All language subtitles for Spartan.Ultimate.Team.Challenge.S01E04.Spartan.vs.Ninja.WEBRip.NF.en[cc]

[narrator] Tonight on Spartan...

-[man] Left, left, left.
-Whoa, which way are we going, Ben?

[narrator] The bonds of matrimony
are put to the test.

I've actually never competed with Ben.

I'm not totally sure how it will pan out.
[chuckles]

Ben, now!

[Ben] My wife Jessa is going to be
a huge asset to our team.

But I'm the brains behind the operation.

[narrator] Ninjas step out of
their comfort zone.

Ninja to Spartan. Let's see how this goes.

We're not used to the Spartan races.

Here, Lance, I'll boost you.

Guys, you're probably going to be
bleeding when we're done.

[narrator] And friendship...

We're like a family.
We love each other sometimes.

Sometimes I can't stand them.

[narrator] ...conquers fear.

[Jen] It hits home to me,
because when I met these people,

it was at a time
when I needed it the most.

[gasps]

[woman] You're okay, you're okay. Go!

Go. Come on, you're next.

[man] Go! Go!

[cheering and applause]

[Jones] Hello, everyone.
We are back in northern Georgia,

where three teams have already punched,

climbed, hoisted, dragged, and speared
their ticket to the Spartan championship.

Tonight, six new teams will battle it out
for spot number four.

Welcome to Spartan: Ultimate
Team Challenge.

I'm Dhani Jones, alongside former
U.S. national soccer player Kyle Martino.

Kyle, we've already seen some
unbelievable performances this season.

Something tells me that trend
ain't about to stop tonight.

It's not stopping anytime soon.
In soccer, we have a saying.

We win together, we lose together.

And it's never been more true
than in this competition.

As you said, Dhani, six teams
will go head-to-head tonight

on a mile long obstacle course.

Only one of them will advance
to the championship

three weeks from now.

In the end, the winner
will go home with $250,000.

[Jones] The three teams competing
in our featured race are ready to go.

The winner of this heat
is guaranteed a spot in tonight's final.

Let's check out our teams
on the starting line.

[all] Right!

[Martino] Team Grit in black.

That's Kevin Bull and Lance Pekus,
both huge stars of American Ninja Warrior,

where they've had tremendous success.

Ninja to Spartan. Let's see how this goes.

[Martino] But they've never competed
in any Spartan races.

This lack of experience
may put them at a disadvantage

against the team in purple.

[all] Whoo!

[Martino] The Sacramento Spartans,
close friends from Northern California

that compete in Spartan races
around the country.

Training together
has transformed their lives.

When I met Shaun, we were pretty committed
to an unhealthy lifestyle.

I was drinking every day.
Smoking constantly.

I was unhappy with how I looked and felt.

Signed up for Spartan race
to just try a life change.

[Jesse] Shaun got me to start
being fit and healthy

by signing my ass up for a race.

[laughs]

[Jen] I met these people at a time
when I needed it the most.

People who think like me
and train like me,

and they're seriously like
my long-lost siblings.

[man] Ready, go.

[Kathryn] Working out
with Shaun and Jesse,

they push me to limits
that I wouldn't push myself to.

I ended up losing 62 pounds total.

[Shaun] Whoo!

[Shaun] I get pretty hard
on them sometimes.

I work them out till they throw up.

I tell them to try
and push me till I throw up.

You know, we're like a family.
We love each other sometimes.

Sometimes I can't stand them.

[laughs]

[Shaun] With all of us being so dedicated,

I think it's going to fare pretty well
for us when we come to the competition.

[Martino] Sacramento's team captain
is Cassidy Watton.

Cassidy has reached the podium
in a remarkable 18 Spartan races,

and is known as the "Mud Run Princess."

I'm used to competing
in Spartan races in individual.

But leading as a team captain
is a whole different story.

I love the opportunity and the challenge
of leading a team.

I'm going to be using
positive reinforcement

as long as I can on the course.

But if I need to use
some tough love, I will.

[Jones] Kyle, the team in green
is the Coast Guardians.

They're active members
of the U.S. Coast Guard.

We work in small teams on a daily basis.
I mean, that's like what we do.

I think we definitely have the team skills
to take this all the way.

For more on the course,
the Coast Guardians

and the rest of the teams we'll face,
let's go down to Evan Dollard.

Thanks, guys.
The obstacles from Spartan races

across the world were
the inspiration for this course.

But ours are magnified,
and designed specifically to create

the ultimate team competition.

Our Spartan course is a mile long,

with perilous obstacles
nearly every step of the way.

Every obstacle requires a strategy.

[man] One, two, three, go.

-[woman] Let's go.
-[Evan] Who goes first?

-[woman] Left!
-[man] There we go.

-[Evan] Who goes last?
-[woman] Go!

[Evan] Does the strongest teammate
go in the front?

[man mumbles]

[Evan] Or in the back?

Guys on the outside. I'm in the middle.

[Evan] It will be a mile-long battle
of strength...

-[grunting]
-[Evan] ...speed...

[man] Come on, team! Move fast!

[Evan] ...and constant team communication.

[woman] Come on, we got to move.
We got to move.

[Evan] Culminating in the hardest
obstacle course challenge on the planet.

The Slip Wall.

