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00:03:51будущので Randy Kицwork гоri concez ve buceayı
00:03:58çalışmak
00:04:00Alright, I'm going to attack it the best I can.
00:04:02Obviously, I've had a little bit of experience,
00:04:04so here it goes. It's game time.
00:04:06So Lance Pekas, show us what you got, buddy.
00:04:09Woo, here we go.
00:04:11I don't want to be too much of a distraction,
00:04:13but if anybody can handle us going back and forth,
00:04:15it is Lance Pekas.
00:04:16Smooth through the shrinking steps now.
00:04:18He'll be the first to take on this new obstacle, Roller Bags.
00:04:22Alright, I'll take this off just in case.
00:04:24Okay, alright, you don't want to get it messed up.
00:04:26He's got to grab the handle on the first bag
00:04:28and swing to the second.
00:04:30How heavy is that bag, by the way?
00:04:32My goodness.
00:04:35Good power.
00:04:36Uh-oh, alright.
00:04:38Now this is where he's got to make that transfer.
00:04:40Oh, he's starting to feel it.
00:04:42You hear him.
00:04:44Ooh, got it.
00:04:45Woo!
00:04:46There we go.
00:04:48Lance, you fell on balance last season.
00:04:50Any concerns here on Diamond Dash?
00:04:52Well, hopefully, uh, diamonds are a cowboy's best friend.
00:04:55Okay.
00:04:56Alright.
00:04:57I don't know how he's going to run in them jeans.
00:05:00Woo!
00:05:03Oh, so good, Pekas.
00:05:065'8", 165.
00:05:08This guy's up for body strength is legendary.
00:05:11Not going to get bucked off the kite surfer.
00:05:13Time to go surfing!
00:05:15Oh!
00:05:15I like it!
00:05:17Nice.
00:05:23You can hear how strenuous these moves are.
00:05:26Woo!
00:05:29Transfer up.
00:05:30You got this!
00:05:31You got this job!
00:05:33Nice.
00:05:34But this is a tough section.
00:05:36You got to go wide with your hands.
00:05:38Woo!
00:05:39Oh, no!
00:05:40Woo!
00:05:42The cowboy got bucked off.
00:05:44Now we'll have to wait and see if that's good enough to move on to the Western Regional Finals.
00:05:49Lance, what happened right there?
00:05:50Ah!
00:05:52I went to go wide and then got caught.
00:05:55Yeah.
00:05:56I didn't play well enough on the kite surfer.
00:06:01Lance, it's always a pleasure watching you compete, my man.
00:06:04Thank you, man.
00:06:05Thank you, Akbar.
00:06:07Well, up next, teenager Lumi Rivera.
00:06:09When this high school student isn't training for ninja, she's chasing down chickens on the family farm.
00:06:19I've got over 115 animals on the farm.
00:06:24Chickens, emus.
00:06:25Death buds.
00:06:26Tortoises, ducks.
00:06:28I've been breeding chickens since I was eight years old.
00:06:30I have cochins, frizzles, Polish, silkies.
00:06:35The hardest part about breeding chickens is they're pretty fast.
00:06:39I have to, like, match their speed to catch up to them.
00:06:42Tonight, I'm going to be extraordinary.
00:06:47Lumi actually named a couple of her chickens after us.
00:06:50They're right here, Akbar.
00:06:51Matt and Akbar are her chickens.
00:06:55I like this.
00:06:56We even have the little crocheted knockouts.
00:07:00Mine's kind of salt and pepper.
00:07:01It looks like Tina Turner there.
00:07:03Yeah, and mine is this color of my alma mater, red and black, San Diego State.
00:07:07That is some aggressive hair right there.
00:07:08Here it is.
00:07:09I don't have that kind of hair.
00:07:11Lumi will have her parents cheering her on, along with her coach, ninja veteran Karsten Williams.
00:07:19Well, let's see what kind of run Lumi Rivera can hatch right here.
00:07:24A bit of a chicken walk across this riding step.
00:07:27Yeah, she's got a sweater around her waist, doing it in style.
00:07:31Let's do it!
00:07:32Now gets to try this new second obstacle.
00:07:35Let's see what she can do here, going for a ride on roller bags.
00:07:38And just 17 years old, 5'6".
00:07:40And you can just see struggling, though, to get that handle deployed.
00:07:44You can see the pars on the right side.
00:07:46There we go.
00:07:47Nice.
00:07:47Uh-oh, uh-oh.
00:07:48A lot of extra swings in another one.
00:07:50There's a little bit of a jerk there.
00:07:52Now she's got to see it.
00:07:53Oh!
00:07:54She needed to let go right there.
00:07:56Now she's going to have to build up momentum.
00:07:57It could be hard to recover from this.
00:07:59Oh, she might end up like Humpty Dumpty here, Akbar.
00:08:02Struggling to get her momentum.
00:08:04Oh, man, she's scrambling like eggs right now, trying to get over.
00:08:09Oh, man.
00:08:10Oh, she might be fried.
00:08:12Lumi has to spread her wings.
00:08:15Oh, come on.
00:08:16Sunny side over!
00:08:17My goodness!
00:08:19It's a new obstacle, and Lumi couldn't quite figure it out.
00:08:24Lumi just made a bad decision.
00:08:27You can see right there, her legs were over the wall.
00:08:30If she had let go at that point, she would have cleared it.
00:08:33But she held on and could never regain momentum.
00:08:38Season 18 of American Ninja Warrior is ready to take flight.
00:08:42Tonight, we'll see some of the sport's best and fan favorites,
00:08:46including the history-making mom, Sandy Zimmerman.
00:08:50And this year, Sandy's got company.
00:08:52So, I asked the family to come back
00:08:55and to do my 10th season with me.
00:08:57Plus, get ready to hit the like button.
00:08:59One of social media's biggest stars, Ben Azalert,
00:09:03is going to take on our course.
00:09:04I think my followers are going to be stoked to see me do this.
00:09:06It's party time on the season premiere of American Ninja Warrior.
00:09:16Welcome back to Vegas, where it's qualifying night for the West Region,
00:09:19and two Olympic hopefuls hit the course while we were away.
00:09:23Charles Mangold III is not only a professional bull rider,
00:09:26he's also trying to make the U.S. bobsledding team.
00:09:29I've got to tip my hat off to him because that right there is a true athlete.
00:09:33After taking off the cowboy hat, Mangold managed to get past the shrinking steps.
00:09:38Barely.
00:09:39Ooh, that first obstacle looked a little shaky.
00:09:41And then the rookie was buffed off on the rollerbacks.
00:09:44Oh!
00:09:50Akbar and I were on guard as high schooler Luke Feiler showed off his fencing skills at the start line.
00:09:56Feiler moved to the U.S. Pentathlon Training Center in Charlotte
00:10:00to prepare for the 2028 Olympics when fencing and ninja
00:10:03will be two of the five events in the pentathlon.
00:10:07With his teammates cheering him on from back in Charlotte,
00:10:10Feiler got some practice on one of the other pentathlon disciplines, running.
00:10:14Ooh!
00:10:15Ooh!
00:10:16Be careful.
00:10:17And, unfortunately, another event.
00:10:20Swimming.
00:10:21Oh, no!
00:10:22He was not on guard right there.
00:10:25I don't even need a mask.
00:10:29Up next, it's a ninja legend.
00:10:31And for Sandy Zimmerman, this is a special season.
00:10:35It marks the 10th anniversary of her A&W debut,
00:10:38so she's brought along the whole family.
00:10:44It's a big season for me.
00:10:46Ten years.
00:10:47Oh, okay!
00:10:49That's not your ordinary PE teacher right there!
00:10:51So, I asked the family to come back and to do my tenth season with me.
00:10:58At first, I was like, ooh, like, I haven't done this in a little while.
00:11:01Now it's in the hands of their teenage son, Brett!
00:11:04After I thought about it more, like, I knew that it would be a lot of fun.
00:11:07And they're moving on to the power tower!
00:11:11Yeah, boy!
00:11:13Yeah!
00:11:14Ninja Warriors meant a lot to my family.
00:11:16It's been very much a bonding thing.
00:11:19We've watched each other compete.
00:11:20We've supported each other in it.
00:11:22Oh!
00:11:23Charlie holds up his end of the bargain!
00:11:26My favorite American Ninja Warrior memory would have to be my mom hitting the big buzzer
00:11:31in the Tacoma Dome.
00:11:32Our mom is going to be the next American Ninja Warrior!
00:11:37Yes!
00:11:38Yes!
00:11:38I just think that was so special and just, like, very historic.
00:11:42And we were just all so excited for her.
00:11:47This feels like the last chapter.
00:11:51Our kids are getting older, and this may be our last hurrah together, our last chance
00:11:57to be on this stage together, the last chance to make memories through Ninja,
00:12:01which has been such a huge part of our family.
00:12:09So Sandy's going to lead it off then.
00:12:11Brett will run next.
00:12:12Sandy's husband Charlie will compete next week along with daughter Lindsey.
00:12:17Her youngest son Blake's only 14 and hopes to get his shot on the course next season.
00:12:22Sandy always a fan favorite.
00:12:26Former point guard for the Gonzaga Bulldogs.
00:12:29Looking to be a sure shot here.
00:12:31All right, here we go.
00:12:33You got to check yourself on this new obstacle roller bag.
00:12:36You got to check yourself like TSA.
00:12:385'6", 140.
00:12:40Akwar has had early struggles on the course.
00:12:43Wants to be cautious here.
00:12:45Get this handle out.
00:12:48There it is.
00:12:49Use that momentum.
00:12:50And I think this is the perfect time to make that transfer.
00:12:53Good.
00:12:54Got it.
00:12:54She's got clearance.
00:12:55You're good.
00:12:56Oh!
00:12:57Well, that was not pretty, but Akwar, she got to it.
00:13:00That has to take a toll.
00:13:02A lot of jolts there for Sandy Zimmerman.
00:13:06See if she can travel through Diamond Bash.
00:13:09Just don't get crossed up.
00:13:11Just like that!
