All language subtitles for American.Ninja.Warrior.S17E06.1080p.WEB.h264-EDITH

- Welcome to Las Vegas and
the final night of qualifying

on "American Ninja Warrior."

Hello, everyone.
Thanks for being with us.

I'm Matt Iseman.

- And I'm Akbar Gbajabiamila.

Matt, what a season
it's been already.

History-making women,
lightning fast speeds,

and a new crop of Ninja stars.

- Absolutely, big man.

And this special season
features iconic obstacles,

iconic athletes,
and iconic moments

from "Ninja's" past.

Zuri's got a preview
of what we'll see tonight.

- You guys know
some crazy things

can happen on this course,
and tonight

we're reliving
the wildest ones.

- He better get out of there.

- Across 17 seasons
and thousands of runs...

- Oh, no!

- You'd think
nothing could surprise us.

- That dude is sharp.

- But there are a few moments
we never saw coming.

So we're counting down
the wackiest moments

from "Ninja's" past.

Guys?

- Well, we're gonna start
things off with a sister act.

Heading up to kick things off
is Nikki Zink.

This smiling 27-year-old
physical therapist

from St. Louis has one of the
most unique cheering sections.

Her sister, Allison, is a nun,

and she's coming to us with
her sisters in Vatican City.

- All the way
from the Vatican?

That's a first.

Maybe the Pope will drop in
to watch with them.

- Nikki's made
these nuns converts.

They're now religious viewers
of "Ninja Warrior."

[uplifting music]

* *

- Keep going,
keep going, keep going.

- Everyone in the sisterhood,

they're really big fans
of the show.

all:
* Go, go, go, Nicole *

* Nicole, you are
our Ninja Warrior *

- After just a couple seasons
of me competing,

the whole sisterhood,
they have the Ninja bug now.

- How am I doing?
- You're doing--

- You're doing fine.

- Go, go.

- They're devoted
to a life of service,

but they're embracing
fitness a little bit more,

too, which is awesome.

It's a huge blessing to
have the whole sisterhood

supporting me.

The sisters are definitely
my biggest cheerleaders.

all:
Go, Nicole!

- Go, Nicole!

- The nuns who work
with Sister Allison

who aren't at the Vatican
are watching

at their normal home
in Connecticut.

And the mom to
Allison and Nikki

is watching on the sidelines.

[countdown clock beeping]

Nikki's sister's
at the Vatican as part

of a two-year-long
theological studies program

but never misses Nikki's runs.

Bounding through
the Quad Steps.

[cheering]

I've actually heard
the Pope himself,

big fan of "Ninja Warrior."

- Yeah, the Pope said he's
gonna come out here one day

and run the course.

- Lunatic Ledges
can be diabolical.

5'8", 145.

Tallest woman we're gonna
see on here tonight.

- All right, commit to it now.
This is it.

This is your time.

You are 5'8".
Just drop on it. Nice.

- Got some momentum.

Now you try to get off on
this second swing right there.

- Ooh!
- Hard impact.

- Oh, okay.

I thought she was gonna fall.
You good. You ready.

- She passed the test
on Lunatic Ledges.

Now for the real one,
Log Runner.

- This balance
obstacle has been

knocking out a lot of good
ninjas all season long.

both:
Ooh!

[air horn blares]

- Wow. Ugh.

- Nikki's prayers not
answered on Log Runner.

[applause]

- She had a rough landing
on Lunatic Ledges.

And then on Log Runner, she
just overshot the third log

and had a brutal fall.

She may need some prayers
after that one.

Ouch.

- It's okay. It was still fun.

Still fun.

- You guys, the pride of
Possum Kingdom, Bootie Cothran,

is retiring this year
after ten seasons.

So all of his fans,
the Bootie Bandwagon,

are sending him off in style.

You guys ready?

One, two, three.

all:
Let's go, Bootie!

[applause]

- Well, if this is
the 56-year-old's final run,

he's gonna go out
with a lot of love.

The wiry pine tree farmer
is a true character

from South Carolina
and has an army

of purple-shirted fans
here tonight.

- Let me hear you, baby!

- Bootie's had
many memorable runs,

and he's put his hometown
of Possum Kingdom on the map.

[upbeat music]

* *

- Hey, y'all,
welcome to Possum Kingdom.

Possum Kingdom is
a beautiful piece of heaven

out here in the upstate
of South Carolina.

You can't even find
Possum Kingdom on a map.

The actual boundary is
a little bit of a mystery.

I can tell you, it does exist.

I'm not at liberty to discuss
its actual location.

I moved out here
a little after 2000.

I enjoy living off the land,
hunting for my meat,

cutting firewood to stay warm,
growing some of my own food.

I got a couple of roommates,
little fuzzy fellas.

I love my macho stuff
out here,

but nothing melts me
like a little kitty cat.

I enjoy the hunting.

We got all kinds of animals
out here--deer, wild pigs,

wild turkey, raccoons,
rabbits, and coyotes,

and possums, of course.

You can't forget the possums.

But I think I might be
the wildest animal

in Possum Kingdom.

* *

- Besides the big crowd
here in Vegas,

he's got his brother
and sister-in-law

watching back in Georgia.

[countdown clock beeping]

At 56, Bootie's the oldest
athlete competing tonight.

- At 108 pounds,
the lightest too.

- Our courses this year feature
iconic obstacles from the past.

Bootie's faced this one,
Lunatic Ledges, before.

Five years ago,
had his earliest exit ever

on this obstacle.

Bootie would like nothing
better than to get

his revenge tonight.

- That was five years ago.

Let's see if he learned
from his mistake last time.

There he goes. Okay.

You gotta get it now.

He was not messing around.

[cheers and applause]

- Bootie plops down, avoiding
the water, but now Log Runner.

Failed on the Spinning Log
before, a variant of this.

- Come on!

Nice!

Wow.

- Bootie staying clean.

- Yes!

- If this is his final run,

he's going out
in a blaze of glory.

He's reached
the fourth obstacle.

[all chanting "Bootie"]

- Matt, Crank It Up
should be fun for him.

He's only 108 pounds.

You can see, very thin.

- Well, Bootie has put on
about 10 pounds of muscle

since we first met him, Akbar.

- Is that right?

- I think he's ready to put
some power on Crank It Up.

- Okay, you see 10 pounds
of muscles, huh?

- He's gotta be like JLo
and crank up that booty.

- He's country strong, Matt.

He gets that
from chopping wood.

- There's that power, Akbar.

- Yeah, get that technique.
Throw yourself.

Nice.

- 56 years old and still
out here cranking his way

through a Ninja course.

- You can count him out
if you want,

but he has got a lot of fight.

- I think everyone's getting
on the Bootie Bandwagon.

- All right, come on now.

Put your back into it.

Come on.

Nice.
- Oh, what a save.

- Matt, it's always
entertaining when you've got

Bootie Cothran on the course.

- I gotta say, this run
has been Bootie-licious.

- He's only hit one qualifying
buzzer in his 10-year career.

How sweet would it be to get
another in his final season?

- There it is, Bootie.

- I see you, Bootie.
- Come on, Bootie!

V Formation.

Gotta slam the triangle
up to the top,

then hop down the Vs
on the backside.

- Ooh.
- Good power, Akbar.

- Bootie came here
with a purpose.

- Can your booty do this?

- [laughs]

Oh, boy.
- Nice!

Bootie has to be careful
because here with the Vs,

it gets a little jiggly.

- At 108 pounds,
well, Bootie knows

you gotta put both hands
on it to control it.

Come on, Bootie.

- Get going.

Oh, Bootie is starting
to get pumped.

Oh, he's starting
to get pumped.

- Come on, Bootie.

- Come on, Bootie, fight.

Come on, push.

Push hard.

- Oh!

- Oh, man.

- He gave it everything he had
on what could be his final run.

We'll have to wait
and see if that

gets him into the semifinals.

56 years old, and he
left it all on the course.

Survived Log Runner

and cranked his way
to the fifth obstacle,

but he just didn't have
enough left for V Formation.

Ooh.
And his arms gave out.

And it's a standing
ovation for Bootie.

If that's his last run,
it's one to remember.

[cheers and applause]

Tonight, young stars
and old favorites

will battle for the final
spots in the semifinals,

including the man
with more buzzers

than anyone, Joe Moravsky.

And he's not the only
Moravsky we'll see.

- The Adonis is back.

- He gave us one
of Ninja's most

memorable debuts a decade ago.

- Rob Moravsky's shirt
is coming off!

- Now the Adonis,
Rob Moravsky, has returned.

Plus, social media star
Bob Reese

pulls off outlandish stunts

and collects
millions of views.

And he's got something special
planned for the course.

And up next, one of the
most inspirational athletes

you'll ever meet.

- The tremors in his arms,

something he lives with
every day.

- Jimmy Choi is battling
Parkinson's disease,

but he's back for another run

when "American Ninja Warrior"
returns.

[cheers and applause]

- All season, we're reliving
"Ninja's" past.

