Original subtitles

[cheers and applause]

- Tonight, we begin a season-long

celebration of ninjas past...

- The last time we saw him was season 7.

- Present... - Let's go!

- And future. - Yeah!

- This year, old-school and new school,

they're going to collide.

[dramatic music]

- [shouts]

- We're bringing back fan favorite competitors

and iconic obstacles from the show's storied history.

[audience exclaims]

- I do kind of feel like

I stepped through a time machine,

looking back at these obstacles.

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

I'm so excited.

* *

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

- But we're also looking forward,

with exciting new athletes anxious to make their mark.

- What? Are you kidding me?

- And for the first time ever,

the National Finals will be all racing.

- He is going for speed!

- The sport's most elite competitors will square off

in thrilling head-to-head races,

pushing each other to the limit.

- Whoo! - Oh, my goodness!

- He made that look easy!

- When you're going fast like that,

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

- She is doing it big.

- It's nerve-racking,

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

- Women racing men? Bring it on.

- Let's get this party started.

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

- Oh!

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

I'm so pumped.

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

- This is going to be epic.

[dramatic music]

- For the first time,

we're kicking off the year in Las Vegas!

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

Hello, everyone, and thanks for joining us.

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

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

and this one's going to be special.

- Absolutely, big man.

We're looking towards the future

while also remembering ninjas past,

and the celebration starts

with tonight's unique qualifying course.

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

of our team, Zuri Hall.

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

This year, we are bringing back iconic obstacles

from seasons past.

Remember this one?

Yeah, it's the Quad Steps.

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

[air horn blares] - Oh!

- Ninja dreams die quickly on these guys.

Up next is the Log Grip.

This one took out 20 competitors

the last time we saw it.

- Oh, my goodness!

- We've brought back one of the most feared

balance obstacles, Block Run.

Even the best fall on this one.

- Oh, no, no! - Ooh.

- Spin Cycle is so popular,

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

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

It's followed by the Battering Ram,

which has one of the highest knockout rates

in "Ninja" history and eliminated

some of the top athletes in seasons 9 and 10.

- Oh.

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

back for the 17th season.

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

you'll get a shot at the Mega Wall.

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

they win $10,000,

courtesy of the Wells Fargo Active Cash credit card.

The Active Cash credit card

earns unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.

Terms apply.

- Thanks, Zuri.

All season long, we'll be counting down

"Ninja's" greatest moments.

- And we've also got some great ninjas

ready to kick off our season.

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

Houston's Daniel Gil.

Yes! - Oh, my gosh!

- And 15-time "Ninja" veteran,

Florida's Flip Rodriguez...

[buzzer blares]

Plus, the trail-blazing Hollywood stuntwoman,

Jessie Graff.

Jessie Graff has done it!

* *

Only 20 athletes from tonight

will move on to the semifinals,

so let's get it started.

And we're going to kick it off

with one of our memorable ninjas from the past.

This is Texas pastor Johnathan Morin,

who last appeared ten years ago,

and his start in Ninja is quite a story.

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

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

Dallas qualifiers came and brought a group of students

to watch in the audience.

They talked me into competing as a walk-on.

- And he is on to the Quad Steps,

a little slow out of the gate.

- I had never been on or even touched

a single Ninja obstacle in my life.

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

and already he is through the Jump Hang.

- I thought, oh, boy,

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

- Asking the crowd to cheer him on

and tearing off his shirt and the crowd obliging.

They're going nuts.

[cheers and applause]

Johnathan Morin came out of nowhere

to tame this qualifying course.

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

The youth group was freaking out.

- It's just crazy.

- I took a long time off

from "Ninja Warrior" the last ten years.

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

I also host a YouTube show on custom cars.

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

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

so it's been a pretty cool ride

that I wasn't expecting.

But I'm back.

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

[cheers and applause]

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

along with his sister.

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

[countdown clock beeping]

- We had these Quad Steps back when he competed,

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

- Wow. There we go.

OK, big fella.

[cheers and applause]

- His boys are loving it.

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

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

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

It's just those small handles to grab onto,

and the drops are jarring.

Especially that second drop.

Let it go! Let it go!

Ah!

- Johnathan Morin, the Ninja Pastor,

baptized on the Log Run. - Wow, wow.

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

- He was a lot younger

when he came out of the stands years ago.

Now 40 and 230 pounds,

it's tough to hang on to that log,

but good to see Johnathan Morin once again.

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

This is University of Colorado student Leo Heuring,

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

- Nice little handshake from Corndog.

- This kid is really impressive.

Struggles with severe ADHD and dyslexia,

but doesn't let it slow him down.

[soft dramatic music]

- I discovered around second grade

that I had some learning disabilities.

ADHD, dyslexia, and dysgraphia.

But dyslexia impacts me in the largest way.

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

truly diagnose the dyslexia,

and he had to work hard to reprogram his brain.

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

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

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

I had to learn other ways

around how the average person has to learn.

[upbeat music]

I started falling in love with robotics around third grade.

* *

I built a six-legged robot called the Hexapod,

and my current favorite project is Corndog.

Behold, Corndog.

He's got eyes and a screen on his butt

where you can see what he's thinking.

He's just the best to work with.

I am ecstatic to be competing this year.

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

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

- [grunts and laughs] - There we go.

- That's the way, dude.

- Ninja has helped him with his dyslexia

because I think it built his confidence

and he also met a lot of other athletes

who may have some issues and they can bond together.

They can talk about it

'cause everybody has a little bit of something.

- If I, with my learning disabilities,

can overcome those obstacles,

I definitely think I have a good chance

of getting over every obstacle

that "American Ninja Warrior" throws at me.

* *

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

You can see the letters are all mixed up.

But that's how it appears to him.

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

[countdown clock beeping]

His severe dyslexia can make normal tasks a little harder,

but he doesn't shy away from challenges.

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

[cheers and applause]

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

But certainly has no struggles with ideas and concepts

and understands problem-solving these obstacles.

- Ooh.

- Yes! - He's pumped.

He first started Ninja training in Texas with Daniel Gil

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

It gives us our first look at Block Run.

- All right. Keep your feet hot.

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

- Yes, he can! - Yes!

Leo Heuring, electrifying this crowd.

- Now it's Spin Cycle.

Has to swing across three baskets.

With his challenges, he's got to be thrilled

to make it this far on the course.

- Yeah, he loves to solve problems.

That's what he's doing right now.

Nice.

- And he's going to get through.

What a performance by Leo Heuring.

- Whoo!

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

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

- Here it is, here it is.

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

- This is a tough move.

both: Oh! [air horn blares]

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

But still, Leo's got to be happy

with that performance tonight.

Words may be hard for Leo,

but he made the Ninja course look easy.

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

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

* *

- We're so proud of you!

