.

- I love you, sweet girl.

Yeah.
[cheers and applause]

- Daniel, you got the
fastest time of the night,

just over 51 seconds,

so you get a shot at $10,000!

You got some motivation.

You could take home 10 grand

courtesy of the Wells Fargo
Active Cash credit card.

Why don't you give it a shot?
- All right.

Can do.

- Isla's watching.

- Let's go, Daniel!

- Let's go!

[all chanting]
Beat that wall!

- Daniel's taken it down
three times in his career,

tied for the most
among ninjas.

It's a whopping 18 1/2 feet.

This would be record-breaking,

the fourth Mega Wall,
the most in history.

- Wow, all right.
Well, go ahead. Do it, then.

all: Beat the wall!
Beat the wall! Beat the wall!

- 18 1/2 feet, $10,000!

all: Oh!

- Just couldn't
get the traction.

- Oh, so close!

- Instead, he'll just have to
hold his baby girl, Isla Rose.

- You get to watch me get
that big wall next time, OK?

- Still the fastest time
of the night so far.

A great start to the season
for Daniel Gil.

Still to come,

Jessie Graff's 40
and her mom's 72.

Both will try to add to
their trailblazing careers,

coming up on
"American Ninja Warrior."

- A couple of Florida Ninjas

got a chance to shine
in the past few minutes.

Bradenton's Emma Pereyra
was back

for her third straight season,

and put together
her best run ever.

- Nice transition there,
and she's handling it well.

- The 17-year-old
made quick work

of the first four obstacles.

- Hi, guys!
- Hi, Emma.

And her speed
to the fifth obstacle

guaranteed her a spot
in the semis.

- She wants it badly.

Ah!
[air horn blares]

- Oh, that was fun.

- Then it was
another Floridian,

Orlando's Luke Dillon.

The 22-year-old was trying
to qualify for the semis

for the fourth time,

cheered on by his girlfriend,
Avery Glantz.

- Nice!
Way to ride that Spin Cycle.

- Come on, dude. Let's go!

- He cruised through
the first five obstacles

and put up one of the
fastest times of the night.

- OK, Luke!

[buzzer blares]

- Let's go!

- And then proposed.

Not to his girlfriend...

[laughter]

But to the buzzer.

- All right, OK.
With the kiss to the buzzer.

- Absolutely.
I love buzzers.

[laughter]

- Well, now it's Avery's turn.

In addition to being
a busy college student

at the University
of Central Florida,

this 19-year-old
created an obstacle

specifically tailored to women.

[upbeat music]

- Yes!
- Yes!

- A year ago, I invented an
obstacle called "Ladies First,"

because I really wanted
to make something

that women could be
almost better at than men.

Yeah.
- [laughs]

- Let's go, Jay. Get this.

Oh.
- Oh.

- Men definitely struggle more
on this obstacle

than the women...
- [laughing] Whoa.

- Because men's center
of gravity is higher up,

like closer to their chest.

- Yeah, there you go.

And then extend your arms.

Yeah.
- [groans]

- Whereas for women, it's lower
down and closer to their hips.

Let's go, Molly.

And you can just tell
when women swing on the bar

that it looks so much
more natural.

Oh, oh, let's go!

And the response was actually

one of the most rewarding
things I've ever experienced.

- Twisting around,
going sideways at it.

- [laughing]
Whoa!

- About a month later,
it was put into

one of the world final
competitions.

- Avery Glantz was the one
that designed this obstacle,

and a rough go
for the gentlemen here.

- They, like, gave me
a shout-out with the obstacle

and said I created it, that,
like, this obstacle was, like,

the first obstacle, like,

created specifically
for the female body type.

So it was just super rewarding.

I have yet to hit a buzzer
in competition,

but tonight,
I'm going to have a first,

and I'm going to hit
that buzzer.

- You got it, Avery,
nice and confident.