And tonight, we're counting
down the wackiest moments.

The Geriatric Ninja,
John Loobey,

likes to poke fun at his age.

- Get off of my lawn!

- And during his
seven seasons,

he's planned some
elaborate entrances,

including his latest run
just last week.

- Uh-oh, somebody needs
to help this young man.

Are you kidding me?

- But number five on our list

is a moment
he didn't plan for.

- Come on.

Loobey, Loobey do!

Loobey, Loobey do.

- During season 9
in Daytona Beach,

Loobey put together
the run of his life.

- What the--what the--

oh, my goodness.

- At the age of 65, the
window washer from Tennessee

made it to the third obstacle.

- Can your grandpa do that?

- Heck no,
my grandpa can't do that.

- Oh!

And looked like
he might finish it.

- Come on, Loobey.

Oh, my goodness.

- Loobey left it all
on the course,

including his dentures.

- I think his teeth fell out.

He's going down for them.

[cheers and applause]

Oh! He found 'em!

Went right back in his mouth.

- There's only one
John Loobey.

But we had some other runs
to sink our teeth into

while we were away.

Things got hot when
Steven Peters walked up.

He's a firefighter
and a drill sergeant

in the U.S. Army Reserve.

So his nickname's
"The Fire Drill Ninja."

- I like that.
That's custom.

- He had his whole
fire station watching

back in Quincy, Illinois.

- That's right!

Yeah!

Whoo!

- The fiery 41-year-old
Ninja rookie

marched across the Quad Steps.

- Left, right, left.

- He looked in command
on Lunatic Ledges

until he went airborne.

- He hit the water!
[buzzer blares]

- Both feet hit the water,

and the drill sergeant
was done.

* *

Well, we've told some good
stories over the years, Akbar,

but I don't know that
anyone can top this.

It's 50-year-old Jimmy Choi,

who's battling
Parkinson's disease.

Jimmy bravely took on
the course a few years ago,

but retired when the
tremors got so bad

he didn't think he could
do it anymore.

Now he's come out
of retirement to run

with his daughter, Karina.

[cheering]

- There you go.

[uplifting music]

There it is!

Karina got me into
"American Ninja Warrior."

Nice job.

Dad, you can do it.
You can do it.

Can you hit that mark
right there?

Ooh.

- Yeah.

- She has never known her dad
to be without Parkinson's.

[somber music]

I was diagnosed
22 years ago, in 2003.

The hardest time
for me every day

is when I wake up because
there's very little

or no medication in my body.

It really is a chore
just to change my shirt,

put on my watch, throw on
my socks, for example.

Exercise is the only treatment
proven to slow progression.

All right, are we racing?
- Yeah.

- Training with Karina
is a lot of fun.

Go.

[uplifting music]

She stepped away from
"American Ninja Warrior"

so she can focus on playing
softball at a very high level.

She was offered to play
in Division-I softball.

And then she's like, Daddy,
before I go, maybe we can take

one more shot, come back
to "American Ninja Warrior"

'cause this is where
it all started for her.

- Go lower.

- I've always said if there's
an opportunity to come back

to "American Ninja Warrior"
when I turned 50,

and if I'm still capable,
despite Parkinson's,

I'm gonna give it a shot.

If I can inspire
one person out there,

it would be a win for me.

* *

- Karina is gonna be watching
nervously with her brother

and Jimmy's wife, Cheryl.

And there's so much love
for Jimmy.

His training partners from
Chicago are here for him.

And look at all the folks
watching back in Illinois.

[cheering]

- Love you guys.

- You can see
the tremoring there.

- Let's get this done.

- Jimmy takes medication before
each run to try to control it,

but it's really part of
his everyday life.

[countdown clock beeping]

- And, Akbar, I know it's
a personal story for you.

- Absolutely.

My father has Parkinson's,
and Jimmy Choi has really,

really not only inspired me,
my family,

but really just showing
the entire community

that with Parkinson's,
there's still a lot of hope

and a lot of life.

- Trying to plan out his moves
for Lunatic Ledges.

Likely gonna be a challenge

for him to get a grip.

There's just no quit
in this man.

He raises money and awareness

for the Michael J. Fox
Foundation.

You can see the Fox Ninja
on his shirt.

It's gonna be tough
to grab this handle.

- But he does it.

Now, can he make the dismount?

Yes!

And Jimmy Choi--

- Look at him.

[cheering]

- In five previous seasons,

he's never made it past
the third obstacle

but has reached it tonight,

the always dangerous
Log Runner.

- With Parkinson's, of course,
balance can be a big issue.

I'll tell you right now,
he gets through Log Runner,

Matt, that's the win there.

For so many reasons, people who
suffer with Parkinson's,

they know,
you start to do the shuffle.

It can be hard
to pick up your feet.

- Jimmy Choi used
to defying the odds.

- Come on, just do it.

I think he's thinking about it.

He's just gotta approach it.

- Here we go.

- One moment in time.

Just go for it.

Holy moly!
- Yes!

Jimmy Choi!

[cheering]

- Hell yeah!

- What an inspiration.

- Hell yeah!

- This man...
- Okay!

- Refuses to accept
limitations.

- Take a moment
and take that run in.

That's a big deal.

There's one thing
to do upper body stuff.

But now to get out here
and conquer Log Runner?

Come on.

- And for the first time,
he's staring down

the fourth obstacle.

50 years old,
battling Parkinson's.

And it's the best run
of his career.

What does he have left
for Crank It Up?

- He's 180 pounds.

That's big for a ninja.

This is gonna be tough.

- And what upper body power
he has, Akbar.

But now has to make a big lache

over to the second set
of handles.

Long throw here.

- Nice.
- Got it!

- Matt,
he's in his element now.

There's a huge surge
of just energy

and confidence that
went through him

for accomplishing Log Runner.

- Jimmy Choi, the Fox Ninja.

- That was an adrenaline rush.

Come on. Get it.

[audience groans]

- The grip gave out,
but still, one of the greatest

runs you're gonna see
in "Ninja Warrior."

This is why we love Jimmy Choi.

- With his Parkinson's,
every one of these obstacles

was a challenge.

He battled all the way
to the fourth one

and looked like
he might conquer it too,

but just couldn't hold on
to the last bar.

- Oh, my gosh, you had us
on the edge of our seats.

This is the farthest you have
ever gone in the course.

How are you feeling right now?

- I feel great.
- Yeah.

- 22 years ago,
when he told me,

sitting in my doctor's office

telling me that I had
Parkinson's, and you tell me

that 22 years later,
I'd be doing this?

I feel great. Come on.

- Yeah.

I mean, we all feel great
watching you.

You're such an inspiration.

What would you say
to the folks watching at home

who see you and are inspired?

- First of all, don't compare
you to anyone else.

We're all dealing
with our stuff.

The next thing is,
educate yourself, learn how

to fight back, and then
dedicate, be disciplined,

and you can get there.

- Amen.

Thank you so much
for just inspiring us.

We love you.
- Thank you.

Thank you for having me back.

- Of course.

It's our honor, our privilege.

Guys, back to you.

Great job.

- Well, Akbar,
there are more ways

to win on
"American Ninja Warrior"

than just hitting a buzzer.

- Absolutely,
and for Jimmy Choi,

he is speaking
to an entire community.

He did that.

He represented at 50 years old
and a man with Parkinson's.

Looks pretty good.

- Coming up, he conquers
obstacles every day

delivering food
in New York City.

Now this rookie is gonna try
to skate through the course

when "American Ninja Warrior"
returns.

- We just witnessed one of the
best moments of the season...

- Just go for it.

Holy moly!
- Yes!

- Yeah! Hell yeah!

- As Jimmy Choi,
who's living with Parkinson's,

gave us an emotional run

that had his daughter, Karina,
in tears.

And while we were away, Karina
got her shot at the course

with Jimmy and her family
cheering her on.

The 17-year-old is
a high school softball star

back in Illinois
with highlight reel catches.

Her teammates were watching
as the center fielder

was able to slide in safely
after Lunatic Ledges.

- Whoa.

[cheering]

- She's known for her
speed on the diamond,

but she couldn't leg it out
on Log Runner.

- Oh, oh, oh!

- Then another Chicagoan,
Michael Vasilevich,

hit the stage for his debut.

He's a dancer who hopes
to make his way to Broadway

once he graduates from
Western Michigan University.

But tonight, the early reviews
didn't look promising

for his performance
on Lunatic Ledges.

- That was it right there.

- For almost a minute,
Vasilevich

just swung back and forth.

- Get off. Get off.

- It's starting to get
a little cray-cray

here on Lunatic Ledges.

At some point,
you gotta commit.

- Finally, he faced
his stage fright.

- Ooh, went for it face first.

Oh, my goodness.

- And the show went on.

Then Main Stage Michael
brought the house down

when he danced
across Log runner.

- Okay, you're on
the main stage now.

- But on Crank It Up,
the curtain finally came down.

- Oh!