- Tonight, we're kicking off this special season

with stars from the past, the present,

and maybe the future.

Plus,

all season, we're reliving

some of "Ninja's" most memorable moments.

- Corndog? - Cannonball!

- There, go, go, go, go.

- Yes, yes! She's done it!

- And Zuri's got a preview.

- Guys, this is gonna be epic.

We have seen thousands of falls over the years.

- Oh!

- And tonight, we're counting down

the wildest wipeouts in "Ninja" history.

- Almost. - Oh!

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

- On "American Ninja Warrior."

- Our new season's off and running.

Minutes ago, the crowd was going bananas

for Florida coconut seller, Teoma Zhigulin.

- There's the Coconut Kid.

- The rookie climbs and collects coconuts

and sells them on Florida beaches.

But his tree climbing skills

didn't translate to the Log Grip.

- Oh, hold on!

- Oh! - Oh, coconuts.

- Three-time "Ninja" veteran

Lisa Hair was back on the course

after delivering her second child just five months ago.

- Now that is one strong mother.

- The former college track athlete

bounded through the Quad Steps,

then came within a hair of finishing the Log Grip.

- Nice. Hold on.

Nice! Oh!

Oh! - Oh!

[air horn blares]

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

who calls himself the Dad Jokes Ninja.

- Do you know where basketball players go

to get their uniforms?

New Jersey. [rim shot]

- The jokes may have not landed,

but Pyne did, at least on Log Grip.

Then the father of five reached Block Run

and the show was over.

- Oh, no! [air horn blares]

- Well, let's see this nutcracker again.

Ooh! Got him in the babymaker.

And that was it.

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

Don't forget to tip your waiters and waitresses.

Have a good night. [rim shot]

[sad horn]

- Up next, it's two best friends

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

Going first will be Milo Carpenter

here with her BFF, Maddie Valentine.

The East Philadelphia high school students

met through Ninja and they're almost like sisters.

[upbeat music]

- Ah! - No!

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

Oh! Come on, come on!

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

- [gasps] - Oh, my gosh.

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

- I met Milo at my first competition

and ever since,

we've just been, like, best friends.

both: Go.

- We talk to each other every single day.

- Every single day.

[laughter]

- Yes. - No!

- When we were about nine years old,

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

- So I was Fladdie and she was Flylo.

- We were the Flying Ninjas

and we made shirts for that.

- I think we still have them.

- Yeah, I think we do actually.

* *

I think Maddie's a really good ninja

because of how much she just cares about the sport

and just puts her work in all the time.

- Every time Milo tries an obstacle,

she won't stop until she gets it.

Come on.

- Ah! - There you go.

- I wonder if we told little us in this photo

that we were competing on the show

how excited would they be.

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

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

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

- That was awesome. - That was so good.

- Good job.

- It's full circle.

Everything we've ever wanted,

and we're doing it side by side.

* *

- And we are out of here.

[cheers and applause]

- That's awesome.

Maddie will run in just a moment.

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

[countdown clock beeping]

Milo just had her 16th birthday.

- Just had her sweet 16,

and how sweet is it for her to be out here

in her first year on "Ninja Warrior"?

- They're younger than the show.

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

These two have been doing very well

in local Ninja competitions.

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

- Uh-oh. Hold on, hold on.

Nice.

both: Oh!

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

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

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

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

The stuntwoman from Southern California

has missed the last couple seasons

as she's battled back from injuries.

Doing stunts can be dangerous work,

and T broke her ankle and collarbone

in two stunt-related accidents six months apart.

It earned Sweet T a brand-new nickname.

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

and so the doctor called me "Humpty Dumpty."

Not super-fun, but we got through it

and, yeah, grateful to be back.

[cheers and applause]

- Tiana's family is here for her return,

along with a big group of friends.

[countdown clock beeping]

- First saw her back in season 7.

- A former pole vaulter at Cal State Northridge.

- Matt, take a look at her left ankle.

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

She looks pretty good to me.

- This is her ninth season,

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

Got to hold on tight to this one.

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

Yeah!

- Smooth. - A little fall.

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

didn't want to land awkwardly on her ankle.

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

- Good, good, good. Get up!

Yes!

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

Not letting the injury slow her down now.

Jumps to take on Spin Cycle.

Gotta swing across the three baskets

that move in different directions.

- So here it is.

You got to throw your body here.

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

Now she's got to catch the different angle!

- Oh. - Oh, nice!

- That was a fight.

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

a bigger transfer here.

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

- Bigger, bigger!

More hip action.

The bigger the hip action, the bigger the throw,

and the bigger the throw... - Oh!

- The more likely to make the grab.

Just like that.

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

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

- Now a rematch with the obstacle

that ended her run in season 9, Battering Ram.

This obstacle was a ninja killer that season.

Took out a lot of greats, including Tiana,

as she went for that final cylinder.

both: Oh! [air horn blares]

- My biggest concern is that her grip strength

might have been wiped out on Spin Cycle.

- Absolutely.

- Come on! You got this!

- That was a smooth move.

It's these transfers. - Nice.

- Particularly at 5'3" that are big.

- But we can't trip.

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

She knows how to fight through difficult times.

- And you can see it.

She's locking her wrist, trying to preserve

some grip strength, anything left for this switch!

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

You see, she's eyeballing it.

- Oh! Oh, no!

[air horn blares]

[dramatic music]

Just like the last time,

but made it to the fifth obstacle.

We'll have to wait and see if that

gets her into the semifinals.

But a strong return for Sweet T.

[cheers and applause]

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

Bray Weinacker.

He's got athletic greatness in his genes.

And who will be the first this season

to take down the Mega Wall and win 10 grand?

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

- Moments ago, it was the second half

of the Maddie and Milo show

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

Milo Carpenter, who ran earlier.

- Oh, I love the friendship.

[upbeat music]

- The two Pennsylvania teenagers

do everything together.

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

- Woah!

Wow, did they have the exact same fall?

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

That was amazing.

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

this season, and tonight,

we're counting down our wildest wipeouts.

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

both: Oh!

- Produced a ton of spectacular splashdowns

during season 7 through 10.

- Oh!

* *

both: Oh!

* *

both: Oh!

- Oh, airball!

- And coming in at number five on our countdown

is James Bartholomew, who gave us

the most back-breaking Propeller fail of them all.

- Put your back into it!

He feels it. He feels it.

- That's number five on our countdown.

Our next athlete knows all about Propellers.

He grew up on the water.

This is 15-year-old Bray Weinacker.

He comes from a family of world-class wakeboarders,

and he's got awesomeness in his blood.

[upbeat music]

- For me, wakeboarding is probably a little different

than the average person.

My parents were both professional wakeboarders

for over 20 years.

They both started up the sport

and spread it all over the world.

- Yeah, Bray. Let's go!