- Luke and Avery
were runners-up

in our couples' competition,

lost out to Sam Folsom
and Isabella Wakeham.

[countdown clock beeping]
- Oh, my God.

- Well, we saw Luke Dillon
get his buzzer.

Can Avery Glantz get hers?

- She's never made it
past the third obstacle

in the regular season.

- Yeah, but remember,
she was very strong

in the couples' championship.

That could give her
a lot of confidence.

- Yes, let's go, Avery!

- Taking a good look
at Log Grip.

We've see quite a few falls
on this obstacle tonight.

- You're good! Squeeze!

Yeah.
- But she's through.

- Let's go!
Let's go!

- Whew.

- Well, she's happy to have
that one behind her.

But this next one
is the big test,

and she's pointing at it.

She's never made it past
the third obstacle

in three previous tries.

Tonight, it's Block Run.

- Feet and chest forward!

Feet and chest forward!
You got it!

- You got this!
You got this!

Nice! Just like that!

[cheers and applause]

- Four seasons,
but we did it.

- Fourth year, there it is.

- She's a kinesiology student

who designed her own
female-centric obstacle.

She understands movement,
gonna need

all that knowledge
to figure out Spin Cycle.

And you can see a great shot
of how difficult it is

to get your momentum going
in the direction you want.

- Well, the momentum starts
changing when the basket--

it's got
different directions on 'em,

and that can be
very challenging.

- Right through it,
Avery Glantz.

[cheers and applause]

- Her training partners
watching back in Florida

gotta be impressed.

She's now reached
the fifth obstacle.

What a night for Avery Glantz.
- This is cool.

Her understanding
of kinesiology

has really helped her out
in addition to her training.

- Keeping those shoulders up...

- Nice!

- Giving her a chance
to knock around.

- Stay with it, stay with it!

- This is going to be
the final transfer,

the big transfer.

- All right, here we go.
Get out of there.

- Can she make it?
Avery Glantz!

- Power.
- Come, Avery.

all: Oh!
[air horn blares]

- Oh.
- And that was the move.

Still, it's the best run
of her career.

And that could get her
into the semifinals.

- I absolutely love
her reactions.

Relieved when
she got past Log Grip,

elated to finally get past
the third obstacle,

and even when she fell,
had a smile on her face.

- Let's go, Avery!
- [screams]

[laughter]

- Our next ninja's
wearing a hazmat suit,

but he's anything but toxic.

This is New Jersey
mold inspector, Darion Bennett.

Once he strips off the suit...

- OK!
- He turns on the energy.

[upbeat funky music]

- I've been a mold inspector
for over a decade.

It's definitely
a demanding job.

We have to be in our hazmat
suit, our full facemask.

I have to take care
of my hair.

I have to ponytail it up,
cover it,

because, yo,
you see these locs?

Can't get mold in my locs,
man.

[device beeping]

I've seen some crazy stuff.

I've actually seen mushrooms
grow out of people's walls

and floors.

That is very disgusting.

[chuckles]

- OK, Dad.
Ready, set, go!

Go, Dad. Go, Dad.

You got this.

- My son Azari,
he's seven years old.

He does Ninja with me.

Yes.

This kid is strong, OK?
[laughs]

And one of the coolest dudes
you'll ever meet.

* *

The number one rule my dad has
for me is to have fun.

- And I hope to be a ninja,
a strong, big ninja

just like him one day.

* *

- 'Sup?

[cheers and applause]

- Last time I was on the show,
my son seen me run it.

- Oh!
[air horn blares]

He said to me, Dad,
why'd you fall in the water?

And I was like, bro,
I tried to hold on.

I don't know what happened.

Before I left, he goes, like,
don't fall in the water, Dad.

So that's the plan tonight.

[cheers and applause]

- His son's watching with Mom
back in New Jersey

and his sister
and brother-in-law

watching in Tennessee.

[countdown clock beeping]

- Man, I would rock this look.

