- Tonight, we're off to the races here in Las Vegas
as some of our best go head-to-head
in the national finals of "American Ninja Warrior."
Hello, everyone, and thanks for joining us.
I'm Matt Iseman. - And I'm Akbar Gbajabiamila.
Matt, this is gonna be intense.
We've got 26 of the best ninjas in the world
about to go head-to-head.
Get your popcorn ready.
- You know it, big man.
Those who win tonight will move on to face Stage 3
and keep their hopes of winning the million dollars alive.
For a preview of the big night, let's go down to Zuri Hall.
- Yeah, guys. This is gonna be exciting.
Our ninjas are gonna do some side-by-side racing
on Stage 2, and they'll have to get through six obstacles
to reach that buzzer.
It starts with a dash across the Striding Steps
and a swing up to the second obstacle,
the Double Salmon Ladder.
Then they'll try to slam the bar inside the steel traps
on Jawbreakers.
That's followed by a big jump onto the Swing Surfer
and a climb up to the fifth obstacle,
Epic Air Surfer,
where ninjas must land the board on the pads.
Finally, it's the Falling Shelves,
with that difficult blind grab on the final shelf.
Win your race, and you're moving on.
[buzzer blares]
And if you lose, you've still got a chance.
The top four non-winners will race each other
to earn the final spots on Stage 3.
Guys. - Yeah, that's right.
- This field includes some "Ninja" legends,
like The Weatherman, Joe Moravsky.
And from Texas, it's the Kingdom Ninja,
Daniel Gil.
Plus, check out these matchups.
Two of the best young ninjas face off
as The Flyboy, Isaiah Thomas,
takes on The Boss, Elijah Browning.
And our reigning champion, Vance Walker,
goes up against one of the all-time greats,
Flip Rodriguez.
We're gonna kick it off with a couple of athletes
with a more than 20-year age difference.
It's our oldest remaining competitor,
39-year-old Sean Bryan, the Papal Ninja.
The Catholic church worker will have to outrun
one of the fastest ninjas on the planet,
18-year-old Kai Beckstrand, who'll be the favorite.
But both these guys know
anything can happen on Stage 2.
[upbeat music]
- Last time I was on Stage 2,
I went out early when I slipped
all the way off the rope on obstacle one.
- Let's go, Kai Beckstrand.
* *
- Oh! - No!
- Just slides down the rope.
- I really didn't get to show what I was capable of.
And I'm super determined going into this Stage 2 run,
so I'm ready to take it all the way.
* *
- Back in season 13, I fell on Stage 2.
- All right. Here we go.
Oh! [air horn blares]
Just missed it.
- It was heartbreaking, so it feels so good to be back.
- Sean Bryan coming up big.
The Papal Ninja in Sin City going back to Stage 2.
- Welcome back.
- This year, coming into Stage 2,
I'm coming in with a lot of confidence,
not only because I've cleared it twice before...
- Divine intervention!
[buzzer blares] He's going back to Stage 3!
- But because I've been training my butt off.
* *
I'm racing Kai Beckstrand, and he's known to be
the fastest ninja in the world.
So I think I might be the dark horse here.
- Kai Beckstrand with the fastest time
we've seen on the course.
- Kai, you're gonna push me to do my best,
and you better watch out.
[cheers and applause]
- Sean Bryan's always got a crew on his sideline,
including his parents.
Kai Beckstrand comes from that big Ninja family.
His parents compete, and so does his brother Luke,
who runs next.
The Beckstrands are making history
as the first brothers to reach Stage 2 together.
Kai Beckstrand is one of the favorites
to win the million dollars.
Sean Bryan's more than double Kai's age.
He's gonna need a flawless run to win this one.
[countdown clock beeping]
We're off and running on Stage 2.
Kai Beckstrand handles the rope cleanly this time.
- Oh, boy. You know, Sean Bryan
can work the Salmon Ladder. - Wow.
Sean Bryan, a machine gun.
Will they link it on Jawbreakers?
We saw some good ninjas fall on this obstacle last year.
Oh, my! Oh, my! - Look at Sean!
- Holding on! - Okay, Sean!
- Sean Bryan, first off.
- Sean's like, you better respect your elder.
- And he goes for the rope on the first swing.
Sean Bryan's taking chances to try and beat
the speedy Kai Beckstrand.
Watch him on the Epic Air Surfer.
- And here comes Kai.
- What a race. Neck and neck.
- Oh, my goodness.
- Sean Bryan does have the edge
in the event of a fall.
Oh, a great shot. Kai pulling ahead!
- Wow, here comes Kai with the big move.
Be careful.
- Watch this dismount.
- And now Kai's ahead!
Holy moly.
- Right into the Falling Shelves.
- Oh, boy.
- Kai Beckstrand, what a beast.
- Sean Bryan doesn't have a prayer to get in this one.
- Just needs the dismount.
And Kai, for the first time in his career,
will be going to Stage 3.
This has been a blistering pace.
If Sean Bryan gets a buzzer,
he could be one of our fastest non-winners
and go to a runoff race.
He's fallen on this obstacle before.
Oh! Oh, my goodness!
What a save!
What the what? - What a recovery!
- Oh, my goodness!
- Sean Bryan!
I think he had a helping hand from up above.
Man, what a save!
And with his fast time, he could be
in one of our runoff races among the top non-winners.
So the Papal Ninja could still move on.
- Good job!
- Sean Bryan came out taking chances,
and he had the lead with two obstacles left.
But that's where Kai Beckstrand turned it on,
linking moves on Epic Air Surfer
and going right into the Falling Shelves.