* *

Yeah! Good job, bud!

- I'm in the Hall of Fame

and my husband was number six in the world,

so Bray kind of followed suit into all the athleticism.

- Wakeboarding feels great.

You can feel the wind blowing through your hair,

feel the water splashing around.

It's just it's an experience

to be on the water and be free.

- * I'll make it move *

- When I was about five years old,

we went over to some friend's house,

and me and him were playing on their little playset

with the bungee cord, and the bungee cord

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

[somber music]

It destroyed everything.

It hurts me. [whimpers]

My eye definitely does affect me on the Ninja course

because I'm only seeing it through one eye.

But I hardly feel challenged by my eye

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

[upbeat music]

- Yes, yes! - Yeah, Bray!

Bray wanted to be a ninja warrior

since he was three years old.

* *

- Ninja and wakeboarding correlate

by the coordination and the strength.

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

on a balance obstacle.

I'm very excited to take on the course

and my confidence level is very high

because I've always had awesomeness in my blood.

* *

[cheers and applause]

- And there are his proud parents.

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

and more friends watching back in Florida,

including wakeboard legend and "Ninja" veteran,

Emily Durham.

- Let's go!

[countdown clock beeping]

- Well, here we go.

And--ooh. - Oh, no!

Ooh, be careful now.

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

So on a "Ninja Warrior" course,

that can reduce his depth perception.

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

he's the tallest competitor tonight.

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

He's showing no fear.

- Nice, nice, nice.

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

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

- Pounds his chest like he's got this.

What a debut by Bray Weinacker.

- They call him Surfing Tarzan for a reason.

He's riding this wave.

- No one's conquered Battering Ram so far.

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

- Nice. - Got it!

- Matt, I think he wants that Mega Wall.

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

Bray Weinacker is going to be the first finisher

of the season.

[buzzer blares] - Let's go!

- Wow! [cheers and applause]

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

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

Was that your plan?

- I'm gonna be honest.

I kind of just let my feet carry me.

I was not paying attention.

- Well, listen, buddy, you got it!

You made it under a minute. Go back down.

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

Head on down, Bray.

- All right. - Let's do it.

- He's the first to hit the buzzer.

Could be the first of the season to get 10 grand

courtesy of the Wells Fargo Active Cash credit card.

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

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

- Being 6'4" should help him.

- All right. - Here we go.

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

Drive, drive, drive, reach up.

- Oh! - Aw.

Oh, man.

[cheers and applause]

- Doesn't get the 10K.

What an impressive debut for Bray Weinacker.

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

but then turned on the jets and caught big air

as he cruised across the course.

This rookie is season 17's first finisher.

[cheers and applause]

Maybe he does have awesomeness in his blood.

- Still to come,

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

And at 40,

Jessie Graff hits the course for her 11th season.

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

but it's never slowed him down.

- Let's go!

- The always impressive Gary Weiland

is back to try the course again

when "American Ninja Warrior" returns.

- Minutes ago, the Big Cheese arrived

as Cooper Cummings came to the start line

with his prize-winning wheel of cheese.

- Bring that sucker up here!

- The Ninja rookie is the winner

of the annual Gloucester Cheese Chase in England

where participants go rolling down an insanely steep hill

trying to grab that wheel.

Tonight, Cummings, a former decathlete

at Western Washington University,

showed his athleticism on the early obstacles.

- Nice. Good timing.

- But the wheels on Spin Cycle

proved harder to grab than that wheel of cheese.

- Ooh. [air horn blares]

Well, Matt, he may not be able

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

Mm. - Ooh.

- "Ninja" veteran DC Banks decided to say cheese

with a selfie to start out his run.

- DC Banks, the Dreadhead Ninja.

- The personal trainer from Florida

is a former college football player

and he was rumbling through the course.

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

He ain't going down.

- The four-time "Ninja" veteran

fought his way to the end and was about to face

the Warped Wall for the first time.

- No! Ah. He was so close.

[laughing] I had that.

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

after his last season on the course.

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

- Bang!

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

Bange hit his first-ever buzzer during semifinals

in season 15...

- There it is.

- And then went on an inspiring run

in the National Finals. all: Bang!

- Oh-ho!

The biggest of the underdogs,

with Flyboy Ninja, tears in his eyes.

His coach is going to stage three.

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

What!

- Getting hugs from his crew.

- I was absolutely over--

overflowing with emotion and joy.

- Feeling good?

- I'm feeling pretty dang good right now.

Hard work pays off.

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

- Congratulations. Celebrate.

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

- Guys, back to you.

- Bang!

So this season, absolutely anything's possible.

[dramatic music]

[cheers and applause]

- He's got friends and family members

doing his signature bang move on the sideline

and more supporters are watching back in Texas,

including some of the students he coaches.

[countdown clock beeping]

Everybody loves Jonathan Bange.

- Nice. Ooh.

- No!

- Oh, what the--

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

- From the highs of making it to stage three

to the lows of falling on obstacle one,

this sport will humble you.

And you have to feel for Jonathan Bange.

He was feeling confident and tried to skip the third step

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

and his season is over.

- Oh, my God. [cheers and applause]

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

leads us to our wildest wipeout countdown.

- Uh-oh.

both: No!

- We've had some memorable stumbles

on this obstacle over the years.

- Oh!

* *

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

- And coming in at number four on our list

is Chicago's Natalia Kley-Wisniewska.

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

- Ooh!

- That comes in at number four

on our countdown of wildest wipeouts.

Well, hopefully, our next athlete has the balance

to get past those steps.

This is circus performer Cecilia Bogle,

flipping onto the stage for her "Ninja" debut.

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

* *

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

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

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

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

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

so practice is pretty grueling

because one mistake can be catastrophic.

[indistinct chatter]

Every time, it's different.

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

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

so I have to adjust in that second.

My family thinks I'm a little bit crazy,

but it gives me adrenaline.

'cause everyone's clapping for you

and then you're way up there

and you can see everybody.

You feel on top of the world.

Taking on the "Ninja Warrior" course,

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

I'm not afraid of falling in the water,

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

I've never performed in Vegas,

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

[cheers and applause]

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

along with her coach, Flip Rodriguez.

[countdown clock beeping]

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

and "Ninja Warrior" is the development

of exceptional body awareness and control,

and Cecilia's displaying that right now.

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

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

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

- Go! Go!

- Smooth! - She made that look easy.

- Can the rookie keep it going on Block Run?

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

- Getting some advice from Flip.

- Push it! Yeah!

- Wow, an impressive run from Cecilia Bogle.

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

here in Vegas.

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

- She should be very comfortable

with throwing her body, especially doing trapeze.

- Cece, breathe!

- And you see her do a good job of using

that lower body to control the momentum.

And makes it to the third basket.

What a rookie debut.