He's got the long dreads
and the orange genie pants.

He's got the MC Hammer pants.
Can't touch this.

- This is his third season
competing.

- Send it!
[cheers and applause]

- Well, he should really
float right there

to the bottom with them pants.

[cheers and applause]

- Some magic
in his genie pants.

Darion Bennett
looking locked in.

Watch him on Block Run.

- Nice!

- Let's go!

- Azari is not getting
too excited yet,

but the other members
of the family are.

- You're good!

- Now tackling on Spin Cycle.

- Big, big move.

I like the big move
right there.

That's the way to do it.

- A lot of power, Akbar.

5'11", 165.

- He's
a little turned around now.

All right.
Control the body there.

Get out of there, though.

Nice.
[cheers and applause]

- Has never made it past
the fifth obstacle.

- Fell in Lightning Bolt
in season 10,

Piston Plunge three years ago.

Can he break through
on Battering Ram tonight?

Told his son he wasn't going
to hit the water.

Can he keep that promise?

- Nice.

- Fighting to get
that cylinder forward.

You can see they're offline.

It's these transfers that have
been the big challenge.

[cheers and applause]

- So far, he's doing good.

And I like the way he's kind of
leaning in with his right hand.

Come on, you got this.

Go ahead,
make this the first time

you get past
the fifth obstacle.

- Got it!
- OK, Darion.

- And Darion Bennett
just needs the dismount!

And look at this!

- And just like mold,
he adapts to his environment.

- Oh, my--

- Darion Bennett.
It started in season 10.

In season 17
he gets that buzzer.

And his is fired up.

[cheers and applause]

- Yes!
- Hey.

- Oh, my God!
- Hey.

- Yo.

- You've been waiting for
this for a minute now, man.

How does it feel?

- It finally feels so good.

I said I was
never going to talk to y'all

until I got up here.
- [laughs]

- And I can finally
talk to y'all

because I finally
hit this buzzer, y'all.

- Well, Darion,
I got a question.

What have you been waiting to
say now that you got a buzzer?

- Yo, we alive!

We are alive!
[laughter and cheers]

Let's go!

[cheers and applause]

- What a moment, Akbar.

- Hit that one more time, man.
Hit it.

[buzzer blares]

- We've seen a lot of happiness
at the buzzer,

but that was some pure joy
right there.

Coming up,
he's always a fan favorite.

Flip Rodriguez kicks off
his 15th season

when we come back
on "American Ninja Warrior."

- It was all in the family
minutes ago

as the night's
oldest male competitor,

61-year-old Mark Pressley,
hit the course,

cheered on by his daughter,
Megan Budway

and her boyfriend,
Flip Rodriguez.

- Come on, Dad!

- This 61-year-old
ain't playing.

- Pressley, or Papi,
as he's known,

survived the first obstacle
and took on the second...

- Man, he out here rocking
like he's Elvis Presley.

Uh-huh.

[cheers and applause]

- And then attack the third.

- Hit it. Pop, pop, pop,
pop, pop, pop, pop.

both: Oh!

- Then it was
his daughter's turn as Budway,

a four-time "Ninja" veteran,
got her shot.

- Punch it in!

- Budway's fallen three times

on balance obstacles
in her career.

- You just said fast.
Go fast!

Oh.

- And her run ended there
tonight just like her pops.

- It's a family affair.
They fell at the same place.

- Oh, man!

- So now it's Flip's turn,

and he is one
of the all-time greats.

Flip's a 15-time
"Ninja" veteran

who's third all-time
in career buzzers,

and he has seen a lot of
changes in the sport

over the years.

- Yes! Yes!

- Flip Rodriguez gets his
first stage two buzzer!

- I'm so blessed to be able
to grow up with the show.

I started on Season 3, 21,
young gun,

thought he knew it all,
rookie, like, shirt off.

- Oh.
Yeah, yeah.

Those were so bad, Quad Steps.