He's going to Stage 3.
Now Kai's little brother Luke will get his shot at Stage 2.
But he's facing a big challenge.
He's going against Florida's Nacssa Garemore,
the phenom who made it to Stage 4 last season.
Both these guys are just 16,
but Nacssa has more experience.
- Hey, Luke's trying to get a piggyback ride.
- Well, Luke knows all about piggies
and other farm animals.
He works with them back in Utah.
[animals clamoring]
[country rock music]
- 4-H is a farm animal organization,
and I've been showing my animal in 4-H for four years now.
* *
To take care of the sheep, it is a lot of work.
[sheep bleating]
My responsibilities consist of training it,
walking it, and getting it strong.
* *
- Feel it. Feel it.
- Wow! - Nice!
Luke's going to Stage 2!
[buzzer blares]
He just smashed this course.
- And tonight's run's gonna be a blue ribbon performance.
[sheep bleating]
[animals clamoring]
- Kai's now over on the sideline.
He just hit a buzzer.
Can his brother do the same?
This is a big deal for their parents.
They could have two kids on Stage 3.
- Luke is a 16 seed.
He'll have his hands full going against Nacssa,
who's an 11 and has never fallen on a "Ninja" course.
His mom's on the sideline,
the rest of his family watching
back in Florida.
[cheering]
[countdown clock beeping]
- All right. Here we go.
- Well, Luke's got to know how fast Nacssa is,
and he's got the pedal to the metal, big man.
- Now, we know the Beckstrands can go fast.
Luke trains with his brother.
His brother did it in about a minute and six seconds.
- Well, let's see, can they link it
here on Jawbreakers?
Nacssa looking pretty fluid.
Here comes Luke. What a race!
- Hey, Matt, there's something nerve-racking
when you see a ninja side by side.
- Dead even! - Oh, my goodness.
Oh! - Wow.
- This is what you come to Stage 2 for.
- Luke Beckstrand giving Nacssa all he can handle.
This is synchronized.
And this is big.
Who gets there first? - Nice.
- Luke has the edge into Epic Air Surfer.
- Matt, Luke may be going for his brother's time.
- But we've seen it. You can link these moves,
but it is high risk.
Oh, Luke--no! - Oh...no, Luke!
Luke!
- But it's not done.
Nacssa must finish.
But he can take his time now.
Doesn't have to rush it.
- Nice. Big moves. - And he linked it.
Wow. That is confidence.
- Ooh! - He could have taken his time
to avoid mistakes, but he only has one speed.
He's 16, and he's fearless.
Credit to Luke Beckstrand for pushing Nacssa.
But Nacssa remains perfect.
Never fallen in "Ninja Warrior."
[buzzer blares] - Nice.
Hey, hey, hey!
- That is nine buzzers for Nacssa in just two seasons.
- Hey!
- It started with a piggyback ride
and quickly turned into a barn burner of a race.
Luke Beckstrand actually had the lead
until he missed the pad on Epic Air Surfer.
And Nacssa went flying by.
He's going to Stage 3 for the second straight year.
Still a great year for Luke Beckstrand.
He put up a fight in that race.
But it's Nacssa Garemore who's moving on to Stage 3
for the second straight season.
Tonight, only the best are left,
and they all want to strike it rich in Vegas.
But many will go bust.
- Oh!
- Is this finally the year for "Ninja" veteran Joe Moravsky?
- I'm telling you, I'm going to beat it.
I'm gonna beat it.
- Can Vance Walker be the first
to win it all two years in a row?
- I'm ready to roll the dice.
Now I'm just hoping to beat the odds.
- Or will he be taken down
by the fan favorite, Flip Rodriguez?
- Vance, let's dance.
- It's high stakes and high drama
on the national finals of "American Ninja Warrior."
- Welcome back to Vegas,
where we're racing head-to-head on Stage 2.
Minutes ago, it was our biggest matchup of the night
as 6'5" welder, John Mack, faced off
against 6-foot-tall stuntman, Kyle Soderman.
- Matt, this right here is a heavyweight matchup.
- John Mack is known as The Reach
because of his massive wingspan.
But at Jawbreakers, The Reach got rejected.
- Oh!
- So Soderman just had
to finish that obstacle to get the win.
And he earned his third trip to Stage 3.
- Stage 3! Let's go!
- Whoo! Yes!
- Soderman kept going to try
and finish the course, but just like last year...
- Ooh!
- He fell on the final shelf.
- Ah, come on!
- You heard him. "Ah, come on!"
- But it doesn't matter.
He's moving on.
[cheering]
- This crowd is fired up for the duo
that's headed to the start line.
Guys, they are two of our biggest and brightest
young stars, The Boss, Elijah Browning,
facing off against The Flyboy, Isaiah Thomas.
These two have been competing since they were kids
on "Ninja Junior."
They are two of the top athletes in this sport.
But they're not afraid to be mama's boys.
both: [chanting] Flyboy! Flyboy! Flyboy!
- I have the best mom ever.
- [whooping] [buzzer blares]
- She never misses a Ninja comp.
- [cheering]
- We came into the Ninja game,
the closest gym was, like, an hour out,
and she drove me there every day.
- I'm so proud.
He's grown so much,
not just physically, but mentally as well.
He's becoming a man.
- All thanks to my mom's cooking.
[laughter] - Yeah.
- Come on, Elijah!
Let's go, buddy!
- My mom is my biggest hero
because she's going through breast cancer.
How's everything going?
And she is battling it like a champ.