Her friends back in Miami getting excited.

The circus performer now reached the fifth obstacle.

This equals the best performance

by a woman so far tonight.

But just 5'2" right here,

and you can see the challenge locking on.

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

I'm a little concerned about this transfer over.

both: Oh!

- Can't solve the Battering Ram,

but what a great debut by Cecilia Bogle.

That could get her into the semifinals.

The circus performer walked the tightrope on Block Run

and showed those trapeze skills on Spin Cycle,

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

Coming up, this Alabama firefighter's runs

were always pec-tacular.

- With the left-right double-double.

- But after a six-year absence,

can Eddy Stewart still do his signature move?

- [groans]

I don't think I can do it.

- Coming up on "American Ninja Warrior."

- Welcome back to Vegas,

where three Ninjas hit the course minutes ago.

Alabama teenager Cohen Smith

calls himself the Fishing Ninja.

He had a boatload of family and friends

here to support him.

- All right, here we go.

- The 16-year-old was living out

a lifelong dream to compete on "Ninja."

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

[dramatic music]

Oh!

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

Louisiana's Kristen Brickner is a hard hat-wearing

safety officer at a petroleum plant.

This mom of two had family watching

as she celebrated getting past the first obstacle.

- She is doing it.

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

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

No!

- But she hit the wall on Log Grip.

By day, Nyjle Henry works

at the massive Newport News shipyard

building huge ships for the U.S. Navy.

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

- Keep your feet nice and light.

[cheers and applause] - All right.

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

- Right, nice.

- Yeah! You did it!

- But the shipbuilder was sunk by Block Run.

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

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

but we've had plenty of other spectacular falls

on balance obstacles over the years.

both: Oh!

- No!

[cheers and applause]

both: Oh!

[upbeat music]

both: Oh!

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

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

went scorpion on the Spinning Bridge.

- My goodness! Take a look at this again.

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

- He walked away from that back-bending exit,

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

[cheers and applause]

Hopefully, no scorpions tonight,

but we do have a flamingo.

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

The four-time Ninja vet from Arkansas

wasn't sure he'd come back this season

until he got encouragement from his biggest fan,

his little brother, Hayes.

[cheers and applause]

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

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

But without my little brother Hayes,

I wouldn't even be doing Ninja.

He's the one that got me into it.

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

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

I'm going to go there for a buzzer.

Me and Hayes are six years apart,

and so it's really unique

how with such a big gap in our age,

we have so many activities we enjoy doing together.

Hey, is it getting any bites?

- Nothing much right now.

How about you? - Nothing much?

No, nothing over here.

I've caught about three sticks so far.

- Training with Owen really helps motivate me

because of course,

I want to be as good as my older brother

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

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

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

that'd be embarrassing, but I love seeing

how much he's improved at the sport,

especially recently in this past year here.

He's really stepped it up a notch.

Let's go.

- Right now I'm 14,

and the age for going on the show is 15,

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

- That would be so rad.

Like, both of our dreams

are to compete on the show together.

I cannot wait to hit the course with him.

[cheers and applause]

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

who'll be cheering alongside their dad.

- What's up, boys?

- Plus, fellow ninjas Kaden Lebsack and Max Feinberg

will be watching from Colorado.

[countdown clock beeping]

Owen freely admits he fell into depression

after graduating high school,

had a disappointing Ninja season,

thought about quitting.

But his brother Hayes and Ninja friends

helped him get through it.

- Let's go! Big push!

- Hoping to regain the joy

he first showed as a rookie four years ago.

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

Oh, hoo! - That was close!

[cheers and applause]

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

- That was almost a dire situation right there.

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

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

- Second-guessing it.

- Nice! - Whoa.

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

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

- Whoo! Look at him fly!

- I didn't know flamingos could fly!

- Yeah, buddy!

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

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

- He hit the accelerator on this run.

He ain't messing around.

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

- Go, go. - Go.

[cheers and applause]

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

- Nice transfer there.

- Nice. Good, good, good.

- Owen Dyer.

He's back to having fun on the course

and he's headed up the Warped Wall.

And Owen Dyer gets that buzzer!

And you can see how much it means to him.

- Let's go! Whoo!

- Yeah, baby! Whoa!

[cheers and applause]

Let's go, Hayes!

Come on!

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

- You can do this.

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

Come on, Hayes!

- Go celebrate with your brother.

- Come on, bro.

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

all: Beat that wall! Beat that wall!

- Nice!

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

[cheers and applause]

- Oh, what a moment there!

- Hey, Hayes.

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

Oh, that's amazing.

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

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

What's it like being atop that Warped Wall,

getting that buzzer, my friend?

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

I love this show.

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

We're going to see more of it.

You go celebrate with Hayes

and we'll see you on the semifinal course!

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

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

- It is beautiful.

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

- Yeah.

- And he becomes our second finisher of the night.

Up next, his runs are always electrifying.

- Get me outta here!

- The entire crowd on their feet!

- Get me outta here!

- The inspirational amputee Gary Weiland takes the course

when we come back on "American Ninja Warrior."

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

and this season, we're featuring

fan-favorite obstacles from the past.

- And so far, these ninjas are loving them.

- The Quad Steps made their debut about the same time

Arkansas teenager Joseph Rouse was born.

- This one's a classic,

but the 16-year-old conquered 'em

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

- Great transition. Gets through.

And completed Battering Ram

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

You got your buzzer. How good did it feel?

- Absolutely amazing.

- College student Austin Baron was back

for his second season of "Ninja."

- Wow. - Fast footwork there.

- The freshman at Notre Dame makes and sells dog toys

to raise money to fight hunger.

Looking strong, looking locked in.

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

was also able to collect his very first buzzer.

[buzzer blares]

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

William "The Spartan" Brown.

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

Brown had good success back in seasons 4 through 7

running as the costumed warrior.

Competing tonight on many of the same obstacles

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

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

Have anything left for the dismount?

Yes!

And after 10 seasons away,

he made it all the way to the buzzer.

There it is! The Spartan has done it!

You're back, baby! - Whoo!

So that brings us to five

finishers so far.

They're guaranteed to move on.

Remember, only 20

from tonight will advance

to the semifinals.

And up next, we've got another one

of our favorite ninjas from the past.

This is the pec-tacular Alabama firefighter,

Eddy Stewart.

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

and he's about to show us why.

Oh-ho! [cheers and applause]

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

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

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

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

- Ah, it's been five years.

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

- Flex that chest, boy.

It's all about timing and control.

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

- We need more training.

[dramatic music]

* *

You gotta believe, son.

You gotta believe.

* *

[bell rings]

* *

[bell ringing]

[applause]

* *

[cheers and applause]

- Look at that.

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

Here we go, Matt.

Left-right double-double.

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

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

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

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

41 years old.