Eighteen feet of bone-bruising,

-mind-boggling mayhem.
-[yells]

[Evan] Whoever crosses
the finish line first

earns a spot in tonight's final.
Guys, back to you.

-[cheers and applause]
-[Martino] Thanks, Evan.

This is it. The teams
are on the starting line.

It's the Coast Guardians in green.

[Jones] The Sacramento Spartans
are in purple.

Don't forget about the ninjas.
Team Grit are in black.

-[all cheering]
-Team grit!

[Jones] This is it.

Three teams primed and ready
to take on an obstacle course

designed to drive them
to their breaking point.

Blow that horn!

[horn blares]

And there they go. Team Grit in black.

Coast Guardians in green.
And Sacramento Spartans in purple.

[Martino] And as the teams dash
into the woods

to tackle this brutal mile,
let's take a closer look

at Team Grit.

[Akbar] Look at Lance. He just takes off.

[Matt] Pekus in aggressive pace.

I've been fairly successful
at American Ninja Warrior,

and got the name "Cowboy Ninja."

[Matt] The Cowboy Ninja cowboys up.

-[horn blares]
-Whoo!

My technical ability
on the obstacles is very high.

[Matt] Look at this!
He's going to go upside down.

And did it! Oh, wow!

[Akbar] That's what I'm talking about!

[Matt] Are you kidding me?

This is going to be
a big challenge for me.

We are not used to the Spartan races.

The running endurance, the ability
to compete under worse conditions

than on the "Ninja Warrior" course.

[Lance] Monica and Maggi both have done
quite a few Spartan races.

So, they're giving me some good advice.

[Maggi] I think the biggest difference
for them

is being able to tolerate
the pain part of it.

You know, it does take a lot of guts
to get out there and test yourself.

[Maggi] You're going to get scraped up.
You're going to get bruised.

You're going to be pushed
to your absolute limit.

Guys, you're probably going to be
bleeding when we're done.

[Lance] I'm not just a Ninja Warrior.
I'm an all-around athlete.

So, I'm going to try to become
the Cowboy Spartan now.

[grunts]

[Jones] And the ninjas are out
to an early lead.

Kevin and Lance getting a quick initiation

into the muddy and bloody world
of Spartan here

as they finish up the Army Crawl.

[Martino] They need to
get up to speed fast.

They're being hunted down
by Sacramento Spartans,

driven by team captain Cassidy Watton.

You guys are awesome! Wow!

Just a couple of scrapes.

As a leader,
I'd rather be loved than feared.

But if I need to put
some fear in them, I will.

There is no time to be polite
when competing on a Spartan course.

Let's go! Go!

[Martino] There you can hear Cassidy
driving her team.

She wants to catch those ninjas.

We got to make up some hustle. Let's go.

[Martino] Cassidy is wearing
a TomTom Spark watch

which monitors her heart rate
in real time.

The maximum heart rate
for an elite athlete is around 185,

but I'll tell you from experience,
it's hard to sustain that long.

It's early in the race,
and she's already at 140.

[all shouting]

[Jones] Back at the Army Crawl,

the Coast Guardians
are trying to make up ground.

[man] Keep going, you're good.

[Martino] The good news for them is that

on this brutal Spartan course,
there are plenty of opportunities

to close the gap,
like at our next obstacle,

where Evan Dollard is standing by.

Thanks, guys. We are here
at the Spear Throw right now.

Team Grit is in the lead. This could be
a game changing station, though.

They told me they were nervous
about this obstacle.

They have very little experience.
Let's see how they do.

[Martino] Thanks, Evan.
That target starts 60 feet away,

but four team members
are going to grab that rope.

It'll take some muscle,
but they can bring the target

as much as 20 feet closer.

Maggi Thorne, mother of three
from Nebraska, is up first.

Come on, Maggi.

Oh, she misses!

For me, this is kind of like
a penalty kick in soccer, Dhani.

You calm yourself down.

You get your breathing,
your heart rate right.

You pick your spot and you go.

Just got the edge. That's one.

They need three to advance.

[Jones] Check it out.
The Sacramento Spartans are on their way.

Now, with every missed spear
from the ninjas, they get closer.

[woman] Look at that bull's-eye.

[Martino] Dhani, you know Kevin Bull
sees them out of the corner

-of his eye.
-[crowd chanting] Ninjas!

[Jones] Boom! Like a boss.

[Martino] Cowboy ninja Lance Pekus.

And we saw him practicing
with pitchforks on the farm.

Will practice make perfect?
No! Off the mark.

[Jones] And the race gets tighter,
as Sacramento arrives in the arena.

Monica Gilmore. She's already hit one.

Boom! Dead center.

And they're moving on.

[Cassidy] Let's go!
[Martino] Listen to Cassidy.

Jesse Walker, a 32-year-old auto mechanic.

[grunts]

[Martino] Boom. Nails it.

-They got to work fast here.
-[Monica] Let's go. Kevin, up.

The ninjas making their way
to the Totem Climb, a 24-foot-high rope.

They need to get all five team members on.

Then they pass their team flag
up to the top and clip it in.

-[Kathryn] You got this, Cass.
-[Jones] There's Cassidy Watton,

the Mud Run Princess.

They need her Spartan experience
right here.

And she delivers. Two down for Sacramento.

Higher, higher, higher.

[Jones] Kevin Bull climbing the rope
for the ninjas.

Go, Jessie, go.

Now, you need the strongest climbers
to go first.