00:13:17We'll see if those extra swings, those jolts on roller bags, they come back to honor here on Kite Surfer.
00:13:29Big tree is for down.
00:13:32Going to take a couple extra swings here.
00:13:35Sandy Zimmerman is so focused.
00:13:36She is locked in.
00:13:38Look at her.
00:13:38She is locked in.
00:13:42The top five women from tonight will move on.
00:13:44And with this run, Sandy's giving herself a chance to be one of them.
00:13:48Nice!
00:13:49Oh my!
00:13:49There it is!
00:13:50There it is!
00:13:51You want to get to the narrow point of that second one.
00:13:55And she's reached the fifth obstacle!
00:13:58Yeah!
00:14:01Sandy's now a successful author and motivational speaker.
00:14:04And she's got this crowd on its feet.
00:14:11Charlie and Lindsey running next week.
00:14:13They better be taking some notes from Mom's Run.
00:14:16But what does she have left for Kaleidoscope?
00:14:20Built a backyard course years ago.
00:14:22She's put in work.
00:14:24And now it's showing back up.
00:14:25Well, it's her tenth anniversary of competing on the show.
00:14:29Doing it with her family.
00:14:30It's got to mean so much.
00:14:32But Akwar, a buzzer would be so special.
00:14:34She is ready, Matt.
00:14:35She is ready.
00:14:36That backyard course known as the Fortress.
00:14:38She trains grip relentlessly.
00:14:40Look how clean and smooth she is with that.
00:14:43But Akwar, these are big reaches.
00:14:45With a no!
00:14:49Sandy Zimmerman makes it to the fifth obstacle.
00:14:53A strong run for Sandy on this special season for her.
00:14:56This was vintage Sandy Zimmerman.
00:14:59She put together her best run in five years.
00:15:03She just ran out of grip on Kaleidoscope.
00:15:05Sandy!
00:15:06It's so great to see you out here.
00:15:08What does it mean to you to not just be running with the family supporting,
00:15:11but knowing the family is running alongside you?
00:15:14Man, this is already the most special season for me.
00:15:19And getting to do it alongside my family.
00:15:23Would have been nice to get a buzzer and celebrate it with them.
00:15:27But hopefully another Zimmy's gonna get one, so.
00:15:29Spoken like the true competitor you are.
00:15:31We love it.
00:15:32We'll know soon if you went far enough, fast enough.
00:15:33But great work out here tonight.
00:15:35Thank you so much.
00:15:35Absolutely.
00:15:36Guys, back to you.
00:15:37Coming up.
00:15:38We're going all the way to Guam.
00:15:40We're ninjas blowing up.
00:15:42And we've got the first teenage competitor from the island.
00:15:45To put Guam on the map.
00:15:46It's really important to represent the island.
00:15:54Welcome back to Vegas.
00:15:56This year we are going to see how well you know our ninjas
00:15:59by showing you their baby pictures like this one.
00:16:03Can you guess who it is?
00:16:04We'll narrow it down for you.
00:16:06It's either Sean Bryan, Lance Pekus, or Caden Levzak.
00:16:10We'll reveal the answer a little later.
00:16:13Thanks, Suri.
00:16:15While we roll away, Brett Zimmerman, the 19-year-old son of Sandy Zimmerman,
00:16:19got his shot at the course.
00:16:21Come on, Brett!
00:16:22Though he's competed on Ninja Junior and with his parents on our family special,
00:16:26this was Brett's first appearance on The Big Show.
00:16:30Oh!
00:16:32Wow!
00:16:33And the new obstacle roller bag sent him packing.
00:16:37Wow, he picked up the wrong luggage.
00:16:39Then it was high school student Ellie Swenson, who came out swinging,
00:16:44showing off her dance moves with her brother.
00:16:46This is too cool.
00:16:47Then the 17-year-old danced her way across the early obstacles.
00:16:51Watch the athleticism go to work here on Diamond Dash.
00:16:55There you go.
00:16:55But the rookie's run was cut short on Kite Surfer.
00:16:58Oh!
00:17:02Up next, high school football coach Brandon Dodson.
00:17:05He's competed four times before, but has never made it past the third obstacle,
00:17:09but now he wants to prove to his players, you gotta keep fighting.
00:17:14Ready?
00:17:15Ready?
00:17:15Good job.
00:17:17Let's get it.
00:17:18Being able to shape young people, especially young men, has been awesome.
00:17:22I've been doing my gents club with fourth and fifth grade boys for the past six years.
00:17:26We go over everything from how to tie a tie to accepting and receiving compliments,
00:17:32how to ask for forgiveness, how to behave at a table, manners.
00:17:35We just make sure we keep eye contact while we're shaking hands.
00:17:39Being a coach has actually helped me become a better ninja.
00:17:44You have to be able to move on to the next play,
00:17:46and for me it's letting the failures of the past go, not harping on it,
00:17:50but also learning from it.
00:17:53Ooh!
00:17:54Oh!
00:17:55He lost it!
00:17:56Coach Dot is hitting the buzzer tonight, because if I don't,
00:17:58I'm gonna hear about it at practice.
00:18:03Well, he's got some of those players watching from his football team,
00:18:06cheering him on.
00:18:07Let's go!
00:18:08Plus his home team, his wife and three daughters.
00:18:13He's a girl dad too.
00:18:14Look at his beautiful daughters, ah, look at that.
00:18:19Well, he was a cornerback.
00:18:21Let's see if he can stick with these obstacles here.
00:18:24Yeah, he played college ball at the University of Montana.
00:18:28Real smooth start.
00:18:29This new one, roller bags, get ready for a flight here.
00:18:34And you can see this is timing, Akbar.
00:18:36You have to levitate and pull when your body is weightless.
00:18:42A little trouble getting that first bag released.
00:18:45Let go!
00:18:47That was like an interception right there.
00:18:49He just went out and just grabbed that last handle.
00:18:52Now Diamond Dash.
00:18:54And look at the speedy defensive back go!
00:18:58And the fifth time's the charm for the first time ever.
00:19:02Brandon's made it to the fourth obstacle.
00:19:04But he's got his work cut out for him here.
00:19:06Kite surfer, a tough one.
00:19:08Already ended the night for a couple of ninjas.
00:19:10Watch the hand placement here.
00:19:12Good work.
00:19:15At 37, he's putting together his best run ever.
00:19:19He's showing his players how it's done.
00:19:23Smooth.
00:19:24And didn't expend a lot of energy.
00:19:27At 5'8", he's got plenty of wingspan to kind of go wide here.
00:19:31On this big arrow.
00:19:32With the kite surfer!
00:19:33Oh!
00:19:34He missed it!
00:19:35Oh!
00:19:39The former quarterback couldn't make the catch.
00:19:41But all in all, a successful run for Coach Dodson.
00:19:45Well, this is the Western qualifiers.
00:19:47And no one has come from further west than our next ninja.
00:19:51From 6,000 miles away in the island of Guam, this is 16-year-old Rai Flores.
00:19:57Joining him at the star line is his coach, Darren Perez.
00:20:00They're excited because they want to put their island on the ninja map.
00:20:08Being the first ever teenager to represent Guam on American Ninja Warrior,
00:20:11I mean, it's really a privilege.
00:20:12Representing the island, and more than that, being able to do it with my coach, Darren.
00:20:16Darren started his ninja journey 10 years ago when he competed in Kansas City.
00:20:21There you go!
00:20:22Nice!
00:20:23After that run, he wanted to bring ninja to his home island.
00:20:27Before I moved to Guam, there was no ninja available.
00:20:31We are literally in the middle of nowhere.
00:20:33And I did not let that stop me.
00:20:35I created something in my backyard, and from there, it just evolved.
00:20:38Training students.
00:20:40The first time I did Ninja Warrior was in Darren Perez's backyard.
00:20:44And now I'm opening up my very own gym.
00:20:46Viva!
00:20:49Guam's first ninja warrior gym.
00:20:53Something I wanted to do for myself ended up evolving into me doing something for my island.
00:20:58There you go.
00:20:59Nice.
00:21:00Light work.
00:21:01Good job, Rai.
00:21:02Rai Flores, one of my top students.
00:21:04There it is.
00:21:06The kid is phenomenal.
00:21:07He is naturally talented.
00:21:10I just feel so happy that I have this opportunity.
00:21:14Darren got his first buzzer last season.
00:21:15I'm getting mine tonight.
00:21:21Rai is the first teenager from Guam to compete.
00:21:24He calls himself King Rai because Rai means king in the native language of Guam.
00:21:29Go, Rai!
00:21:30Darren runs next.
00:21:31He's on the sideline flanked by Rai's mom and brother.
00:21:35And lots of family and friends watching back in Guam, including Rai's dad there in the middle.
00:21:43Here we go.
00:21:44Here we go.
00:21:44Man, this kid's propeller hat is so cool.
00:21:47He started wearing it to stand out at ninja competitions.
00:21:50And I think this thing is a secret weapon on the course.
00:21:535'7", 135, just 16.
00:21:56Real smooth!
00:21:57Wow!
00:21:58Oh, we're gonna have to...
00:21:59Oh!
00:22:00We're getting some rough dismounts on the rollerbacks.
00:22:03Let's go!
00:22:04Let's go!
00:22:05Let's go!
00:22:05You got it!
00:22:06We might have to put a Guam sticker on the luggage.
00:22:10And runs right through Diamond Dash.
00:22:12Come on!
00:22:13Left head there!
00:22:16Take it off!
00:22:16Take it off!
00:22:16Matt, he came 6,000 miles just to get here.
00:22:20He wants it badly.
00:22:21He didn't show up just to get on the course.
00:22:23He wants to get through the course.
00:22:25There you go.
00:22:27Let's see if he can fly through kite surfer.
00:22:30This is the big move.
00:22:31Move his hands up and around.
00:22:32Nice.
00:22:33Well, I hope that little spinning thing helps him fly even further.
00:22:36Cause he's gonna need it on this second kite.
00:22:41Rockbar, he is looking so strong as motor.
00:22:44Hit it.
00:22:44Nice!
00:22:44He's got his foot on the accelerator.