Does he still have the agility for the Quad Steps?

- Yeah, yeah!

- Nice. OK.

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

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

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

get that lower body to help him out here.

- It's so difficult.

You just have those small handles to latch on to

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

Here we go.

Oh, smooth! - Nice!

Ooh, almost tore his ACL on that landing.

- Come on!

- Well, here it is.

This was the obstacle that took him out

back in season 11, Block Run.

- Oh, yeah, he remembers that.

He stumbled midway through

and took a shot right in the pectoralis major.

He probably has nightmares about this obstacle.

- Take your time.

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

Nice. Light on your feet.

Ooh! [air horn blares]

Almost at the same spot!

- History repeats itself.

The big firefighter felled once again by Block Run.

We pick these obstacles for a reason.

They are tough.

Eddy's run started the same as years ago,

with the left-right double-double,

but it ended the same way too.

The big fella just lost his balance on the blocks.

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

athletes in Ninja history,

Texas fire marshal Gary Weiland.

Despite competing with a prosthetic leg,

he's provided some of our most exhilarating runs,

and at 44, he's not slowing down.

- Season 14, I got stuck on Log Runner

and ultimately fell.

Season 15, I got to face my arch nemesis.

- Nice! Go, go, go, go!

No, no, no! Oh, no!

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

- And I found myself again in the same situation.

- Look at the fight in this man.

- You can beat this, Gary!

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

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

- Adapt, overcome, just go for it.

all: Gary! Gary!

- Oh!

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

- The entire crowd on their feet!

- Get me out of here!

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

are telling me that they were screaming and hollering

and they just felt like I had overcome the world.

- Ask yourself, what is holding you back?

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

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

and decided to run in the Boston Marathon.

- Go, Gary. Go, Gary.

- My shirt had my name on it

and there would be hundreds of people screaming and chanting.

[cheers and applause]

Let's go! Let's go!

It was one of the most exhilarating,

epic times of my life.

all: Gary! Gary! Gary!

- I've accomplished a lot of incredible things,

and I don't plan on stopping that tonight.

[cheers and applause]

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

including his son Alex.

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

- That's my granddaughter!

- That's his granddaughter, Lucy.

[countdown clock beeping]

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

put to the test right away on these Quad Steps.

- Come on, Gary. - Go, Gary.

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

Look at Gary Weiland out here.

- Nice. - One leg.

- And he makes no excuses,

bounding his way through the Quad Steps.

- Yeah! [cheers and applause]

- Lost that leg in 2018 after a complication

during a knee replacement,

but has obviously never let it slow him down.

- Got to get locked in here.

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

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

Yeah! - Got it

- Yeah! - OK, Weiland!

[cheers and applause]

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

We saw him get through Log Runner,

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

single obstacle battle.

- This is amazing.

Gary Weiland, truly looking to do something

special in season 17.

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

There is no doubt. Just go for it now.

Believe it. Trust it.

Trust the process. Trust it!

- Yes!

- That's what I'm talking about!

- Gary Weiland, yes! - Yes! Yeah!

- Just no limitations!

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

If you had doubts at home

watching Gary Weiland getting ready to go through Block Run,

that's done with.

He believed. Now you believe.

- What more can Gary Weiland do?

- Run up that Warp Wall and hit that buzzer.

- He's got two more obstacles

before we can even think of that.

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

He continues to amaze us.

- Come on.

- Yes!

- That's what I'm talking about!

- Gary Weiland! - Oh, come on.

Come on. Come on!

- What a run, the crowd on their feet!

- Got total pandemonium here in Las Vegas.

- Well, this would be something special.

One more obstacle between Gary Weiland

and the first shot at the Warped Wall.

- The first time in his career

he's completed the fourth obstacle.

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

[cheers and applause]

44 years old. - Come on.

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

- Nice! - Yes!

- Come on, man! Come on!

- The determination in Gary Weiland, otherworldly!

both: No! - [laughs]

- That right there was the run of the century.

[cheers and applause]

- Yeah, Gary.

- From the start, every obstacle is

a special challenge with a prosthetic leg,

and Gary Weiland almost conquered them all.

Another memorable run from this inspirational athlete.

- That was awesome.

- Was it awesome?

- Oh, Zuri! - Congratulations.

That was awesome indeed. - Whoo!

- How you feeling, man?

- Man, I feel great!

- Do you? - I do.

You know, I was talking to my son earlier

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

- Yeah?

- And just attack 'em, attack 'em.

I gave it all I had.

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

- You did your thing

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

Awesome job out there tonight, Gary.

Great work.

Guys, back to you.

[cheers and applause]

- Ninja great Daniel Gil's

got a new girl on his sideline.

- Jump. both: Whoo.

- [laughs]

- He kicks off his season when we come back.

Plus, more of the wildest wipeout countdown.

- Oh, no!

- What's going to be number one?

- Oh!

- Find out when "American Ninja Warrior" returns.

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

Nick Hinnant runs a clothing business

with Shark Tank's Barbara Corcoran.

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

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

- Let's go! [cheers and applause]

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

- Here we go. Big drop. Watch it.

Oh!

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

with the second obstacle...

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

- And used his 6'1" frame

to breeze through the third...

[cheers and applause]

- Let's go now! - And fourth.

[cheers and applause]

- Looked clean on Spin Cycle.

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

[air horn blares]

He'll have to wait and see

if he went far enough fast enough.

Grant Kiningham uses a chainsaw

to make ice sculptures.

[chainsaw whirring]

He even trains on frozen Ninja obstacles

and he brought a couple for us.

- I think these are iced donuts.

- This is--well. - [laughs]

- I could use some sprinkles on mine.

His cool training methods paid off

as the three-time "Ninja" veteran from Houston

breezed through every obstacle...

- Look at that smile. Look at that smile.

- And made it to the end...

[dramatic music]

* *

Collecting his fourth career buzzer.

- You are too cold to freeze, brother.

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

* *

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

Zuri's going to get him started.

- Daniel Gil has been one of the top ninjas

for the past ten years, but this season,

he's got some extra motivation on his sideline.

The 31-year-old is now a dad.

He and his wife Abby welcomed their daughter Isla

earlier this year.

- Hey, baby.

Isla Rose was born seven months ago,

and our lives have changed a little bit.

Sleeping is a little bit different than it was.

But she's been traveling with us everywhere.

When in Japan.

All of the competitions, all the speaking engagements,

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

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

but I am happier than I've ever been.

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

Yeah, I think she's ready.

- Daniel is the most energetic, kindhearted dad.

- Whoo! Hey, baby.

[smooches]

How are we doing? You having fun watching Daddy?

Train, train, train, train, train.

- He doesn't want to miss anything.

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

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

So it's just been really cool

to see him take on this new role.

- Hi, little one.