They have to hold on the longest,
suspended over their team.

[Shaun] One, two, three!

[Martino] Jesse Walker,
the mechanic, driving it home.

And Sacramento, this team of friends

that push each other, have the ninjas
in sight at the Totem Climb.

[Jones] Sacramento jump
right into the water.

Jesse is headed up first.
He'll need to hold on tight.

Now if he falls, he's crushing
everybody beneath him.

And now that Team Grit have all
of their members on the rope,

all they got to do
is grab a flag and pass it up

Just pass it up to the top.

And Kevin's just got
to clip it in at the top.

[Jones] That's the wrong clip.
The wrong clip.

[Martino] Kevin, no!

[Monica] Other... Other way!

[Jones] Sacramento is closing the gap.

-[Cassidy] Come on, Jen.
-[Kathryn] You got this.

[Jones] This is going to be
a tight finish.

[man] Come on, you guys. Go, go, go.

[Jones] Welcome back to Spartan.

Before we get back to the race,

take a look at what happened
earlier in heat one.

The Wedding Ringers,
made up of two married couples,

earn a dramatic victory when team captain
Ben Greenfield

-made a desperate grab.
-[all] Hold on! Hold on!

[man] Don't lose the shoe!

[Jones] And his teammates pulled him
to the top of the wall.

Not to be outdone, Cleveland Rocs' team
captain Natalie Miano pulled off

the most incredible move of the season.

Scaling the 18-foot Slip Wall
all by herself.

Yes!

[Jones] I still can't believe
she did that.

-I'm so proud of you.
-I did it.

[Jones] Now we'll have to wait and see
if their time is faster than the runner-up

in our second heat.

The fastest runner-up
earns the wild card spot

in tonight's final.

In heat two, while we were away,

Kevin Bull eventually found
the right clip,

and Team Grit completed the Totem Climb.

[Martino] But Sacramento
clipped their flag just 12 seconds later.

Back to the action, the Coast Guardians
have dropped anchor at the Spear Throw

and fallen way behind.

You're good, you're good,
you're good. Here we go.

[Monica] Come on.

[Jones] And coming out of the woods,
still in first place,

it's the ninjas, Team Grit.

Two obstacles away
from a spot in the finals.

[Martino] But check out Kevin Bull, Dhani.

The ninja. This course
has absolutely left him heaving.

You're just continually getting punished.

[Monica] Good job, Grit.

[Jones] Bull trying to catch his breath.

to dive into that frigid water.

Remember, there's only
18 inches of space under there.

[Martino] Cassidy Watton out front
for Sacramento

as they approach the Dunk Walls.

Shaun and Jesse right behind.

And Dhani, there's sales rep Kat Hagood.

She used to weigh 206 pounds.

Two years ago, there's no way
she would even attempt this.

And then lastly, retirement counselor Jen.

She told us beforehand, Dhani,
"I'm terrified of the Dunk Walls."

-[mumbles]
-[Jones] Grit, brilliant teamwork.

Four of them pulling on the rope

to lift that 250-pound second wall.

[Martino] Here comes Sacramento.

And Bull and the ninjas
are through the Dunk Walls.

[Cassidy] Let's go!

[Martino] Cassidy is screaming
at Jen at the back.

She is so aghast right now,
and heading into the obstacle

she dreads the most.

[Jones] So, Team Grit, the first
to the dreaded Slip Wall.

Eighteen feet of hell.

This would be harsh
even if they hadn't just run

the toughest mile of their lives.

[Martino] And Maggi's going
to take her place,

try to get her footing
on Lance's shoulders.

I think it's going to take
every last ounce

of our energy, of our heart,
of everything,

because there's a lot of tough,
very, very talented competitors

who all want it just as bad as we do.

[Jones] Sacramento keeping
the pressure on,

but they've left Jen all alone.

As we said, this is the obstacle

-she's most afraid of.
-[bleep]

-[Cassidy] Go!
-[Martino] Can't afford to hesitate now

with Grit working so fast.

[Cassidy] Let's go!

[Martino] Oh, man, where is she?

[Kathryn] Come on, Jen!

[Martino] Dhani, she's been
under water a long time.

Come on, Jen!

[gasping]

You got this.

[Cassidy] It's okay, go. Go.

[Jones] And she still has
two more walls to get under.

-[audience] Grit, grit, grit!
-[Jones] Grit building their human ladder.

[man] Hold it, Lance. You got this, man.

[Jones] Lance trying to do this best
to power up Maggi.

You got this, guys, fight it!

[Martino] Oh,
and Jen's nightmare continues.

This is wall number two.

[indistinct conversation]

[gasps]

[Jones] She is struggling.

[Martino] Holding your breath
when you're out of breath

is not only difficult, Dhani,
it's disorienting and scary.

[Jones] And she still has
one more wall to go.

[Martino] As Sacramento work their way
through the Dunk Walls, Team Grit continue

to work their way up the Slip Wall.

[man] Grab her foot, guys, grab her foot.

[Jones] Monica Gilmore,
the first to the top of the Slip Wall.

Ready? One, two, three.

[Martino] One thing to face your fear,
another to do it three times in a row.

And it's Shaun who pushes them
in training every day,

taking her and pushing Jen
under the final wall.

Now Team Grit has no room for error.

[crowd groans]

And the ninjas collapse!