00:22:48The blade isn't even spinning on his hat.
00:22:51And he's still flying.
00:22:54He is pumped up, King Rye.
00:22:57He flew 6,000 miles just to get here.
00:22:59He wants the action, Matt.
00:23:01He wants that smoke.
00:23:02He wants that ninja smoke.
00:23:04Well, his dad was a swimmer for Guam in the 92 Olympics.
00:23:07He's got some athletic genes, and it's showing.
00:23:10But Rye doesn't want to go swimming tonight.
00:23:12Yeah, he looks so smooth.
00:23:15But this is where Kaleidoscope gets tough.
00:23:18He's gotta reach up and rotate the panels down.
00:23:21Just like that.
00:23:23Swing right up!
00:23:24Now has to swing over and land on that small ledge, and he's got it!
00:23:28How about it?
00:23:29Get out of there, young fella!
00:23:31He's done it!
00:23:32The King!
00:23:33Could be our first finisher tonight.
00:23:36King Rye, looking to ascend to the throne, and get that buzzer.
00:23:43Look at Mauro getting ready to cry.
00:23:45He gave their propeller a little spin, and he does it!
00:23:50King Rye, a buzzer on his rookie run!
00:23:54And the ninja from Guam is our first finisher of the season!
00:23:58Good job, Rye!
00:23:59Good job!
00:24:03Hey, but what do you want to tell some other kids watching around the globe who maybe feel like ninja
00:24:09warriors a world away from them?
00:24:11What do you want to tell those kids?
00:24:12It really doesn't matter how small or big your country is, how hard it is to train.
00:24:17As long as you want it, it's a lot of dedication.
00:24:20We just keep going, and that's all that matters.
00:24:22We keep putting in the time, and we're here right now.
00:24:24It shows!
00:24:25Started in Guam.
00:24:26Now you're here, baby.
00:24:28Hit that buzzer, kid!
00:24:29Let's go!
00:24:32They're celebrating in Guam tonight.
00:24:34Rye Flores delivers!
00:24:40Coming up, it's been a stressful time for John Mack.
00:24:43His newborn baby has been fighting for his life.
00:24:46Now he'll try to bring home a buzzer for his family.
00:24:50Sweet boy, can we wake up?
00:24:52When American Ninja Warrior returns.
00:25:00Welcome back to Qualifying Night for the West Region.
00:25:03Minutes ago, we saw Guam's Brian Flores get the first buzzer of the season.
00:25:09And while we were away, Rye's mentor, Darren Perez, got his shot.
00:25:13He won!
00:25:15Raising that flag proudly.
00:25:17After flying the flag for Guam, Perez then started flying through the course.
00:25:21Oh, nice!
00:25:23The Coast Guard recruiter was cruising, and he powered his way through the final obstacles.
00:25:28Let's go, Viva!
00:25:29Come on, get up that wall.
00:25:30He gave Guam the island's second buzzer of the night.
00:25:34Viva!
00:25:35Viva!
00:25:37Then the Myler family, better known as social media superstars, the Ninja Kids,
00:25:42kicked off their second season on Ninja Warrior.
00:25:46Look, the kids love them, man.
00:25:4717-year-old Paxton Myler was the first of the three siblings who will compete this year for the family
00:25:53that has 40 million subscribers on YouTube.
00:25:56Paxton made it to the national finals last year, but tonight...
00:26:00Oh!
00:26:01The tilt!
00:26:02He was cut down on Type Surfer.
00:26:05That may not be enough to move on, but his twin sister Peyton and older brother Ashton will get their
00:26:11chance next week.
00:26:12Our next Ninja almost didn't make it to the start line this year.
00:26:16It's Utah's John Mack, who was living at the hospital until just a few days ago as his new baby
00:26:22boy was fighting for his life.
00:26:26My wife and I were on a baby moon, having a lovely time before our little boy was born, when
00:26:31all of a sudden, my wife started to have some complications.
00:26:36My wife had an emergency C-section.
00:26:39Jason was 11 weeks premature.
00:26:42And then after a few hours, he took a very sharp left turn.
00:26:49They could not figure out what was wrong with him, but his health was rapidly declining.
00:26:55A few days later, when the doctors told me that we might...
00:26:59We might not be able to take him home.
00:27:05You know, broke my heart.
00:27:08I've always wanted to be a dad.
00:27:09My wife's always wanted to be a mom.
00:27:12And then to feel so much love and then be told we might not be able to have it was...
00:27:20It's one of the hardest things I've ever had to deal with.
00:27:25My whole life seemed to just stop.
00:27:33After a few days, they found out that he had pneumonia.
00:27:37And they were able to start him on antibiotics.
00:27:39He perked up really quick, started gaining weight, and has been happy and smiling ever since then.
00:27:47I'm really, really excited and grateful for this opportunity to run in Georgia this year.
00:27:51It means a lot more to me.
00:27:53You and Mom gonna cheer me on?
00:27:54You guys gonna watch me?
00:27:56Eventually, I'll be able to show him this run and tell him that I ran for him.
00:28:04Jason, I'm gonna hit this buzzer for you, buddy.
00:28:08And there's his wife, Ashley, and baby son, Jason.
00:28:12So glad they're doing okay now.
00:28:18John's also got his mom on the sideline, along with other family and friends.
00:28:22And John is my pick to be fastest of the night.
00:28:25With that newborn, he's gonna be running with a purpose.
00:28:28Plus, he's 6'6", our tallest competitor.
00:28:33All right, let's see if Matt's got the right pick tonight.
00:28:36Well, right now, Darren Perez has the top top, a minute 43.
00:28:40I know John can beat that.
00:28:42Doesn't want to be hanging out on this course with his big pass.
00:28:45Would love to get a finish in under a minute 10, so he'll get a shot at winning 10 grand
00:28:49on the Mega Wall.
00:28:50Wow.
00:28:50That was easy.
00:28:52Watch the steps here.
00:28:53Stay centered.
00:28:54Nice.
00:28:55Akbar, he is effortlessly flying.
00:28:57And the kite surfer with that big reach is looking easy.
00:29:01Wow!
00:29:01You see that?
00:29:02That's exactly how you're supposed to do that.
00:29:04He made it easy.
00:29:06That's as efficient as we've seen a ninja go through that.
00:29:09Okay, John is moving.
00:29:10Might be onto something here.
00:29:12Yeah, I'm feeling pretty good about my pick right now.
00:29:16He is like a Mack truck on this course.
00:29:19He is just crushing it.
00:29:22His reach is going to help him.
00:29:24But 200 pounds is a decent amount of mass right here.
00:29:27These are big reaches.
00:29:28Look at him locking it up, Akbar.
00:29:30Nice.
00:29:30And you can see him utilizing the males.
00:29:32Here we go.
00:29:33This is a big transfer.
00:29:35Akbar, he's going to have about 15 seconds if he can get this dismount.
00:29:38He's got to go now.
00:29:39Go big fella.
00:29:40Go big fella.
00:29:42And it's going to be close.
00:29:45John Mack delivers!
00:29:47Yes!
00:29:48Yes!
00:29:50Yes!
00:29:51Yes!
00:29:52Yes!
00:29:53Yes!
00:29:53Our boy, I said he was going to go faster.
00:29:55You did.
00:29:56You did.
00:29:57Matt, you were right.
00:29:59God, you're a new father.
00:30:01I salute you, my brother.
00:30:03I know your wife's with Jason right now.
00:30:05They're watching.
00:30:06What do you want to say to him, bud?
00:30:07I love you guys so very, very much.
00:30:12Well, there's dad strength and there's dad speed.
00:30:16You did that really fast, man.
00:30:18So, John, he's right.
00:30:19The time to need for a shot at the Mega Wall was a minute 10.
00:30:22You did it in 104.
00:30:24So get down there for $10,000, brother.
00:30:27Yeah!
00:30:29You can buy a lot of diapers with that one.
00:30:32Mega Wall!
00:30:33Mega Wall!
00:30:35Mega Wall!
00:30:38Mega Wall!
00:30:39Only three ninjas conquered it last year.
00:30:41Akbar, I picked this guy to be the fastest of the night,
00:30:44and he just set a very high bar.
00:30:46Can he also take home 10K?
00:30:49Whoa!
00:30:51Oh!
00:30:53So close.
00:30:55Almost had it.
00:30:56That close.
00:30:59But just an inspired run by John Mack.
00:31:02After all, he and his wife have been through the past few weeks.
00:31:05And he sits atop our current leaderboard.
00:31:08Remember, only those in the top 20 at the end of the night will move on.
00:31:11And the top five get a buy in the first round of the regional finals.
00:31:16Still to come, we're going up, up, and away
00:31:19with a ninja who has one of the coolest jobs on the planet.
00:31:23It's pretty intense, but it's a lot of fun.
00:31:25When American Ninja Warrior returns.
00:31:32So did you figure out who this little guy grew up to be?
00:31:36That baby in the bow tie?
00:31:39Became the cowboy ninja, Lance Pekas.
00:31:43Well, we've got a ninja from the cowboy state headed to the start line right now.
00:31:47Carrying the flag from Wyoming.
00:31:49It's college student Gabe Villalobos.
00:31:52He's just the third ninja ever from his home state.
00:31:59It takes a lot of work to be a ninja in Wyoming.
00:32:01I mean, you have to drive, like, 200 miles just to get to your next ninja gym,
00:32:05because there's only one, you know?
00:32:06I'm from one of the biggest towns.
00:32:08There's only 26,000 people in the whole town.
00:32:10I mean, there's more cows than people in Wyoming, you know?
00:32:13This is one of the biggest things that happened in Wyoming, honestly.
00:32:16And I cannot wait to represent and make everyone proud back home.
00:32:25His run is big news in Wyoming, so they're watching at his gym.
00:32:30And he's got a group on the sideline, including his dad.
00:32:36Let's go, Wyoming!
00:32:41Gabe's last name, Villalobos, means village wolf.
00:32:45Ow!
00:32:47Let's see if he can attack our course, Akbar.
00:32:50He says that's one obstacle, Dale.