They were soaked.
You couldn't get grip at all.

My knees were the only thing
that saved me there.

[laughs]

The Log Grip, yes.

[upbeat music]

Oh, my God, this was
the fifth obstacle, laches.

Trampoline to 5-foot laches.

Boy, what a massive change

compared to the courses
that we have now.

Back then I'd be like,
there is no way

that the sport
evolves that much.

What a throwback
from my first season to now.

[cheers and applause]

- Flip will have plenty
of support for this run,

including many of the students
he coaches

who've come out from Florida.

Flip's always been
a fan favorite.

- 15 seasons
for Flip Rodriguez.

- Just yesterday, it felt like

he was going through the
Quad Steps as a 21-year-old.

- He bounded through it.

- He's still got it.
Still looks like he's 21.

- He's faced every obstacle
on tonight's course

at some point in his career.

And he knows how dangerous
this one, Block Run, can be.

- You know--
both: Oh, no!

- Flip Rodriguez!

- He's been through
all of these before.

- But it reminds you
even the best ninjas

fear the balance obstacles
for just that reason

and Flip is just frozen
in disbelief.

- Well,
let's look at it again.

He just skipped
that third block

and never regained
his balance.

His feet hit the water,
and his season is over.

- Flip, I know you are
so disappointed right now.

I'm sorry.
- Yeah.

- How are you feeling?

- Ah--[sighs]

It's just one of those things
that you never know

what you're going to get, so
you can't really prep for it.

Even though I've done
this exact obstacle before.

- Yeah.

- I honestly don't even know
what happened.

- You know that you could
do this, absolutely.

- Yeah. This is everything
I tell my kids.

You win like a champion;
you lose like a champ.

So I walk out
with my chin up...

- Yeah.

- And get ready
for next season,

because that ain't going
to be it.

- Well, there it is.
Well, I love to hear that.

And you set the example of
what a champion looks like.

I'm sorry this season didn't
end the way you wanted,

but we love you
and we will see you next year.

- Thank you.
I appreciate it.

I will be back next season,
that's for sure.

And as long as you guys
have me, I'm coming.

- Well, there it is.
We'll hold you to it, Flip.

both: Thank you.
- Guys, back to you.

- Let's go!

- Our next athlete
is the smallest, the lightest,

and definitely
the youngest-looking

competitor tonight.

This is Texas teenager
Ryan Cooper.

He's 5'1" and 92 pounds,
and he is a bundle of energy.

* *

- Whenever I compete,

I'm always the smallest ninja
out there.

People never believe me
whenever I tell them

that I'm 16 years old.

They're like, what?
No way.

[siren wails]

Officer, is there a problem?
- How old are you?

- I was on Seasons 2 and 3

of "American Ninja Warrior
Junior."

- Ninja Coop powering
through the Spider Walls.

- Super Duper Ninja Cooper!

- Originally,
people did underestimate me.

- This is where Nathaniel
has the height advantage. Wow!

But look at Coop
flying through it!

- They thought that I was
just going to be small

and I wouldn't be able
to complete anything.

- Oh, boy!
- Oh, my goodness!

- But soon, people learned
that was a real competitor.

- Ninja Coop, you just ran your
fastest time, 41.27 seconds.

- Yes! Let's go!

Getting on the big show
is so fun and exciting.

You know, I'm competing
along my coach, Karsten.

It's my dream come true.

* *

[cheers and applause]
Yes!

Let's go! Yeah!

- Ninja Coop has
this crowd fired up.

He's got his family
and Coach Karsten Williams

on the sideline.

[countdown clock beeping]

- That Ryan Cooper energy
is still the same.

- He's amazing.
- Yeah, look at him.

Like, look like a little cat
out there.

- He's bounding.
- Like a cat grab.

- High school sophomore,
just turned 16.

- Let's go!
- Yeah!

- Nobody believes
he's old enough to drive.