- You know what, buddy? I'm doing great.
I'm excited for some competitions.
Excited to see you back on the course.
He has been so supportive, and just constantly
every day tells me how proud he is of me
and how much he loves me.
- With my mom going through
everything that she's going through
and her still be here to watch my runs,
I'm so grateful for her.
Thank you so much for being here, Mom.
[buzzers blare]
- [screams]
- We're both gonna make our moms proud
no matter what happens, so let's get to it.
[soft music]
- We love you, boys!
- Those moms are already holding hands.
They're gonna watch this run together.
Just shows how close these Ninja families are.
Flyboy is the higher seed.
He's a 12. And The Boss is a 15.
But both these guys know how to go fast.
- This is going to be electric.
[countdown clock beeping]
Go time. Oh!
- Real nimble work there out of Isaiah.
- Matt, this race is gonna be big-time,
prime-time, showtime, all-time, good time
right here on NBC.
- And you can see them being careful on that cradle.
- Whoo! - And Flyboy slightly ahead.
Watch the Jawbreakers. Can anyone link it?
- Nice. Oh, nice linking.
Oh, boy, look at the focus out of Isaiah Thomas.
- Isaiah, great job getting in the lead,
but The Boss keeping it close.
- Nice. All right.
Boss is right there.
Boss's head came off.
- A little low for The Flyboy.
And here comes The Boss.
- Oh, do not let The Boss in there, Matt.
- The Flyboy lands first.
That's important if they both fall on Epic Air Surfer.
So easy to make a mistake with the board placement.
[cheering]
- And especially when you have a ninja
right there side by side.
That's where a mistake-- both: Oh!
- That's exactly what just happened!
Whoa.
- But Boss has to finish.
He needs this dismount.
And he does it.
- Wow.
- You see the respect between these two.
These moms go through so many emotions,
but always supportive.
Well, credit to The Boss.
You see him link a move, pull ahead,
and that put the pressure on Isaiah.
- Yeah, he knew that, too.
If he could just put pressure on him, just like that.
Wow, he's about to get another Stage 2 buzzer.
- Well, this race absolutely delivered.
One more move, the blind grab, and he lands it.
The Boss is gonna get that buzzer.
- Let's go! [buzzer blares]
- And he is pumped.
Elijah Browning will get another shot on Stage 3.
- Good job, Elijah! - Let's go, Elijah!
Let's go!
- Man, congratulations on that.
Go celebrate with Mama Renee.
It was close until Epic Air Surfer.
Elijah linked moves to pull slightly ahead,
and Flyboy tried to match him,
but he came up just a little short and bounced off.
The Boss comes up with the W.
- Isaiah, you were looking so good out here.
Talk to me a little bit about what happened
when Elijah passed you.
I'm curious to know. Did you see that?
Did that change your strategy at all
or what you were thinking of?
- Honestly, I didn't even know he passed me.
I just had a plan, and I tried following through
with the plan, and I fell.
Congratulations to Elijah.
That's my guy.
Happy he's on Stage 3 again.
Next time.
- Well, that's why you're a champion athlete.
That's why the kids in the back
are calling your name right now.
We've got Mom in the corner.
Come on in, Mom. Show her some love.
Congratulations on a great season.
- A great run by these two mama's boys.
And we'll see The Boss on Stage 3.
[upbeat music]
More great races are just ahead,
including the fun-loving, cat-loving Jackson Twait,
trying to hold off teenager Cal Plohoros.
Plus, one of the greatest ever,
the Kingdom Ninja, Daniel Gil,
takes on upstart college kid, Colton Skuster.
All coming up on the national finals
of "American Ninja Warrior."
- High schooler Noah Meunier
had the fastest time on Stage 1.
[buzzer blares]
- Yeah!
[cheers and applause]
That was pretty fun.
- So he's the number one seed tonight on Stage 2.
And the unenviable task of beating him fell
to the 26th seed, New Jersey's Joe Meissner.
- Let's go!
- Although a heavy underdog,
Meissner actually took a small lead
through the first two obstacles.
But it didn't last.
- Oh, no!
He rushed it! - Oh.
- That meant Meunier just had to finish Jawbreakers
to get the win,
which he did.
[cheers and applause]
- The Massachusetts teenager just kept going.
He made it all the way to Stage 4 last year as a rookie,
and looks a contender to get there again.
[buzzer blares]
- Now adjust your glasses, man,
because you're going to Stage 3.
- Let's go!
- Up next, two ninjas who like to put on a show.
Fun-loving 26-year-old Jackson "Cat Daddy" Twait
takes on 18-year-old Cal Plohoros,
an aspiring actor from Chester Springs, Pennsylvania.
These two don't like to sit still,
and both recently made big changes in their lives.
Cal just graduated high school.
And while he waits for his big break as an actor,
he has a new goal in showbiz, to be a stuntman
like his mentor, Flip Rodriguez.
And Cal thinks Stage 2 is the perfect training ground.
- These are all my favorite obstacles,
all the bar stuff, the big throws,
the powerful moves, racing, going fast.
It's--it's gonna be so much fun.
- Ninja Cal's opponent, Jackson Twait,
is still in high demand
as a house and pet sitter across the country.
- It's nice to meet you.
- But now he's overseeing something new--
weddings.
The Iowa native has been performing
marriage ceremonies, and he hopes he doesn't
get cold feet tonight.
- I'd like to say one of my strengths is consistency,
but I don't know if I'd say
I've been consistent on Stage 2,
other than I've been a consistent faller on Stage 2.
- Oh, he's down!