00:32:52We've already seen a few ninjas struggle here on this new obstacle roller bags.
00:33:00Well, we've got six brutal obstacles here.
00:33:03This one is brand new!
00:33:04And you can see him take an extra swing and not looking confident, Akbar.
00:33:08But he's throwing up the deuces!
00:33:10He's 3-2!
00:33:12The village wolf still alive.
00:33:14Let's check out his footwork here on Diamond Dash.
00:33:18These balance obstacles always lethal, even for a wolf.
00:33:21You can see him holding up fingers after...
00:33:23Oh!
00:33:24Hold up that three!
00:33:26Hold up that three!
00:33:27There it is!
00:33:30The wolf is alive!
00:33:33And now let's see if this wolf can fly on kitesurfer, Akbar.
00:33:38The way the knight is shaping up probably needs to get through this to have a chance to move on.
00:33:46Well, Akbar, he's looking to establish himself as the greatest ninja from Wyoming of all time.
00:33:52To do that, he'd need to match Colby Frontiero, who hit a buzzer way back in Season 5, 13 years
00:33:58ago.
00:34:00Well, the kitesurfer this wide point, 48 inches.
00:34:03I like how he grabbed the more narrow part of this.
00:34:06Be careful with the tilt.
00:34:09But he is through, and he can hold up four fingers!
00:34:14And if he can get through the next two obstacles and hit a buzzer, he'd match the greatest performance ever
00:34:20by a Wyoming ninja.
00:34:22A proud accomplishment for this rookie, just 23 years old.
00:34:25Well, here it is.
00:34:26This is his drive for five to become the greatest in Wyoming history.
00:34:32Well, what a story of perseverance.
00:34:34Can the Village Wolf fight on kaleidoscope?
00:34:38Big transfer here.
00:34:41Ooh, man, I'm not confident about that swing.
00:34:44It looks like he's starting to gas out.
00:34:46Come on, dude.
00:34:49Oh, you can see it, Akbar!
00:34:51The Wolf's legs didn't give out, but it's gripped it.
00:34:55Does not set the mark as the best ever Wyoming ninja, but still, pretty good run by this rookie.
00:35:01You could see he was starting to feel it, and as he went for the last panel, his fingers just
00:35:07peeled off, and the Wolf got wet.
00:35:09Ow!
00:35:11Well, we'll have to wait and see if his pace was good enough to move on to the Western Regional
00:35:15Finals.
00:35:16Up next on the course is Utah's Allie Tibbetts Wooden, better known as the Flippin' Ninja.
00:35:22Oh, she flippin'.
00:35:24Allie recently had her second child, and to get back in ninja shape, she teamed up with a couple of
00:35:29other Utah ninja moms.
00:35:32All right, mamas, let's go.
00:35:34So, in St. George, we have this little mom posse with Kendall and Maddie Howard and I.
00:35:39Maddie Howard keeping the pressure on Wooden.
00:35:42Now they're neck and neck, and here comes Kendall!
00:35:45It's a nice little group we have.
00:35:47We all have kids around the same age.
00:35:49We like to train ninja together, and then our kids can kind of play.
00:35:53Underneath!
00:35:54Go under!
00:35:54Go under!
00:35:55It's really helped me train and get ready for the season.
00:35:57So, three up, three down?
00:35:58Sure.
00:35:59Okay.
00:35:59I mean, I'm sure we could even do two up, two down, whatever you want.
00:36:02You don't have to push pause on your own dreams and athletic goals just because you're in the season of
00:36:09having your kids and growing your family.
00:36:12Looking strong!
00:36:13The mom posse is going to make it happen this year.
00:36:19We'll see Kendall compete next week.
00:36:22Maddie's taking a year off, and Zuri has decided to step in and help Allie's husband with babysitting duties during
00:36:28the run.
00:36:28Oh my gosh!
00:36:30Look!
00:36:33Look!
00:36:35Maddie missed last season because she was pregnant with her daughter, but now Allie's back for the third time!
00:36:42She is ready to do her ninja thing!
00:36:44Well, let's see what she can do on roller bags.
00:36:48Yeah, I've been there before, traveling with little ones.
00:36:51It's not easy, especially when you've got them roller bags.
00:36:56And you see that Allie's just hesitating on that first swing and taking another one, Agua.
00:37:02All right, got to really feel it.
00:37:03Got to roll!
00:37:05Nice!
00:37:05As clean a dismount as we've seen!
00:37:08That was smooth.
00:37:10Let's see if she can stay firm on Diamond Dash.
00:37:12Allie is super, super athletic.
00:37:15The Diamond Dash should be pretty easy.
00:37:17Watch it!
00:37:18Watch it!
00:37:18Nice!
00:37:19Light on her feet.
00:37:21And the mom posse approves!
00:37:23She looks like she's got this.
00:37:25You can see that 5'6", 125.
00:37:28She's been working on her upper body strength.
00:37:31Maddie, a lot of this goes back to her origin.
00:37:33Being a gymnast at a very young age, she's been doing that for a long time.
00:37:38Trying to be the second woman to get past Kite Surfer tonight.
00:37:41Watch this transfer down, bounce it up!
00:37:43Nice!
00:37:44This obstacle, Kite Surfer, has already knocked out five ninjas.
00:37:48You got it!
00:37:49You got it!
00:37:50Yeah!
00:37:51Makes it to the second kite, but this is a big move.
00:37:54Got to go wide around those edges.
00:37:57Bump!
00:37:58Oh, no!
00:37:59Oh, no!
00:38:00And she flips out, missing that hand placement on Kite Surfer.
00:38:06Allie Tippett's wooden splashes down on the fourth obstacle.
00:38:09But still, a solid run, and the mom posse can be proud.
00:38:14Coming up, he's one of the biggest social media stars in the world.
00:38:18And Ben Azalert's latest stunt is running the Ninja Warrior course.
00:38:23This, for me, is all about just, like, making a childhood dream come true.
00:38:26That's just ahead on American Ninja Warrior.
00:38:33Welcome back to Las Vegas, where we're about halfway through our first night of qualifying.
00:38:37And these ninjas are starting off the season strong.
00:38:40Vegas native Kobe Player came to play.
00:38:44The 30-year-old rookie was rolling through the course.
00:38:47Oh, wow!
00:38:48This former circus performer put on a show for his hometown crowd.
00:38:52Oh!
00:38:53Oh!
00:38:54The flip!
00:38:54He made his way to the buzzer, becoming our fourth finisher of the night.
00:38:59Well, they say the house always wins, but tonight, it's the player who comes out on top.
00:39:06Ontario, California's Xavier Ochoa showed his strength at the start line, and then showed his speed on the course.
00:39:14Confidently racing across the early obstacles.
00:39:17One of the faster runs we've seen to this point.
00:39:19The three-time veteran had never made it past the fifth obstacle, but did so tonight.
00:39:28And he climbed up the wall to become the night's fifth finisher.
00:39:32And Xavier Ochoa gets that buzzer!
00:39:39Up next is 24-year-old grad student and rocket scientist Max Manson.
00:39:44He's one of several athletes competing this year from Stanford University.
00:39:48All of them were inspired to try this sport by former ninja and their good friend, Vincent Payne.
00:39:56I first met Vince at a climbing team practice.
00:39:59And I just remember thinking, this is probably the most interesting person I've ever met.
00:40:07He was the Stanford ninja, setting up obstacles on campus.
00:40:11This is definitely a circus person move.
00:40:14Vince was definitely super eccentric.
00:40:17Gnarly.
00:40:18He made a lot of his own clothes.
00:40:20Just so many talents.
00:40:24Always just setting up these amazing adventures that really kind of brought us together.
00:40:31Last summer, Vince and I were attempting this long ridge traverse along the continental divide.
00:40:38And the only way to really do it is to move light and fast.
00:40:42And lots of loose rock.
00:40:44And that's when the accident happened.
00:40:57We know that Vince would be heartbroken if we ever stopped adventuring.
00:41:02And so we keep going to make him proud.
00:41:07It's been cool to get to kind of see the legacy he left behind.
00:41:12And I'm excited to bring that with me when I run.
00:41:21And there are two other ninjas from Stanford.
00:41:24Benny Hesser, who competes next week.
00:41:25And Sam Boshan, who runs later tonight.
00:41:27They're on the sideline along with Max's parents.
00:41:32It was Vince who got him into the show last year.
00:41:35What a tragic loss.
00:41:36And Max Manson was a natural for this sport.
00:41:39He's a top rock climber and also a rocket scientist.
00:41:42So he knows all about speed.
00:41:44And this guy doesn't just want to design rockets.
00:41:48He loves being in the sky.
00:41:49This guy's gotten into skydiving, Akbar.
00:41:52Yeah, that's real dangerous.
00:41:53He likes all that stuff that can fly.
00:41:55Well, he's flying through the course.
00:41:57Yeah, you want to avoid free falling here on Kite Surfer.
00:42:00He likes rockets.
00:42:01He likes skydiving.
00:42:02I'm sure he's going to love Kite Surfer.
00:42:11Making good progress.
00:42:13A lot of forward thrust here for this rocketry student.
00:42:17And now Kaleidoscope.
00:42:196'1", 180 on the bigger side.
00:42:22The bigger your payload, the more that grip strength gets taxed.
00:42:26That's a pretty good amount of weight to try to keep in orbit here on Kaleidoscope.
00:42:30Max was a successful Division I pole vaulter at Stanford.
00:42:34He's a good all-around athlete.
00:42:36Well, these rocket students, they don't spend all their time in the lab.
00:42:39This guy also a rock climber.
00:42:41You can see that grip strength serving him well.
00:42:45Look at this, Akbar.
00:42:47I don't know what the equation is for what he's doing.
00:42:49Big Max.
00:42:49But whatever it is, it equals success.
00:42:5414 1⁄2 feet away, and he gets that buzzer.
00:43:10Well, it was awesome watching you, Max.
00:43:13I know on your mind it's got to be your buddy Vince Payne.
00:43:16He got you into this sport.
00:43:18What's it mean standing here having to hit that buzzer?
00:43:20So special just to be able to kind of, you know, carry on what he got me into.
