[soft dramatic music]
- * We're standing at the edge *
* *
- Since they were little, they've been dreaming big.
- I'm going to be the next American Ninja Warrior.
- Tonight, one of those improbable dreams
will come true.
- * We're waiting *
* Looking up *
- To beat stage four and conquer Mount Midoriyama
once and for all, it would be the icing
on the cake that has been my journey
on "American Ninja Warrior."
- Ninja is our life.
- * We hold on so tight *
- I first started doing Ninja Warrior
when I was about 12 years old.
- * Where dreams can come alive *
* We can do anything *
* We're wishing through the night *
- [yells]
- I've been on top of that mountain.
I said, "I'm gonna get back here.
"And the next time I'm at this view,
I'ma have $1 million."
- * We can go somewhere high *
- If you pick me for your show, you won't regret it.
- * Where dreams can come alive *
[cheers and applause] * We can do anything *
- I don't know what the view's gonna look like up there,
but I'm assuming it looks like heaven
because it's a dream come true.
It's time to go.
- * Knowing we can go *
- Welcome to Las Vegas where the biggest jackpot tonight
can be found right here on the season finale
of "American Ninja Warrior."
Hello, everyone, and thanks for joining us
on this special night.
I'm Matt Iseman.
- And I'm Akbar Gbajabiamila.
Matt, this atmosphere is electric.
Everyone wants to get to that stage four tower
and climb for $1 million.
- But to get there, our remaining athletes
must first conquer this brutal stage three course.
Now, we had a few ninjas take their shot
at stage three last week.
Tonight, we'll see the remaining athletes.
For a preview of the night, let's go down to Zuri Hall.
- Yeah, guys, we got our first glimpse
of stage three last week.
And we had two ninjas conquer this course,
as the amazing 15-year-old rookie
Nacssa Garemore
got his fifth buzzer of the season...
- He did it!
- Followed by eight-time Ninja veteran Daniel Gil.
- The Kingdom Ninja is risen.
- Now those two and anyone else
who can finish stage three will get a shot later tonight
at climbing the stage four tower for $1 million.
I don't know what's gonna happen tonight,
but I know it's gonna be exciting.
Guys. [cheers and applause]
- And we're gonna kick things off tonight
with Tennessee teenager Elijah Browning.
He's known as the Boss
because he runs several businesses.
And with his latest venture, he's ready for his close-up.
[camera shutters clicking]
- The Boss businesses are cruising, man.
Dude, this place is huge.
Boss Sports Cards is killing it.
And me and my grandpa have started building ninja rigs.
[upbeat music]
But a real passion of mine in the past year
has been doing some modeling all across the country.
- * Dripping in diamonds *
* Dressed to the nines *
* I'm making the headlines *
- The key to being a good model
is always having a fun time
and literally just being Derek Zoolander.
- * So many lights, but they don't blind me *
- Tonight, I'm gonna strike a pose
at the stage three buzzer.
- * So many lights, but the don't blind me *
[cheers and applause]
- Look at that huge group on his sideline.
As always, led by his mom, Renee.
- Whoo!
- No time limit on stage three.
You just have to finish.
[countdown clock beeping]
- First up, Patriot Pass.
Got to work your way across the ropes as they unwind.
Ooh, another one here.
And the Boss makes short work of it.
- Patriot Pass, passed the test.
- On now to Stalactites.
- Yeah, for this one, you have to swing through
and slide those handles inside those small slots.
It's important to get through it quickly.
- Boss burst onto the scene two years ago,
was one move away from advancing
to stage three as a rookie.
Didn't make it to Vegas last year,
but now having his best season ever.
- Elijah Browning's on the bigger side for a ninja.
- Well, the Boss using that 6'1" frame to his advantage.
But it's the 170 pounds that's the real challenge.
- Yeah, those extra few pounds will catch up to you
on these stage three obstacles.
- But gets through Stalactites.
[cheers and applause]
- Let's go, dude. You got this.
- Gonna climb up to start the third obstacle, Slam Dunk.
He'll have to jump across with the ball
and land in the small hoops.
You want to land softly, just like that.
[cheers and applause]
You know he had to get a little boost
racing on stage two and taking out Kaden Lebsack.
- Those two are good friends.
Kaden's over there on Elijah's sideline.
[cheers and applause]
Up next, Ultimate Cliffhanger.
Got to work his way across this 55-foot pool.
- Take your time, honey. All day long. Breathe.
- Use the long arms, be as efficient as possible,
get off this obstacle as quickly as you can.
- This really tests your grip.
There's not much to grab onto on those ledges.
- Over the years, this has ended
so many runs on stage three.
These ledges, only an inch wide.
- But he's still able to do it.
- Good transfer there.
Big leap, fingertips.
Got it. - Nice.
And that just speaks to the strength of Elijah Browning.
Hat on backwards, throwing around
170 pounds like it's nothing.
[cheers and applause]
- The fifth obstacle is Pipe Dream.
First has to swing up to that platform.
Real smooth there.
Has to work his way through these vertical poles.
Such an impressive young man.
An entrepreneur, multiple companies.
- Yeah, I'm sure he'd like to invest that million dollars
into his businesses.
- Sliding down, and you can see,
just fighting to control it.
- Nice, but he's got long legs.
Good. 6'1", use it.
- And just bear hugging that thing.
Struggling to get purchase with those feet.
- Come on.
- He can use those long legs here.
And he's gonna finish off Pipe Dream.
You can see that taxed him.
But he's now two obstacles away from the buzzer.
Renee Browning, like so many moms...
- Come on, honey, you go this!
- They feel everything when their kids are on the course.
These final two obstacles are new this year.
This one is called Pressure Cooker.
He's got to slide those handles on and off the pipes.
The only thing keeping them up is pressure
on the end of the handles.
- But it's easy to get spun around on this obstacle.
- But he's using his height to his advantage here, Akbar.
Could be a little less precise.
With that long wingspan, you can still reach the poles.
- Ooh, boy. OK. - Got it.
- Here we go. Nice.
- Look at that change and great control.
- Well, that means he has a lot left in the tank.
- And you can see him being fully extended.
- OK, Baby Boss!
- Not willing to waste any energy.
- I see you, Baby Boss.
- A little extra spin.
Can he lock it in place?
- Oh, look at him. He's twisting around.
Nope, I'll go the other way. OK.
He's got plenty left in the tank.
- Oh, my!
- Nice. - Made it!
- Nice. - One obstacle away.
[cheers and applause]
He looks exhausted.
But $1 million is within reach.
- You got it! This is it!
- The final test is called Road Signs.
Has to grab the posts in front of him,
and when he does, the signs will pop up.
170 pounds.
With those vertical holds, his grip will be tested.
Does he have enough left?
- Nice.
And now he's gotta pull himself up
with those long arms.
Gotta pull himself up. Nice.
- The sign says, "Danger, falling ninjas."
Doesn't want to be one of those.
Ooh, giving his hands time to find purchase.
- Nice.
- Oh, no! - Oh, can't let--ah!
Sha-na-na! [all yelling]
- The Boss just couldn't hold on.
What a season.
Comes up just short.
- Good job, dude.
- By the last obstacle, he was exhausted.
Elijah got to the second Road Sign
but just missed the grab.
- He was only a few feet short of finishing stage three
and a shot at $1 million.
But it's the best season of Elijah Browning's career.
Still plenty to celebrate.
- So proud of you, buddy.
- What a night it's going to be.
- Let's go!
- With $1 million up for grabs.
- Yes!
- Two ninjas have already punched
their ticket to stage four.
And nine others will get a chance to join them,
including the beloved coach Jonathan Bange,
whose Cinderella season has brought his friends to tears.
- I'm trying not to cry right now.
Yeah!
We're talking about stage three,
an opportunity of a lifetime.
It's unbelievable.
- And RJ Roman, who had a rocky childhood,
but is now one of the best ninjas in the world.
- The rope is a personification
of everything that has ever tried
to hold me back in my life.
This is my way of fighting back.
- Plus, Vance Walker, the contender
born with cerebral palsy
and told he'd never be an athlete.
- I'm back, baby!
I'm competing and hitting these buzzers not only for me,
but for all the people around me who have been
inspired by my journey.
- It's all coming up on the season finale
of "American Ninja Warrior."
- We told you last week
about Ethan Bartnicki and Vance Walker
growing up together in Ninja.
And tonight, both have a shot at winning it all.
First up is Ethan.
The 18-year-old budding music producer
is having another great season,
and he's dedicating it to the coach
who helped him and Vance get their start.
Travis Rust, 27-year-old rookie...
- Ain't showing no rust whatsoever.
- Travis was my coach.
He taught me a lot, not only Ninja,
but in life in general and just helped me
become a better person overall.
He was the best coach in the world.
[somber music]
- Travis was a really good friend of ours.