- We're gonna turn that around tonight, though.
- You have to consider Jackson Twait
the favorite here.
He's the number six seed,
is 7 inches taller than Cal,
and has much more experience.
Cal's got a loud group on his sideline,
including his mom, Ivette, and friend, Flip Rodriguez.
And Jackson Twait has his mom and girlfriend
leading his sidelines.
[cheers and applause]
The Cat Daddy's never finished a Stage 2 course.
He wants it this year.
[countdown clock beeping]
- Uh-oh, it's go time.
- Twait with a height advantage,
but Cal Plohoros keeping up and a little ahead.
- And Cal Plohoros, super explosive.
- Wow. - And Twait's got to be
explosive like a cat if he's gonna keep up.
- Well, this is Cal's first time on Stage 2.
Jackson Twait was here last year.
Ran into a buzz saw with Nacssa Garemore.
- Yeah, that was a hard one,
but he's learned so much from that in this competition.
- Oh, neck and neck!
Cal was the first one down.
- Nice, big jumps here on Swing Surfer.
- Well, Akbar, with all the success we've seen...
- Time that dismount. - You really can't
be conservative here.
And Twait not using the rope!
And he is the first one off.
- That's it. Good move.
- This is where Jackson fell last year on Epic Air Surfer.
Gave himself a big edge right there.
- Hey, man, look at the big, explosive movement from Cal.
It's Cal and Cat.
- Cal linking it!
- And he starts shooting ahead.
- And Twait is behind.
And Ninja Cal now has the edge.
- It's a back and forth. - Oh-ho!
What an incredible race.
- He's got to jump on it now.
- And you can see Twait being cautious
to get his dismount as Cal is up on the Falling Shelves.
- Cal has been so intense this entire season.
He wants it badly.
- Cal came in as the underdog,
but now he's one move away from a trip to Stage 3.
Here comes the blind grab.
This is where you use those biceps.
- And look at that!
And Ninja Cal's gonna do it.
[buzzer blares]
The biggest buzzer of his career.
- [yelling]
- And Jackson Twait's gonna get a buzzer.
[buzzer blares]
He still has a chance to move on.
But Cal's crew is rushing the podium.
[excited yelling]
[upbeat music]
The Cat Daddy showed his catlike quickness
going over the wall.
That gave him a brief lead.
But Cal came storming from behind,
linked his moves on Epic Air Surfer,
and sailed through the Falling Shelves
to pull off the upset.
- Cal, congratulations. That was incredible.
When you knew that Jackson was right behind you,
talk to me about the mindset, how you got through that one.
- It was terrifying, honestly.
I've--I've never done a backwards catch
on a Falling Shelf ever.
That was my first time trying it, and I got it.
And it was-- it just felt surreal.
I was like, wait, am I about to go to Stage 3?
And it's happening.
This is real life. - Exactly.
It's happening. This is real life.
Congratulations. Y'all celebrate.
Matt, Akbar, back to you.
- So Ninja Cal is moving on, and Jackson Twait has
the second fastest time for a non-winner.
He could end up in our runoff race,
so his night might not be over.
Ever wonder what it looks like to race down Stage 2?
Here's a behind-the-scenes look
presented by the Wells Fargo Active Cash credit card,
which gives fans unlimited access.
Here comes the Swing Surfer. Here we go.
Boom.
[upbeat music]
Gonna bounce across Epic Air Surfer.
* *
Now on to the Falling Shelves.
* *
- Aah!
- Now, that is cool right there.
Coming up, he's changed lives off the course
and given us amazing memories on it.
[buzzer blares] - Oh! Yo!
- But this could be the final run for Austin Gray.
- I've loved every minute of it.
The only thing left is trying to get to Stage 4.
- We'll see him next on "American Ninja Warrior."
- Daniel Gil's one of the most decorated ninjas in history.
He's climbed the tower for a million dollars twice.
Now the worship leader from Houston is in search
of his third trip to Stage 4.
But to keep his season alive, he'll have to outrun
Utah college student, Colton Skuster,
who sometimes wears a monkey suit when he runs.
But tonight, he's showing off that ripped physique.
- Yeah, he's got 180 pounds of muscle on him,
15 pounds more than Gil,
and he's 3 inches taller.
But Daniel does have more Ninja experience.
Daniel has extra motivation
to win that million dollars this season.
- Yeah!
- His wife, Abby, is expecting a baby girl.
She's leading a big group down on the sidelines.
And Colton has his parents and other friends from Utah
cheering for him.
[cheers and applause]
You'd think Colton Skuster would be intimidated
going up against Gil, one of the best ever.
But he looks loose.
[countdown clock beeping]
Well, you got to think Gil is the favorite,
but, Akbar, there's a reason
we run the races. - Whoo!
The young'un against the grizzly vet,
and look how fast the vet's moving.
Okay, Daniel Gil.
- Well, Daniel Gil, a man on a mission.
Twice made it to Stage 4.
Both times come away empty-handed.
- And now looking to make it back for a third time,
but he's got to get through this race right here.
You can see how patient he is, but explosive.
- You can also see, though,
he's not taking any risks, Akbar.
He's not trying to link it.
I think he knows, just stay ahead of Skuster--
but here comes Colton!
- And the young fella, he's right there.
He's hanging in there.
- He's rocking those jungle pants.
Let's see how the wild man handles the Swing Surfer.
- He's gonna have to get moving.
He's tying it up.
- Look at this. - Uh-oh.
- Gil just staying a few steps ahead.
And Gil now gonna be going on the Epic Air Surfer
with Colton Skuster in his peripheral.