00:43:24And, yeah, I definitely felt him out there with me on the course.
00:43:27Oh, man, that's special.
00:43:29That's real special, man.
00:43:30We love Vince, man.
00:43:31I know how much you love him.
00:43:32Hit that buzzer one more time.
00:43:34An amazing run.
00:43:36So Max joins our other finishers on the leaderboard.
00:43:40We're up to six so far.
00:43:41Remember, only the top 20 at the end of the night will move on.
00:43:45It's looking like you need to reach Kaleidoscope to have a chance.
00:43:49Coming up, the Beckstrands are the first family of Ninja.
00:43:53Kai's our defending champ.
00:43:55He got it!
00:43:55Yeah!
00:43:56His brother Luke's a top competitor.
00:43:58What a run!
00:43:59And tonight, their sister Bailey and their dad Brian can make history of their own
00:44:04when American Ninja Warrior returns.
00:44:10It's Ninja's opening night.
00:44:12Featuring athletes from the West region.
00:44:14And minutes ago, Utah's Viola Kepo'o honored her Hawaiian heritage.
00:44:18The high schooler's great-grandfather was a warrior chief in Hawaii.
00:44:22And Kepo'o looked like a warrior as she raced through the early obstacles.
00:44:26Wow!
00:44:27Kepo'o!
00:44:28Oh!
00:44:29The 18-year-old was looking to advance past qualifying for the fourth straight season.
00:44:34She's got to reach up and she's got to make those turns.
00:44:37Ooh!
00:44:39Though she fell on the fifth obstacle,
00:44:41her fast time means she's in a good position to move on.
00:44:46Daniella Blanchard moved from New York to L.A.
00:44:49to live and train with Ninja great Jessie Graff.
00:44:52And it seems to have paid off.
00:44:54Two years ago, Blanchard fell on the first obstacle.
00:44:57But tonight, she confidently made her way to the fifth.
00:45:00Now get out of there, Daniella!
00:45:03Ooh! Ooh!
00:45:05I see you! I see you!
00:45:07Blanchard was poised to become the first woman to hit a buzzer this season
00:45:11until she came up short on her three attempts at the Warped Wall.
00:45:16Oh!
00:45:17Oh!
00:45:18She had it!
00:45:19Still, she's in a good position to move on.
00:45:22Well, we've got a dance party at the start line.
00:45:25This hip-hop troupe is from St. George, Utah,
00:45:28and out front is our next ninja, Bailey Beckstrand,
00:45:32who loves dancing almost as much as she loves Ninja.
00:45:35Oh, yeah, you could tell. Look at that.
00:45:37Her family's been busting moves on the course for more than a decade.
00:45:45I am the fifth Beckstrand to take on the A&W course.
00:45:48My dad and my brothers have all had buzzers.
00:45:51Using that mohawk.
00:45:52He just set the record.
00:45:54He is now the new youngest ever to hit a buzzer on stage one.
00:45:58Luke!
00:46:00What a run!
00:46:03Watching everything they do has always just pushed me to become better
00:46:06because I've always wanted to do everything that they do.
00:46:08Little sis wants to show the whole family she can ninja as well.
00:46:12Since last season, I've just been trying to get in the gym more
00:46:15and training more with my brothers and taking their advice more.
00:46:19I'd say I feel pretty ready to follow in the family legacy
00:46:22and hopefully get a buzzer this season.
00:46:29Our dad, Brian, runs next.
00:46:31He's over there with Mom, Holly, and brothers Kai and Luke,
00:46:35who both run next week.
00:46:39Well, last year, an impressive rookie campaign made it to that fifth obstacle.
00:46:44Well, Matt, what Bayley has been doing
00:46:46is she's been training with her brothers Kai and Luke,
00:46:49and that really has upped her game.
00:46:51And I think we're going to see a big difference
00:46:53from what she did last season to this season.
00:46:55That means getting a buzzer, Matt.
00:46:57Well, it's so great.
00:46:58The Zimmermans, the Beckstrands, the Barons,
00:47:01all of these great ninja families.
00:47:03Show them what this sport is all about.
00:47:06But only 5'1 needs big strides on Diamond Dash.
00:47:11Right through it.
00:47:12Well, I will say, Matt, she danced her way through Diamond Dash.
00:47:15One thing I can tell you about Bayley, she is fearless.
00:47:19She's been doing ninja training since she was 4 years old.
00:47:22That's 12 years of ninja.
00:47:26Bayley, such confidence, Akbar.
00:47:28What a difference a year makes.
00:47:29Well, the confidence really does come from the preparation.
00:47:32She was born into a ninja family, Matt.
00:47:35She's had no choice.
00:47:36This is the family business.
00:47:38They have two ninja gyms in St. George, Utah.
00:47:42St. George, not that far away from here.
00:47:44About an hour away from where we are today.
00:47:49Nice.
00:47:50The transfer.
00:47:52Another big performance.
00:47:54And she's back facing the fifth obstacle yet again.
00:48:00Made it to the fifth obstacle last year, but couldn't get past it.
00:48:04This would mean so much to her if she can conquer it this season.
00:48:07And if she does, she's assured of moving on.
00:48:11Well, she's attacking it with no hesitation.
00:48:14Bayley only weighs 106 pounds, but such strength.
00:48:18Matt, I try to read the body language of the athlete as they're on this course.
00:48:22But confidence, though, is there that she's had the training.
00:48:25She's had the preparation.
00:48:26Look at that.
00:48:27Look at the technique.
00:48:28Her dad set a goal that both he and Bayley would make it to the national finals.
00:48:33Matt, I called it earlier.
00:48:35She's getting it.
00:48:36She's about to do it.
00:48:37She could get a shot at her very first buzzer.
00:48:40Yes.
00:48:41Yes.
00:48:42Bended like Beckstrand.
00:48:44Bayley!
00:48:45Beckstrand!
00:48:46Yup.
00:48:50Looking to be the fourth member of the family to get a buzzer.
00:48:53You got this.
00:48:55This is so cool.
00:48:56Kai's good.
00:48:57Nick's good.
00:48:59Bayley's good.
00:49:00Everybody's good.
00:49:01Fourteen and a half feet away from getting her first ever buzzer.
00:49:07Come on, Bayley.
00:49:08Come on, Bayley!
00:49:09She's right at home.
00:49:11Bayley Beckstrand gets the buzzer.
00:49:14That's Bayley Beckstrand.
00:49:16Oh, my word.
00:49:23What a smile.
00:49:27Welcome.
00:49:28Welcome to the top of the Warped Wall.
00:49:31Is this how you dreamt it?
00:49:34It doesn't feel real yet, so it feels like a dream.
00:49:38Yeah.
00:49:39Well, it's gotta be a good dream.
00:49:40We've talked so much about your brother, Kai, about your brother, Luke, about your dad,
00:49:45Bryan, but this time it's all about Bayley.
00:49:48How good did that first buzzer feel?
00:49:51Really good.
00:49:52Now, come on.
00:49:53You made it to the top of that Warped Wall.
00:49:56I want to see a little bit of dance move.
00:49:58Come on, play that music.
00:50:02There it is.
00:50:03Oh!
00:50:05Hit that buzzer!
00:50:06Hey!
00:50:08Come on, man.
00:50:09We coordinate that, man.
00:50:11How about the Beckstrand?
00:50:13Well done.
00:50:14Way to go, Bayley.
00:50:15Well done.
00:50:15One day I'm gonna dance just like Bayley.
00:50:18So now, for the first time, four members of one family have hit buzzers.
00:50:22Bayley just got her first.
00:50:24Her dad, Bryan, has three.
00:50:26Her brother, Luke, has eight buzzers so far.
00:50:28And leading the way, our defending champion, Kai, with 19 buzzers in his four seasons.
00:50:33Wow.
00:50:34That's 31 buzzers for the Beckstrands.
00:50:37Well, they got a chance to add another right now as the 47-year-old patriarch of the Ninja
00:50:41dynasty.
00:50:42Bryan Beckstrand heads to the start line.
00:50:45Made history five years ago when he and Kai became the first father and son duo to hit buzzers the
00:50:50same night.
00:50:51Now, he can make more history as part of the first father-daughter duo to do it.
00:50:56Bayley just did her part.
00:50:58Now, it's up to dad.
00:51:01At 47, he's one of the Knights' older competitors, but this firefighter is in tremendous shape.
00:51:06The Beckstrand's Ninja journey started 11 years ago when Bryan first competed.
00:51:11He got a buzzer his first time on the course.
00:51:15Oh, no!
00:51:16Oh!
00:51:17Matt, that was close.
00:51:19Let's look at it again.
00:51:20His right hand was coming off the handle early, and he just barely got that left leg over the wall.
00:51:26Woo!
00:51:27The dismount on this obstacle is really giving our Ninjas trouble tonight.
00:51:31That firefighter almost a five-alarm fire.
00:51:34Oh, get it, get it, get it, get it.
00:51:36But one thing that he does, he gives a lot of credit and has a lot of respect for his
00:51:40kids, and how far Ninja has really pushed them.
00:51:43And it's also his kids pushing him.
00:51:45Matt, he's now back in the weight room.
00:51:47He's training with Kai.
00:51:49He's now big pressure, 235 pounds, squat 250, deadlifting 405.
00:51:546'2", 185.
00:51:56One of the bigger athletes we'll see out here.
00:51:57Does he have the grip strength to survive Kai's surfer?
00:52:01Both hands on, both hands on.
00:52:05Got it, nice.
00:52:06Well, Akbar, Brian Beckstrand's last buzzer was in season 13.
00:52:11Yeah, Matt, he's gonna change that.
00:52:13I feel it.
00:52:14Yes, sir.
00:52:14Yes, come on.
00:52:15Hoping to make Ninja history with his daughter, Bayley, but with his size, landing on these tiny ledges of kaleidoscope.
00:52:21Gonna be a challenge.
00:52:23All right.
00:52:24Now, we gotta remember, these things, it does have a little roll to it, so he's gotta roll with it,
00:52:30just like his core rolls.