- Well, rolling to the start
line now is a rookie

from New York City,
Sebastian Ramos.

And this 23-year-old
doesn't just

ride his skateboard for fun.

It's how he makes his living.

[upbeat music]

* *

- There you are.

- Thank you, sir.

- I've been doing
online food delivery

for a couple years now,

but my mode of transportation,
it's a little different.

I drive around the city, not
just on a regular skateboard,

but on an electric skateboard.

* *

I've delivered food
throughout the five boroughs.

Your pizza.

- Thank you.

- Downtown Manhattan,
Harlem, Brooklyn, Bronx.

Even sometimes Staten Island
when I'm around there.

For Kyle?

All right. Yeah.

All right, have a good one.

It's crazy out there.

I'm watching someone
cross the street,

and a cab just tries to
cut me off right there.

[horn honks]

I'll move out the way,
then there's a pothole.

I gotta go the other way.

And then a person comes.
It's all over the place.

I just gotta be
quick on my feet,

focusing on getting my food
where it needs to go.

On the course,
I think my reflexes

if anything happens, I'll be
ready, get right through it.

I'm gonna deliver
on this course tonight.

- And before his run, Sebastian
dropped off some food for us.

- Matt, this is the first time
we've been in the booth

and we've had...

- We have a delivery.

- An online food delivery
service come up to us.

- Now we gotta wait
till he's done

so we don't talk
with our mouths full.

- Sebastian's got
a loud cheering section.

That's his very
excited girlfriend,

Angelina, on the left, along
with Sebastian's family.

[countdown clock beeping]

- You know, he's gotta be
fearless if he rides

that skateboard through the
crazy traffic in New York City.

That's a real obstacle course.

- He was a college track star,
was a sprinter

and threw the javelin
at Stony Brook University.

I think he's gonna go fast
on this course.

- Sebastian Ramos looks hungry.

He wants a buzzer.

- Deliver a quick
transfer here.

Got great footwork from
working on the skateboard.

[cheering]

- Right here, he's gotta make
a mad dash across Log Runner.

Okay.

Oh, he's serious.

- He's going for a tip, Akbar.

- He's about that business.

[cheers and applause]

- Time to Crank It Up.

Looking good for his
first time on the course.

Only 20 from tonight
will move on.

Well, he's been training Ninja
for six years

at three different
New York City gyms.

In addition to track,
he was also

a star football player
in high school.

[cheering]

This kid's an athlete.

- That's where he got
that little sprint

from on Log Runner.

- 185.

Gonna be one of the
heavier athletes out here.

- He's the youngest
of seven kids.

I'm right there with--with him.

- Big drop.

- I'm number six of seven.

[cheering]

- His girlfriend, Angelina,
is letting him hear it.

She's enjoying this.

That Warped Wall is in sight.

Just gotta get past
V Formation.

He gets through this
obstacle, Akbar,

he's getting closer
to a five-star rating

for this delivery tonight.

- I can't wait to eat it.

He's hungry for a victory.

We're hungry for some food.

- 23 years old.

This is not an easy course with
all these throwback obstacles.

Let's see if he can
handle this descent.

- This is where
you gotta man up.

23 years old.

You gotta deliver.

You gotta deliver here
on V Formation.

- Going to three.

- Here. Get it, get it.

Nice.

- This is it, Akbar.

- Matt, he's not
just a delivery guy.

He's delivering
on this Ninja course.

Nice.

Okay.

You see him pointing up.

- The skateboarder's gonna try
to glide up the Warped Wall.

all: [chanting]
Beat that wall! Beat that wall!

- 14 1/2 feet from becoming
our first finisher tonight.

Sebastian Ramos, the rookie.

- Okay!
[buzzer blares]

[cheering]

- Delivers in his first time
on the course.

[cheers and applause]

- Oh, that was fun.

- Fun.

- Hey, man, you got here
so fast, man.

The food is still hot.
- Yeah.

Eat it up. Eat it up.

- Well, he's eating.

Listen, I think
it's pretty clear,

you just got a five-star
rating on that run.

- Let's go!

- Hit the buzzer one more time.

Go celebrate with your crew.
- Let's go!

Let's go!

[cheering]

- Coming up, fifth grade
teacher Allyssa Beird

is out of the classroom
and back on the course.

The Ninja trailblazer
has recovered from injuries

and is ready for her comeback

when "American Ninja Warrior"
returns.

- Welcome back to Vegas and
the final night of qualifying.

Minutes ago, Scott Bishop
started his run

with a motorcycle helmet,

the same one that saved his
life in a crash years ago.

[cheering]

The 39-year-old father of two

had to learn to walk again
after his accident.

So he celebrated surviving
the first two obstacles.

Bishop first ran the course
four years ago

and was knocked out
by the Log Runner.

- Oh! Hang on.

Oh.

Splish splash.

- Tonight, he was hoping
for a better result.

- Nice, nice, nice.

Oh!

- But it didn't happen.

[upbeat music]

Fan favorite Jamie Rahn,
AKA Captain NBC,

hit the course
for his 15th season

and had his green-haired
family watching.

- Yay, Daddy!

- Over his many years
of competition,

Rahn has faced every one
of the obstacles

on the course tonight--

except V Formation.

- Set!

- That's a big
move right there.

He saved a move.

- It was a struggle.

But the 36-year-old from
Missouri finally got through.

[cheering]

- That was a primal scream
because he knows

it has been three years

since he's hit
a qualifying buzzer.

- But Captain NBC
came through.

- Nice!

[cheers and applause]

- And hit his
20th career buzzer,

his first in three years.

- It's been a long time.

- And he's moving on
to the semis.

Jamie's had some wacky
moments on the course,

like when he lost his shoe
on Stage 1

and had to finish
the course barefoot.

- Yeah, take it off then.

Stay closer to your roots.

No shoes, no problem.

- Number four on our countdown
also involves fancy footwork.

Chris Cambre was
a fishing shop manager

more at home wearing
shrimper's boots

than athletic shoes.

And he chose to run the course
in the bulky boots.

- This is nuts.

This course is hard enough
in regular shoes.

- In season 10, he made it
through four obstacles

before falling.

- Now, boots might not
work on the Tuning Forks.

What you say? Etouffée!

[cheering]

- But in multiple runs
on the course

could never make it
past the fifth obstacle.

- Oh!

- Gotta dump the water back in,
leave it for the rest of them.

- Then in
season 11 semifinals,

the Bayou Ninja broke through.

[cheering]

We're gonna see
those shrimp boots

on the Warped Wall
for the first time.

- Traction is so important.

There is no way he can get up
the wall in rubber boots.

What?
- Ooh.

[cheering]

- Sassy boy!

- The boots!

- That's number four
on our countdown.

And now it's the return

of one of the top women
athletes in Ninja history,

Massachusetts schoolteacher
Allyssa Beird.

The eight-time veteran has been
rehabbing a shoulder injury

and missed the past two years,

so she's anxious
to get back on the course.

- All right,
please stop where you are.

- Allyssa's been sharpening
students' minds

at Burkland Elementary in
Middleborough, Massachusetts,

for over a decade.

On the Ninja course, she's
been at the head of the class.

- Okay, Ms. Beird.

- As a rookie, she was
a member of the Fantastic 4,

the first time four women
from the same competition

advanced to the semifinals.

The following year,
she became the second woman

ever to complete Stage 1
in the national finals.

- That's my
fifth grade teacher!

- It's been really cool to be
a role model as a female ninja,

not just
for other women my age,

but especially for young girls
who just are looking

for that hero, that little bit
of a confidence boost

to try something new
and take a risk.

- In recent years, she's
battled a different obstacle:

a tear in her left shoulder.

But after missing
the last two seasons,

she's ready
for a comeback tonight.

- It has been quite
a road to recovery

through PT visits, MRIs,

and then a long road of
physical therapy after that.

But I feel just as good

as when I got
my first-ever buzzer,

and tonight,
another one's coming.

Love you guys.

- Her fiancé,
James "The Beast" McGrath,

and her mom, Daria,
here to cheer her on.

And one of the other
Fantastic 4 members,

Michelle Warnky Buurma,

is leading the ninjas
on her sideline.

[countdown clock beeping]

She's 31 years old.

We last saw her in season 14.

She injured her shoulder,

had a dislocated bicep tendon,
torn rotator cuff.

Had to go through surgery.

But that man,
James "The Beast" McGrath,

had gone through
a similar procedure.

So her fiancé knew how
to help her fight through PT,

and now Allyssa says she's
stronger than she's ever been.

Has four career buzzers,
tied for third among the women

in a group that includes
Michelle Warnky Buurma.

Was just the second woman
ever to complete Stage 1.

Jessie Graff, Jesse Labreck
the only other two to do it.

And a lot of extra swings
here, Akbar.

- Oh, boy.

- And no matter how strong
that shoulder is,

that's gotta sap your energy.
- You gotta jump!

- Come on.

- But she's through.

[cheering]

The last time she competed
back in season 14,

she fell on
a balance obstacle.