He was always at the gym cheering us on.
Just one of the best friends you could ask for.
* *
[buzzer blares]
- He passed away in 2021 in a motorcycle accident.
It was very hard losing a coach.
He was always such a close friend and a mentor as well.
- Not having him around has been really tough on us.
- I originally was gonna quit Ninja
after his passing, but I stuck with it for Travis.
[inspiring music]
I feel like Travis would be so proud of me
just to know that his athlete has made it to stage three,
and he believed in me from the start.
It means a lot.
[cheers and applause]
- We're definitely both running this course
for Travis tonight.
* *
- Hey, Travis, this one's for you.
[cheers and applause]
- And that silhouette image on his shirt
is Ethan pointing to the sky, something he does
after every run as a tribute to Travis Rust.
He's got his brother and dad on the sideline.
- You got this.
- And lots of folks watching back home,
including his mom and grandparents...
- You can do it.
- Plus his girlfriend.
- Whoo!
[countdown clock beeping]
Well, Bartnicki has trained so much with Vance Walker,
wouldn't it be nice to see both of them on stage four?
- Yeah, Georgia boys.
- There's Vance.
He'll run in just a few minutes.
We've talked a lot about the young ninjas
like Kaden Lebsack, Vance Walker.
But let's not forget about Ethan Bartnicki.
This is his sophomore season.
Both times, he's made it to stage three.
- That's hard to do.
[cheers and applause]
- On now to Slam Dunk.
We met Ethan back on the first season of "Ninja Junior"
when he had the nickname Lil Dolla.
Back then, he was only 4'8" and 72 pounds.
- And he's still on the smaller side for a ninja.
5'4" and 120 pounds.
- Currently going to college to be a music producer.
He's already making money selling some of his beats.
- There we go. There we go.
- He's hitting all the right notes so far.
- Make it. - Yeah.
- He's through three obstacles.
- Yeah! [all cheering]
- Whoo!
- Shaking out those hands before scaling
the Ultimate Cliffhanger.
- Let's work!
- Nice to only be carrying 120 pounds.
- Use it. Use it to your advantage.
- The shortest and lightest athlete.
We'll see if that reach gives him any trouble.
- Smooth. Glide smooth.
- And you can just see the fluidity
using that lower body.
So efficient.
About to transfer. - Come on.
- Is he banging back?
Got it. - Nice.
- He is just progressing effortlessly.
- You see that little spin move?
Oh, he's just stunting now. Oh, he's just showing off.
[cheers and applause]
He made that look easy. I'm not gonna lie.
- Well, this is the obstacle that took him out last year,
Pipe Dream.
Yeah, on the first transition between pipes,
he slid right off.
- Block the hands.
- That's Michael Johnson, another influential coach
in Ethan's life yelling advice from the sideline.
We always say, you see one person on the course,
but nobody does it alone.
Let's see if he learned from his mistakes last time.
- He's got shorter legs than some of the other ninjas.
He may have to jump to the poles
when others could just do the splits to reach across.
- Makes the first move,
but this next one is where he fell last time.
- Nice. - But not tonight.
- I like the soft landing there.
That's not easy.
- These thicker pipes drop down.
- You see how he's holding it to his chest?
- And now he can use them legs.
I think he learned a lot from last season.
Oh, here we go. - He's stretching.
He's stretching. - There it is.
- OK!
- Just so smooth and efficient.
Ethan Bartnicki soaked up a lot of experience
from last season.
- Reach behind, sit in.
- And he is through Pipe Dreams.
So he's gone farther than he did last year.
- Wow, Ethan. That was huge.
- He's now two obstacles away from a buzzer.
But can he handle the Pressure Cooker?
- A lot of pressure.
The pressure to get to stage four.
The pressure to complete stage three.
Oh, boy, and the pressure to get through Pressure Cooker.
- Well, it's the challenge of knowing
what this obstacle is all about.
As your grip strength's screaming, "Let me out!"
- My goodness. And you can see,
with Pressure Cooker, it gets you spinning...
- Ooh. - You can stop it!
- You're staring at stage four...
- Oh! - As you're trying--come on.
- There you go. - Ooh. Ooh.
And the reach at 5'4", Matt, you can see he's really having
to extend to get that reach.
He's trying to stay calm.
- Oh, my. - Nice.
- That has got to be taxing.
- Yeah, there's a little bit of a disadvantage at 5'4".
He's doing the extra reach. Uh-oh.
- Those little mistakes right there,
those miscues are very taxing.
- Up and out. We're almost there, bud.
- The sudden unexpected jolts, but Bartnicki progressing.
A little twisted.
- He's fighting with everything he has.
- He's already been hanging in midair on this obstacle
for more than a minute.
Oh, my.
You can't just reposition your grip
or that handle will slide off.
But Bartnicki figuring it out, willing his way through it.
- Man, Matt, we got to put
some respect on this man's name.
We got to put some respect on this young kid's name.
He has been consistent. Look at this.
He's about to get through Pressure Cooker.
- Spinning around, can he get it?
- Oh, my goodness. It's like a merry-go-round.
- Careful. - There it is.
- And Bartnicki...
- OK, Bartnicki!
- He's done it!
One more obstacle!
- He dedicated his season to Travis Rust.
And that right there was an inspired effort
on Pressure Cooker. - Shake it off!
- Breathe. - Breathe! Breathe!
- Breathe. - Breathe!
- But that had to sap the grip strength.
What does he have left for the Road Signs?
- You can do this, buddy. You can do this.
- You got to be efficient.
- It's about seven moves here.
Nice.
- Oh, what does the grip have left?
- All right, that's one. That's two.
All right, the third move here.
Here we go.
All right. - Oh.
And I love the efficiency here.
- He just hit the fifth move. Sixth.
All right, here's that last move.
He's done the move! He knows it's coming!
- Can he get the dismount? - Get out of here!
- Yes! [buzzer blares]
Ethan Bartnicki does it in his sophomore season.
[cheers and applause]
[upbeat music]
- Oh, my gosh.
[all screaming]
- And now he's gonna join our two finishers
from last week,
Nacssa Garemore and Daniel Gil,
to climb stage four for $1 million.
- Four!
- Look at the emotions.
You see how much it means to these guys.
- Matt, it makes me want to cry.
You can feel-- - I'm crying right now.
- Oh, man, you make me want to cry, man.
- I've worked so hard for this for seven years.
It's like, to see this actually come true
and for me to hit this buzzer, it just means the world to me.
- Man, you know what? I can tell you something, man.
Look, I ain't never cried like this on TV, man.
But I'ma tell you something. I am super proud of you, man.
I put some respect on your name
because you've worked hard for it.
Congratulations.
Hit that damn buzzer again, man.
- Let's go! Let's go!
- You go! You go!
- Let's go!
[cheers and applause]
Man, got me over here crying, man.
My goodness.
- Dreams come true, buddy.
We'll see you on stage four.
And there's that point to the sky for Travis Rust.
Ethan made him proud tonight.
- My goodness.
- Go, go, go, go, go! - Coming up...
The Bangen Ninja, Jonathan Bange,
has been one of the year's biggest surprises.
Now, the 34-year-old Texan tries to keep
his improbable season alive
when "American Ninja Warrior" returns.
- We started this season with four Bergstroms.
But Caitlyn got knocked out in the semifinals.
- No! - Ooh!
- The Cake Ninja David fell on stage one.
- Oh! - Oh!
- And so did Ashley.
- Go--oh.
- So Ashley's husband Caleb is the only Bergstrom left.
And he's already started his run here on stage three
working his way across the Ultimate Cliffhanger.
Caleb Bergstrom's perfect season rolls on.
Four buzzers, a Mega Wall,
and just about halfway to his fifth buzzer.
So smooth. [cheers and applause]
All the other Bergstroms are here cheering him on.
The family connection to Ninja started six years ago
when Caleb's dad Jason first competed.
He liked it so much, he opened a Ninja gym,
which Caleb now helps run.
- 23 years old. Perfect season.
Could end it with the $1 million.
That'd be great.
- Caleb has been a part of history.
He and his sister, the first brother-sister duo
to make it to Vegas.
And this year, he and his wife Ashley
were the first married couple to do the same.
- Let's go, Caleb! You got it!
Oh, yes. - Watch the leg.
- Oh! Oh! - Oh.
- That was a fireman drop right there.
Now he's got to use a lot of energy
to get back up to make that transfer.
- But he does.
And survives.
[cheers and applause]
- You got this, Caleb! Come on!
- And there is no relief on Pressure Cooker,
but goes right into it.
- Nice. All right, good.
- Just 23 and a newlywed.
$1 million would change his life.
- Come on.
Oh, buddy.
He needs to correct that handle position.
Nice. - There it is.
Figured it out.
Just trying to stay calm.
Ooh. - Oh.
- Another extra swing.