-[Kevin] That's all right, Lance.
-Good job.

Hang on, hang on. Hang on right there.

[Jones] Sacramento has a chance
to steal this race.

A spot in tonight's final
is there for the taking.

[audience] Climb that wall!
Climb that wall!

[Jones] Now, strategy is so important.

Sacramento Spartans in purple
put weightlifter Jesse Walker at the base.

[Martino] And just as you say that,

I'm looking over
and seeing that the ninjas

have changed their strategy completely.

They're going beauty at the bottom.

[Jones] And they've collapsed again.

[Kevin] Stay up there.

[Martino] This wall's so challenging,

so taxing, it's not over until you get
all five teammates safely atop

that 18-foot behemoth.

But they are exhausted right now.

[Jones] Sacramento climbing
into a slight lead.

Can their ladder hold?

-[audience] Climb that wall.
-[Jones] Kyle, this is pain.

It's sacrifice. It's selflessness.

Oh, my neck!

[Martino] Who wants this more?

[Kevin] Good job, Lance.

[Jones] And Grit down again.

Let's get some hay over there.

[man] Great job, guys!

[groaning continues]

[Jones] Just like that,
Sacramento is down as well.

[Martino] Maggi grabbing whatever she can
to pull herself to the top.

[Jones] And she's got her!

[Martino] This could be it.
Both teams making a strong move.

Jen Ellsworth, she's put that Dunk Wall
behind her.

And she's fighting to reach the top.

[Jesse] Come on, Jen!

[crowd] Come on! Go, go, go, go, go!

[Kevin] Good going, Lance.

[Martino] I think we're seeing a mistake

from Kevin Bull and Lance Pekus,
simply relying on their athleticism.

[Jones] And I like
what Sacramento's doing.

They're taking a different approach,
relying on teamwork

to work their way up the wall.

[Martino] These friends support each other
through everything,

and that bond as a team is giving them
the edge right now.

Sacramento approaching the top.

Team Grit realizing their mistake,
trying to change it, but is it too late?

[Jones] Cassidy is nearing the top
of the Slip Wall.

[Jen] You got this!

[Jesse] Go, go, go! I'm over. Go.

[Jones] They've done it!

They have conquered the Slip Wall.

This is unbelievable, Kyle.

The ninjas left the entire race

and their past on the final obstacle

by a tight group of friends who displayed
tremendous teamwork

when it counted most.

This is what Spartan is all about.

[all cheering]

[Martino] But there's still hope
for Team Grit.

If they can get
to the finish line quickly,

they'll beat Cleveland Rocs' time
of 23 minutes and 19 seconds,

and make it into tonight's final.

[crowd] Go! Go! Go! Go! Go!

[Jones] Look at them charge
for that finish line.

They're over, with a time of 23:08.

[audience cheers]

[Martino] So, that means Team Grit
advances to tonight's final,

where they'll get a shot at redemption
against the Sacramento Spartans.

They'll be joined by the heat one winners,
the Wedding Ringers.

MJ Acosta is down with
the heat two winners, Sacramento Spartans.

You just won this heat,

Now, we thought you had
a comeback from behind there.

How did you guys make up that time
to come here, and win this entire heat?

[Cassidy] We knew it was going
to come down to the Slip Wall,

so we were not worried coming behind.

We knew we had the best strategy,
the best team chemistry,

and the most experience in Spartan races.

So, we knew that it would
come down to the end there.

Jennifer, I was kind of worried about you.
I saw a little panic on your face there.

I was...I was really panicked.

But that first Dunk Wall I was like,
"Oh, crap, that's a lot wider.

And then I was like,
"I don't think I can do this."

I was really nervous about it.

And then the pushed my legs through,
which really...

-Oh, my gosh.
-[Acosta] That teamwork.

Completely teamwork.
Like, this team is freaking amazing!

We totally have each other's backs.

Like, I could not have asked
for a better team in my life.

And you've earned your spot
in the finals now, guys.

Congratulations. Live it up, cheer it up

with whatever you got left.

[cheering continues]

[Jones] Coming up...

Can Ben Greenfield lift his wife and team
to the championship?

Can Kevin Bull find his wings?

Or will the Mud Run Princess push her team

-to another victory?
-[Cassidy] Get up!

[Jones] Tonight's final is next on
Spartan: The Ultimate Team Challenge.

[Jones] Welcome back to Spartan.

It all comes down to this.

We are moments away from our final heat

to determine who will make it
into the championship.

And the miserable mile has been
made bigger and badder.

No rest for the weary.

These three teams
about to take on this course,

just pushed their bodies
to the limit in the heats.

And now, they have to head
right back out there

and do it again.

The ninjas, Team Grit, earned
the wild card despite blowing their lead

at the Slip Wall.

Relying on their athleticism
to reach the top.

[Kevin] In American Ninja Warrior,

if you fall in the water
you don't get another chance.

You're done, but here, you know,
Team Grit got the wild card

and we get a second chance.

And we want to make the most of that.

[Martino] Sacramento features
team captain Cassidy Watton...

-Here we go.
-...used remarkable teamwork

to overtake the ninjas, and post
the fastest time of our three finalists.

[all cheering]

I know what it takes to compete
at the highest level of Spartan Race,

but to take my team to that level,

all I need to do
is give them the confidence.

They have all the skills.
They live and breathe Spartan Race.