- Let's go, Coop!

- Can he wrap around here
on the Log Grab?

- Yeah, if I were Ninja Coop,
I'd go for the--

OK, well, he's going
to do a little stagger,

go with the one closest.

both: Oh!

- Just couldn't hold on.

- Let's go! Let's go!

- [laughing]
But still fired up.

- That's a big ball of energy
in a little package.

Ninja Coop couldn't quite
land the Log Grip,

but you know what?

He had fun out here.

It's time to check in
on our countdown

of "Ninja's"
wildest wipeouts...

- Oh, no!

- With a reminder that

not every fall ends up
in the water.

- Oh!
What?

both: Oh!

- Coming in at number two

is former Seattle bus driver
Tim Schnee,

who had a crash that took him
all the way off the course.

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

- That's number two on our
list of wildest wipeouts.

Coming up, last season while
the boss battling the course,

his mom was battling cancer.

Now, Elijah and Renee Browning
are back,

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

- Lots of Ninja couples
competing this season,

including a duo that hit
the course just minutes ago.

The Cake Ninja,
David Bergstrom-Wright,

had a sweet run
from the start.

- Keep the feet nice and hot.

- The six-time "Ninja" veteran

who normally eats cake
at the start line

skipped dessert tonight,
and it paid off.

Hi, Daniel!
- There he is.

- He finished with one of
the night's fastest times.

[buzzer blares]

- Well, with a run
like that, man,

you just make the batter
better, man.

- His wife Caitlin was
also light on her feet.

- When you're moving
that fast,

the blocks don't even
have time to react.

- The 27-year-old from Florida

has qualified
for the semifinals

every season she's competed.

And even though
she fell on Battering Ram...

[air horn blares]

Her fast time put her
in the women's top five.

- I am?
[cheers and applause]

- So both Bergstrom-Wrights

will be running
in the semifinals.

- Whoo!

- Well, the sign says it all.
Here comes the boss.

Up next
is Elijah "Boss" Browning

now in his fifth season
of "Ninja,"

and the Tennessee teenager has
become a crowd favorite,

and this year,
Elijah and his mom Renee

are feeling especially blessed.

- Let's go, buddy!
- Here we go!

- "The Boss"
is gonna get that buzzer!

[buzzer blares]

- "American Ninja Warrior 16,"
I had my best year ever

making it all the way to
stage three, placing top ten.

It was incredible and was
just on this all-time high.

- And he is pumped.

Go celebrate with Mama Renee!

- But with my mom's
breast cancer,

as soon as
I got back from filming,

my mom told me that

she was going to have surgery
five days after.

So it was immediately
switching gears

from this mountaintop,
like I'm so excited, you know,

and then going into this like,

oh, shoot,
we got to fight again.

How's your PT going?
- It's going really well.

I'm just going to
start really working

on strength training and...
- Yeah.

- All that, because I got to

get some strength back
that I've lost.

- Wow, if only I knew someone
that could help you with that.

- [laughs]

- * We're gonna rise up
from the valley *

* The dark is just a dance *

- My mom's strength
through the whole

breast cancer process
was incredible.

All right, go.

To see something as severe as
that and going through surgery

and then chemo for 20 weeks,
she never let it get her down.

- You guys have so been my
community through

this journey
through breast cancer

and we couldn't have done it
without you, literally.

[laughs]

I can't even begin to describe

how the Ninja community
rallied around us.

Max Feinberg's mom,
who had breast cancer,

flew in for one of my
oncology treatments.

Brandi Lebsack,
who's had breast cancer,

was there every step
of the way.

So we made it through.

- * We're going to rise up *

- My mom is a true warrior.

- * No we ain't
seen nothing yet *

[cheers and applause]

- Renee's cancer
now in remission,

and she's back on the sideline
for Elijah's run.

- Elijah said that his mom
is an incredible example

of positivity and strength
throughout her journey.