- Boy, I know he wished he could get
an auto-correct on that one.
- Well, he was looking just effortless
and flawless early on,
but these last two obstacles
starting to challenge Caleb Bergstrom.
- One more, buddy, you got it. - Come on. Come on.
- The family hanging on every move.
- Whoo! - And he's got it.
- He just crushed it.
[cheers and applause]
- And now one obstacle between him and stage four.
- All right, you know what to do.
You've been training for so long.
You've had a perfect season thus far.
Finish strong, baby. - Kip back, long shot.
Great job. - Nice! Oh, man.
He looks like he's in control of this one, Matt.
He looks like he's in control. - It's his hips.
He's generating power with the hips
to give his hands time to find purchase.
- Matt, I think he's about to do it.
- One more move! - He's got it. He's got it.
- Can he get the dismount?
Yes!
- His fifth buzzer! [buzzer blares]
[upbeat music]
- Let's go crazy!
Let's go!
- And his wife comes to greet him.
This family's been at it for six years,
and now, one of them is gonna climb for $1 million.
And the perfect season of Caleb Bergstrom rolls on.
- Whoo!
- Caleb! - Five!
That's five buzzers. Five! - I can't believe it.
- We've always said Ninja is all about family.
And the Bergstrom bunch, you guys embody that.
Go celebrate. Rest up.
You're climbing for $1 million.
[cheers and applause]
- Yes, sir!
- Well, we're in Vegas, and our next ninja
was definitely a long shot to be on stage three.
At the start of this season, Jonathan Bange
had never qualified for Vegas or even hit a buzzer,
but at 34, he's having a dream season.
This beloved coach has helped others achieve greatness.
Now it's his turn.
- Up, up, up. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go.
I've been a Ninja coach for about six years now.
Up and through it. Up and through it.
Yeah. Yeah.
Ah, that's all right. It was there.
And I've coached well over 100 kids.
Hey!
Six to be world champions in different leagues.
Nine to be on "American Ninja Warrior Junior."
- Ah, ah, oh, my God! Oh, my God!
- And then on the big show,
I've coached seven kids and adults,
and I trained with plenty other Dallas ninjas.
Up, up, up! Yeah!
[cheers and applause]
- JB is a burst of sunshine.
He has the loudest encouraging voice
and makes you feel like you're some superstar
and you can do anything.
- There it is.
- He's helped me really with my training.
I'm excited for this guy.
He has got a passion for everything.
- Let's go!
- I love that guy to death.
- He's got it!
- Hard work pays off.
And I'm a living testimony right to it.
Right now, I'm 34, first time to Vegas,
and I'm on stage three.
both: Bang! - Stage three, baby.
I'm honored to be able to have the opportunity
to inspire others.
[cheers and applause]
- And we've really seen this year
how much people love Jonathan Bange.
That includes the group on his sideline,
led by his mom and one of his prize pupils,
The Flyboy Isaiah Thomas.
And his buddy Karsten Williams
back in Texas with other ninjas
ready to watch their coach take on stage three.
[countdown clock beeping]
- Ha!
- He's just had an amazing season.
Got his first ever buzzer back in semifinals,
and then knocked off the number two seed
during his race on stage two.
[cheers and applause]
- And this sport has gotten younger the past few years.
But Jonathan Bange never gave up.
He kept working, now here he is
making his Vegas debut,
and his stage three debut at 34.
- Seven of the athletes he coaches or trains with
competed on "American Ninja Warrior"
this season, including The Flyboy.
He's dedicated this season to his dad,
who passed away due to colon cancer.
And his mom's been on the sideline
sharing this improbable season with him.
[cheers and applause]
He played basketball in high school and in college
at the University of Texas at Dallas.
So he should be right at home on Slam Dunk.
- He told us he can dunk a basketball,
even though he's only 5'8".
All right, here we go. M-O-V-E, move.
- We've already had four people
punch their ticket to stage four.
We know they'll be climbing for $1 million.
What a story it would be
if Jonathan Bange could join them.
He may think of himself as an underdog,
but he's proving he belongs. - Come on, do it!
- Now just needs the dismount.
- Come on.
- And he's through.
[cheers and applause]
all: JB, JB, JB!
- Matt, you hear the crowd saying "JB."
They giving him that juice!
- Hoping to carry that momentum
as he takes on Ultimate Cliffhanger.
At 34, he's the oldest
to reach stage three this year.
- He is scooting 160 pounds
across this Ultimate Cliffhanger with ease.
- This obstacle has been a part of stage three
since the beginning.
It used to end many runs.
Now these ninjas have gotten so good at it.
- But here come the big moves for Jonathan Bange.
He's got to go up a foot to that ledge.
And now he's got to go down 3 feet to that next one.
This transfer, Matt-- this transfer right here--
oh.
- Come on! - Can he figure it out?
Oh, my goodness. - Coach Bange.
- Bange is struggling right here, Matt.
This transfer right here, this is it.
This is the decider right here.
Get out of there.
Nice!
Oh, boy. He is coming with a bang.
He is banging on stage three.
- The Bangen Ninja, a move away from completing
Ultimate Cliffhanger at 34 years of age.
- Hold on.
- Oh, no! - Oh, my goodness!
He almost had it.
- Couldn't stick the landing.
A remarkable season comes to an end.
But hold your head up high, Coach Bange.
[cheers and applause]
- He made that big move to the other side.
It looked like Jonathan Bange had a lot left in him,
but it was the dismount.
He didn't build up enough swing
and only got one foot on the platform.
- Jonathan, it's been an incredible season.
You feel good about it?
- I can't complain at all.
I'm blessed to be able to make it here
to stage three, my first time to Vegas.
I mean, I've got my family, got my community with me,
got support back home.
I do this to be the best version of myself
and inspire others.
And I hope this season has done just that.
- JB!
- OK, everybody, let's go out with a bang.
- Three, two, one.
all: Bang!
- I gotta work on my kick.
Congratulations. Great job.
- Coming up...
he was born with cerebral palsy
and wore braces on his legs.
But now, he's on the brink of climbing for $1 million.
- To say it's a dream come true would be an understatement.
- Vance Walker takes the course next
on "American Ninja Warrior."
- He won "American Ninja Warrior Junior" at 13.
- Vance Walker is our champion.
- And then did it again at 14.
- What? Back to back for Vance Walker.
- And after a strong season...
[buzzer blares]
Vance Walker is trying to be
the "American Ninja Warrior" champion at 18.
He'll need two more buzzers
to have a shot at the $1 million,
but this kid has the skills to do it.
He's one of the best Ninja athletes in the world,
which is all the more impressive considering
he was born with cerebral palsy.
[soft music]
- I didn't have a typical childhood.
I wasn't able to go running outside
or do anything any of the other kids could do.
- We got fitted for the braces,
and when he was able to start walking, we still weren't sure
if he would be able to play sports.
- Here we go. Up, and back down.
Slowly. Slowly.
- Having cerebral palsy still affects me to this day.
I have to stretch constantly and just do
all this extra stuff to be able to function
like a normal person.
- Come on. Push. Push.
- I got to be honest, I never thought
that he was gonna be able to be such an amazing athlete.
- We're back, baby!
I'm competing and hitting these buzzers not only for me,
but for all the people around me who have been
inspired by my journey.
* *
- Going back to stage three!
- Everybody has their own obstacles in life,
and my main goal is to not only clear them,
but to help people realize that the obstacles
don't define you, and they don't mean
that you have to give up.
It's a blessing to be able to be here
after everything I've gone through
and to be able to do all this, so...
If I can inspire even just one more person out there,
then tonight's already a victory.
* *
[cheers and applause]
- So amazing how far this kid has come.
- He's got a huge group on his sidelines,
including his parents and his grandma.
[countdown clock beeping]
Vance Walker knows what to expect.
He made it to stage three two years ago
in his rookie season.
Had a good run, but fell on the next to last obstacle.
[cheers and applause]
Last season didn't go as well.
He went out on stage one.
- Matt, but after his rough season last year,
he doubled down on training, went around the country
to train with the best ninjas: Daniel Gil,
RJ Roman, and Caleb Bergstrom,
who he's competing with tonight.
- All right!
[cheers and applause] - Let's go!
- He's been very efficient on the first two obstacles.
He now climbs up to take on Slam Dunk.
Well, since Season 13, he said this has been his focus.
He wants to climb that rope for the $1 million.
- You got this. - Let's go.
- And Vance Walker has some big guns on him.
I want to see what he can do with those arms
climbing that 75-foot rope.
- We've already got four ninjas who will
be going for that $1 million.
Vance Walker trying to be the fifth.
[cheers and applause]
- Let's go. Come on. - Attaboy, Vance. Let's go.
- Nice! Nice!
- There's Vance's buddy, Ethan Bartnicki.
He's punched his ticket to stage four.