[gasps enthusiastically] Watch Daddy go.

My baby girl just gives whole new meaning,

that encourages, that inspires,

and that uplifts me as an athlete

competing on "American Ninja Warrior."

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

I am on the cusp of my 30th buzzer,

which is mind-blowing to me.

There you go. Hold on tight.

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

[cheers and applause] Whoo.

- Abby never misses one of Daniel's runs,

but this will be a first for baby Isla.

[countdown clock beeping]

Gil has a stellar Ninja résumé.

Been to stage four twice,

was our last ninja standing five years ago.

He is one of the all-time greats.

- And he's especially good on qualifying courses.

He's finished them eight out of nine times,

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

- And he's moving fast again tonight,

likely gunning for the Mega Wall.

- Gil really flying. - Yes, he is.

- Needs to finish in under a minute

to earn a shot at the Mega Wall,

and he's on pace to get that

and have the night's fastest time.

With little Isla watching, her first time seeing Daddy.

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

just crushing this course.

Gotta be careful on the last move on Battering Ram.

- Let's go, Daniel.

- Got it. - Nice.

- Daniel Gil does it again!

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

[buzzer blares]

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

Daniel Gil delivers!

- Oh, look at Isla.

- I love you, sweet girl.

Yeah. [cheers and applause]

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

just over 51 seconds,

so you get a shot at $10,000!

You got some motivation.

You could take home 10 grand

courtesy of the Wells Fargo Active Cash credit card.

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

Can do.

- Isla's watching.

- Let's go, Daniel!

- Let's go!

[all chanting] Beat that wall!

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

tied for the most among ninjas.

It's a whopping 18 1/2 feet.

This would be record-breaking,

the fourth Mega Wall, the most in history.

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

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

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

all: Oh!

- Just couldn't get the traction.

- Oh, so close!

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

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

- Still the fastest time of the night so far.

A great start to the season for Daniel Gil.

Still to come,

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

Both will try to add to their trailblazing careers,

coming up on "American Ninja Warrior."

- A couple of Florida Ninjas

got a chance to shine in the past few minutes.

Bradenton's Emma Pereyra was back

for her third straight season,

and put together her best run ever.

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

- The 17-year-old made quick work

of the first four obstacles.

- Hi, guys! - Hi, Emma.

And her speed to the fifth obstacle

guaranteed her a spot in the semis.

- She wants it badly.

Ah! [air horn blares]

- Oh, that was fun.

- Then it was another Floridian,

Orlando's Luke Dillon.

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

for the fourth time,

cheered on by his girlfriend, Avery Glantz.

- Nice! Way to ride that Spin Cycle.

- Come on, dude. Let's go!

- He cruised through the first five obstacles

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

- OK, Luke!

[buzzer blares]

- Let's go!

- And then proposed.

Not to his girlfriend...

[laughter]

But to the buzzer.

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

- Absolutely. I love buzzers.

[laughter]

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

In addition to being a busy college student

at the University of Central Florida,

this 19-year-old created an obstacle

specifically tailored to women.

[upbeat music]

- Yes! - Yes!

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

because I really wanted to make something

that women could be almost better at than men.

Yeah. - [laughs]

- Let's go, Jay. Get this.

Oh. - Oh.

- Men definitely struggle more on this obstacle

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

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

like closer to their chest.

- Yeah, there you go.

And then extend your arms.

Yeah. - [groans]

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

Let's go, Molly.

And you can just tell when women swing on the bar

that it looks so much more natural.

Oh, oh, let's go!

And the response was actually

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

- Twisting around, going sideways at it.

- [laughing] Whoa!

- About a month later, it was put into

one of the world final competitions.

- Avery Glantz was the one that designed this obstacle,

and a rough go for the gentlemen here.

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

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

the first obstacle, like,

created specifically for the female body type.

So it was just super rewarding.

I have yet to hit a buzzer in competition,

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

and I'm going to hit that buzzer.

- You got it, Avery, nice and confident.

- Luke and Avery were runners-up

in our couples' competition,

lost out to Sam Folsom and Isabella Wakeham.

[countdown clock beeping] - Oh, my God.

- Well, we saw Luke Dillon get his buzzer.

Can Avery Glantz get hers?

- She's never made it past the third obstacle

in the regular season.

- Yeah, but remember, she was very strong

in the couples' championship.

That could give her a lot of confidence.

- Yes, let's go, Avery!

- Taking a good look at Log Grip.

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

- You're good! Squeeze!

Yeah. - But she's through.

- Let's go! Let's go!

- Whew.

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

But this next one is the big test,

and she's pointing at it.

She's never made it past the third obstacle

in three previous tries.

Tonight, it's Block Run.

- Feet and chest forward!

Feet and chest forward! You got it!

- You got this! You got this!

Nice! Just like that!

[cheers and applause]

- Four seasons, but we did it.

- Fourth year, there it is.

- She's a kinesiology student

who designed her own female-centric obstacle.

She understands movement, gonna need

all that knowledge to figure out Spin Cycle.

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

to get your momentum going in the direction you want.

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

it's got different directions on 'em,

and that can be very challenging.

- Right through it, Avery Glantz.

[cheers and applause]

- Her training partners watching back in Florida

gotta be impressed.

She's now reached the fifth obstacle.

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

Her understanding of kinesiology

has really helped her out in addition to her training.

- Keeping those shoulders up...

- Nice!

- Giving her a chance to knock around.

- Stay with it, stay with it!

- This is going to be the final transfer,

the big transfer.

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

- Can she make it? Avery Glantz!

- Power. - Come, Avery.

all: Oh! [air horn blares]

- Oh. - And that was the move.

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

And that could get her into the semifinals.

- I absolutely love her reactions.

Relieved when she got past Log Grip,

elated to finally get past the third obstacle,

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

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

[laughter]

- Our next ninja's wearing a hazmat suit,

but he's anything but toxic.

This is New Jersey mold inspector, Darion Bennett.

Once he strips off the suit...

- OK! - He turns on the energy.

[upbeat funky music]

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

It's definitely a demanding job.

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

I have to take care of my hair.

I have to ponytail it up, cover it,

because, yo, you see these locs?

Can't get mold in my locs, man.

[device beeping]

I've seen some crazy stuff.

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

and floors.

That is very disgusting.

[chuckles]

- OK, Dad. Ready, set, go!

Go, Dad. Go, Dad.

You got this.

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

He does Ninja with me.

Yes.

This kid is strong, OK? [laughs]

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

* *

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

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

just like him one day.

* *

- 'Sup?

[cheers and applause]

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

- Oh! [air horn blares]

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

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

I don't know what happened.

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

So that's the plan tonight.

[cheers and applause]

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

and his sister and brother-in-law

watching in Tennessee.

[countdown clock beeping]

- Man, I would rock this look.