They're so ready for this.

[Martino] Wedding Ringers
won their qualifying heat

after an epic shoe grab by team captain

and fitness author
Ben Greenfield at the Slip Wall.

[man] Don't lose his shoe!

[Martino] This competition is all about
team chemistry and communication,

and these married couples
have plenty of it.

Ben and Jessa Greenfield
have known each other

since the second grade.

[Ben] I've competed in some of the most

masochistic, extreme events
on the face of the planet.

But I really don't think
anything is going to compare

to having to be yokes to my wife
during this competition.

[Jenna] I think Ben is fearful

of giving me orders,

because it's blown up
in his face in the past.

My wife is also on the team,
so it's going to be like,

two husband and wife pairs.

So, we'll see how
those relationships pan out.

My team is made up
of purposefully selected winners.

Jonathan is height, strength, power.

Matt and Sharon compete
at the highest level

of hunting fitness.

That's literally an obstacle course
with weapons.

My wife, Jessa, is resilient
in the face of extreme stress.

And me?
I'm the brains behind the operation.

[audience cheering]

[Jones] The teams
are on the starting line.

I'm so excited.

[Martino] Eleven grueling obstacles
stand between them and the championship.

I'm so nervous right now.

[Jones] One team goes on
for a chance to win $250,000.

Two go home.
Everything comes down to this.

They're ready to face
this monster Spartan course.

Blow that horn!

[horn blares]

The final is underway.
Team Grit in black, Sacramento in purple,

and Wedding Ringers sprint out of the gate
sporting their yellow jerseys.

[Martino] Ninjas Lance Pekus
and Kevin Bull lead Grit,

with Sacramento just steps behind

as they approach the first obstacle,
The Walls.

[Jones] Now, this first wall
is eight feet high,

and that's 5'7" Cowboy Ninja
Lance Pekus flying up and over.

[Martino] Not everyone's going to be able
to take it one leap.

Nearly everyone else
is going to need help.

[Jones] Ben, in yellow,
vaulting wife Jessa.

Oh!

[Jessa] Move your hands together!

[Jones] Ben's getting an earful
from Jessa, I'm sure.

[Martino] Grit first to the ten-foot wall.

This is kind of like lifting someone
over a basketball hoop.

[Jones] Lift, pull,
however these athletes do it,

it cannot be done alone.

[Ben] Again, again, again.

[Jones] Team captain Ben Greenfield
dropping women left and right.

[Maggi] Doing great, doing great.

[Martino] Team Grit on a nice pace
headed now to the Log Swing,

but these ninjas know firsthand
how quickly a lead can disappear.

[Kevin] In the first heat,
our mistake was on communication.

And this time, you know,
there's going to be more talking,

more communication,
and we're going to get it done.

All right, just pull back, yank.

[Jones] And look at Lance and Kevin.

They're pushing the log
as each person gets on.

And they've got a great swing going.

[Kevin] Go ahead! Nice.

[Jones] All three teams are right here

-on the Log Swing.
-[man] Come on.

[Martino] Sacramento Spartans, too,

in the middle,
getting a good swing as well.

[Lance] Go.

[Jones] There you go!

Look at Maggi. She flew.

[Martino] Timing is critical, Dhani.

Go too late or too early,
and you end up wet and cold.

[Cassidy] Go!

-Go!
-[Jones] And remember,

Cassidy can't get out of that cold water

till all of her teammates
are off that log.

[Martino] Kevin and Lance,
the last two to go for Team Grit.

[Jones] Oh! Nice.

[Maggi] Come on, guys.
Come on. Come on, Lance.

Come on, give me a hand.

[Jones] Sacramento and the Ringers
trying to keep pace.

[Martino] Sacramento Spartans
right there with the ninjas.

But they are much wetter,
Dhani, and much colder.

And that's going to have
to have an impact on them

as the race goes on.

[Jones] The couples team,
the Wedding Ringers,

flinging themself off to catch up.

-[Ben] Go, let's go!
-[Matt] Come on!

[Cassidy] Great job! Great teamwork!

[Martino] On to the Lake Crossing.

It requires tremendous arm strength
to pull themselves

across 300 feet of water
while balancing on that 5x5-foot raft.

[Shaun] A little harder on left.
Left side. A little harder, left side.

[Martino] One false move,
and they're overboard.

[Monica] Good job, Grit.

[Martino] Grit just strokes ahead
of Sacramento.

And as the Wedding Ringers
push hard on the chase,

let's check in with Evan Dollard.

Thanks, guys. For tonight's final,

once they make it across
the lake and to this bank,

each team must pick up
one of these 200-pound logs

and carry it 215 feet.

If they're able to hoist it
on the two hooks

and all wrap their hands around it,

which isn't easy,
they can zip down over the pool

of knee-deep mud.

From there,
it's on to the dreaded Log Traverse.

Requiring immense arm and leg strength.

It's not gliding at all.

[Evan] To walk another log
down 60 feet of walls,

suspended ten feet above the ground.

[yells]

Come on. We gotta go.

Team Grit is the first to cross.

They're hoisting that... Great teamwork,
lifting that 200-pound log.

Very evenly dispersed.

But right behind them,
the Sacramento Spartans,

headed up by Cassidy Watton.

She is taking the lead,
and they are looking very,

very strong.

And close behind, the Wedding Ringers

getting that log up on their shoulders.