Vance is hoping to join his long-time
training partner over there.
- Yes, looking good!
- Just 5'6", not a lot of wingspan.
Let's see how he handles Ultimate Cliffhanger.
Had no problem with it back in Season 13.
- And Matt, you can tell he's put in a lot of work
on the Ultimate Cliffhanger.
Look how the technique is so flawless here.
But again, he's starting to develop the pump, though.
This is where it happens.
- Well, what I love is the control.
You can see he planned out these moves.
- Ooh! - He is executing.
It's looking like a dance here.
- Oh, my goodness. - He's not missing a step.
How efficient.
- Yeah, he could do this one in his sleep.
- Beautiful.
[cheers and applause]
Pipe Dream is next.
This is where his cerebral palsy may have an effect.
Primarily impacts the lower body.
He said, in Season 13, that really caused
a problem on the Pipe Dream.
And that sapped whatever upper body energy he had left.
- Yeah, there are a lot of kids with cerebral palsy
who are watching Vance Walker
make his way through stage three.
- Whoo! Spinning around.
- Matt, he looks like he's in good form.
- Here comes a drop on this pipe.
Really got to lock in.
- Nice! Hold it! - And look at him.
Locking and giving that upper body a break.
- And you can see him wrapping his legs around the pole.
We just mentioned that right now.
Let's see.
It looks like he's in pretty good shape here.
- And he had trouble with his extending, just 5'6".
Can he make the transfer? Can he trust it?
- He's gotta make a quick transfer.
He's gotta be quick. He's gotta be quick.
Oh, nice. - Got it.
[cheers and applause]
Well, Vance Walker has gotten stronger physically,
but clearly, he's gotten stronger mentally.
I love his game plan.
- Absolutely.
- Going to that pole.
And just steps over,
and he is through five obstacles.
- Let's go. - Let's go!
Fight for it, buddy! - Looking good. Breathe.
- And he's now plotting out his moves for Pressure Cooker.
- Come on. You can do it.
- As you're trying to choose your path,
you're also going through the fatigue.
And then look, you have to be very slow and steady.
And this is time under tension,
and that really stresses the muscle.
- And he's struggling to get it rotated.
What a foreign move that is.
Oh, boy. And this is trouble.
- Yeah, Matt, a lot of these ninjas
don't train with the TUT, the Time Under Tension.
This is gonna be very challenging.
- Well, that was real smooth.
But you can see it's just so hard
controlling the rotations.
- Oh. - Oh, what a reach.
- Hell to the no. - You want to get that cuff
up higher, though. There it is.
- Hell to the no. - In case it slides down.
- This is difficult, Matt.
- How is he still going? - Oh, my goodness!
Oh, my goodness!
This sixth obstacle, he said it will not break him.
- A brand-new obstacle.
And you can see, he's spinning around--
- Matt, you can hear--
you can hear the Pressure Cooker whistling.
- Going for the dismount.
- Come on.
- And he gets through.
[cheers and applause]
- Let's go!
- And he gives a little nod and a thumbs up.
He's got something left for this final obstacle.
- You got it! Come on! You got it!
- One more obstacle to go.
Trying to join the four other ninjas
who will climb for $1 million.
Vance Walker reminding us again
why he's considered one of the best.
Now launch. Launch back.
Got it! Got it! - Nice.
Ooh!
He is determined. He is determined.
- Akbar, you see he's grabbing high up on the side
to make the throw, a little shorter.
Come on, Vance!
- Matt, that road sign should say, "The buzzer is that way"
because that's exactly where he's going.
- Yes!
[buzzer blares]
- Oh, my goodness!
- Vance Walker does it!
- Oh, my goodness!
- Well, it took him a couple years longer than he hoped,
but Vance Walker's going to stage four.
[cheers and applause]
[upbeat music]
- Just think about it.
When he was growing up with cerebral palsy,
he was told he'd never be an athlete.
Well, look at him now. - Wow.
- He's gonna be climbing for $1 million.
- Matt, he deserved it.
The way he executed here on stage three
was simply impressive.
all: Vance, Vance, Vance, Vance!
- Let's go!
- He had no problems on the first part of the course
but spent a lot of time hanging on Pressure Cooker.
And look at his face on that final obstacle.
He was hurting but powered through,
and now he's going to stage four.
- Congratulations.
You made it.
Hallowed ground. You are here.
You have completed stage three.
So much emotion.
Tell me what you're feeling right now, Vance.
- I'm just so grateful.
I've been working so hard for this.
It's just a dream come true.
And even looking at that tower
has always just gave me chills.
I'm so excited to be able to climb it.
- Yeah, Mount Midoriyama is calling your name.
[cheers and applause]
- Let's go! - Whoo!
- Congratulations.
We'll see you on stage four.
- And with that run, we're now up to a record-tying
five ninjas who will be climbing stage four.
- And we've still got five more ninjas
who could join them in the quest for $1 million.
- What a finish it's gonna be on the season finale
of "American Ninja Warrior."
- At least five ninjas will be climbing
for $1 million later tonight.
And minutes ago, Colorado teenager Hans Hertz
tried to join the group.
- This has got to be crazy for Hans Hertz.
He is living his dream.
- The unheralded high schooler has been
a revelation all season, hitting buzzers
on every course he's faced.
- He's a virtual unknown.
Now you know his name.
He's made it all the way to stage three.
- with his parents and brother Harper
cheering on the sideline, the 16-year-old
kept his composure...
- I am in awe of his ability to stay calm.
- And battled all the way to the final obstacle.
- Here we go. Last one here.
Nice. Came in tight.
Come on. You the driver.
See? Oh, my goodness. He almost fell!
Oh, my goodness.
[cheers and applause]
- So we're now up to six athletes
who will be climbing stage four later tonight.
That's more than we've ever had in the history
of "American Ninja Warrior."
And we've got another teenager halfway through the course.
It's Minnesota's Jera Boyd...
- Nice landing.
- Jumping out to start Pipe Dream now.
That was interesting.
Went to one pole, then split out.
- Yep. He did a little spin, too.
You can see him trying to use the lower body there.
- Wow. - Nice flexibility.
And that takes a lot of pressure off the upper body
'cause there is no real break for the upper body.
- Jera's been impressive all year.
He earned 10 grand on the Mega Wall in qualifying,
and last week, won his race on stage two
against Ninja great Joe Moravsky,
getting his fourth buzzer of the season.
And Jera's gonna finish Pipe Dream.
In a true ninja spirit, Joe's cheering on Jera.
- Yeah, Jera.
- Jera's also got his mom watching
from back in Minnesota.
- Yeah, two more obstacles, and he'll be joining
those others climbing for $1 million.
- Well, this 19-year-old is a go-getter.
He was working in real estate while he was in high school
and now has photography business,
along with creating videos for social media.
- Nice. Get it in.
OK. - Really nice job.
- All right. And remember to breathe.
And that's so important, not to over-grip as well.
Over-gripping will add a little extra taxation.
- Well, you can really see him counter-rotating
his lower body to control the momentum.
- Yeah, trying to wiggle off.
- The handle getting stuck. - I see it. Good reach.
- I've got to say, Jera Boyd,
we haven't seen any ninja have the control
he's had here on Pressure Cooker.
- Yeah, it's a brand-new obstacle.
All he's seen is the ninjas who went before him,
so this is interesting. - Wow.
Very efficient. - He's a quick learner.
Remember, he just graduated from high school last year.
- What a stud.
- Quick work. Quick work.
- Now one obstacle away from becoming our seventh finisher.
Has to get through the Road Signs.
And this crowd's getting behind Jera Boyd.
- I know he can taste it.
- These vertical handles are so taxing on your grip.
Got it.
- The DMV tells you to mind these signs.
I'm telling you, "Don't mind these signs."
Go straight through. - I just love it.
What a new move that we've ever seen on "Ninja Warrior."
- Nice. - But watch that left hand.
Good correction, keeping him high and even.
- Nice. Ooh, good.
- One more transfer.
- Hold on. - This is it.
- Everything you got.
both: Oh!
- No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!
Oh, my word.
- The grip gave out.
One move away.
But Road Signs is such a difficult obstacle.
He just couldn't make the grab.
- By the end of stage three, your arms are toast,
and he just didn't have enough
to get a grip on that final sign.
Still a great season for Jera Boyd.
- Our next athlete has been here before.
It's stuntman and Ninja veteran Kyle Soderman.
Two years ago, Kyle was one of only four athletes
to make it to stage three, but his run ended
at Ultimate Cliffhanger.
- No! - No.
And Kyle's got lots of support for this run,
including his very energetic mom
watching back in Minnesota.
- Mwah! You got this, Kyle.
- And he's got a huge group on the sidelines,
including his fiancée, fellow ninja Megan Johnson.
[countdown clock beeping]
Kyle made it to stage three after winning
a run-off race on stage two
against New Jersey teen Josiah Pippel.