The college kid's never been on Stage 2 before.
He's seeing how tough it can be.
Well, we'll see Colton on this obstacle.
So challenging. Gil is such a precision ninja.
- Nice. Look at him, hair flowing.
You know when his hair starts flowing, he starts flowing.
He's in his flow, Matt.
- And look at this.
Oh, Gil makes it.
[cheers and applause]
And here comes Skuster.
You can see Gil just just stole a glance back.
- Yeah, he looked back, said, where you at,
young fella? Keep up.
- Oh, my! And Skuster's here
on the Falling Shelves.
- And Skuster is 19 years old, and he's huffing and puffing.
- Here's the move, Akbar.
Can Gil make this blind grab?
- Here he goes.
He's got that-- oh, switch to the biceps.
Nice! - And Gil does it!
[buzzer blares] He's going back to Stage 3
for the fourth time in his career.
[upbeat music]
But Skuster is still in it.
Our top four non-winners will compete
in runoff races for the final spots.
Skuster could be one of them.
- Ooh.
* *
- Colton Skuster finishes-- [buzzer blares]
His first time on Stage 2.
Didn't win, but an impressive run for him.
- Yeah, look at the young fella giving props
to the OG, Daniel Gil.
[cheers and applause]
- Wow, these races are really delivering.
- Yes, they are.
- And we've got another good one up next.
- Okay, guys. This one is gonna be fun.
They've both got impressive résumés,
but these two "Ninja" greats are in different places
in their careers.
At 37, James "The Beast" McGrath
is having a Ninja resurgence.
Austin Gray is 27
and has been the runner-up twice on "Ninja Warrior."
But he's ready for the next chapter in his life.
[cheering]
- Up next is a hotshot rookie
we're expecting big things from.
- I got into Ninja
when I really didn't know anything about life.
You know, I was pretty much fresh out of high school,
and the challenges that Ninja presents is what
has allowed me to grow into the person I am.
- Oh! I can't believe it! What?
- Now I've decided that this is gonna be it for me.
This is my last year.
- Austin is going to the championship race!
- Seven seasons of "Ninja Warrior,"
you're bound to rack up the amazing moments.
But the most important would be
that Share Your Spare has been tremendously successful.
- Austin Gray, who donated a kidney a few years ago
and wears a Share Your Spare T-shirt
to encourage others to do the same.
- The Big Ask, The Big Give
is the National Kidney Foundation's
free resource to help patients find a living donor.
* *
I've been able to inspire 50 people to donate a kidney
because they saw my story on "American Ninja Warrior."
It's been an amazing career.
I've loved every minute of it.
- Yeah, he wants everybody up there to celebrate.
- But I'm ready for new challenges.
The only thing left is trying to get to Stage 4.
And we're gonna leave it all out there, do the best we can,
and see if we can get on that rope.
- In what might be his final run,
Austin's girlfriend, Jaelyn,
and good friend Nate Hansen will be on the sideline.
The Beast has his number one fan watching
back in Massachusetts, his fiancée,
"Ninja" great, Allyssa Beird.
- You got it, babe. Come on, hon!
- Austin Gray doesn't want to end his career tonight.
He's the four seed.
The Beast is a 23, so he's the underdog.
[countdown clock beeping]
- All right. The Beast can hold his own.
Ooh, look at him sprint like he's
in high school or something.
- Well, he had a track background.
- What? - And he's going,
but here comes Gray.
Look at this. - I didn't know
he could run that fast. - Oh!
Austin Gray linking it. - Okay.
Austin Gray may not be able to run fast,
but he can ninja fast. My goodness.
- And McGrath is gonna have to sell out.
- James McGrath can't keep up with that.
- Well, linking those moves gave him a huge edge,
a full obstacle ahead.
- Austin Gray's running with a purpose.
He doesn't want this to be his last one on "Ninja."
- But keep in mind, it's not over
till a buzzer gets hit, big man.
- Okay. That's true, Matt. That's true.
- And The Beast is making up some ground.
He's still fighting.
Well, Austin recalls, last year,
Josiah Pippel was ahead of him and fell right here.
So Austin knows he's got to finish this race.
And here comes The Beast.
- Yeah, yeah. He's right there behind you.
You can hear him breathing.
Austin cannot make a mistake.
- Well, I'll tell you what, Akbar, I don't mind The Beast.
I think he's just gonna put pressure--
oh, no, here he comes! - Ooh.
He's putting real pressure on him.
- I thought The Beast was just gonna hope
Austin made a mistake on the Falling Shelves.
It's even! The Beast is not backing down.
Oh, my!
- Oh, boy. - And The Beast regrouping.
Gray is flying. - Oh, man.
- It comes down to this blind grab.
Got it!
- And Austin Gray's out of there.
[buzzer blares] - Austin Gray does it.
[cheers and applause]
But James McGrath is still in this.
Keep in mind, the top four non-winners
will have a second chance.
- And McGrath--nice. - Just keeps pushing it.
- All right, this one's gonna tax the biceps right here.
Let's go. Rock with it, baby.
Come on.
Whoo! That was beautiful. - Got it!
- Beauty and The Beast. - And he's smiling.
The Beast has done it. [buzzer blares]
Austin won, but James gave himself
a good chance to stay alive.
Austin Gray linked his moves on Jawbreakers
and got some separation, and then closed it out
with big moves on Epic Air Surfer
and the Falling Shelves.
McGrath made a big move on Swing Surfer to make up ground
and landed the blind grab at the end.