00:52:31And you can see, Akbar, he's going in circles.
00:52:33This is a real struggle.
00:52:34Ooh.
00:52:35Expending a lot of grip strength.
00:52:37Ooh.
00:52:39Ryan Beckstrand, the firefighter, ends up in the water and misses out on becoming the first father-daughter buzzer duo.
00:52:47He spent a lot of time going in circles at the start of kaleidoscope.
00:52:52His spinning created a moving target for him to grab on the second ledge, and he just couldn't get a
00:52:57handle.
00:53:00But he has a good chance to be in the top 20 and move on.
00:53:04He could still join Bayley in the regional finals.
00:53:07And sons Kai and Luke might be there, too.
00:53:09They get their chance at the course next week.
00:53:12Up next, it's an unbelievable story.
00:53:15The Serrano family nearly lost their dad in a horrible explosion.
00:53:19His hard hat melted onto his head.
00:53:21He literally ran through fire.
00:53:23But dad battled back.
00:53:24And now his two kids will battle the course in his honor when American Ninja Warrior returns.
00:53:34It's qualifying night for the West region, and a couple of Californians just took on the course.
00:53:39Sam Boshan's family owns a winery in Napa Valley, and he brought us a bottle of his best.
00:53:45We raise a toast to Sam Boshan.
00:53:49Boshan's a grad student in mechanical engineering at Stanford, so you know he's smart.
00:53:53And he had the early obstacles figured out.
00:53:56Let's go, baby!
00:53:57The 22-year-old was captain of the Stanford climbing team, but he couldn't get a grip on Kitesurfer.
00:54:03Whoa!
00:54:07Concord, California's Sean Bryant, better known as the Papal Ninja, has never failed to finish a qualifying course.
00:54:13The older he gets, the better he gets.
00:54:16The Catholic church worker is competing in his 11th season and shows no signs of slowing down.
00:54:21He's got to go right now. He's got to go right now.
00:54:24He finished in under a minute ten.
00:54:26Nice!
00:54:27Which earned him a shot at the Mega Wall.
00:54:29Mega Wall! Mega Wall! Mega Wall!
00:54:32Let's go, let's go!
00:54:33Oh!
00:54:35Ooh!
00:54:36Though he came up short, he's in position to get one of the five buys in the regional finals.
00:54:42The force is strong with this next athlete, Akbar.
00:54:46Arona Spader's a graphic artist who does cosplay and stunt work.
00:54:50And on the weekends, she likes to go up, up, and away!
00:54:55We wanna live like that!
00:54:57I work grounds crew for hot air balloons.
00:55:01I help get the balloons up in the air and then I get them down safely.
00:55:06Wrangling a balloon is like pulling a five-story building.
00:55:09It is very strong, it is very like strenuous on your body, but you gotta make sure the balloon comes
00:55:14up safely.
00:55:17It helps with body control, my strength, my grip strength, a lot of body awareness because that's the biggest thing
00:55:23that you need when you're doing ninja.
00:55:25Sometimes you get to ride in the balloon.
00:55:30Super peaceful and just calming and you kind of watch the whole town.
00:55:34They're like little ants at the bottom.
00:55:35I love it.
00:55:37Tonight, nothing's gonna hold me down.
00:55:44In addition to her high-flying hobbies, Arona also coaches at her ninja gym in Arizona.
00:55:49Some of her students have come out to watch.
00:55:55Was a high school national champ in track.
00:55:58We know she's got speed.
00:56:02She had very little training before competing last year and she fell on the second obstacle.
00:56:06She's much more prepared this season.
00:56:14Well, trouble getting that handle deployed.
00:56:17Come on, come on.
00:56:19Got it!
00:56:21Nice.
00:56:22Used to wrangling those hot air balloons, which sounds fun, but could be a dangerous job.
00:56:27Nice. She did it, Matt.
00:56:29She's gone further than she did last year.
00:56:32Now the former track star will try to sprint across Diamond Dash.
00:56:37Got it.
00:56:39And look at that smile.
00:56:41She's enjoying this.
00:56:44Four women have made it past kite surfers so far. If Arona can join them, it will greatly improve her
00:56:49chances of moving on.
00:56:515'7", 130. Good reach.
00:56:54It's the second kite where we've seen ninjas have trouble. The arms start to get tired.
00:57:00Knife! Hold it!
00:57:02This is so taxing, Akbar.
00:57:06Right here, Lucas.
00:57:08Here it is right here. You're there.
00:57:10Yeah.
00:57:11Nice.
00:57:12Big transfer here.
00:57:14Get narrowed. Get deep.
00:57:16Big hits.
00:57:18Got it! Fingertips saved!
00:57:21Ooh!
00:57:22That was a double save.
00:57:23And she's through!
00:57:26Arona Spader in her second year, and she is soaking it all in.
00:57:33Can I see you?
00:57:34I think she's elated with her performance to this point. Can she get through this?
00:57:39And you can see she's got her warrior tattoo, her warrior artwork on her hands.
00:57:44You want it?
00:57:46Woo!
00:57:47Akbar just looking so much more confident than what we saw last year.
00:57:51Well, sometimes you just need to get a little bit of that experience, get it out of you first.
00:57:56Remaining calm, doing a good job getting power with the hips.
00:57:59Alright, here's the test. Here's the test right here.
00:58:01Big reach.
00:58:03Okay, she's got the long straight arms. You know, she's got to go up for it.
00:58:06The longer she hangs.
00:58:08No!
00:58:12Can't make the grab, but a huge improvement for Arona Spader.
00:58:16We'll have to wait and see if that's good enough to move on as one of our top five women.
00:58:21Up next, a 16-year-old rookie from Austin, Texas, Simeon Serrano.
00:58:26He's competing with his older sister, Salome, who runs next.
00:58:31They're gonna take on the course this year to honor their dad.
00:58:36Two years ago, my dad was in an explosion at an oil refinery in California.
00:58:43He was covered with third-degree burns.
00:58:46His hard hat melted onto his head.
00:58:49He literally ran through fire.
00:58:52We didn't know if he would be alive when we got there.
00:58:56I just remember being, like, really quiet, pondering, like, what am I gonna do if, like, my dad's gone?
00:59:05The next couple months, there were a lot of instances where, when I said goodbye to my dad, I thought
00:59:12that might be the last time.
00:59:16His recovery took about eight months, and during that time, he went through 20 surgeries.
00:59:25He never should have survived, and, um, he made it.
00:59:33He's taken me to Ninja Warrior forever since I was, like, really young.
00:59:37Having my dad here watching me tonight means that I can fulfill a part of his dream as well as
00:59:42mine.
00:59:42That looks crazy.
00:59:44Oh, my gosh, that is cool.
00:59:45As a dad and as a parent, I couldn't be more proud of them and what they accomplished.
00:59:51My dad has shown me that nothing is impossible, so I'm coming for that buzzer.
00:59:57And there's Jerome on the sideline, cheering on his kids with the rest of the family.
01:00:05Competing in front of their dad, what a special moment.
01:00:08Well, Simeon said his dad really taught him that when bad things happen, you can make it worse with a
01:00:12bad attitude,
01:00:13or you can choose a positive mindset, and that's what this family's done.
01:00:18And they gotta feel so good seeing their son out here on the second obstacle.
01:00:25And what a great motivation to have their father on the sideline,
01:00:29a person who's overcome so much the 20 surgeries and everything else that he had to go through to fight
01:00:34for his life.
01:00:35His kids, they have a big challenge in front of them right now.
01:00:38He's just 16 years old, Akbar.
01:00:41Think of all he's endured watching his father battle back and out here on the fourth obstacle in his rookie
01:00:48campaign,
01:00:48showing that Serrano family strength.
01:00:51Nice, gotta figure it out. This is a big one.
01:00:54We're seeing a lot of men just so far tonight, not riding that bungee on that spool.
01:00:58A little extra swing.
01:01:01And Alba, I don't mind it. We're seeing a rookie make sure the transfer.
01:01:06Nice.
01:01:07At 5'11", 140, he's got wingspan and he's life.
01:01:11Yeah, he is bringing so much joy to his family.
01:01:15Well, how appropriate they're on the kaleidoscope.
01:01:18No matter what you look at with the kaleidoscope, it always appears more beautiful.
01:01:21I think that's something the Serranos have learned how to do.
01:01:24But let's see if it's still looking pretty as he gets through this obstacle, Akbar.
01:01:28Oh, you can see he's struggling a little bit. The kaleidoscope is moving. He's trying to get a little grip.
01:01:33Got it.
01:01:34Well, he's relying on his youth, Akbar. You're right. Not being terribly efficient.
01:01:38And those swings, that's still expending extra energy. Long reaches.
01:01:43Nice. 16 years old.
01:01:44All right, Akbar.
01:01:44Crushing it.
01:01:46You have this. Let's go.
01:01:48A lot of movement, though, side to side.
01:01:51Can he get the dismount?
01:01:53He's got to get out of there.
01:01:56Simeon Serrano.
01:01:58Wow.
01:01:58Fourteen and a half feet away from him, the buzzer.
01:02:01And dad is getting the chance to witness all of this.
01:02:04Oh, my goodness.
01:02:07Just incredible.
01:02:12Simeon Serrano hits a buzzer with his father watching.
01:02:17Looking at your father's courage over the past couple years,
01:02:20what's the lesson you think your father has taught you that you carried with you on this course?
01:02:24Wake up and just be the best person you can every day.
01:02:27Well, Simeon, you did. I'll tell you what.
01:02:29Why don't you go down and celebrate with your dad right now?
01:02:32You just got a buzzer.
01:02:34Akbar, what a display of courage.
01:02:36And I know as excited as Simeon is to hit that buzzer, his dad's got to be even happier.
01:02:42So let's update our leaderboard.
01:02:44Remember, the top five at the end of the night.
01:02:46Get a bye in the first round of the regional finals.
01:02:49Simeon's finish has him currently in the sixth position, and he's guaranteed to move on.
01:02:54Among the women, Bayley Beckstrand leads the way, but there are still many top ninjas to run.
01:03:01Up next, if you don't know him, your kids will.