You know that's on her mind.

- Nice.

Great technique.
That's big.

- That's so cool to see that.

- She's very familiar
with tonight's

fourth obstacle, Crank It Up.

Six years ago, she failed
the first time she faced it.

She ended up figuring it out
in the semifinals,

but it's been several years.

This is a good test of that

surgically repaired shoulder,
big man.

- It's been a couple of years
since we've seen Allyssa Beird.

Remember her background.

She spent 12 years
in USA club gymnastics.

- Was a state champion
on the uneven bars.

- Well, they don't get more
uneven than this.

- Come on, Allyssa!

- Tremendous athlete,
good strength.

And there's a test
of that shoulder.

- She's got power.

We've seen it in the past.

- Come on. There it is.

- Side to side. Side to side.

- Side to side.

- Akbar, she's struggling
to get through.

And you think back to those
extra swings on Lunatic Ledges.

- Come on, get it.

- Remember, the top
five women tonight

will advance to the semifinals.

Get past this one,
Allyssa's got

a much better chance
of being one of them.

Big drop here.
Another shoulder test.

- Come on. Ooh.
This one's a 3-foot drop.

both:
Oh!

- Well, goes out
on the fourth obstacle.

But after all
she's been through,

so great just to see her
back on the course.

- She was really struggling
to get through Crank It Up.

That may have
burned out her arms.

When she went
for the final bar,

she just couldn't grab it.

Coming up,
he didn't just hit buzzers.

He broke 'em.

- Let's go!

- Now, after a four-year
absence, Amir Malik is back,

and he's cooking up
something new

when "American Ninja Warrior"
returns.

- Two East Coast Ninjas
hit the course moments ago.

Albany, New York's,
Jenson Little

came out waving
the transgender pride flag.

The trans athlete
was competing

for the fourth time
on "Ninja Warrior."

The previous three times, he'd
fallen on the second obstacle.

- Oh!

- Tonight,
the physical therapist

was hoping the fourth time
would be the charm.

- This would be big for Jenson.

Oh!

Okay, Jenson.

- He tried to keep it going
on the third obstacle.

- Oh, oh, oh, oh!

- Though he came up short,
it was still a victory.

- I beat the second obstacle.

That feels good.

- Then it was New Jersey's
Brandon Singletary,

who did get past Log Runner.

The three-time Ninja veteran

got his first-ever
qualifying buzzer last year,

and he looked confident
again tonight.

But at V Formation,
the car salesman

couldn't close the deal.

- Big drop there.

Oh.

- Still,
it could be good enough

to advance to the semifinals.

Our next competitor
was one of our most

exciting young ninjas
a few years ago,

but he took some time away.

Now Amir Malik is back,

and the 24-year-old
from Vermont

is cooking up something new.

- I've always loved baking
ever since I was a little kid.

Now I work at a real bakery.

I have to wake up around 5:00,
be here at 6:00 a.m.

before the coffee shop opens.

And, you know, I have to make
cookies, scones, croissants,

loaf breads, danishes,
make sure they're all ready

for when we open at 8:00.

[upbeat music]

When I see somebody trying
something that I bake

and enjoying it,
it makes me happy.

- This is Amir Malik.

- My rookie season was crazy.

Coming from Vermont,
just a small little state,

nobody knew who I was.

Hitting the buzzer
is still crazy to me.

It gives me goosebumps.

- He broke it.

- He broke the buzzer.
- He broke the buzzer.

- Ah!
- [laughs]

- After season 13
that I was last on,

I just took a little bit
of a break to myself.

Pressure was a big one.

Dealing with some anxiety.

I had to do
what was best for myself.

But hey, I'm back,
and I'm ready.

Tonight, I got all the
ingredients for success.

- And luckily, he brought us
some of his cookies.

And we would be rude
to not at least take a bite.

- Yeah, we gotta at least
try it right now, right?

- Oh, boy.

- Yo.

- Amir will have
support here tonight.

His girlfriend, mom,
brother, and other friends

are on the sideline.

[countdown clock beeping]

- Attaboy. Get there, buddy!
Come on.

- His nickname is Sonic.

When he competed before,

he ran like
the famous hedgehog.

He was fast
and a lot of fun to watch.

- He was a rookie sensation
when he debuted in season 12.

He actually finished
fourth overall that year.

- And Amir's not a big guy.

5'6", 120.

Well, in both seasons
he competed previously,

he completed
the qualifying course.

- Are you commentating
with your mouth full?

- Well, I'm just chewing
a little bit here.

Right through there.

- There's Amir Malik.

It's good to see Amir Malik
back on the course.

- Well, he exploded
onto the scene, Akbar.

- Who could forget?

- So much power,
so much promise.

- And, Matt, he looks to be
in good spirits too.

- Had some anxiety issues,
so he took a couple years off.

So many of our ninjas
so courageous

talking about dealing
with mental health issues.

And Amir--Sonic is bouncing.

[cheering]

- I see you, man.
- What's up, Sonic?

- It's good to see you
again, man.

Yeah, you're back.

- Good to be back.

- Here he is on V Formation.

- Matt, you know he wants it.

Nice.

- So much power.

Strength to weight
through the roof.

- There's just something
a little different

about Amir Malik.

- But you really
have to be precise

coming down on V Formation.

He's going to the big move
to the third handle.

- Cautious.
- Good job.

- That's the hardest part
about V Formation.

Those V bars move.

They wiggle.

He's got control.

- Amir Malik.

- He's back. He is back.

- And he's gonna go three for
three on qualifying courses.

- Don't break the buzzer
this time.

Don't break the buzzer.

- Yes!
[buzzer blares]

Yes!

[cheering]

I'm back, baby!

[upbeat music]

- What's up, Sonic?

You got into
making cookies, huh?

- I made those.

Yeah, all the way from Vermont.

- These are amazing.
- Bro, these are good.

Notes of oatmeal.

Notes of sugar.

- Definitely sugar.
- It's good. It's good.

- I tell you what, Amir.

We'll keep eating.

You keep hitting buzzers.

Hit it one more time and go
celebrate with your crew.

- Amir Malik.

This is the way you
celebrate a run right here.

- There you go.

- You celebrate a run
eating cookies.

- Well, we'll see
what Amir Malik

can serve up in the semifinals
in a few weeks.

Coming up,
his stunts get millions

of views on social media.

And he's got another trick
planned for tonight.

- Yeah!
- Oh, my God!

- Bob Reese runs next
on "American Ninja Warrior."

- We're halfway
through our final night

of qualifying here in Vegas.

- There are six obstacles
on this course,

and any one of them
can get you.

Social media influencer
Yari Breunig was livestreaming

her walk to the start line.

She's gonna get a lot
of follows for this video.

The mother of two has
more than half a million

subscribers for her
YouTube fitness videos.

The 38-year-old
was able to survive

a rough landing
on Lunatic Ledges.

Look at that save.

[cheering]

But on Log Runner,
the influencer had to log off.

- Oh!

- I should have trust my gut
and just kept going.

- New Jersey's Rachel DeGutz

let out her signature scream
at the start line.

- Whoo!

- DeGutz is a five-time
Ninja veteran

and one of the top women
competitors.

And she got support from
fellow Jersey girl Abby Clark.

- Come on, Rachel.

- The middle school science
teacher became the first woman

tonight to solve Crank It Up.

- Unreal.
- Great strength.

She was powering
through V Formation

and looked like she might be
our first female finisher.

- Oh!

- Even though her hand slipped
off, she's in good position

to move on to the semifinals.

Things were buzzing
from the start

for chainsaw salesman
Micah Skinner.

The 30-year-old
trains for obstacles

by lifting logs and scaling
trees all around Iowa.

On the course,
the lumber lover

had no problem
with Log Runner.

- Let's go!

- Micah Skinner!

- He powered through
Crank It Up.

- Skinning this course alive.

But the rookie was finally
cut down by V Formation.

Oh, timber!

We're counting down
our wackiest moments tonight.

- Oh, and he just did a flip.

- And YouTube star Bob Reese

has given us
many unexpected twists

and turns over the years.

- What?

Another flip!

- Number three on our list
is Reese's run

at the Jumping Spider.

The obstacle is one
of Ninja's toughest.

- Oh!

- And hundreds have fallen
here over the years.

- No!

- But in season 14,
Reese decided

to try a front flip
into the obstacle,

hoping it would go viral.

- No, he ain't.

No, he ain't.

Oh!

Reese's Pieces.

- It didn't work.

But Reese was undaunted.

He came back in season 15
to risk it all once again.

Oh, my goodness!
- Oh, my goodness.

Are you kidding me?

- This time, it worked.

And that clip has garnered
millions of views online.

And it's number three
on our list.

And Bob is back tonight,
and he's hinting he may have

a new trick up his sleeve.

- Okay, he's warming up.

- The social media star
from South Carolina

has millions of followers,
and as his shirt suggests,

he's got a new co-star in his
viral videos, his son, Story.

- Filming with a one-year-old
has its challenges.