* *
Well, Austin, congratulations.
Your "Ninja" career isn't over yet.
The Beast, keep your head up.
Remember, the top four non-winners
could get a second chance.
Right now, you're in third,
so you've got a good shot of being in our runoff.
- Good job, boys!
- Coming up...
- We're having a baby.
- It's a boy for the Bergies.
So Caleb Bergstrom could really use
that million dollars.
all: Aww.
- He'll try to keep his season alive
against Colorado's Max Feinberg
when "American Ninja Warrior" returns.
- Welcome back to Las Vegas.
We're midway through the night on Stage 2.
And remember, those who win here on Stage 2
will move over there to take on
the upper-body gauntlet that is Stage 3.
- And that's where "Ninja" legends are made.
But if you survive it,
you can climb Stage 4 for a million dollars.
- And up next on Stage 2, we've got a showdown
between two top ninjas.
On one side, it's Colorado college student, Max Feinberg.
He'll be facing Florida's Caleb Bergstrom,
who's the youngest of the Bergstrom Ninja family.
We used to call him Baby Bergie,
but now he's gonna have to give up that title.
[upbeat music]
- I have even more motivation to win it all this year.
- There are some big changes coming our way.
We're having a baby.
- Are you serious?
[screams]
- A few weeks ago, we had a gender reveal.
[all cheer]
- So we're really excited to welcome
our baby boy into the world.
all: Aww.
- One day when my son is potentially
on "American Ninja Warrior," whether I'm competing
against him or right there supporting him,
I can't wait to be there as his dad.
- Yes!
Going to Stage 4.
And his wife comes to greet him.
- I know I'm not competing just for myself tonight.
I have Ashley and our little baby cheering me on.
* *
[baby coos]
- Congrats to Caleb and Ashley.
- Let's go! - She's on the sideline
with other members of the Bergstrom bunch.
Max Feinberg is very close with his family.
He always wears pink to raise awareness for breast cancer.
His mom, Debbie's, a breast cancer survivor.
She'll be on the sideline with his dad
and other friends.
Don't let the glasses fool you.
Max can go.
He's been to Stage 3 before.
But he's the underdog in this race, a 22 seed,
facing Caleb, who's a five.
[countdown clock beeping]
Caleb Bergstrom has been on fire the past two seasons.
Didn't hit the water last season,
and hasn't fallen so far this year.
But they are dead even on the Double Salmon Ladder.
He climbed for a million dollars last season,
and looking like he wants to get back there again.
He's starting to pull away.
Anything can happen on Stage 2.
Caleb Bergstrom's building up a good lead,
but it ain't over.
Max Feinberg knows what it takes to finish Stage 2.
He did it two years ago.
Caleb makes the jump to the rope.
Max is gonna need to make up some ground.
And Bergstrom holding that edge he got
on the Jawbreakers, but here comes Feinberg.
And the Epic Air Surfers, so easy to make a mistake,
as we've already seen tonight.
- Caleb Bergstrom is not letting up on his speed.
- Wow. - Ooh, he came really close.
Right there on the edge. The last one.
Be careful. - This is a long dismount.
- Yes, it is. - No problem.
- You got this, baby, come on!
- Goes right up onto the Falling Shelves.
But Caleb Bergstrom keeping his foot on the accelerator.
- It's that blind grab that I'm a little concerned.
- This is it.
What does he have left?
And he grabs it.
He's gonna do it.
[buzzer blares]
With a baby on the way, he's got extra motivation.
And he just took another step towards that million dollars.
[upbeat music]
But with his quick pace, Max Feinberg gets a buzzer,
he's not out of it.
- Whoa. - So impressive.
- Whoa-hoh-hoh-hoh!
- And we may see him in our runoff race.
[buzzer blares]
Caleb Bergstrom has been unstoppable this year.
He just sprinted through this course
with one of the fastest times of the night.
He's headed for Stage 3
for the second straight season.
The dad-to-be has reason to celebrate.
And, Max, you have the second fastest time
among the non-winners.
Rest up because you might be racing again, buddy.
- Thank you so much. - Great job.
- Thank you.
- And now Max's best friend will get
his shot at Stage 2.
He's one of the favorites to win it all,
the two-time Last Ninja Standing Kaden Lebsack.
He's facing 21-year-old Sam Folsom,
a rising star in his own right.
But this race is redemption for Kaden Lebsack,
who had never fallen on "Ninja Warrior"
until Stage 2 last season.
- It's been two seasons since I made it to Stage 3.
Season 15... [audience gasping]
- Oh, no! - Oh, my goodness.
- The ending didn't go the way I wanted to.
- For the first time in his "Ninja" career,
Kaden Lebsack is down.
- When I hit the water, it was definitely very shocking.
And looking up and seeing Elijah crush it,
it definitely humbled me.
It's not the way I wanted to go.
- Kaden Lebsack was a Vegas favorite to win it all.
- A remarkable streak comes to an end.
- But I'm back on Stage 2 and I'm ready for some redemption.
I'm going against Sam Folsom.
I've trained with him a bunch, and I'm pretty close with him.
It's definitely gonna be difficult
racing against my friend.
- Oh, my goodness. [laughter]
- But hopefully I can beat Sam and move on.
And I have no intention of hitting the water this time.
- He's not kidding.
Sam Folsom is having a great year.
Won the Safety Pass in semis,
and even won the Couples Championship
earlier this year with his girlfriend,
Isabella Wakeham, who's on his sideline.
And Sam may be a 25 seed going against Kaden,
who's a two seed, but that's misleading
because both these guys can go fast.