01:03:04Ben Azalard's outrageous YouTube videos have earned him millions of followers.
01:03:09Now, he's ready to take on our course when American Ninja Warrior returns.
01:03:19Welcome back to Vegas in our first night of the new American Ninja Warrior season.
01:03:25Minutes ago, it was an emotional moment as Simeon Serrano hit a buzzer.
01:03:30And while we were away, his sister Salome got her shot on the course.
01:03:34The 18-year-old from Texas looked like she might match her brother's performance.
01:03:38She said, I am not going to let my little brother outdo me.
01:03:41But on Kite Surfer, she lost her grip.
01:03:44Oh!
01:03:47Well, our next ninja is one of the biggest social media stars in the world.
01:03:51This is California's Ben Azalard.
01:03:53His outrageous videos on YouTube have earned him millions of devoted fans,
01:03:57and competing on Ninja Warrior is something he's been dreaming about for years.
01:04:03I'm Ben. I'm a YouTuber.
01:04:04What's up, guys? Welcome back to my channel.
01:04:06On YouTube, I have like 65 million subscribers.
01:04:09Cross-platforms, probably in like the 80 million range.
01:04:11We do a lot of adventurous stuff.
01:04:15This, for me, is all about just like making a childhood dream come true.
01:04:18Answering that question of, can I do American Ninja Warrior?
01:04:21I've shown that I have this agility, but also like it's never been all put together at once.
01:04:27So I think seeing me do this course is going to be really cool because childhood me definitely thought I
01:04:30could.
01:04:31So I got to find out.
01:04:32I think my followers are going to be stoked to see me do this.
01:04:35Let's go.
01:04:40Watching Ben will be his girlfriend, Hannah, a social media star in her own right.
01:04:44She's on the sideline with other friends and family.
01:04:49He's had almost no Ninja training.
01:04:52He's just going to win it and rely on his athleticism.
01:04:55Good start.
01:04:57Click and subscribe right now because this is Roller Bags.
01:05:01Well, this guy isn't just making videos.
01:05:03This guy is an incredible athlete, a skateboarder, does a lot of tricks there.
01:05:10And you know Ben's gone through a lot of airports.
01:05:16Oh, wow!
01:05:17He knows how to get through Roller Bags.
01:05:21That's how you want to dismount off that obstacle.
01:05:23And it's 6'1", 185.
01:05:26Ben Azalard, a big boy, coming up big on our course.
01:05:29And right through Diamond Dash.
01:05:32Akbar, smash that like button.
01:05:34No wonder this guy's got so many followers.
01:05:38Ben Azalard, a work of art here.
01:05:40Can he handle Kite Surfer?
01:05:42Matt, Ben is here to not only show his athleticism,
01:05:45but also to prove that he's more than just a famous YouTuber.
01:05:49He's 185, Akbar.
01:05:50That's a decent amount of weight.
01:05:51Watch this transfer.
01:05:52And then he's going to come right back up.
01:05:54Ooh, he missed that opportunity to ride the momentum from the bungee up onto Kite Surfer.
01:06:00And you can see, Akbar, he's going up and down.
01:06:02He's trying to get some front-to-back movement.
01:06:04And this is expending a lot of energy.
01:06:07He's going to lose that grip.
01:06:08Ooh, good transfer.
01:06:09Watch out for the tilt as he makes this transfer.
01:06:12If he doesn't make simultaneous contact, it can tilt on you and throw you off.
01:06:17Ooh!
01:06:20Ben Azalard, tremendous run, but down on Kite Surfer.
01:06:24Ben got off to a good start and sailed across the first three obstacles.
01:06:29Didn't have great technique on Kite Surfer and couldn't make the grab on the second kite.
01:06:35But an impressive run for this ninja rookie.
01:06:39Ben, congratulations on your first run on the course.
01:06:42Thank you.
01:06:42Had you ever done any ninja training before?
01:06:45Zero ninja training.
01:06:46No.
01:06:46Not even one day.
01:06:47I thought I was falling on obstacle number one.
01:06:50But I passed it.
01:06:51You look good out there.
01:06:52Round of applause.
01:06:53Well done.
01:06:54It was great to see you out here, and I hope we see you again soon.
01:06:56Thanks for coming out.
01:06:57Thank you so much.
01:06:58I'll be back.
01:06:58Absolutely.
01:06:59You heard it here first, guys.
01:07:00We'll be back.
01:07:01Well, at the start of the night, we picked who we thought would be the fastest.
01:07:05My man John Mack's the only one to run so far, so he's got the time to beat.
01:07:09But, Zuri, it's time for your choice.
01:07:12Caden Lebsack is headed to the start line right now, and I just know he's gonna get the job done
01:07:17tonight, guys.
01:07:18Well, twice he's been last ninja standing, and at just 20 years old, he's already got 24 career buzzers.
01:07:26There's a big group on the sideline for Caden, including his parents and his girlfriend, former women's champion Katie Bone.
01:07:35We expect him to go fast, and if he's under a minute ten, he'll earn a shot at the Mega
01:07:40Wall.
01:07:41Well, Caden is really focused on his speed this year, but with speed, mistakes can happen.
01:07:50Zuri, your choice is looking pretty good, though.
01:07:52This is a pretty smooth run so far.
01:07:55He's been focusing on explosiveness with his training this year.
01:07:58You can see that right now.
01:08:00You guys, I think he's gonna bring it home.
01:08:02Can he link the transfer? Oh, no!
01:08:04Oh!
01:08:04Extra swings!
01:08:06That's where he needed to be smooth.
01:08:07That's gonna cost him some time.
01:08:09Well, that was one or two seconds right there.
01:08:12with these margins.
01:08:13He's gonna have to make it up here on Kaleidoscope.
01:08:17Well, and you don't want to rush Kaleidoscope.
01:08:19You want to be efficient.
01:08:21It's easy to make a mistake here, and it's gonna be close, but I don't know if he's gonna beat
01:08:25John Mack for the fastest time.
01:08:30Zuri, I don't mean to tell you this on television, but you're wrong.
01:08:33You know, it hurts to hear, Akbar.
01:08:37But he's still going fast, though.
01:08:38But he's still getting the job.
01:08:40Yes, he is.
01:08:40And we're looking to that buzzer.
01:08:42Kaden Lebsack!
01:08:45Whoo!
01:08:46Whoo!
01:08:48Whoo!
01:08:49Well, Kaden Lebsack, you continue to impress us.
01:08:53You didn't get the fastest time of the night, but you did earn a shot at the Mega Wall, brother.
01:08:59So head on down for a shot of $10,000.
01:09:03Let's go, Kaden!
01:09:04All right, let's go.
01:09:06Well, what about predictions here, Zuri?
01:09:07You think he's got it?
01:09:08I've got faith.
01:09:09You know what?
01:09:10He's taking it to the top.
01:09:11Hit that buzzer left side.
01:09:13Mega Wall! Mega Wall!
01:09:15He tried the Mega Wall back in Season 15
01:09:18and came up short.
01:09:19You got this.
01:09:20We all think he's got it.
01:09:23Oh!
01:09:26Doesn't get the $10,000,
01:09:28but he's almost assured of landing in the Top 5
01:09:30and getting a bye in the Regional Finals.
01:09:34Coming up.
01:09:35Those are high heels.
01:09:36And Jesse Graff's gonna run the course in them.
01:09:39And the crowd's fired up to see it.
01:09:42That's next on American Ninja Warrior.
01:09:50Two more ninjas took on our course minutes ago.
01:09:53College student Emily Gardner, known as Big M,
01:09:56brought the big energy.
01:09:57She is jumping for joy after every single obstacle.
01:10:01A freshman at the University of Tampa,
01:10:03the four-time Ninja veteran,
01:10:05enjoyed every moment.
01:10:08I see you.
01:10:09I see you.
01:10:10Cheered on by her dad,
01:10:11who got her started in Ninja,
01:10:13the 18-year-old conquered kaleidoscope.
01:10:15Yeah!
01:10:16And made it up the Warped Wall
01:10:18for her very first buzzer.
01:10:24Where she paid tribute to her dad.
01:10:27I love you so much,
01:10:28and I am so grateful towards you
01:10:30for getting me into this sport, Dad.
01:10:31I love you.
01:10:32I love you too.
01:10:33We all love you, honey.
01:10:34Great job.
01:10:35Woo!
01:10:40Casey Boutier is a four-time Olympic speed skater
01:10:43who now makes custom shoes for athletes,
01:10:45including Ninja Jesse Graff.
01:10:47Though the Colorado native wasn't always smooth,
01:10:50Nice!
01:10:50he did skate his way past the first four obstacles.
01:10:53Woo!
01:10:57Oh, the shirt's off.
01:10:59The shirt's off.
01:11:00But the four-time Ninja veteran
01:11:02ran out of gas on kaleidoscope.
01:11:07That was amazing.
01:11:09So now it's Jessie's turn,
01:11:11and Zuri's gonna get her started.
01:11:13Guys, Jessie Graff's had lots of memorable moments
01:11:16on our course over the years,
01:11:17and she's about to add another one.
01:11:20Jessie is about to run the course in high heels.
01:11:29In 2011, on a stunt job,
01:11:31we'd choreographed all these flips and kicks and spins,
01:11:34and then they hand me a pair of four-inch heels.
01:11:37I went to the costume department and was like,
01:11:39hey, could you just cut off the heel,
01:11:42and I'll walk on my toes,
01:11:43and then I can pop up and down when I need to.
01:11:46They looked at me like I was a lunatic.
01:11:49Do what you want!
01:11:52Do what you want!
01:11:54Do what you want!
01:11:55Much better.
01:11:57One day, I was rollerblading with Casey Boutier,
01:12:00a modern-day cobbler,
01:12:02and so I pitched this idea,
01:12:03how do we make a wedge that's more compressible,
01:12:06that goes completely flat,
01:12:07that has no potential of messing up your ankles,
01:12:11but that pops out instantly.
01:12:14Do what you want!
01:12:15And six months later, he'd created a solution.