[cheers and applause]
And now the Stalactites.
- This is gonna be challenging.
Kyle Soderman, 180 pounds.
- He'll be the heaviest athlete
facing stage three tonight.
And though he's only 28, he's one of the older athletes
still left in the competition.
Now living in Austin, Texas, but spends
a lot of time in Hollywood working
as a stuntman on movies,
television shows, and music videos.
And you can see him let go of the handle.
Whoa. - Whoa.
- Almost dropped it.
That would have been catastrophe.
- You see how difficult that is?
- Soderman staying calm, but believe me,
all those extra swings are sapping
that precious grip strength.
It doesn't get any easier here with Slam Dunk.
- Matt, I think the key here is being able
to come in tight and in control.
- And that means keeping those arms bent,
using the lats, the whole body to absorb it.
- Nice. There you go. - Perfect.
- You got to control the space jam,
but this transfer-- - There it is.
You can see it's a two-hand transfer.
- And if you get off a little bit,
that ball can spin off. - Wow.
Soderman slam dunk. - Nice.
[cheers and applause]
- And now he gets his rematch with the Ultimate Cliffhanger.
- Wow, you see him pointing at it.
- Kyle, you've got this. You can do this.
You hang on.
- And Mama Soderman really wants
to see him get through this.
- 180 on stage three on the Ultimate Cliffhanger?
That's a lot of weight to carry.
- That is an Akbarian amount of weight.
- [laughs] Yes, it is.
- Well, you got to see.
What he's got to do here is be incredibly efficient,
minimize the time he's hanging by his fingertips.
- That's right, and so that means you got to hurry.
If that's me, I'm trying to scoot along before I burn out.
- And you see the importance, you generate
the momentum for the moves with your lower body.
- Matt, watch his right hand! - Oh!
- Whoa! - Watch his right hand!
I saw it coming! My goodness!
[cheers and applause]
- Soderman once again felled on the Ultimate Cliffhanger.
Still quite a victory to make it to stage three again.
- Two years ago, Kyle's grip gave out
reaching up with his right hand.
This year, history repeated itself
at the same spot with the same result.
- I got to rock climb more.
That's all I can say. [laughs]
Be back next year.
- Still to come,
teenager Noah Meunier's been one of this years
biggest surprises.
Can the rookie keep his perfect season alive?
And later, we're moving over to stage four
to climb for $1 million and crown
an new champion on the season finale
of "American Ninja Warrior."
- Welcome back to Vegas, where we're on stage three
at the national finals.
All the competitors tonight want to get
to that big shiny tower right over there.
That's stage four. - That's right.
Every ninja's dreams to climb that tower.
And we've already had a record six ninjas
finish stage three so far.
They're gonna go for that $1 million jackpot
in just a bit.
- And we've still got two more athletes
with a chance to join them.
And here comes one of them.
It's 17-year-old Noah Meunier.
This mild-mannered kid from Massachusetts
has met every challenge this season,
finishing all four courses he's faced so far.
Cheering him on, as always, are his girlfriend Addy Herman
and his dad Dennis. - Come on, Noah.
[countdown clock beeping]
- He and Addy have become "Ninja's" power couple.
He's made it all the way to stage three as a rookie,
and she made it to the national finals
for the second straight year.
The other constant for Noah is his dad Dennis.
He's been on the sidelines for every run.
- Watching him go through finals is torture.
It's like, you get very, very, very nervous.
And then he's crushing it.
So you get very, very, very relieved.
But to see him go even further in Vegas,
yeah, I'm gonna be the proudest dad out there.
- Dennis was injured in a hockey accident
when he was younger, now uses a cane,
but still works in the health care industry.
And Noah sometimes helps him on the job.
They're so close.
- Noah says his dad inspired him
to never make excuses.
[cheers and applause]
- The other two rookies who made it this far,
Nacssa Garemore and Hans Hertz,
are moving on to stage four.
And Noah's through Slam Dunk.
[cheers and applause]
Ultimate Cliffhanger is next.
- Noah's 5'8" and 145 pounds.
Being lighter can help you move across those tiny ledges.
- Well, the thing we've seen with Meunier, he goes fast,
but he does it efficiently,
and that is the key to survive stage three.
- Addy Herman can barely watch.
- Come on, Noah. - Yeah!
[cheers and applause]
- Got to make this 6-foot jump to the other side.
He gets it.
- Matt, he reminds me of Clark Kent in those specs.
- Let's go! - Let's go!
- We already have
a record number of ninjas, six,
going to stage four.
These ninjas train hard,
and they just get better and better.
- It's the strongest field we've ever had.
This stage three course is incredibly difficult,
and yet these ninjas like Noah Meunier
are making it look easy.
- Come on, Noah. You got it.
- Come on, Noah. - Go!
- And you can just see. Look how calm he looks.
And you said it.
he looks like Clark Kent with the glasses on,
but he's performing like Superman.
- And we have not found his kryptonite
on the Ninja course yet.
He is flying through these obstacles.
- Come on, Noah.
- He said he and his girlfriend,
Addy Herman, trained so hard.
- Come on, go! - You got it, Noah!
- So good! - Come on, Noah.
- And he's just two obstacles away from another buzzer.
- You're amazing! Let's go!
- Addy sounds confident.
- This kid's 17 years old, a trade school student.
Looks like his trade is Ninja.
- This obstacle, Pressure Cooker,
came from our obstacle design challenge.
Submitted by a Ninja competitor,
Chicago's Dr. Steven Bachta.
If you've got an idea,
go to anwobstacle- designchallenge.com.
We might see your obstacle on the course next year.
- You're good, Noah. - Let's go, Noah.
- And you can just see the methodical approach.
Gets up, slides it off.
Little extra spin.
- Yeah, that's a lot of spins.
I'm dizzy. - But great recovery.
- Nice.
Oh, boy. He went sideways.
- But he figured it out, had a plan.
Staying calm under pressure.
- Come on, Noah! - You got it, Noah.
- Come on, Noah. - Nice move.
- And look at that, Akbar! - Nice.
You know what I love?
Whichever way it spins, he's letting it
take him that way, and then finding that moment.
- He's not fighting it, he's using it.
- Yes.
- One obstacle left for Meunier.
[cheers and applause]
Did you see the smile on his girlfriend's face?
And his crew is about to erupt.
[cheers and applause]
Just needs to get through this final obstacle.
- Do you see the sense of urgency out of Noah Meunier?
He's got a sense of urgency. - Oh, my!
One more move!
- Nice. - Meunier!
Another finisher on stage three.
[cheers and applause]
- This is unbelievable!
Seven ninjas climbing for $1 million.
- And Dad's not gonna let anything
keep him from celebrating.
- Oh.
- Like his son, nothing holds him back.
- The mild-mannered teenager has amazed all season.
He's now the third rookie to earn a shot at stage four.
It's a moment Addy and Daddy will never forget.
- Well, we are in uncharted territory.
We've now had a record-smashing seven ninjas
hit the buzzer on stage three,
more than we've ever had before.
- The mountain's going down today.
One of us is gonna take it down.
- And we're not done.
RJ Roman finished this course last year.
Can he do it again?
He's next on "American Ninja Warrior's"
season finale.
- When we first met RJ Roman five years ago,
he was a heavy metal musician
with no real athletic experience.
- Yeah!
- Now he's among the top ninjas in the world.
- Yeah!
- RJ Roman came close to the $1 million last year.
He was one of the ninjas who beat stage three,
and he's one of the favorites tonight,
which is remarkable considering where his journey began.
- Yeah! [buzzer blares]
Let's go!
[cheers and applause] Yeah!
I don't think anybody ever saw me getting to where I am now.
[dramatic music]
Yeah!
* *
When I was a teenager, I was in a 700-square foot
two-bedroom apartment with eight people.
Growing up, my mom was not really there,
and my dad was in another state.
I kind of started "American Ninja Warrior"
because I wanted my dad to be proud of me.
This is my way of fighting back.
Yeah!
Fighting back at everything that has ever held me back,
and showing that it's not gonna keep me down.
[uplifting music]
It's the most important thing in the world
to have something to look forward to when you wake up.
Whoo!
Having these courses, it just gives me
something to always push for.
I had to push through the pain,
and now I'm gonna end up on top.
* *
- It has been so great watching RJ become
not just a great ninja,
but a great leader in this community.
- And on the sidelines, many of the students
and other ninjas he works with,
along with his dad, Roland.
[countdown clock beeping]
RJ's trying to join an elite group.
Before tonight, Kaden Lebsack was the only ninja
to climb stage four twice.
We know Daniel Gil is gonna get his second shot
at it in just a bit.
Will RJ Roman join him?
Last season made that climb, one of a record five to do it.
We thought that was something.