Kaden's mom on edge.
She's gotta be thinking
about that fall here last year.
[countdown clock beeping]
- Oh, boy. Look at this.
- This may be the best race of the day.
They can both fly.
And this is so crazy.
Kaden Lebsack says he hates speed.
- With authority!
- Oh, just synchronized.
Lebsack linking it.
- Lebsack is not messing around.
He's got to point to prove-- - Oh!
Oh, he went--oh, no!
- He missed it.
- Kaden Lebsack, another heartbreak on Stage 2.
- What the what?
- The man who was perfect his first two seasons
now has two falls on Stage 2.
Wow, well, let's look at this again.
He was out in front on Jawbreakers
and just missed on the left side.
Didn't get the bar inside.
And his season is over.
Well, Sam Folsom's going to Stage 3.
The only question, will he have a buzzer?
[cheers and applause]
Kaden Lebsack, still one of the best to ever do it.
But we say it again and again in "Ninja Warrior,"
everyone falls.
- Hurry, but don't rush.
That's the key.
And Sam Folsom--
[buzzer blares] - Let's go!
- He's heading to Stage 3 for the first time.
Just a great moment for him.
[cheers and applause]
But you have to feel the heartbreak
for Kaden Lebsack, who's down with Zuri.
- Kaden, I am so sorry.
I know you're disappointed right now.
Can you talk me through what happened?
- I don't know. I think I just rushed it.
- Yeah? Just a matter of too fast?
- Yeah, I guess so. - Okay.
Now, this is the second year in a row with an outcome
that was obviously less than what you'd hoped for.
Where do you go from here?
- Well, you can only go up from here, I guess.
I don't know, just keep training hard, I guess.
- Yeah? All right.
Well, I'm so sorry it ended this way.
But at the end of the day, you're an incredible ninja,
the Last Ninja Standing two seasons in a row,
and we can't wait to see what the future holds
for you, okay? - Thank you.
- All right. Guys, back to you.
- A disappointing moment for him,
but Kaden Lebsack's one of the best ever.
He will be back.
We've got some marquee matchups just ahead,
including The Weatherman taking on
a teen half his age, Kevin Rodriguez.
And our defending champ, Vance Walker,
will have to hold off one of the best ever,
Flip Rodriguez.
And later, we're heading over
to the brutal Stage 3 course.
Who can conquer it this season?
It's all coming up on the national finals
of "American Ninja Warrior."
- His buzzer last week on Stage 1 was
the 33rd of his career.
- There we go again, baby!
- No ninja has more than Joe Moravsky.
- Whoo!
- But even the greats can be humbled by the course.
Three years ago, The Weatherman went out
on the very first obstacle
on Stage 2. - What?
- And minutes ago, it was déjà vu of sorts,
as Moravsky faced an opponent half his age,
Rhode Island's 17-year-old Kevin Rodriguez,
who suffered the same fate as Joe on the Striding Steps.
[audience gasping]
It was a disappointing exit for Rodriguez,
who missed the rope, just like Moravsky did three years.
That allowed Moravsky to cruise the rest of the way.
[all cheer]
The Weatherman breezed to his 34th buzzer,
adding to his record-setting total.
[buzzer blares]
He's going to Stage 3 for the sixth time,
yet another record for one of the all-time greats.
- Let's go, baby!
- We've only got a few more races left,
and this next one features
two of our most exciting young stars.
On one side, it's New Jersey's Josiah Pippel.
Just a teenager, but he's already climbed
Stage 4 for a million dollars.
He loves Formula One racing, and he likes to go fast.
He'll be racing the explosive "Cam the Baum" Baumgartner,
the gymnastics coach from the Chicago area
who brings a ton of muscle.
Josiah came in
as a three seed after
a very fast run on Stage 1.
He's also got a height
advantage over Cam, who does
have more Ninja experience.
Cam's got his parents and girlfriend here from Illinois.
- Let's go, Cam!
- Josiah's dad is leading cheers on his sideline.
- Come on, guys!
The rest of the family-- his mom, sister, and brother--
watching back in New Jersey.
Both these guys have been to Stage 3 before.
They know what it takes to finish this course.
[countdown clock beeping]
Pippel loves speed, and he'll try to use
his height advantage going across the Striding Steps.
Cam's a gymnast,
so he can muscle through Salmon Ladder.
Got to be careful on Jawbreakers.
We've seen falls here tonight.
- Ooh, Josiah's on a mission.
You see how Pippel propelled forward?
- But last year he had the lead against Austin Gray
until he fell on the Epic Air Surfer.
He won't let up till he gets a buzzer.
- Wow, this is a little bit of a shocker.
I didn't think that Cam Baumgartner
would fall so far behind.
- But it's never over in these races.
[cheers and applause]
Well, let's see if Josiah slows down here.
Doesn't want a repeat of last season.
Yep, he's linking it, Akbar.
- Nope, he is not afraid, and that's the only way
that you attack your fear, is go head-on.
- Run your race.
Got that dismount.
[cheers and applause]
But the Falling Shelves are where Josiah fell
three years ago.
That's got to be in his head.
- Cam Baumgartner very cautious.
Josiah Pippel just moving.
- At this point, Cam is just hoping for a miracle.
Right here, the blind grab. - Here we go.
Catching it. Catch it. Catch it.
Nice. - Not gonna get him,
and Josiah Pippel delivers.
He's going to Stage 3!
[buzzer blares] - Look at that walk off.
Look at that walk off.
[upbeat music]
* *
- Cam still has a chance to move on,
but he'll need to beat James McGrath's time of 1:49.