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

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

- This is his third season competing.

- Send it! [cheers and applause]

- Well, he should really float right there

to the bottom with them pants.

[cheers and applause]

- Some magic in his genie pants.

Darion Bennett looking locked in.

Watch him on Block Run.

- Nice!

- Let's go!

- Azari is not getting too excited yet,

but the other members of the family are.

- You're good!

- Now tackling on Spin Cycle.

- Big, big move.

I like the big move right there.

That's the way to do it.

- A lot of power, Akbar.

5'11", 165.

- He's a little turned around now.

All right. Control the body there.

Get out of there, though.

Nice. [cheers and applause]

- Has never made it past the fifth obstacle.

- Fell in Lightning Bolt in season 10,

Piston Plunge three years ago.

Can he break through on Battering Ram tonight?

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

Can he keep that promise?

- Nice.

- Fighting to get that cylinder forward.

You can see they're offline.

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

[cheers and applause]

- So far, he's doing good.

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

Come on, you got this.

Go ahead, make this the first time

you get past the fifth obstacle.

- Got it! - OK, Darion.

- And Darion Bennett just needs the dismount!

And look at this!

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

- Oh, my--

- Darion Bennett. It started in season 10.

In season 17 he gets that buzzer.

And his is fired up.

[cheers and applause]

- Yes! - Hey.

- Oh, my God! - Hey.

- Yo.

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

How does it feel?

- It finally feels so good.

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

until I got up here. - [laughs]

- And I can finally talk to y'all

because I finally hit this buzzer, y'all.

- Well, Darion, I got a question.

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

- Yo, we alive!

We are alive! [laughter and cheers]

Let's go!

[cheers and applause]

- What a moment, Akbar.

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

[buzzer blares]

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

but that was some pure joy right there.

Coming up, he's always a fan favorite.

Flip Rodriguez kicks off his 15th season

when we come back on "American Ninja Warrior."

- It was all in the family minutes ago

as the night's oldest male competitor,

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

cheered on by his daughter, Megan Budway

and her boyfriend, Flip Rodriguez.

- Come on, Dad!

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

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

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

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

Uh-huh.

[cheers and applause]

- And then attack the third.

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

both: Oh!

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

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

- Punch it in!

- Budway's fallen three times

on balance obstacles in her career.

- You just said fast. Go fast!

Oh.

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

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

- Oh, man!

- So now it's Flip's turn,

and he is one of the all-time greats.

Flip's a 15-time "Ninja" veteran

who's third all-time in career buzzers,

and he has seen a lot of changes in the sport

over the years.

- Yes! Yes!

- Flip Rodriguez gets his first stage two buzzer!

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

I started on Season 3, 21, young gun,

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

- Oh. Yeah, yeah.

Those were so bad, Quad Steps.

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

My knees were the only thing that saved me there.

[laughs]

The Log Grip, yes.

[upbeat music]

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

Trampoline to 5-foot laches.

Boy, what a massive change

compared to the courses that we have now.

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

that the sport evolves that much.

What a throwback from my first season to now.

[cheers and applause]

- Flip will have plenty of support for this run,

including many of the students he coaches

who've come out from Florida.

Flip's always been a fan favorite.

- 15 seasons for Flip Rodriguez.

- Just yesterday, it felt like

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

- He bounded through it.

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

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

at some point in his career.

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

- You know-- both: Oh, no!

- Flip Rodriguez!

- He's been through all of these before.

- But it reminds you even the best ninjas

fear the balance obstacles for just that reason

and Flip is just frozen in disbelief.

- Well, let's look at it again.

He just skipped that third block

and never regained his balance.

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

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

I'm sorry. - Yeah.

- How are you feeling?

- Ah--[sighs]

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

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

Even though I've done this exact obstacle before.

- Yeah.

- I honestly don't even know what happened.

- You know that you could do this, absolutely.

- Yeah. This is everything I tell my kids.

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

So I walk out with my chin up...

- Yeah.

- And get ready for next season,

because that ain't going to be it.

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

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

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

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

- Thank you. I appreciate it.

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

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

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

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

- Let's go!

- Our next athlete is the smallest, the lightest,

and definitely the youngest-looking

competitor tonight.

This is Texas teenager Ryan Cooper.

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

* *

- Whenever I compete,

I'm always the smallest ninja out there.

People never believe me whenever I tell them

that I'm 16 years old.

They're like, what? No way.

[siren wails]

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

- I was on Seasons 2 and 3

of "American Ninja Warrior Junior."

- Ninja Coop powering through the Spider Walls.

- Super Duper Ninja Cooper!

- Originally, people did underestimate me.

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

But look at Coop flying through it!

- They thought that I was just going to be small

and I wouldn't be able to complete anything.

- Oh, boy! - Oh, my goodness!

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

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

- Yes! Let's go!

Getting on the big show is so fun and exciting.

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

It's my dream come true.

* *

[cheers and applause] Yes!

Let's go! Yeah!

- Ninja Coop has this crowd fired up.

He's got his family and Coach Karsten Williams

on the sideline.

[countdown clock beeping]

- That Ryan Cooper energy is still the same.

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

Like, look like a little cat out there.

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

- High school sophomore, just turned 16.

- Let's go! - Yeah!

- Nobody believes he's old enough to drive.

- Let's go, Coop!

- Can he wrap around here on the Log Grab?

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

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

go with the one closest.

both: Oh!

- Just couldn't hold on.

- Let's go! Let's go!

- [laughing] But still fired up.

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

Ninja Coop couldn't quite land the Log Grip,

but you know what?

He had fun out here.

It's time to check in on our countdown

of "Ninja's" wildest wipeouts...

- Oh, no!

- With a reminder that

not every fall ends up in the water.

- Oh! What?

both: Oh!

- Coming in at number two

is former Seattle bus driver Tim Schnee,

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

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

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

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

his mom was battling cancer.

Now, Elijah and Renee Browning are back,

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

- Lots of Ninja couples competing this season,

including a duo that hit the course just minutes ago.

The Cake Ninja, David Bergstrom-Wright,

had a sweet run from the start.

- Keep the feet nice and hot.

- The six-time "Ninja" veteran

who normally eats cake at the start line

skipped dessert tonight, and it paid off.

Hi, Daniel! - There he is.

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

[buzzer blares]

- Well, with a run like that, man,

you just make the batter better, man.

- His wife Caitlin was also light on her feet.

- When you're moving that fast,

the blocks don't even have time to react.

- The 27-year-old from Florida

has qualified for the semifinals

every season she's competed.

And even though she fell on Battering Ram...

[air horn blares]

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

- I am? [cheers and applause]

- So both Bergstrom-Wrights

will be running in the semifinals.

- Whoo!