But tonight, we'll have at least seven go for $1 million,
and RJ could make it eight.
- No wasted movement here on Stalactites.
Wow. That was clean.
- He's trained relentlessly
to get back here to this point.
When we talked about the importance of the safety pass,
it's been a $1 million difference in the past.
RJ needed his safety pass to survive stage one.
Will he make the most of it here?
- It's a finesse dunk, not really a slam dunk.
- Well, whatever it is, RJ makes quick work of it.
[cheers and applause]
Getting encouragement from good friend Flip Rodriguez.
- Attaboy!
- Well, RJ knows--
this is his third time on stage three--
you have to be as efficient as possible
because it's so taxing with seven upper body obstacles.
- Wow!
He is moving, Matt!
- The rock-and-roller shredding the Cliffhanger.
- All right, come on. Rock on with your bad self.
- Professional musician, but also co-owner of a gym,
a trainer.
And he clearly walks the walk.
Wow!
[cheers and applause]
- Whew, these ninjas
are putting on a show tonight for this crowd.
- And RJ seems like a grizzled veteran,
even though he's only 26.
- Yeah. - He is in his prime.
So kinetic, so explosive.
And look at how high up he is on the poles.
I love it. - Oh, nice.
- And he is using his momentum to adjust his grip.
- And look how deep he is already.
He hasn't wasted a lot of time,
so now you start thinking about his cardio level.
He's got to be in shape
because he's not huffing and puffing.
- And he's getting through these obstacles
faster than anyone all night.
[cheers and applause]
RJ has built replicas of stage three in his gym
and trains for hours late at night.
He wants this so bad.
This Pressure Cooker, part of the challenge
is, you're just rotating.
Without much wingspan, you have to be
even more efficient getting that collar
on to the next pipe.
- Nice. Ooh.
Extra spin means extra grip, longer grip.
Nice. - But you saw
that correction there, how calm he stayed.
No sense of panic.
- Can you smell what RJ Roman is cooking?
- And keep in mind, he can see stage four.
He knows $1 million is within his grasp.
But right now, focus on the task at hand.
Another little twist up there.
- I'm liking it. I'm liking it.
This dude's cooking with gas.
- Good correction.
And just so smooth. - Nice.
[cheers and applause]
- Well, this is it.
One obstacle between him and a rematch on stage four.
This is such a diabolical obstacle.
Those vertical handles... - Nice.
- They really just tax that grip strength.
- Up high up. - Nice.
- Good power.
- Great. Nice high up.
Good. Good. Gives yourself an opportunity.
If you lose grip-- you see him readjust it?
Nice.
- Just got to get past the final sign
and he'll join the group climbing for $1 million.
One more move!
- If you want it, you got to go get it.
Yes!
[buzzer blares] - Let's go!
- RJ Roman is going back to stage four!
- You know he meant that.
- After being calm all run long,
the emotion is pouring out.
- Wow.
Oh, look at Papa.
Look at his dad. Yes!
- Oh, Rollin' Roland's gotta be so proud of his son.
- Oh, yes.
That's right, because he's rolling to stage four.
- And he is checking out stage four.
What a moment for RJ and all his family and friends.
[cheers and applause]
- Look at the energy.
He is pumped.
- Let's go down to Zuri.
- RJ, congratulations.
- Thank you. Thank you. - You are emotional.
You made it a point to pull your dad up here.
What does it mean to you to have him on the sidelines
as you head back to stage four?
- It means everything.
We've been through a lot as a family.
And I'm just glad that I have, you know,
something to make him proud of me.
- Yeah, absolutely.
Dad, how proud are you of this one right now?
- Always.
Everything he does, he makes me proud.
He's dedicated to, no matter what he wants to do.
- He gives you a lot to be proud of, that is for sure.
Heading into stage four, how are you feeling?
You're headed to Mount Midoriyama.
- I mean, words can't describe it.
I'm just ready to get it done.
I got good company with me, too.
- Hey, there we go.
A lot of good company.
Well, congratulations.
We'll see you on stage four.
- Thank you so much.
- Guys, back to you.
- Well, he's definitely got good company.
He'll be part of the record-smashing eight ninjas
who will climb stage four.
- Matt, I'm dubbing them the Great Eight. Whoo!
- And one of them could become a millionaire
in the next few minutes.
It's gonna be a finish to the season
like we've never seen before on "American Ninja Warrior."
- Welcome back to "American Ninja Warrior,"
where, once again, we find ourselves at stage four,
and history has already been made.
- That's right, Matt.
We've got a record number of athletes
attempting stage four.
And we're calling them "Ninja's" Great Eight.
- They'll have 30 seconds to try to climb 75 feet
with $1 million on the line.
In the history of "American Ninja Warrior,"
only nine athletes have ever made it to stage four...
[countdown clock beeping]
including the five who climbed the rope last year.
- Oh, my gosh. He's getting there.
- In the 14 previous seasons, only two ninjas have ever
taken home the $1 million.
But these competitors get stronger every year,
and this group has put in the work.
- The mountain's going down today.
One of us is gonna take it down.
- No one can doubt that you are the best
once you achieve total victory.
I'm on a mission.
That mission is climbing stage four
and becoming "American Ninja Warrior" champion.
- The Kingdom Ninja.
- Me and RJ are the only two ninjas
that have had prior experience on stage four's rope climb.
We know just how devastating it is to come up short.
- Oh, no!
- So I know that he and I are going to give it
everything that we've got.
- This is the moment I've been training for
for the last seven years,
and I'm ready to take it on.
It's time to go.
- Eight ninjas have a chance to change their lives forever.
And the first to try it will be
Colorado high schooler Hans Hertz.
This 16-year-old has been a revelation all season.
He's hit buzzers on every course he's faced.
- I never expected to have a perfect season
going into stage four.
I've been training for about six years now.
Started when I was ten.
And who would have thought six years later,
I'm fighting for $1 million?
It's gonna be fun.
- And watching, as always, is Hans' brother Harper,
who's with their dad a safe distance away
from the noise and excitement.
But Hans's mom is on the rail,
leading the cheers with other Colorado ninjas.
If more than one ninja can do it under 30 seconds,
whoever is fastest wins the $1 million.
Here we go.
[countdown clock beeping]
Just a teenager. Can he handle the pressure?
And good job locking those feet.
- Nice!
Yes, you can see he's got a nice technique.
Keep that rhythm.
- Can he maintain it? - Ooh!
- Oh, Matt, he's got a great pace.
He's already at 40 feet.
- Just 16 years old, Hans Hertz is flying.
Oh, can he keep it going?
- Oh, boy, Matt, he's starting to slow down!
- Oh! Hans Hertz!
- This is where you feel the burn in those arms.
- Still climbing, so close!
[air horn blares] The time runs out,
but he's gonna keep going.
- Come on, hon, finish.
Finish. Let's go.
- Still could be our last ninja standing
and win $100 grand
if no one hits the buzzer in under 30 seconds.
[buzzer blares]
He finishes in just over 42 seconds.
And he has earned a ton of respect
for what's he's done as a 16-year-old rookie.
His family's got to be so proud.
- Hans started out strong, but it's a long way up.
And at about the 60-foot mark, he started to slow down
and had no chance to beat the 30-second clock.
[cheers and applause]
- But getting well-deserved hugs
after making it to stage four as a rookie.
Well, there's seven more athletes still to climb,
and up next is Florida teenager Nacssa Garemore.
At just barely 15, he'll be the youngest
ever to attempt stage four.
And what a rookie season it's been
for Nacssa and his family.
Adopted from Africa a decade ago,
Nacssa started his Ninja career
as a ten-year-old on "Ninja Junior."
[buzzer blares]
As a rookie on the big show... - Oh, hey.
- He's charmed us every step of the way.
- How fast can you get up that rope?
- I want to finish it in, like, three seconds.
[laughter]
- Hitting buzzer after buzzer...
- Hey, Nacssa, can I see that dance again?
- And showing off his dance moves
as his confidence is growing.
- Hey, hey, hey, hey!
- Let's go, Nacssa!
- Matt, this kid just finished middle school,
and he's handled the pressure so far,
but this will be a test.
[cheers and applause]
- He's got lots of extended family
watching back in Florida.
And more supporters over there with his mom.
Plus, his coach, RJ Roman, who will also be climbing
in just a few minutes.
Just 15 years old, and he could be
30 seconds away from $1 million.
[countdown clock beeping]
[cheers and applause] And he's off.
- Look at Nacssa right now.
Five seconds, he's already 30 feet up.
- And using the lower body.
RJ Roman said he's been training for this opportunity.
- Yeah, he's put a lot of time and effort in him.
If he keeps this pace, Matt, he could do it.
- Oh, my. - Oh, my goodness.
- Ten seconds left. - He looks so focused.
- Nacssa! - Oh, my--
oh, boy.
75 feet up. That's high.