And they are off to the races here,
heading to the zip line.

This is so exciting.
It's neck and neck and neck.

[Jones] Welcome back to Spartan.

We've got a virtual
three-way tie for the lead,

as the teams struggle to carry that
200-pound log to the zip line.

[Cassidy] We're going to get
our right foot up first.

And communication is critical here, Dhani.

All these teams have to carry
that imposing log up those steps,

and then they've got to hook it

over those metal bars
before they can zip across

-that pool of knee-deep mud.
-Step it up.

-Let it up, let it up.
-[Martino] One false move,

and teams could do more than fall behind.

They could seriously get hurt.

[Cassidy] One, two, three!

[Kevin] So, get out from under that.

[Martino] Team Grit lifting their log.
Oh, no!

-Have this... [bleep].
-[Both] Oh!

[bleep] You all right?

[Jones] Two near disasters
right here at the Log Lift.

[Cassidy] One, two, three.

[Martino] But Sacramento took their time,
and now zip past Team Grit,

taking the lead for the first time
in tonight's final.

[Shaun] Ready, set, go.

[Jones] Kyle, look at Jessa.

-[Martino] Let go.
-[Jones] Hanging from the log.

-What are you doing?
-[Martino] I know, and her husband Ben's

already ahead, not waiting for her.

[Jones] Now on to the Log Traverse.

-[Lance] You take front.
-[Kevin] I'm going to take middle.

Jess, you got to run with it.

[Martino] That's vital,
you need to choose your order carefully,

because the person in the front
is basically the engine.

Are you locked in? Ready? Go.

[Martino] They set the pace,
and they're the ones to tackle

those giant gaps first.

But everyone else has to keep that train
moving across 60-plus feet of track,

and all of this while suspended
ten feet above the ground.

[Shaun] Push! Push! Push!

[Martino] This obstacle's
intensely exhausting.

It takes every shred of both
upper body and core strength.

[Monica] Keep going, keep going.

[grunts]

[Martino] Cassidy Watton for Sacramento
needs to push off that wall.

They're really struggling.

[Jones] Wedding Ringers
flying down the walls

and into second place.

[Martino] And look at Grit go!

You can see their steps
totally in sync on the walls.

-That's a great team effort from Grit.
-[woman] Go.

[Jones] And it pays off.
They've regained the lead.

Great job. Great. Remember this.

I got it.

[Martino] And now the Army Crawl,
110 feet of mud and barbed wire.1

[Lance] Good job, Grit!

[Martino] Grit with a slight lead

over both Wedding Ringers
and Sacramento Spartans.

[all] Done!

[Martino] Take a look at the end
of Team Grit on the Log Lift.

Maggi Thorne, both beauty and beast,
putting her body under that 200-pound log

to help lift it up.

[Jones] Man,
she got out of there just in time.

[Martino] We talked a lot
about Kevin Bull and Lance Pekus,

but former beauty queen Maggi Thorne
is much more than a pretty face.

[Maggi] I love being mommy. It's who I am.

Oh, hey. What's your name?

My name is Fiona.

[Maggi] I love clothes
and rhinestones and heels.

La, da-da, da-da dee-dee

[Maggi] Who's ready
for the pushup contest?

-Ooh.
-Ready?

One, two...

And I love mud and barbed wire and spears.

The lesson that I want
to teach my children,

it's about being a strong
female role model.

And that means being tough

and, most importantly,
always believing in yourself.

You're a master, girls.

-Let's see it.
-My turn!

One...

[Maggi] To see my little girls be strong,

just be confident
in who they are as a person.

You know, that they can become

literally whatever
they want to be in life.

[Martino] And there's Maggi,
leading her team out of the Army Crawl.

[Cassidy] Go, go, go.

[Jones] Sacramento trying to keep pace.

The Mud Run Princess, Cassidy Watton,
looking right at home.

-[Cassidy] Go. Let's go.
-Go. Now, go.

[Jones] But Grit onto the Shield Carry.

[Martino] And, Dhani, the key to carrying
that 150-pound shield

across the length of three football fields
is spreading the weight evenly

across all five team members.

[Jones] Wedding Ringers at the Army Crawl.

Look at Ben. Check him out.
He's such a gentleman.

[Martino] Oh, he just dropped
the barbed wire

-on Jenna's back.
-[Jones] You saw that?

[Martino] That's going to earn him a spot

-on the couch tonight.
-[Jones] Every obstacle

on this course taxes your body,
and it doesn't help

when your loved one
drops barbed wire right on your back.

Let's go!

[Martino] The Wedding Ringers
lost a bit of time in the Army Crawl.

That will not sit well with captain

and self-proclaimed brains
of the operation, Ben Greenfield.

I don't like to be passed.
I don't like to lose.

If anyone passes me, I will break myself
to keep up with them.

[Jones] Cassidy's Sacramento Spartans
better watch out.

[Ben] You're good, guys.

We're moving on them. Go, go, go, go!

[Jones] The Wedding Ringers
are making a move!

Team captain Ben Greenfield
driving them past Sacramento Spartans

and into second place.

Big Ben with a big move.

[Martino] As we head to the Spear Throw,

it's Grit in the lead,
Wedding Ringers in second,

and Sacramento Spartans
bringing up the rear.

[audience cheering]

[Jones] We've got crowds
lining this mile long course,

but the best place to watch
may be here at the arena,

where you can see three obstacles.