Oh, my gosh.

You're getting all noodly
on me, kid.

He can be tired and just, like,
fall asleep while filming.

This dude is out cold.

He could have any problem,
you know?

And he's gone.

Ah! Ooh.

Bro, you can't tackle.

This is basketball,
not football.

Catch!

But Story is a ham.

[laughs]

One of my videos with Story
got 63 million views.

How many babies
can hold my weight?

One baby.

Ooh.

Don't worry, folks,
it's not a real baby.

It's just a baby doll.

It's fake.

I am absolutely ready
to go viral again tonight.

[upbeat music]

- And you know
Story wouldn't miss this.

He's watching with Bob's wife,
Ashley, back in South Carolina.

[cheering]

Some of Bob's
South Carolina Ninja friends

will be cheering
from the sidelines.

[countdown clock beeping]

Well, he did break
his ankle last year

doing one of his stunts, and
wow, bounds right through it.

- Coming off an injury,

you might think Bob
would play it safe,

but I don't think Bob Reese
knows how to play it safe.

He is one big show.

He's a human highlight reel.

- 6 feet, 185.

It is crazy,
the stuff he's doing.

- Well, now Bob's
a little more risk averse

now that he's a dad, though.

- Two moves.

You gotta follow
this guy's videos.

Just insane, the stuff he does.

Big throw.

What the?

- What did he just do?
- What was that?

- Are you kidding me?

- He flipped!
- Come on.

I'm blind.

I can't believe
what I just saw.

What? What did he just do?

- He did a flip into the
handles on Crank It Up.

One of the greatest moves
we've seen on "Ninja Warrior."

- I'm done. I'm done.

I can't even--

I can't even think.

Hold up, wait a minute.
Rewind that.

He did a flip
and then found the handles.

Are you kidding me?

- Listen, we know
that is going viral.

- I did it.

[cheers and applause]

- Bobby!

- Come on, dawg.

- That move right there slaps.

- I think he doesn't even know
what to do with himself.

- I don't know what to do.
We don't know what to do.

- That was insane.

- That right there is the
most impressive move

I've seen
in a qualifying round.

He risked his whole season
to pull that off.

- I gotta say,
that was insanity.

Bob Reese.
- Wow.

Matt, I don't even think any
of these other obstacles

are that important.

- Brace for it.

- You got it.

- Nice.

- Did what he wanted to do,

create a moment
that'll go viral.

At this point, a buzzer would
just be icing on the cake.

- Ooh, he's starting
to feel it.

He's shaking his head.
- You got it, Bob.

- Come on. You got it.

You did that flip.

Come on. Flip mode.

- Yes!

[cheering]

- He's gonna do it!

- Yeah, you did.

- Bob Reese!

- Let's go!

Yeah!

- Primetime, showtime,
all time, good time.

[cheering]

- Bob Reese,

you are a wild man.

- Hey, hey.

We're not worthy.
- Come on.

- Take me back
through this one.

What possessed you to do that?

- That was my main goal
for this season.

I already feel like
I won the whole show.

- We couldn't even
commentate anymore.

We were flipping out.

- I gotta say, Bob, you know

how to make a viral moment,
my friend.

But more importantly,
I know for you,

there's someone who's gonna
watch that move someday.

And what a story you'll have
to tell your son, Story.

What are you gonna
tell Story so he knows

just how insane his dad is?

- Hey, if you work hard enough,
you can achieve anything,

even if it looks impossible.

- Well, impossible
is nothing to you.

Great job.

- Hey. One last thing.

You gotta come up
with something now

for the semifinals course, Bob.

- Yeah, I don't know
what I'm gonna do,

but, you know,
I'll figure something out.

- All right, go celebrate
with your crew, buddy.

Well, Akbar, it's a season
about looking back,

but I'm looking forward
to what Bob Reese

has in store
for the semifinals.

[cheering]

all: Hey, hey, hey, hey,
hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!

- Oh, my gosh, I did it!

- Still to come,
he's got more buzzers

than any ninja in history.

- Look at it.
That's how you do it.

- The Weatherman,
Joe Moravsky,

kicks off his season.

And he's not the only Moravsky
running tonight.

After a memorable debut
a decade ago,

The Adonis, Rob Moravsky,
has returned.

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

- They call themselves
Strong Island Ninjas,

and the two athletes
from Long Island

hit the course minutes ago.

Photographer Ace Pritchard
hails from Baldwin, New York,

and he came camera ready.

The 28-year-old rookie
was looking picture perfect

as he powered his way through
the first two obstacles.

- Show me how strong you are.

- But on Log Runner,
he wound up taking

a different kind of shot.

- Whoa. Oh!

That was a hell
of a fall right there.

- Then it was another
Long Islander,

Luke Lowell-Liszanckie,
AKA Triple L.

- Okay, Triple L.

- The rookie works
as a dockhand

at a marina on Shelter Island
and was able to navigate

his way through the course.

- Wow, big up, big up.

Nice.

- The 22-year-old was voted

most likely to compete
on "Ninja Warrior"

in his high school yearbook.

So it was only fitting

he ended his Ninja debut
with a buzzer.

[buzzer blares]

- I see the emotion, man.

Where's that coming from?
- I never really fit in.

I was always doing the stuff

that no one else thought
was cool.

And now this is it.

This is the best thing that
could ever happen to me.

[cheers and applause]

- We've got a lot of fan
favorites back this year,

but none made a bigger
impression in their debut

than our next athlete.

It's the Adonis, Rob Moravsky.

His intensity on the course
made him a memorable character,

but a lot has changed
in the last ten years.

[upbeat music]

- When I first competed
in season 6,

Matt Iseman coined me...

- The Adonis.

- Ladies were interested.

They were paying attention.

[laughs]

It fit.

I had the long hair
at the time.

You know, it kind of stuck.

Even ten years later,
people are coming up to me,

and they're like,
were you on that show?

I was like, yeah.
It's like, take a picture?

I was like, yeah, of course,
we'll take a picture.

Back in the day,
it was fun turning heads.

I'm still turning heads

but in a different way.

Hey, how's it going?

Good.
I'm headed there right now.

I'm a real estate agent
in Los Angeles.

Amazing location.

About 5,000 square feet,
four bed, five bath.

From Pasadena to Malibu,

multi-million dollar
properties.

Driving around LA, I see
nothing but opportunity.

I look at it as an obstacle,

and I approach it the same way.

Yeah, baby!

Yeah!

I miss "Ninja Warrior."

It was a lot of fun.

It was exciting.

I still have
the competitive spirit.

Being in the gym is
second nature to me.

If it's not seven days a week,

maybe now
it's five days a week.

I've gotten a little older,
but I try to keep up with it.

I came way too far
not to hit a buzzer.

I mean, it was
a 30-minute flight,

but you know what I mean.

Am I gonna
make this look good?

Absolutely.

The Adonis is back.

[cheers and applause]

- Well,
he's a little older now,

but still got swag,
though, Matt.

- His cousin, Joe Moravsky,
is on the sideline.

And, of course, lots of fans,
including some friends from LA.

Here we go.

[countdown clock beeping]

- Matt, I'll never forget the
iconic line that you said.

He looks like a what?

- He looks like a villain
from an '80s karate movie.

But he backed it up, Akbar.

Got a buzzer
in his very first run.

[cheering]

- But he's a little bit
more mild now.

He's a professional.

- He's still in there.

I just think you need
to spray a little

Drakkar Noir
to unlock the Adonis.

He is a big boy.

6'3", 215.

Biggest athlete
we'll see tonight.

- Matt, the last time
we saw him was season 7,

and you wonder--

both:
Oh!

- Come on!

- Ugh.

- We were cheated.
- Oh.

- He didn't even have a chance
to take off his shirt.

The Adonis out
on Lunatic Ledges.

[applause]

The Adonis still has
the intensity,

but he rushed it going
to the second ledge.

Didn't get both feet on it
and missed the grab.

- Rob, it's been
a long time since

you were here on the course.

You finally made your return.

What happened here?

- Uh...

I fell. That's tough.

- Yeah?
- Yeah.

- Do you know what
happened exactly or--

- I don't. I don't.
I blacked out.

- Okay, all right.

Well, now that you've
gotten back in the groove,

could we see you
in a future season?

Is the bug back?

- I think so.

This was a lot of fun, yeah.

Upset that I fell
but a lot of fun.

The atmosphere,
everyone involved.

- Yeah.
- It's a lot of fun.

- All right, well, there it is.

Hopefully we'll see you back.
- Yeah.

- Good to see you.
Absolutely.

Guys, back to you.

- Our next athlete is 65 pounds
lighter than the Adonis.

This is 21-year-old
Travis Nguyen.

- Okay.

- Though still in college,
he's already

started his own business,
running a summer camp

in his home state
of Connecticut.

[yelling]

- Combo Camp is the camp
that I started.

It's called Combo Camp
because it's a combination

of a lot of different things--

parkour, calisthenics, and
Ninja training all together.