- Look at that.
That's the way bound through.

That's textbook right there.
- 6'2", 180.

I guess you got the long legs,
you can do that.

- Well, if you
got the nickname The Boss,

of course you gonna
boss that first obstacle.

- Ooh.
[cheers and applause]

- OK.
- Got through it.

He's collected nine buzzers
in his young career,

looking for another tonight.

His mom Renee
can barely watch.

- Here we go.
Great body awareness.

- And at this pace, he's got
a shot at the fastest time.

One move!
Did you see that?

He did that first cylinder
in one move.

And remember, if he finishes
under a minute,

he gets to make a run
at the Mega Wall.

[cheers and applause]

- Here he go.
Under a minute.

- And Elijah "Boss" Browning.

[buzzer blares]
Easy.

- Let's go!

- His tenth buzzer, and it's
the fastest time of the night.

- That's ten right there!
That's ten!

- That's ten. Hey--
- Let's go!

- That's an opportunity
for $10,000.

- Hey, bro!
I like the sound of that.

- Head down and take your shot
at the Mega Wall.

And he looks ready, Akbar.

[suspenseful music]

- All day long!

- Two others, Bray Weinacker
and Daniel Gil,

took a run at the 10K tonight,
but came up short.

It'd be the first Mega Wall
of the season.

- Oh!

- Oh, well.
- Well, still good.

Elijah takes care of business
and gets to give his mom a hug.

- Aw, look at that.
- Let's go, baby, let's go!

- Well, that's what it's
all about right there.

It's so cool.
A great run by Elijah Browning.

- Could this
be The Boss's year?

- Coming up, at 71,
Ginny MacColl made history

as the oldest
to complete an obstacle.

[cheers and applause]

Can she break
her own record tonight?

She runs next
on the season premiere

of "American Ninja Warrior."

- It was one of the highlights
of season 15.

Ginny MacColl, the mother
of Ninja great, Jessie Graff,

was in her 70s
when she set a record

as the oldest competitor ever
to conquer an obstacle.

- Keep going. Keep going!

- Ginny MacColl
has made history!

[cheers and applause]
- I like it!

- And now, Ginny is back,
ready to do it again at 72.

She's the oldest competitor
this season.

Can she make more history
on the course?

She'll have Jessie coaching her
from the sideline once again.

- Matt, her shirt says it all.
"Strength is ageless."

- Ginny didn't start athletics
until her 60s,

had a long career
as an actress,

done many commercials,
been on Broadway.

- And there's her husband
and some friends

watching back
in North Carolina.

A chance to match
her own history.

- All right, come on now.

[countdown clock beeping]

72 years old,
8 years away from 80.

How many 72-year-olds
you know doing this?

- Not many.

- Come on now.

Come on!

OK!

- Ooh.
- Whoo!

- Nice little save.

- To eight-foot steps
right there.

- Mama MacColl
ain't playing around.

- Got it.
[cheers and applause]

And there it is,
history made again.

72 years old,
the oldest athlete

to complete an obstacle.

Can she make it two?

- Right hand's far!

- Jessie giving her some advice
for the Log Grip.

This obstacle's taken out
many ninjas.

Can she survive the drops?

- No!
[air horn blares]

Just couldn't hang on,
but, still, history made.

Ginny MacColl, 72 years old,

still getting on the course.

She broke her own record
for the oldest

to get through an obstacle.

But on the Log Grip,
those drops were too much.

- Hey, that's what I want
to be like when I'm 72.

- Jessie runs next.

And while she heads
to the start line,

let's reveal our number one
wildest wipeout.

[upbeat music]

There have been thousands
of falls in "Ninja" history,

both: Oh!

- And we've relived
many of them tonight.

- Oh, no!

- But number one on our list
is a fall

that long-time fans still
talk about 12 years later.

During season 5 in Baltimore,
"Ninja" veteran Mike Bernardo

tried a long dismount
on the Rumbling Dice,

and he didn't quite land it.