Count 'em. One, two, three, all at once!

[Martino] And, Dhani, first up,
the Spear Throw.

Everyone's arms are going
to be screaming at them.

They have to shut them up,
block that pain out,

and make three accurate throws.

[Jones] Kevin Bull threw the javelin
in college.

[Martino] California decathlon champion.

-There!
-I like that.

But here come the other teams.

The race for a spot in the championship
is far from over.

[Martino] Welcome back to Spartan.

Brought to you by TomTom,

official partner of
Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge.

[Jones] As we return to the action,
our three teams fighting

for a spot in the championship
have converged on the Spear Throw.

-Ninja Lance Pekus up for Grit.
-[Monica] Hammer that.

-Yes!
-[Jones] And the cowboy nails it!

[Kevin] Nice!

[Martino] Just one more needed
for Team Grit.

[Jones] Ben Greenfield.

It's a hit!

[Martino] Team captains

for Wedding Ringers
and Sacramento both hit.

[grunts]

All teams really pulling on that rope
to bring the target closer.

[Jones] Grit needs just one more
to move on.

-[Lance] Yeah!
-[Jones] And there it is!

They are the first to move on
to another new obstacle,

-the Herc Hoist.
-One, two, three.

[Jones] All five of them need to pull
on that rope

to lift that 350-pound box 18 feet,
until it hits the bell.

And you can hear
how coordinated their effort is.

[Martino] And it has to be
every obstacle on this course

to test your ability to work as a team.

Two spears apiece now
for Sacramento and the Wedding Ringers.

[bell clangs]

[Maggi] Yeah!

[Ben] One more! One more!

-Bam, got it.
-[Jones] Jonathan and Cassidy

nailing their third spear
nearly simultaneously

and both teams advance,

as Grit moves on to the Timber Drop.

[Kevin] Go, go, go, go.

[Martino] They need to lift
that 650-pound telephone pole

until it tips all the way over,

creating a slippery bridge
for them to cross to the other side.

[grunting]

[Martino] Shaun Ingram struggling here,
straining to lift that box.

[bell clangs]

[Jones] And just like that,

-Sacramento is done with the Herc Hoist.
-[Ben] One more, you got it.

Cassidy driving them forward.

[Martino] Spencer and Lance
pushing that pole.

And now, Dhani, we learn why
it's called the Timber Drop.

[Jones] Timber!

Believe it or not, Dhani,
that's the easy part.

Now these athletes
are absolutely exhausted.

And, of course, they're sweaty
and they're muddy.

And that pole is so slick,
that climbing to the top's

going to require intense core strength.

[Jones] No problem for Lance Pekus.

[Martino] But I just don't understand
what Grit's doing here.

They're leaving big gaps
between teammates.

I think that's a mistake.

There's no need to wait
for the person in front of you

to reach the top before you start going.

[grunting]

[Jones] And here come
the Sacramento Spartans.

They've made up a ton of time.

[Martino] Shaun Ingram first up the log
for his team.

Spartan takes more than just talent.

It takes more than ability.
It takes a lot of heart.

They're going to have to kill us
before we come off that course.

[Martino] Sacramento showed that heart

in heart two, coming from behind
to beat Team Grit.

[Jones] And another team
looking to come from behind,

the doubles team, the Wedding Ringers.

[Shaun] Come on, girls. Let's go.

[Jones] But with ninja Kevin Bull
up and over,

Team Grit has opened up a slight lead.

[Kevin] Same path we took last time.

[Cassidy] Shaun, come on.

-There's the smile.
-[Martino] Sacramento really needs

to push forward with that shield

if they want to close the gap
on Team Grit.

-Keep going.
-This way.

Hurry, just get in. Get it in.

Let's go.

[Martino] Team Grit set on staying ahead,

but keeping a pace
across this distance, Dhani,

is a new challenge for the ninja warriors.

-[Monica] Doing good, guys.
-[Maggi] Make that gap.

[Jones] Not a challenge for them.
Look at them fly.

[man] Let's go, captain.

[Jones] Sacramento
is seven seconds behind.

And the Wedding Ringers coming up
the hill right behind them.

Whoo!

[Jones] So, only two obstacles remain,
the Dunk Wall and the Slip Wall.

Lance Pekus and Kevin Bull,
ninja warriors trying to stake a claim

to the Spartan crown.

I think ninjas have a lot of grit,

and I think they have a lot
of good attributes and talent.

And I think getting wet and cold

is definitely gonna throw
a different aspect

in being able to complete an obstacle.

[Kathryn] Come on, Jen.

[Jones] Jen Ellsworth
trailing her teammates.

-[Shaun] Come on, Jen!
-[Cassidy] You got to see it through.

[Jones] And by the way, her nemesis,
Kyle, the Dunk Walls, are coming up.

[Martino] And the Wedding Ringers
are stalking Sacramento through the woods.

Team Grit at the Dunk Walls.

And Dhani, they need
enough muscle on that rope

holding at all times,
because that's 250 pounds worth of wall.

If they slip, one of their teammates
could get pinned under.

[Monica] Throw it over! Throw it over!

[Martino] Spencer and Lance
throwing that rope

over to the other side
so the rest of their team

can lift it up for them to swim under.

[Maggi] Come on!