The kids were aged 8 to 12,

and it was one of the most
rewarding feelings of my life.

Come on, come on.

When I was teaching
the kids, I wanted them

to learn these obstacles
as much as I did.

And that's when I decided
to apply

for "American Ninja Warrior."

I'm super grateful for that.

And I'm gonna enjoy the moment
as much as I can.

[upbeat music]

- Travis comes from
a huge Vietnamese family.

Many of them traveled
out to Vegas

to see him compete tonight.

all:
Let's go, Travis.

Let's go, Travis.

- Matt, he started his own
business with the Combo Camp.

He's a really smart guy,

a finance major
at St. John's University.

- Only the top 20 from tonight
will advance to the semifinals.

Probably needs to get at least

to the fifth obstacle,
V Formation,

if he wants to be
in that group.

Moving quickly so far.

- Come on. Keep going.

Keep going.

Nice.

- Whoo!

Come on, boy.

- His girlfriend's fired up.

Was a track athlete
in high school.

Needs to sprint
across Log Runner.

Oh.
- Whoa.

Wow.

- Skips the final log.

- Wow.
I wanna see that one again.

- He took off like a rocket

and leapfrogged
over that last log.

He cleared about
9 feet with that one.

I've never seen that before.

That's a first.

- You gotta get 1% better
every day.

That's his motto.

- Oh, yeah, he did.

That was more than 1%.

- Well, this guy
believes in calisthenics.

100 push-ups, 50 pull-ups,
50 squats every morning

starting his day.

- Well, that's why.

I mean, 'cause that
was an explosive move.

Nice.

audience:
Let's go, Travis!

- And this rookie, he seems
to be relying on his power.

His technique can
use a little polishing.

audience:
Let's go, Travis!

- Looking solid, Akbar,
on his rookie effort.

- All right, here we go.

That's a 3-foot drop
coming all the way down.

He's thinking about it.

Nice.

- Great job absorbing,

and that's those
50 pull-ups every morning.

Oh!
- Okay, all right.

All right,
now he's just having fun.

[cheering]

- On now to V Formation.

This obstacle is
such a challenge.

You need power,
you need precision,

and you need endurance.

- Well, all of
his daily routine,

from the push-ups to the
squats, all of that,

that's all gonna
get tested right here.

This is it.
One more kick stand.

- This is not
an intuitive move,

but--oh,
he's running out of power.

- Yeah, you can
start to see it.

It's all in the body movement.

[cheering]

- Ooh!

A hard fall, but he
made it to V Formation.

A strong debut by this rookie.

And he's in good position
to move on.

- It's the last night
to take down

the 18 1/2 foot Mega Wall.

Is anyone taking home 10K?

We'll find out tonight.

Plus, more of our countdown
of crazy moments.

[upbeat music]

What's gonna be number one?

When "American Ninja
Warrior" returns.

- We're counting down
"Ninja's" wackiest moments.

And over the years, we've had
some unexpected visitors

to the course.

Back in season 8,
a T-rex took on our obstacles.

- Oh, he just cleared it.

He just cleared it.

- And the dinosaur delivered,
making it to the Warped Wall.

audience: [chanting]
Beat that wall! Beat that wall!

- I don't know if the fans
are saying eat that wall

or beat that wall.

- But with those short arms...

both:
Oh!

- It couldn't reach the top.

In season 9,
a mysterious 81-year-old

named Arthur Hickenlooper
hit the course.

- Yeah, old man!

- His surprising run
became a viral sensation

with more than
25 million views.

- He's fallen,
but he can get up.

- Though some are skeptical
of his identity...

- Ooh!

- He was definitely
entertaining.

Look at that.

In season 11, when "Ninja"
went to the Pacific Northwest,

there was a Bigfoot sighting.

- Look at that.

Matt, this Yeti is ready.

[cheering]

- Conspiracy theorists are
still talking about that one.

- Oh, my goodness.

Matt, this is absolutely crazy.

[buzzer blares]

- But number two on our list
is the streaker

who raced across the course
way back in season five.

- Somebody call the cops.

- His revealing run
has been viewed

more than 80 million times
over the years.

- I am blind. I can't see.

- That's number two on our
wackiest moments countdown.

Brett Sims has been around
for all of those runs.

He's a 13-time veteran
and has a stripe on his arm

for every year he's competed.

- Hey!

Say hey, Daddy.

- With his pregnant
wife, Grace,

and young daughter watching
from South Carolina,

the 38-year-old
made quick work

of the first two obstacles.

- Get off, dismount.

Nice.

- Sims has made it to the
national finals five times.

So what happened next
was a shock.

- Ooh!

My goodness.

- It was one of the earliest
exits of his career.

- That was a hard fall.
[laughs]

- Before her run,
JoJo Grubesic got a shout out

from her high school
track coach...

- You got this.

- Olympic gold medalist
Dan O'Brien.

- Show 'em what a track
athlete can do tonight.

- Grubesic is a pole vaulter
back in Phoenix.

And besides O'Brien,
she also got encouragement

from her boyfriend,
top competitor Josiah Pippel.

- Let's go. Come on.

- But her track skills didn't
help her on Log Runner.

- Oh!

- It was so much fun
running the course.

It was awesome.

- Matt D'Amico's motto is

every course is
a speed course.

So everyone was
expecting a fast run.

- Speed is his game.

- The 24-year-old gym owner
had his students

cheering on the sidelines...

- Big drop off. Nice.

- And back at his gym
in Massachusetts.

The three-time veteran
did not disappoint them.

He put up the fastest finish
of the night so far.

[cheering]

- Let's go!

Let's go!

- D'Amico is co-owner
of that gym in Massachusetts

with our next ninja,
Lucas Reale.

- Let's go!

Come on!

- The 26-year-old is back
for his sixth season,

but this year, he's got
a renewed love for Ninja

thanks to the kids he coaches.

- Nice. Come on, Julia.

Lock it in, kid.

Let's go, Julia.

Attagirl.

Nice work.

Good job.

I'm incredibly grateful
to be able to coach

so many talented athletes.

Link it.

Link it. Link it.

I started watching "Ninja"

when I was about
ten years old.

And now that's the age
of most of the kids

that I teach at my gym.

Yeah.

It feels full circle.

[soft music]

I think the best part
about being a coach

is what you can learn
from your students.

I'm becoming such
a better ninja myself

just by breaking this down
to other people.

Once you guys get to here,
you can either rotate under

or you guys can just reach
with the front hand

and spin once
you get onto there.

There was a period of time
where I was doing Ninja for me,

and now I'm just trying
to show them they can do it

and to try and inspire them
so they can

get to where their dreams are.

Come on, Kyle.

Yeah, dude.

Yeah, Josiah.

Having them out here
cheering me on,

giving me coaching tips,

I'm definitely gonna be
channeling their energy

as I tackle the course tonight.

all:
Vegas, here we come!

- Let's go.

[cheers and applause]

- How impressive that all
those kids and their families

have come out to support Lucas,
as well as Matt D'Amico.

- Hey!

- And there's a whole nother
group watching back

at the gym in Massachusetts.

- Look at that.

That's one of the biggest
cheering sections

we've had all year.

[countdown clock beeping]

- Back in season 10,
when we lowered the age to 19,

Lucas was in that first wave
of young guns to compete.

- And what a rookie season
he had.

Made it all the way to Stage 2.

[cheering]

- Now 26 years old,
no longer a young gun,

but still a top competitor
and moving like

he doesn't wanna disappoint
all those kids.

- Now that's it. Nice.

- Lucas Reale really flying.

5'8", 160.

This guy likes to go fast.

He hasn't competed
the last two seasons,

but he has come out tonight
with a vengeance.

He is running hard.

- It's been a few years
since he hit a buzzer.

He'd love to get one tonight
in front of all these kids.

- Wow.

- Love to see that smile
on his face.

You can tell
he's energized this season

but faces a tough test
here in V Formation.

[cheering]

- Wow.
He pumped up in two moves.

- His business partner,
Matt D'Amico, got a buzzer.

Reale trying to match him.

Oh, he kicked
one of the Vs.

Has to stop it from spinning.

- Well, he's gonna go
for that big move there.

- Goes from the first
to third V.

- Come on.

- Got it.

Lucas Reale.

- Ooh.

- Just a little slip.

He just kind of laughed as
he looked at the sideline.

Gets two more attempts.

Lucas Reale.

- Oh.

- And he's down
to his final attempt.

- Wow, this--

I think we're all shocked
because this is an obstacle

that he's done so many times.

all: [chanting]
Beat that wall! Beat that wall!

- Final attempt.

- Here we go.

- Come on. You got this.

There it is.

- Let's go!

- What a smile.

His first buzzer
in three years.

[cheering]

- Yes!

[upbeat music]

* *

Yes! Yes!

- Yo, you were down
to your last attempt, Lucas.

- Were you scared a little bit
that you might not

make it up the Warped Wall?

Just a little bit?

- I--I had it.

- Yeah, I know you did.