- 15 years old, time runs out.
[air horn blares]
He's not gonna win the $1 million,
but this kid is gonna keep climbing.
- And Matt, he put everything into it.
- And he's gonna hit the buzzer
at just over 40 seconds.
[cheers and applause]
He was two seconds faster than Hans,
but we still have six ninjas left.
- Matt, this kid is 15 years old,
barely out of middle school,
and look at what he accomplished this year.
He's got a bright future ahead of him.
- Good job, Nacssa!
- Let's go, Nacssa! - You did it, Nacssa!
- He was pinching the rope between his feet,
and it was working.
He was 60 feet up with ten seconds left
but couldn't keep the same pace and wound up
a few feet shy of the buzzer when time ran out.
- Well, you can see the disappointment, Akbar.
But he should hold his head high.
- Oh, yeah. Hold your head up, man.
- Coming up, there are still six more from our Great Eight
to climb stage four, including Daniel Gil,
who's been here before.
He'll get a second shot at $1 million
when "American Ninja Warrior" returns.
- We're on stage four in Vegas
where our remaining ninjas are climbing
the 75-foot rope for $1 million.
And up next to try is the Kingdom Ninja, Daniel Gil.
- There he is.
- The worship leader from Houston is
one of the greatest Ninja athletes of all time,
and he's having a big season.
Got a Mega Wall in qualifying
and has collected three buzzers.
He came up a few seconds short
when he climbed this tower four years ago.
Well, he's ready for a rematch.
- I could not be more excited to be back.
Lord willing, if I hit that buzzer and I win $1 million,
it's gonna be used for some of the greatest good.
My wife and I want to start our family.
This would jumpstart that in the best of ways
to make a huge impact in our life together.
[cheers and applause]
- His wife Abby and other friends are on the sideline.
Four years ago, he was a few seconds too slow.
How much stronger is Gil now in season 15?
[dramatic music]
[countdown clock beeping]
And he's off!
And he's locking that lower body, and that is the key.
- Yes, he is.
And he's using it simultaneously.
That's it right there!
He has the experience, he's been here before.
- He's past halfway with 15 seconds left.
- Oh, my goodness. - He is flying.
- That's about 7 1/2 seconds per 10 feet.
And he's doing it!
- Can he maintain the pace?
Nine. - Oh, my goodness.
He's so close, Matt. He's about to do it.
Oh, he's lost his footing! - So close!
Bring it in! [buzzer blares]
[cheers and applause] - Oh, my gosh!
- Daniel Gil has done it! - Oh, my goodness!
- The Kingdom Ninja has risen in Sin City.
[triumphant music]
- Oh, my goodness.
His prayer was answered!
- Praise God.
- He beat the 30-second clock with over 2 seconds to spare.
- Daniel Gil, man, that was incredible!
What did you learn from the last time on stage four?
What did you do different?
- I learned that hard work pays off.
Just stay patient, stay strong, and learn from everything.
I learned back then I didn't have what it took.
So keep training, get back to the grind,
work on rope climb.
- Well, Kingdom Ninja, you are an inspiration.
There is $1 million in your hand,
but it is not yours yet.
There are more ninjas left to climb,
but right now, we can say, congratulations, my friend.
[cheers and applause] - Well-earned. Well-earned.
- Oh, my goodness.
- He had a great start, and he was using
his legs from the beginning.
As he got near the top, he had a couple of misses
with his feet, but he overcame the mistakes,
and that effort may win him $1 million.
- Daniel Gil's getting congratulations.
But now, he's gonna have to watch and wait
as the remaining athletes will try to beat his time.
And up next is the 17-year-old from Massachusetts,
Noah Meunier.
He's been a big surprise this season.
Was virtually unknown at the start,
but he has hit five buzzers so far.
[cheers and applause]
- Give it everything!
- On the sideline, he's got his girlfriend,
fellow ninja Addy Herman,
along with Noah's dad, Dennis.
This unassuming high school kid may look
like Clark Kent with those glasses,
but he's been Superman all year.
He hit buzzers in qualifying, semifinals,
and earned a safety pass
and never had to use it here in Vegas.
He's finished all three stages so far,
and he's ready for more.
- This is just the beginning.
We go in for all four.
I'm not gonna lie, I expected nothing less
but than to be standing at stage four.
Like, I've been working so hard,
and I'm just ready to hit it.
Let's go!
- Yes!
[cheers and applause]
- Man, total victory has been the goal
for longer than I can remember.
- People know the name Noah Meunier
after the season he's had.
But as we've seen, climbing this tower
in 30 seconds is a test.
Watching nervously will be Daniel Gil,
waiting to see if anyone can beat his time.
- Let's if this ninja Superman can fly up this 75-foot tower.
[countdown clock beeping]
- Here we go.
Oh, he misses the grab with his left hand but recovers.
And good job.
You see how high he's getting his legs up?
- You get one moment like this,
you have to seize the opportunity.
- He's over halfway, 15 seconds left.
- And now he's at 60 feet.
[cheers and applause]
Matt, if he can keep going at this pace,
he might have a chance!
- Oh, my! What a climb!
So close! - Oh.
Oh! - Noah Meunier just times out.
- Oh, man.
- A great effort but coming up a few seconds
behind Daniel Gil, who remains in the driver's seat
for that $1 million dollars.
What a climb out of the 17-year-old Meunier.
- Good job, Noah.
- Finishes in 33 1/2 seconds,
the second fastest time so far.
- We are good!
[cheers and applause]
- Man, you have to be almost perfect
to get to the top in 30 seconds,
and Meunier had a miss with his left hand early.
He only missed by a few seconds.
That one mistake may have been the difference.
- Well, Noah Meunier made his dad proud this year.
And he's getting well-deserved hugs from Dad
and his girlfriend Addy.
But Daniel Gil remains in position to win the $1 million
with four more athletes still to climb stage four.
And up next, two teenagers
who started Ninja together
when they were just 11 years old.
Good buddies Ethan Bartnicki and Vance Walker
will get their shot on the season finale
of "American Ninja Warrior."
- * Try it on the beat *
* "American Ninja Warrior Junior" *
* Look easy but it can fool ya *
- The first time we saw Ethan Bartnicki,
he was rapping on "Ninja Junior"
when he was going by the name Lil Dolla.
- * Gonna beat the course *
* Ain't no theory, that's a fact *
- And now, just a few years later,
he's going for $1 million.
He'll be the next ninja to climb stage four.
The 18-year-old old from the Atlanta area
is studying to be a music producer.
He's got his dad and brother among those on the sidelines
and his mom and grandparents watching back in Georgia.
- Climb, little buddy.
- Bartnicki's good friend, Vance Walker, will go next.
Those two started in Ninja together
when they were just 11 years old.
[cheers and applause]
If either wants to win the million,
they'll have to beat Daniel Gil's time
of 27.99 seconds.
Bartnicki is only 5'4" and 120 pounds.
He'll be one of the lightest to ever climb the tower.
- And that could be an advantage.
That's less weight to carry up the rope.
[countdown clock beeping]
Here he goes. And here's Bartnicki.
- He's been training, using that lower body.
- Oh, here he goes. Oh, OK!
He wants it.
- Vance Walker watching closely.
[dramatic music]
And you can just see him going.
He is flying. - Ooh, he's started grimacing.
Now he's starting to slow down.
Oh, boy.
Forget the pain. Go for everything you want!
- Bartnicki fighting as the clock is winding down.
- Oh, boy.
Oh, he's starting to gas out.
- Oh, no!
- Oh.
- Ethan Bartnicki, what a season.
- Wow.
- Just feet away from the buzzer.
- That kid's got a lot to be proud of.
Amazing.
Go ahead, get that buzzer, man.
You came this far.
[buzzer blares]
There you go.
That's a good feeling,
and he's not gonna forget that.
[cheers and applause]
- He finishes in just over 46 seconds.
Ran out of gas about 2/3 of the way up.
Daniel Gil's time holds up.
He's still in position to win the $1 million,
but Ethan Bartnicki can still celebrate the season he's had.
- He started off OK.
He was using his feet,
but it's a long way up this tower,
and he just didn't have the upper body strength
in that final third.
- Next up, 18-year-old Vance Walker
ready to take his shot.
He's got his parents here wearing the cowboy hats.
The family's originally from Texas.
- And Matt, you can tell, Vance Walker,
he recognizes the moment.
This is big for him.
- Well, he's delivered in big moments before.
Won "Ninja Junior" twice.
Now has a chance to take home $1 million
and be the champion on the big show.
- I don't know what the view's gonna look like up there,
but I'm assuming it looks like heaven
because it's a dream come true.
- And Vance Walker's got some big arms.
That may help him on this rope.
- Daniel Gil will be watching closely,
along with all of Vance's family and friends.
All on pins and needles for this one.