-[Cassidy] Come on, Jen!
-[Jones] Kyle, check out Shaun Ingram

unselfishly helping Jen up the hill.

That's Spartan spirit.

[Martino] Remember, she had a meltdown

at the Dunk Walls last time.

[Cassidy] Come on, let it out.
You're okay, you're okay.

-Come on, Jen!
-[Jones] And look at Shaun.

He's not going to let her
go through that alone.

-Come on, right now.
-He's guiding her under.

[Martino] You made that sound so sweet.

-That's more like a push to me.
-[laughs]

[Martino] There's Jen.
All of her teammates rallying

-to help her push past her fears.
-[Maggi] Let's go, Grit.

[Martino] Been here before.
Grit the first to the Slip Wall.

It'll be interesting to see
if they attempt a different strategy here.

Now, in the last heat we were
passed up at the Slip Wall.

But we're the kind of athletes
that learn from our mistakes.

We adapt.

And we're going
to definitely do that here,

and we're not going
to get passed up again.

[audience] Grit! Grit! Grit! Grit!

[Martino] The ninjas off to a great start.
Much more organized than last time.

They seem to be sticking with
that human ladder technique.

[Cassidy] Let's go!

[Martino] Jen's nightmare is nearly over.

[Jones] Sacramento, the Wedding Ringers

still working their way
through the Dunk Walls.

[Jones] Both teams scrambling
to get to the Slip Wall

before Grit reaches the other side.

[Martino] Maggi Thorne lifting up Spencer.

-[Maggi] Let's go.
-[Monica] Come on, there you go.

[Jones] And here comes Monica.
Grit all alone on the wall.

-And building...
-[Martino] Uh-oh. Uh-oh.

[Jones] No, they're sliding down again.

-I can't believe it.
-[Martino] Dhani, the legs don't lie,

and Lance Pekus's just gave out.

[Jones] And here comes Cassidy Watton.

Can the Sacramento Spartans
blast past Team Grit again?

A spot in the championship
goes to the winner.

[Martino] Welcome back to Spartan.

Moments ago, Team Grit
reached the Slip Wall.

-[Monica] Come on, guys.
-Let's get this tight.

[Martino] And with the one minute lead,

quickly started building their ladder.

But it collapsed.

And now the pressure is on,

because the Mud Run Princess
and her Sacramento Spartans

have arrived.

[Cassidy] Get down!

[Jones] Cassidy like a boss.
That's what I'm talking about.

Leadership.
It's critical in these situations.

[Martino] And let's not count out
the husbands and wives.

The Wedding Ringers are here.
We've got a three-team race to the finish.

First over the wall
is headed to the championship.

[Kevin] Come on. Come on, hold my arm.

[Jones] Look at Kevin Bull.

Bending over backwards
to pull his teammates up.

-With no regard for his body.
-[Kathryn] I can't get up.

Stop, stop, stop. It hurts.

[woman] It hurts Kevin. It hurts.

-Help my foot.
-[woman] Come on, get up.

[woman] Don't let me go, don't let me go.

[Jones] And all three teams
are building fast.

It's anybody's race.

[Martino] The ninjas working together
this time,

and Maggi Thorne trampling over Monica.

Anything it takes to get to the top.

[Monica] Go! Go! Go! Go! Go!

[Jones] The ninjas with a slight edge.

But the other two teams
are working quickly.

[Martino] Shaun at the top for Sacramento,

and the Wedding Ringers building fast.

And Grit with only Lance Pekus left.

[Monica] Go, Lance. Go!

[Martino] He's got Monica.
He's halfway to the top.

Hands, your hands!

[Martino] Grit desperate to get over
first this time.

-[man] Come on, Lance.
-Go!

[Monica speaking]

[Jones] And just like that,
they have done it.

Redemption for Team Grit.

[woman] Come on! Get here, Monica!

-Come on, let's go.
-[Jones] They're freezing.

They're cut to pieces.
They're bruised to the bone.

But they're feeling no pain now.
They're headed to the championship.

[all cheer]

[Martino] And Dhani,
we even questioned them.

But today, the ninjas
are true Spartan warriors.

Oh, my God.

[all] Grit! Grit! Grit! Grit! Grit!

Grit! Grit!

[Jones] When they arrived,
Lance and Kevin were ninjas

stepping out of their comfort zone.

Teamed with 34-year-old supermoms
Maggi Thorne and Monica Gilmore,

and team captain Spencer Mahoney,
they have achieved Spartan greatness

and claimed a spot as one
of the six baddest teams on the planet.

Let's go down to MJ.

[Acosta] Team Grit,
what an incredible journey

to get past that finish line yet again.

Now, let's talk about the Slip Wall here
the second time around.

Was the experience from that first heat
very helpful,

and what did you change?

You know, honestly, I think what

ended up working for us was
we just gritted our teeth together

and we said,
"We're going to get this done."

And we didn't quit. We didn't stop.
We didn't let anybody fall, and we got it.

You're going through, you guys.
Are you kidding me?

-How pumped are you?
-[all cheer]

[Acosta] Team Grit,
We'll see you guys again.

Whoo! Yes!

[Martino] And so Team Grit
earns the fourth spot in the championship,

and a chance to win $250,000.

We'll see them again in three weeks.

For Kyle Martino, Evan Dollard
and MJ Acosta, I'm Dhani Jones.

And we'll see you next week on
Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge.

[all chattering]