- Lucas, always so joyful when
you're out here competing.

You seem particularly
pumped tonight.

Been a while since
you hit a buzzer.

But what were you feeling?
What were you thinking?

- I don't really compete
for myself anymore.

I compete for these guys.

- Go celebrate with them,
Lucas.

And these kids have
both their coaches

heading to the semifinals,

Matt D'Amico
and now Lucas Reale.

- Some of those ninjas,
we'll be calling their runs

in a couple of years.

Remember this day.

- Up next, years ago,
Xavier Dantzler

got a helping hand
from Joe Moravsky.

- Come on, X.

- Now Xavier's
paying it forward

and giving another
young ninja a boost.

- I told him, I'm gonna get you
on "American Ninja Warrior."

- Their story
when we come back.

- A couple of our
smaller competitors

with big personalities
hit the course moments ago.

At 4'11", Olivia Keyes is the
night's shortest competitor.

[cheering]

The 23-year-old grad student
is an elite gymnast,

who was a two-time state
champion in Massachusetts.

[cheering]

- She's got this.

She's got this, Matt.

- But Log Runner has
taken out more ninjas

than any other obstacle.

- Oh, oh.

- And it ended
her season tonight.

- Then it was one of the
smaller male competitors...

- Let's go!

Let's go!

- 5'3" Ben Behrends.

[cheering]

Behrends is known
as the Hype Guy

because of his boundless
enthusiasm on the sidelines.

But he's delivered
on the course as well.

He's made it to the national
finals the past two seasons.

- Nice. He's hyped.

- His younger brother, Jason,
hit a buzzer a few weeks ago.

- Matt, he is doing big things.

- And tonight,
Big Ben did the same.

[cheers and applause]

- Let's go!

That's how we do it!

- You gotta tell me, man,
why you so hyped?

- I don't know, man.
I'm just loud.

[laughter]

- Flashback now
to a moment four years ago,

when we first met
16-year-old Xavier Dantzler,

a high schooler from New York

who was making
his "Ninja" debut.

- Nice.

- X, as he's known,
regularly traveled two hours

by train from his home
in Queens, New York,

to Connecticut to train
with Joe Moravsky

and considers Joe a mentor.

- Okay. Okay.

- And now X, like Joe,
is playing mentor

for another young ninja
from New York.

This is Brandon Griffin,
a lifelong Ninja superfan

who wouldn't be here
without the help

of his friend, X.

- I'm Brandon Griffin.

I'm 16 years old.

I'm from New York City,
and this is my application

for "Ninja Warrior" season 17.

- Great. Perfect.

- My whole life,
I've been an athlete.

[upbeat music]

- Whoo. Yeah.

You got some height there.

- I started off
with gymnastics

and moved on to tumbling,
rock climbing,

jiu jitsu, karate, fencing.

But I've loved Ninja
ever since I can remember.

Watching this show
would get me so pumped.

I set up my entire house
like Ninja.

I had pillows on the ground,
a rope swing on my bed.

I had all the different
things set up.

- There you go.

The first time I saw
Brandon Griffin enter the gym,

it was insane.

Holy moly.

It just gave me flashbacks
of my younger self.

Oh, my goodness.

And I told him,
I'm gonna get you

on "American Ninja Warrior."

- Every time I try Mega Wall,
I get it, like,

first or second try now.

X is kind of like
a big brother to me.

He taught me
everything I know.

He's trained me.
He's pushed me through.

- All right, stop.

Look at the city.

All right, and keep on walking.

- X is absolutely
a gift to our family.

He makes these dreams happen.

I can't even put into words
what that means.

- I'm telling you, man,
if we get something like this,

you better not fall here.

- No, no, no, no.
Yeah, no, that looks hard.

- That sucks.

I think he's honestly better
than I was at his age.

I'm not doing that.

- X said he'd get me
on the show.

Here I am.

- Uh-huh. There you go.

There it is.

This is good. This is good.

He's just the most awesome kid,

and I cannot wait
to see how he does.

* *

- X and Brandon's mom, Karen,
are leading the cheers

on the sideline,
along with a big group

of friends and family.

[countdown clock beeping]

Just 16 years old,
a high school student

at New York Harbor School.

- Oh, you can tell he's got
a lot of spring,

a lot of bounce in him.

- Well, X said
it was his athleticism

that really caught his eye.

And his mom said
this kid was never

someone who used equipment
the way it was used to.

He would always find new ways
to make it more challenging.

Good throw.

- Yeah, his mom, Karen, says
he's freakishly athletic,

and we can see that already.

- And look at that,
right into Log Runner.

That's confidence.

- Matt, he was not intimidated.

Typically,
especially with rookies,

there's a little bit
of pause at Log Runner.

He was like,
this ain't nothing.

- Well, you saw
his smile, Akbar.

I think he's
starting to feel it.

Three obstacles in, and
he's like, I can do this.

- Yeah, this is it.

Once you get to about
that fourth obstacle,

you start feeling,
going, you know what?

I'm in control.

- 5'5", 128.

- And so many people
underestimate him

because of his size.

He loves surprising people
with his skills.

- And you can see, he's
generating a lot of movement

but not getting a lot of
movement on the handles.

- All right.

- Not being terribly
efficient here, Akbar.

- And this comes with
being a rookie,

trying to navigate an obstacle.

Sometimes it's not about
athleticism.

- Well, this is
something I think

you get away with on a
six obstacle course but--

- Whoa! Wow.

- Whoa.

- Well, this obstacle, he is
gonna be lucky to escape.

And he does.

- His athleticism
helped him out that time.

[cheering]

- That sapped a lot
of upper body energy.

Well, what do you
always say, Akbar?

It catches up to you.

- It catches up to you
when it catches up to you.

- Breathe. You got it.

Breathe.
You got it.

- What does he have here
on V Formation?

- And this is where his mentor,
X, fell in season 13.

- And so you see, this--this
way the Ninjas using their hips

and kicking on the back.
- Nice.

- They feel it gives
them more power.

- One more kickstand. Nice.

- He's gotta get one more.

There we go.
- One more. There it is.

- Well, again, Akbar, I think
he's relying on his youth here.

Let's see if that grip strength
has enough in reserve.

- Yeah.

Well, my concern is his
fatigue, not his athleticism.

He's clearly talented.

Oh!

[air horn blares]

- It's okay.

- Just like X's rookie season,

Brandon Griffin out
on V Formation.

X and Brandon
really are alike.

Four years ago, X tried going
from the first V

to the third
and couldn't hang on.

Tonight, Brandon went
for the same move

and had the same result.
- Oh, you're wet.

- Brandon's now in good
position to move on,

and we'll see X run
when we come back.

Coming up, she just had

her best season ever
on the course.

And Abby Clark's got
something else to celebrate.

- The biggest comment we got
was definitely it's about time.

- Her big news is next
on "American Ninja Warrior."

- We showed you
how Xavier Dantzler's

been a mentor for Brandon
Griffin, who ran minutes ago.

And while we were away,
Xavier, the 20-year-old coach,

got his turn on the course.

- X gonna give it to you.

- The four-time veteran
came out blazing,

looking like he wanted
to go fast enough

to earn a shot
at the Mega Wall.

- Oh, Matt,
he wants that $10,000.

That's what he wants.

- To do it,
he needed to finish

in under 1 minute 10 seconds.

And it came down to the wire.

- He's got a real chance!

He's got a real chance!

He's got a real chance!

- He missed the shot at the
Mega Wall by 3/10 of a second

but still the fastest run
so far tonight.

Then it was Pennsylvania's

Corine Capriotti,
who's a triplet.

And she had her two sisters
cheering for her.

The 16-year-old rookie gave
her siblings a good show

as she made it
to the third obstacle.

- Ooh. Big ups.

- But the high school
track athlete

didn't have the right footwork
on Log Runner.

- Oh!

- So fun. Just so fun.

- Our final female
competitor tonight

is also a track athlete.

It's New Jersey's Abby Clark.

She got a qualifying buzzer

and had her best season ever
last year.

Now her fiancé, Joe Capo,
has given her

something else
to be excited about.

- So the big news is,
I'm engaged.

Joe finally proposed.

We hiked one
of the ski mountains

that I grew up skiing at
in New Hampshire.

We were just taking
some pictures.

I was ready to go back down.

I was freezing.

It was raining and cold.

Then all of a sudden,
he just turned me towards him

and went down on one knee.

Yay.

It was a complete surprise.

I did not expect
the response that we got

when we posted about it.

Thousands of likes and everyone
was reaching out, commenting.

It's been 12 years, so the
biggest comment we got was

definitely "it's about time."

It was an awesome surprise,
and I love the ring.

He did a great job.
[chuckles]

He put a ring on it.

[upbeat music]

- Well, big congrats
to the happy couple.

- That smile says it all, Matt.
Bling, bling.

- The groom-to-be
will be watching along

with the other Joe in her life,
her dad.

Her Jersey girl training
partner, Rachel DeGutz,

is also on the sideline
with some other Ninja friends.