01:12:19I can perform obstacles just as well in hero heels
01:12:22as I can in any standard ninja shoe.
01:12:26Tonight, I'm ready to put these hero heels
01:12:29to the ultimate test.
01:12:34Matt, this is a first.
01:12:35This is pretty cool.
01:12:36And the man who crafted those shoes,
01:12:38Casey Boutier, who just ran,
01:12:40is on the sideline,
01:12:41along with a big group of Jessie's friends
01:12:43and her mom, Ginny.
01:12:46Well, a real test for these shoes
01:12:48right away on Shrinking Steps.
01:12:49You need good traction,
01:12:51and she gets through no problem.
01:12:52Well, she is looking stylish and smooth as ever.
01:12:56Wow.
01:12:57Pushes her body so hard.
01:12:59Says she's up to 41 pull-ups.
01:13:03Oh, that's more pull-ups than I can do.
01:13:07And looking real smooth.
01:13:08Here's the test for the hero heels.
01:13:11I like them heels.
01:13:13Oh, come on!
01:13:15In addition to a heel,
01:13:17she's wearing a peacock feather skirt.
01:13:19Well, peacock is the streaming hold for ninja.
01:13:21Jessie!
01:13:26Well, I hope there's a patent on those heels, Nick,
01:13:28because that is a pretty cool thing.
01:13:30Nice.
01:13:32Well, it's been a strong night for the women,
01:13:34so Jessie needs to get through this obstacle
01:13:37if she wants to move on.
01:13:38It'll be the 11th time she's advanced past qualifying,
01:13:41more than any other woman.
01:13:43Well, I can tell you right now, Jessie Graff looks like she's on the heel of another buzzer.
01:13:49Her eighth career buzzer with the handstand.
01:13:56Well, Akbar, two women have already hit buzzers tonight,
01:13:59Bailey Beckstrand and Emily Gardner.
01:14:03Jessie's gonna try to join them.
01:14:05It would be her eighth career buzzer.
01:14:09Well, just remarkable, Akbar.
01:14:11Surgically repaired shoulders.
01:14:12Oh, really?
01:14:13I can't tell.
01:14:14But her living room, her house, is a climbing ninja odyssey gym.
01:14:20It's insane.
01:14:21She literally eats and breathes ninja.
01:14:24Go into her house and you'll see obstacles everywhere.
01:14:28Well, here it is, Jessie Graff, a little fall in her pose.
01:14:34Wait a second, though, Matt.
01:14:36Warped wall in heels?
01:14:38Warped wall in heels?
01:14:39Hey, Jessie, warped wall in heels?
01:14:43How will I do it?
01:14:45I don't know.
01:14:46This is gonna be a ninja milestone.
01:14:49The first person to ever run up a warped wall in high heels.
01:14:54There it is.
01:14:55There it is.
01:14:57Jesse Graff does it!
01:15:05Wow.
01:15:11Jesse, your eighth buzzer.
01:15:13You do it in high heels.
01:15:15What's it like being out here competing against so many of these athletes
01:15:18who you inspired to get into the sport in the first place?
01:15:21Oh, my gosh, they inspire me so much now.
01:15:23It's like this sport has risen to a level that I never imagined would be possible.
01:15:28I'm so, so happy I get to be part of this sport.
01:15:32Our real art superhero, Jessie Graff, delivers again.
01:15:37Thank you, everyone!
01:15:38Woo!
01:15:39Woo!
01:15:45Woo!
01:15:45Woo!
01:15:46Coming up, Josiah Popel is one of the favorites to win it all.
01:15:50Can Akbar's pick for fastest time come through?
01:15:53He is next at American Ninja Warrior.
01:16:01Welcome back to Vegas, where a couple of familiar faces hit the course while we were away.
01:16:06First, it was six-time ninja veteran Max Feinberg.
01:16:09He's got a nice plan.
01:16:11He's got a vision.
01:16:11The college student always features pink ribbons on his sideline to raise awareness for breast cancer.
01:16:17His mom is a breast cancer survivor.
01:16:19Good job, Max Feinberg.
01:16:22The 21-year-old has never failed to finish a qualifying course in his five previous seasons,
01:16:27and he kept his streak alive tonight.
01:16:31Come on!
01:16:32Then it was our old friend, Cal Plahoros, who's now an actor whose stage name is Cal Tolentino.
01:16:38And action!
01:16:41When we first met Cal years ago on Ninja Junior, he was an undersized kid from Pennsylvania.
01:16:46But he's muscled up and moved to Hollywood to pursue a career in entertainment.
01:16:51He's got the moves.
01:16:52He's got the look.
01:16:53He's got the physique.
01:16:54He's ready.
01:16:55He looked like an action hero tonight.
01:16:57Not just finishing the course, but doing it fast enough to earn a shot at the Mega Wall.
01:17:05Though he came up short on the 18-and-a-half-foot wall, he's one of our top five fastest
01:17:10finishers,
01:17:10so he'll get a bye in the regional finals.
01:17:14So we are down to our final runner, and it's 19-year-old Josiah Papel.
01:17:19And he's Akbar's pick to be the fastest of the night.
01:17:23Matt, I've been a fan of Josiah since Ninja Junior.
01:17:27Josiah putting the pressure on...
01:17:29Josiah Papel hits the buzzer!
01:17:33Think about it.
01:17:34Reaches stage four in just his second season.
01:17:3720 career buzzers before he turned 20.
01:17:40And Josiah Papel does it!
01:17:44And he's been the fastest in qualifying the past two seasons.
01:17:48Fastest time of the night!
01:17:50He lost to RJ Roman in the round of 32 last year.
01:17:54That just means he's coming into tournament.
01:17:56I'm back in it to win.
01:17:58I really have that drive and that fire.
01:18:01I'm picturing myself as the champion.
01:18:07His girlfriend, Jojo Grubisic, will be watching along with Josiah's dad, Frank, and other friends.
01:18:13His mom and siblings watching from back home in New Jersey.
01:18:17And as a final runner, Josiah knows what he needs to do.
01:18:20It has to be my guy, John Mack's time with a minute four.
01:18:24Zuri's pick, Caden Lebsack, sits in second place.
01:18:27I have confidence in him.
01:18:32All right, let's go, Josiah.
01:18:34Make me look good.
01:18:35And if he can finish in under a minute, ten seconds, he'll get a shot at the Mega Wall.
01:18:39But he's just 19 years old and 20 total buzzers.
01:18:43Just an insane start to his ninja career.
01:18:49Josiah is blazing through this course right now.
01:18:52What I tell you, though, Zuri, he's built for this course.
01:18:56Tremendous balance.
01:18:57Oh, just as smooth as we've seen anyone here on Kite Surfer.
01:19:01Well, I love it.
01:19:01He's going fast, but he's doing it efficiently.
01:19:04Matt, that's what I like.
01:19:05He is picking this course apart.
01:19:07Well, your pick is looking pretty good right now.
01:19:1124 seconds still to go.
01:19:13Matt, I picked him because I really believe in his talent.
01:19:17He's gonna probably do this in under a minute.
01:19:19Josiah Pappel, though.
01:19:21Nice!
01:19:21Hey, look at that.
01:19:22Under a minute.
01:19:22Under a minute.
01:19:23And Josiah Pappel has to reach for him.
01:19:30Hey, good job, dude.
01:19:32And here it is, the big smile.
01:19:35Hey, man, that was a double whammy for you, Josiah.
01:19:39You got the fastest time of the night,
01:19:41and you made me a winner because you were my pick tonight.
01:19:44Well done.
01:19:45Let's go.
01:19:46Well, actually, that's a triple whammy
01:19:48because you get a shot at the Mega Wall.
01:19:53You got it?
01:19:54Should I put my money on you?
01:19:55You got it?
01:19:56It's been 1,096 days since I got the Mega Wall last.
01:19:59Okay.
01:19:59Wow.
01:19:59Not that you're counting.
01:20:01Right, right.
01:20:031,096 days since he last got it.
01:20:06That was back in 2022, but he's failed on his last two attempts.
01:20:12Four other ninjas have tried the 18 and a half foot well tonight.
01:20:15None have been successful.
01:20:18He wants it.
01:20:19He wants it.
01:20:20He wants it.
01:20:21He wants it.
01:20:21There it is.
01:20:21Oh, my.
01:20:25Well, 1,096 days, it was worth the wait.
01:20:29You just earned $10,000 courtesy of the Active Cash credit card from Wells Fargo.
01:20:35The Active Cash credit card earns unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
01:20:39Terms apply.
01:20:40Hey, today is your day.
01:20:42In fact, we're just going to make this National Josiah Propel Day, huh?
01:20:46How about that?
01:20:47I'll take it.
01:20:48Well, impressive.
01:20:501,096 days.
01:20:51I'm sure it was worth the wait, but I know you got a goal, and that is to hit that
01:20:55buzzer
01:20:56at the end.
01:20:57You've just taken one step closer.
01:20:58Let's go celebrate with your friends and family, buddy.
01:21:01Matt, what'd I tell you?
01:21:02What'd I tell you?
01:21:03Today was a big day for Josiah Propel.
01:21:06He got the fastest time.
01:21:07He got the neck of all.
01:21:08I mean, this dude is balling out.
01:21:10And he's moving on to the regional finals.
01:21:13He and all the other ninjas in the top five will have a bye in the first round.
01:21:16They'll go straight to the triple header, our three-lane race course.
01:21:20We had 12 finishers in all, including Guam's Darren Perez and 16-year-old Simeon Serrano.
01:21:26Also advancing is Brian Beckstrand, so in two weeks, he'll get another chance to hit
01:21:31a buzzer with his daughter, Bailey, who sits atop the women's leaderboard.
01:21:35She's one of three female finishers, along with Jessie Graff and Emily Gardner.
01:21:41So that wraps it up for tonight's season premiere.
01:21:44For Akbar Bajabiamila and Zuri Hall, I'm Matt Eisman, and we'll see you right back here
01:21:49next week on American Ninja Warrior.
01:21:52What'd he say?
01:21:53Yeah, that's my line.
01:21:54Ha, ha, ha, ha!
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