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

Up next is Elijah "Boss" Browning

now in his fifth season of "Ninja,"

and the Tennessee teenager has become a crowd favorite,

and this year, Elijah and his mom Renee

are feeling especially blessed.

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

- "The Boss" is gonna get that buzzer!

[buzzer blares]

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

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

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

- And he is pumped.

Go celebrate with Mama Renee!

- But with my mom's breast cancer,

as soon as I got back from filming,

my mom told me that

she was going to have surgery five days after.

So it was immediately switching gears

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

and then going into this like,

oh, shoot, we got to fight again.

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

I'm just going to start really working

on strength training and... - Yeah.

- All that, because I got to

get some strength back that I've lost.

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

- [laughs]

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

* The dark is just a dance *

- My mom's strength through the whole

breast cancer process was incredible.

All right, go.

To see something as severe as that and going through surgery

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

- You guys have so been my community through

this journey through breast cancer

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

[laughs]

I can't even begin to describe

how the Ninja community rallied around us.

Max Feinberg's mom, who had breast cancer,

flew in for one of my oncology treatments.

Brandi Lebsack, who's had breast cancer,

was there every step of the way.

So we made it through.

- * We're going to rise up *

- My mom is a true warrior.

- * No we ain't seen nothing yet *

[cheers and applause]

- Renee's cancer now in remission,

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

- Elijah said that his mom is an incredible example

of positivity and strength throughout her journey.

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

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

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

- Well, if you got the nickname The Boss,

of course you gonna boss that first obstacle.

- Ooh. [cheers and applause]

- OK. - Got through it.

He's collected nine buzzers in his young career,

looking for another tonight.

His mom Renee can barely watch.

- Here we go. Great body awareness.

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

One move! Did you see that?

He did that first cylinder in one move.

And remember, if he finishes under a minute,

he gets to make a run at the Mega Wall.

[cheers and applause]

- Here he go. Under a minute.

- And Elijah "Boss" Browning.

[buzzer blares] Easy.

- Let's go!

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

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

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

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

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

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

And he looks ready, Akbar.

[suspenseful music]

- All day long!

- Two others, Bray Weinacker and Daniel Gil,

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

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

- Oh!

- Oh, well. - Well, still good.

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

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

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

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

- Could this be The Boss's year?

- Coming up, at 71, Ginny MacColl made history

as the oldest to complete an obstacle.

[cheers and applause]

Can she break her own record tonight?

She runs next on the season premiere

of "American Ninja Warrior."

- It was one of the highlights of season 15.

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

was in her 70s when she set a record

as the oldest competitor ever to conquer an obstacle.

- Keep going. Keep going!

- Ginny MacColl has made history!

[cheers and applause] - I like it!

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

She's the oldest competitor this season.

Can she make more history on the course?

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

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

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

had a long career as an actress,

done many commercials, been on Broadway.

- And there's her husband and some friends

watching back in North Carolina.

A chance to match her own history.

- All right, come on now.

[countdown clock beeping]

72 years old, 8 years away from 80.

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

- Not many.

- Come on now.

Come on!

OK!

- Ooh. - Whoo!

- Nice little save.

- To eight-foot steps right there.

- Mama MacColl ain't playing around.

- Got it. [cheers and applause]

And there it is, history made again.

72 years old, the oldest athlete

to complete an obstacle.

Can she make it two?

- Right hand's far!

- Jessie giving her some advice for the Log Grip.

This obstacle's taken out many ninjas.

Can she survive the drops?

- No! [air horn blares]

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

Ginny MacColl, 72 years old,

still getting on the course.

She broke her own record for the oldest

to get through an obstacle.

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

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

- Jessie runs next.

And while she heads to the start line,

let's reveal our number one wildest wipeout.

[upbeat music]

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

both: Oh!

- And we've relived many of them tonight.

- Oh, no!

- But number one on our list is a fall

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

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

tried a long dismount on the Rumbling Dice,

and he didn't quite land it.

Oh! - Oh, oh!

- What a rough fall that was for Bernardo.

But he did land in the top spot,

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

- Wow.

- Hey, guys.

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

and Jessie Graff has definitely given us plenty of those.

Since she first started competing 12 years ago,

Jessie's put together an amazing Ninja résumé.

With seven trips

to the National Finals,

a record amongst the women,

and was, of course,

the first woman

to finish stage one.

And at 40 years old,

she's still one of the best.

- And the fans still adore her.

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

- This is a throwback season, so you know Jessie

had to bring her throwback superhero outfit.

- Jessie was, of course,

a stuntwoman on the "Wonder Woman" films.

[countdown clock beeping]

Vegas will always have a special place for Jessie.

First to complete that stage one course.

- Yeah, who could forget that special moment?

We heard Zuri talking about those moments.

That's just one of many for Jessie Graff.

- Taking some extra time on Log Grip.

This is where her mom slipped off minutes ago.

- Smooth. No problem.

[cheers and applause]

- Never faced Block Run,

first time in her storied career.

Great balance, but as Flip reminded us,

anyone can get tripped up.

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

Nice.

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

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

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

That was season 7 in Venice.

She got through it then.

If she can gets through it now

she'll be among the top five women

and will move on to the semis.

- There you go.

- Nice, Jessie!

- I got a feeling that

Jessie's mindset is on hitting that buzzer.

- Building up some swing.

Oh, quick dismount, almost went off the course.

- Nice. Whoa. - That was really close.

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

She's moving on,

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

- She would love to get a buzzer here,

be the first woman of the season to do it,

remind all these ninjas

why she's still considered one of the greats.

She's competing against some young ladies

who grew up watching her.

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

when one of the young ninjas said,

you were my entire childhood.

She goes, wait, what?

- And look at her going hand over hand,

trying to preserve the forearms.

This is the big transfer, though.

This is where a lot of ninjas have fallen.

- And she's got to lock it in.

She's got to lock that cylinder in

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

- Got it!

And she's smiling!

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

- Just needs to get the dismount!

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

- Do it again. Do it!

- So many special memories here in Vegas!

[cheers and applause]

And Jessie Graff gets another buzzer!

[upbeat music]

What a run!

- I did it!

* *

- You got some special moments in Vegas,

but I know it's also gotta be special.

You're doing it with your mom here.

You just turned 40 years old, Jessie.

A lot of young ninjas grew up watching you,

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

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

and just flex on 'em real quick?

[cheers and applause]

- That's what I'm talking about.

- [laughs]

Jessie, go celebrate with your mom!

Congratulations.

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

Elijah Browning leads the way just ahead of Daniel Gil.

Arkansas's Owen Dyer leads the next five.

We had 12 finishers in all, including Jessie Graff.

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

Rookie Leo Heuring is moving on.

And we had six women land in the top 20,

including Sweet T,

Tianna Webberley.

That's a wrap for tonight.

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

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

[dramatic music]

* *