[countdown clock beeping]

Abby and Joe started out
as college sweethearts,

met at Springfield College
in Massachusetts,

where they were both
on the gymnastics team.

- Come on, Abby!

- She was an All-American
gymnast twice

and won the national title
on the balance beam.

- She's gotta be
feeling confident.

As we mentioned, had her
best season ever last year.

Nearly finished Stage 1.

Only Taylor Greene went farther
among the women.

- Nice.

- Looking very comfortable.

And she's through two.

She also ran track back
at Springfield College.

Right now needs to sprint
across Log Runner.

And she does it.

[cheering]

The fourth obstacle is one she
knows very well, Crank It Up.

Abby Clark failed this
in the Baltimore finals

back in season 11.

Worked her way
to the end but missed

as she went to the final bar.

Her Jersey girl buddy,
Rachel DeGutz,

is the only woman who's
gotten past it tonight.

- Come on.

- 5'3", 130.

Akbar, this requires
so much power.

- It's power. It's movement.

- And those power moves,
though,

those are stressful
on the forearms.

- Yeah, because
on the back swing,

you also have to make sure that
you give it enough oomph

to be able
to get that thing cranked.

- And that's such
a tough transfer.

- Come on. Start cranking.

- Yes.
- Let's go, Ab.

- That's it. Just like that.

- Great job
fighting through it.

But this is where
she fell before.

Well, here we go.

Big drop down.

- Whoo.
- Got it!

Gets through.

And that secures her spot
as one of the top five women.

So she's moving on
to the semifinals.

Now gonna try
to finish this course.

Taking on V Formation.

No woman has ever gotten
through this obstacle.

audience: [chanting]
Abby! Abby! Abby!

- Oh, nice.

Look at the power.

- Wow.
- Two moves.

A good ad for the gym
she and Joe Capo run.

- All right,
this is it right here.

You can see her locking in,
getting close.

- This is where
it really gets tough,

making these precision moves
with tired arms.

We've seen a lot of top ninjas
fall here this season.

- Nice!

- Well, Abby Clark got her
first buzzer back in season 10.

Got her second last year.

And Abby Clark about
to get her third.

- I'm about
to jump out this booth.

Come on, girl. Come on.

- Yes!

- Uh-huh!
That's what I'm talking about!

- Abby Clark,
the first woman ever

to get through V Formation.

Looking for her
third career buzzer.

But it's not a given.

Though she's conquered
the Warped Wall three times,

she's also failed
on three occasions.

- All right,
generate the power there.

- 5'3".
- Power, power, power.

both:
Ooh.

- Okay, that's one.

She's got two more.

I'm pretty confident
she's gonna get it.

audience: Beat that wall!
Beat that wall!

- Don't overthink it.
Paralysis by analysis.

Go. You got this. Come on.

Yes!
- Got it!

Her third buzzer.

[cheers and applause]

[upbeat music]

* *

- Abby Clark!

Abby, the women are having
so much success this year.

You're now the ninth woman
to hit a buzzer this season,

but the only one
to do it tonight.

You got your ring.

You got your buzzer.

Hit it one more time
and go celebrate.

We'll see you
in the semifinals.

[cheering]

- He's a fan favorite and has
more buzzers than anyone.

Joe Moravsky runs
when we come back.

It is gonna be a race
to the finish

on the final night
of qualifying

here on
"American Ninja Warrior."

- All night long,
we've been counting down

some of our wackiest moments.

I think his teeth fell out.

Over 17 seasons,
we've seen a lot.

- I am blind.

I am blind. I can't see.

- And now it's time to reveal
our number one.

It comes from season eight,

when the unpredictable
Jake Murray

hit the Stage 1 course
wearing a fanny pack.

- Turn that fanny pack
and get busy.

- Murray was a top competitor,
so it was no surprise

he put up
the fastest time of the night.

The surprise came
after he hit the buzzer.

- What's in the fanny pack?

He's got goggles.

He's going swimming.

With a corn dog?
- Oh!

- Get your ketchup ready

'cause he's all about
that business, baby.

- We relished the moment.

Jake Murray's
corn dog surprise

is our number one
wackiest moment.

But we're not done.

Minutes ago,
it was a flag waving affair

as Deren Perez
carried the colors

for his homeland, Guam.

Perez not only
represents for Guam,

he's an officer in
the U.S. Coast Guard

and is on the poster
for recruiting.

- Now hiring.

- With his fellow officers
cheering him on,

the five-time veteran had
the best run of his career.

He conquered obstacles
that had taken him out before.

Crank It Up...

- Nice.

- And V Formation.

- Okay!

- And the 40-year-old hit
his first-ever buzzer.

- Let's go!

Let's go!

Whoo!

It felt amazing!

Yeah.

- Then it was a ninja
21 years younger,

19-year-old Noah Meunier.

The three-time veteran made
it all the way

to Stage 4
the last two seasons.

And he started red hot again
this year.

- He has got a pace on him.

- With his girlfriend, Addy
Herman, on the sideline,

the Massachusetts electrician
lit up the course...

- Oh, boy.

- And put up
the fastest time of the night.

[buzzer blares]

That earned him a chance
at 10K on the Mega Wall.

- Generate power.
It's power, power.

Drive, drive.

- Oh!

He came up short,
but with his speed,

he's a threat to win it all
this season.

[cheering]

So we're down to our
final athlete tonight,

and he can bring the thunder.

Zuri, get him going.

- He's got more buzzers than
anyone in "Ninja" history,

but last season ended
on a heartbreaking note

for Joe Moravsky.

He came up just
a few feet short

of making his first attempt
at Stage 4.

It's really the only thing
missing from his Ninja résumé.

The 35-year-old has the most
buzzers in "Ninja" history

and is tied
for the most Mega Walls.

- Hey, guys. Mwah.

- Joe's wife, Stephanie,
watching back in Connecticut

with two of their three kids.

- You got it, Joe. Come on.

- His cousin, Rob,
who ran earlier,

is part of the big group of
friends down on the sideline.

- Come on, Joe. Come on.

[countdown clock beeping]

- How fitting in this special
season as we look back

to have the final athlete
in qualifying

be the one who's hit more
buzzers than anybody else.

35 years old.

You know, ninjas that age,
they have to wonder,

are their best days
behind them?

- Well, Matt, he's been
having a hard time.

As a family man, it's becoming
more and more difficult

to be able
to balance work life,

family life, and training.

- Well, he faced this
in Baltimore,

and Moravsky making
short work of it.

Well, only one athlete,
Noah Meunier,

has had a shot
at the Mega Wall.

And if Joe keeps this pace up,
he'll be the second.

- He thought about
that dismount.

- Yeah, he did.

But he has been one
of the most consistent ninjas

we've ever seen.

- He's already hit
his spot in the semis

with his race to this point.

So all that's left
for him to do, Akbar...

- Whoa.
- Is get to that Mega Wall.

- Big move.

Boy, Matt, he could do it.

He could do it. He could do it.
- Joe Moravsky!

- He has an opportunity!

- Joe Moravsky!

- That's what
I'm talking about.

- That's how we do it!

[cheering]

That's how we do it!

- Adds another buzzer
to his record.

That's 35.

[cheering]

- Whoo!

- Joe Moravsky!

- Joe, you know,
man, I gotta say,

you're one of the
most consistent ninjas

on the planet.

You just put up the second
fastest time of the night, man.

Congratulations.

- But you're not done tonight.

In history, Kai Beckstrand,
Daniel Gil,

Caleb Bergstrom, and you
have gotten three Mega Walls.

You have a chance right now
to break that record.

- Don't quit.
Do it.

- Don't quit. Do it.
- Let's see it, Joe.

If he gets up the Mega Wall,
he'll take home $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.

audience: [chanting]
Beat that wall! Beat that wall!

- And Joe Moravsky,
a chance to make history,

become the first ninja
with four Mega Walls.

- You got this.
You've been practicing.

Come on.

- With his kids at home,
Stephanie watching, here we go.

- Oh, he needs it.

He's got the energy.

He's got everybody behind him.
$10,000 could go a long way.

- For a record
fourth Mega Wall.

- Oh!

[cheering]

- Doesn't get it,
but gave it a great run.

- Yeah, it was a good run,
and take a look.

He came close
and was less than a foot away.

- But the Weatherman is still
moving on to the semifinals.

And the 35-year-old
veteran ends up

with the second fastest time,

just behind teenager
Noah Meunier.

Among the other finishers
is the king

of viral videos, Bob Reese.

We had 13 ninjas hit
the buzzer tonight,

including the
newly engaged Abby Clark.

All 20 of these athletes
move on to the semis,

which get underway next week.

And the semis this year are
gonna be something special.

- No!

- We're bringing back more
of the iconic obstacles

from the past, and they'll
make your head spin.

- Nice. Whoa.

- It's a grueling
ten-obstacle course,

and only the best will finish.

- Hold on! No!

- And it all begins next week.

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

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

[dramatic music]

* *