- I don't know why I'm standing in the running position now.
I'm, like, nervous. I'm feeling it for him.
Here we go.
[countdown clock beeping]
Ooh, boy. Now, he's using all arms.
- Not even using the lower body.
There it is. Well, we'll see.
Is Vance Walker "Vance Climber"?
He is explosive.
- Hey, that boy's got good rhythm.
He's not slowing down at all. - Oh!
What does he have left?
- Matt, he's gonna do it!
He's gonna do it! - Vance Walker!
[cheers and applause] Oh, my!
The clock is ticking! - Oh, my goodness.
Oh, my goodness! - He's slowing down!
- He's right there!
[buzzer blares]
- Vance Walker has done it!
A full second faster than Daniel Gil.
- * Dreams can come alive *
[cheers and applause]
* There's nowhere we can't go *
- Vance Walker hits the buzzer on stage four!
And it may have won him $1 million.
[cheers and applause]
Two more ninjas will get a chance to beat him,
but right now, Vance Walker is in position
to win the $1 million.
He edged out Daniel Gil by just over a second.
- Vance Walker, man, congratulations.
That was amazing.
- And we've got some good news for you.
Don't know if the roar of the crowd told you, buddy,
but you have the fastest time right now, Vance Walker.
- Let's go!
[cheers and applause]
- The $1 million is in your hands.
But as you just learned,
that money isn't yours just yet.
- Yeah. - But congratulations.
Come on down and celebrate, Vance.
- Wow.
Unbelievable.
Let's look at those two side-by-side.
In the beginning, Vance only used his arms.
As they reached the 50-foot mark,
that's when the fatigue starts to set in
and the form starts to suffer.
At 70 feet, they're still neck and neck.
But look at Daniel.
His feet are starting to come off the rope,
while Vance is still pulling hard
using mostly his arms.
And he was able to reach up and hit the buzzer
just a touch faster than Daniel.
- And Vance is getting a lot of love from his mom.
[cheers and applause] - Awesome.
- [laughs] - Yeah!
- And even though he lost out on the $1 million,
a very classy Daniel Gil still giving him a big hug.
And his good friend Ethan Bartnicki
and the other ninjas lining up to congratulate Vance Walker.
- Coming up, it's down to the wire.
There are just two more ninjas left to take on stage four.
Can Caleb Bergstrom or RJ Roman
beat Vance Walker's time and take home the $1 million?
That's next on the season finale
of "American Ninja Warrior."
- Welcome back to the final moments
of our season finale,
where someone's about to win $1 million.
Right now, that would be Vance Walker.
And minutes ago, he shared a sweet moment
with Ethan Bartnicki.
These two started in Ninja together
when they were 11 years old.
- We freaking did it, bro. We climbed the tower.
- Climbed phase four together, bro.
- But there are two athletes left to climb stage four,
Caleb Bergstrom and RJ Roman.
Both of them have trained with Vance Walker,
and right now, Vance is with Zuri.
- All right, Vance, so far, so good.
You are in the lead.
Are you getting a little bit nervous here
knowing that you've got to see a few more go up the rope?
- Yeah, like, whipping my hands a couple of times like that,
I know it could be done faster.
I'm super grateful to have done it.
But I know it can be done a little bit faster.
And I'm just so glad
that the two people that could beat me right now
are people that I've trained with
for so long and admire so much.
- Well, I love to hear that.
We'll know soon if you're a millionaire.
But in the meantime, let's watch, OK?
- Yeah. - All right, here we go.
- First up is Caleb Bergstrom, the 23-year-old
from Largo, Florida.
He's the youngest member
of the Ninja-loving Bergstrom family.
Six years ago, 41-year-old Jason Bergstrom
ran our course in Daytona Beach.
17-year-old Caleb was on the sideline with his mom
for that first Bergstrom run.
And many of the other
nine Bergstrom kids were in the stands.
A year later, one of those kids, Danny,
represented the Bergstrom bunch
and made it all the way to the national finals.
A year after that, the Baby Bergies arrived.
Younger siblings Caleb and Caitlyn
became the first brother-sister duo
to qualify for Vegas.
- Nice!
- Last year, two veteran ninjas joined the family
when Caleb married the former Ashley McConville
and Caitlyn wed David Wright.
All four competed this season,
but Caleb's the last Bergstrom standing.
And now he has a chance to take home
the grand prize of $1 million.
- Whenever I run this course,
it's not that I'm carrying the family,
but they're actually supporting me through it.
Not even that they just hope for me to do well,
but that they believe I can.
- His wife Ashley, sister Caitlyn,
and all the other Bergstroms are gonna be watching
nervously on the sideline.
- But no one's as nervous as Vance Walker.
He could be minutes away from $1 million.
- Caleb Bergstrom, 75 feet.
[countdown clock beeping]
- He's 5'10", a little taller
than most of these final ninjas.
That may be an advantage.
- And you can see that long frame
trying to get those legs up high.
- Ooh. - Missing with the feet.
- Yes, he's worked a little bit here,
but he can make up the time.
- Halfway there.
- Come on. You got this.
- This is where you really feel it in those arms.
- Yeah, he's got to keep going.
He needs that same energy.
- Does he have enough?
- Oh.
- It's running down. - Oh, he's slowing down.
- Caleb Bergstrom, a remarkable run comes up
just a few feet away from the buzzer.
- Hit the buzzer! [buzzer blares]
- Caleb's trained with Vance but just couldn't
beat Vance's time tonight.
- I still love you, Caleb.
- He got $10 grand on the Mega Wall
and made it to stage four.
That's a great season for Caleb Bergstrom.
He was all arms for the first 15 feet,
and then finally got into a rhythm.
But like many of the others, his arms just gave out
on the final stretch, and he came up
a few feet short.
- Well, a great effort out of Caleb Bergstrom.
But now, Vance Walker only has one athlete left
to worry about, and he's a good one.
RJ Roman.
- He's walking up with a purpose.
Uh-oh, uh-oh.
He looks like he's mad.
- The 26-year-old musician and Ninja coach
from Florida has been here before.
[dramatic music]
After coming up short last year on stage four...
[air horn blares] Oh, so close!
RJ went home and went to work,
setting up his own rope climb to train on
and improve his technique.
- I've been training rope for, like, three or four years now.
This year, I actually did focus on trying to get faster.
So I'll be more prepared this time.
[cheers and applause] - RJ!
- RJ's got his buddy Flip Rodriguez
along with his dad on the sideline.
So it all comes down to this.
RJ Roman has to make the climb
faster than 26.75 seconds.
Otherwise, Vance Walker will walk out of here
a millionaire.
* *
- This is it.
Everything you want, everything you got, right here.
[countdown clock beeping]
- $1 million on the line.
- But look at RJ Roman. Steady, calm!
Look at his face!
- And look at the lower body, a great job
getting it up and kipping. - Oh, man.
Matt, at 40 feet, he's having a little problem.
He's go to keep going.
- And the clock halfway there.
Could RJ accelerate?
- Oh, keep fighting!
- RJ Roman, what an effort... - Oh, boy.
- But comes up just short.
- Oh, my goodness.
[air horn blares] - And that's it.
RJ Roman can't do it,
and Vance Walker wins $1 million.
He's the new "American Ninja Warrior" champion.
- You did it!
- What a moment, being embraced by his parents.
- Vance, get out here.
You are the American Ninja Warrior!
[cheers and applause]
- Vance Walker has done it.
- * We're reaching for the light *
[cheers and applause]
- You did it! - You earned it.
- What a journey he has been on.
Born with cerebral palsy, and now,
he is your new American Ninja Warrior.
- * There's nowhere we can't go *
[upbeat music]
- What a moment.
- A storybook finish to an incredible season.
Vance Walker reigns supreme.
- Anything is possible.
[cheers and applause]
- * We can make the world so beautiful *
- You can see the disappointment
on RJ Roman's face.
Another incredible season, but just not enough
to beat Vance Walker tonight.
- Congratulations.
OK, so you got the million.
Obviously, overwhelmed with emotion right now.
Can you even express what you're feeling?
- [laughing] Not really.
I can try. Like, oh.
Oh, my gosh.
I've been working so hard for this.
Like, even climbing the tower was just
the biggest dream of mine,
and just getting to be here and being on stage four,
it's--I can't even explain it.
I was literally told I wouldn't be able
to walk when I was a kid.
Like, just keep going.
Like, no matter what people say,
if you keep working on your dreams,
there's nothing holding you back.
- You are living proof of it. We are so excited for you.
Congratulations.
Give it up for our American Ninja Warrior!
[cheers and applause]
- There you go! - There you go.
Congratulations, Vance.
- That wraps up an incredible season.
For Akbar Gbajabiamila and Zuri Hall,
I'm Matt Iseman.
We'll see you next year on "American Ninja Warrior."
- * Nowhere we can't go *