Oh!
- Oh, oh!

- What a rough fall that was
for Bernardo.

But he did land
in the top spot,

number one on our list
of "Ninja's" wildest wipeouts.

- Wow.

- Hey, guys.

We are looking back at great
"Ninja" moments this season,

and Jessie Graff has definitely
given us plenty of those.

Since she first started
competing 12 years ago,

Jessie's put together
an amazing Ninja résumé.

With seven trips

to the National Finals,

a record amongst the women,

and was, of course,

the first woman

to finish stage one.

And at 40 years old,

she's still one of the best.

- And the fans still adore her.

She'll have a huge cheering
section on her sideline.

- This is a throwback season,
so you know Jessie

had to bring her throwback
superhero outfit.

- Jessie was, of course,

a stuntwoman on the
"Wonder Woman" films.

[countdown clock beeping]

Vegas will always have
a special place for Jessie.

First to complete
that stage one course.

- Yeah, who could forget
that special moment?

We heard Zuri
talking about those moments.

That's just one of many
for Jessie Graff.

- Taking some extra time
on Log Grip.

This is where her mom
slipped off minutes ago.

- Smooth. No problem.

[cheers and applause]

- Never faced Block Run,

first time
in her storied career.

Great balance,
but as Flip reminded us,

anyone can get tripped up.

- 11-time veteran.
She's got enough experience.

Nice.

She's got to feel very,
very happy about that one.

- And you can see her planning
her moves for Spin Cycle.

Ten years ago, she was among
the first to try this obstacle,

That was season 7 in Venice.

She got through it then.

If she can gets through it now

she'll be among
the top five women

and will move on to the semis.

- There you go.

- Nice, Jessie!

- I got a feeling that

Jessie's mindset
is on hitting that buzzer.

- Building up some swing.

Oh, quick dismount,
almost went off the course.

- Nice. Whoa.
- That was really close.

Well, with that, she's among
the women's top five.

She's moving on,

but wants to be the first woman
to conquer Battering Ram.

- She would love
to get a buzzer here,

be the first woman
of the season to do it,

remind all these ninjas

why she's still considered
one of the greats.

She's competing against
some young ladies

who grew up watching her.

- Yeah, she told me that was
one of those wild moments

when one of the
young ninjas said,

you were my entire childhood.

She goes, wait, what?

- And look at her
going hand over hand,

trying to preserve
the forearms.

This is the big transfer,
though.

This is where a lot
of ninjas have fallen.

- And she's got to lock it in.

She's got
to lock that cylinder in

to make sure it doesn't move on
this transition.

- Got it!

And she's smiling!

- I told you
she's going for that buzzer.

- Just needs
to get the dismount!

And Jessie Graff
in season 17 is going to do it!

- Do it again.
Do it!

- So many special memories
here in Vegas!

[cheers and applause]

And Jessie Graff
gets another buzzer!

[upbeat music]

What a run!

- I did it!

* *

- You got some special moments
in Vegas,

but I know it's also
gotta be special.

You're doing it
with your mom here.

You just turned 40 years old,
Jessie.

A lot of young ninjas
grew up watching you,

and you're reminding them why
you're still one of the greats.

- Why don't you show us what
40 looks like

and just flex on 'em
real quick?

[cheers and applause]

- That's what
I'm talking about.

- [laughs]

Jessie, go celebrate
with your mom!

Congratulations.

So here's who'll be moving
on to semis from tonight.

Elijah Browning leads the way
just ahead of Daniel Gil.

Arkansas's Owen Dyer
leads the next five.

We had 12 finishers in all,
including Jessie Graff.

She's going to the semis
for the tenth time.

Rookie Leo Heuring
is moving on.

And we had six women
land in the top 20,

including Sweet T,

Tianna Webberley.

That's a wrap for tonight.

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

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

[dramatic music]

* *