And it's gonna be close.
He's taking too many swings.
Bro got to go.
- Makes the grab.
But he's got to hurry.
[buzzer blares]
It came down to the wire, but Cam finishes
a second and change too slow,
not enough to be one of our top four non-winners.
Josiah Pippel got redemption tonight.
A year ago, he fell on Epic Air Surfer.
Tonight, he linked his way across no problem.
Three years ago, he fell on the final Flying Shelf.
But not this time.
He's moving on.
Josiah, congratulations.
You had some unfinished business
with the Epic Air Surfer.
What was your mindset going into this race?
- Well, I mean, I knew I had to clear
to even get a runoff race.
Air Surfer, I've only ever done it linked,
so I figured, why change my strategy now?
- Oh, man, I like that.
Are you ready for Stage 3
and to get another chance at Stage 4?
- Well, I mean, it's been two seasons
since I've been on Three, so it's good to be back.
And yeah, we're going all the way to Four.
- All right, let's do it. - I don't doubt it.
I love your confidence.
Go celebrate and rest up.
We'll see you on Stage 3, buddy.
- Let's go!
[all cheer]
- Coming up, no one's been to the national finals
more than Flip Rodriguez.
- [screaming]
- But he's facing our defending champion...
Yes! Yes!
The million-dollar winner, Vance Walker.
Their marquee matchup is next
on "American Ninja Warrior."
- One year ago,
Vance Walker climbed Stage 4
and won a million dollars.
- Oh, my goodness.
- This season, the Florida teenager is on a mission
to become the first back-to-back champion
in "Ninja" history.
He's facing a tough opponent tonight.
Zuri's gonna get him started.
- This is a matchup "Ninja" fans will love,
our reigning champion, Vance Walker,
going up against one of the all-time greats,
Flip Rodriguez.
The stuntman from Miami has been having a career resurgence
in recent years, and no one has been
to the national finals more than he has.
But he'll need a huge effort tonight
to beat the million-dollar man.
- This is the OG of speed, Flip Rodriquez.
[buzzer blares] - [yells]
Let's go, baby!
- I grew up watching Flip on "American Ninja Warrior,"
and I wanted to be like him,
crushing those courses one day.
Now I'm up against him on the course,
which is absolutely insane.
- Yes, sir. - Nice.
Yeah, Flip!
- Since moving to Florida,
I've been training a lot with Flip,
so I know Flip's training style
and I know he can crush this course.
This is gonna be a tough race.
- This is my ninth time on Stage 2.
And out of the eight times I've been there already,
I've only managed to clear once.
- Flip Rodriguez gets his first Stage 2 buzzer!
[buzzer blares] - Yes! Yes!
Okay!
- Last season, I made one mistake,
and I went down early.
- Oh, no! - No! No! No!
The OG went down!
- I have a huge appreciation for Vance
and how hard he works, being so strong and his work ethic,
just watching him grind, the training,
and pushing himself.
[buzzer blares] - [yells]
- Vance Walker has done it!
- This season, I have the opportunity to knock out
the champion and open up the door for myself.
- Flip Rodriguez, you are legend.
- Yeah!
And I am not going out without a fight.
- Everyone excited to see this one.
There's a big group on Vance's sideline,
including his parents.
And Flip's friends and training partners
will be cheering for him.
Flip's getting better with age,
but definitely the underdog in this race.
He's the 18th seed, going against Vance Walker,
who's the nine and running with a lot of confidence.
Vance was diagnosed with cerebral palsy
and wore braces on his legs as a kid,
yet now he can run so fast.
[countdown clock beeping]
Strap in. Here we go.
- Nice. Look at that. - Great footwork.
- Whoo! - Whoa-ho!
- He's showing it, Matt. Look at him.
He's got the speed. Can't make mistakes.
And look at that, shotgunning right up the Salmon Ladder.
- Good transfer there.
This is where Flip went out last year on the Jawbreakers.
What did he learn?
And you can see Vance not trying to link it.
Knows he's got a lead.
- Well, you know the advantage that Flip Rodriguez has
is that he knows he can always catch up because he has speed.
- Good move. Vance staying a half step ahead.
Here comes Flip.
And Vance not getting a ton of momentum here.
Oh, but Flip goes on the first swing.
He's made up ground. And this huge.
Who gets their feet down first?
Vance Walker has the edge going into Epic Air Surfer.
Oh-hoh, what a race!
- All right. Now--ooh.
Look at the big move by Vance Walker.
- He linked every move across the obstacle.
Oh, my goodness.
Watch this. He's going for a long dismount.
Got it! - Nice.
- And the pressure's back on Flip
as Vance starts the Flying Shelves.
- Yeah, you can see him already
starting to take a look back.
Here he goes.
- But here comes the critical move,
this blind grab.
- Ah, he's got the biceps.
We know how strong he is. - Got it!
Vance Walker going on to Stage 3!
- Ooh! Matt, there's a different confidence
you have when you are the American Ninja Warrior.
- But it is not over for Flip Rodriguez.
If he can finish faster than 1:49,
he will be in one of the top four non-winner spots.
That 1:49 was set by James McGrath,
who's in fourth place right now.
Flip would knock him out if he can finish quickly.
This is gonna be close.
He's got to make this grab.
- Nice. Ooh.
He shocked himself.
And Flip delivers. [buzzer blares]
- Oh, no. - Gets a buzzer.
Makes it to the end, but it's just not fast enough.
Flip gave it a good run.
Finishes just over a second too slow,
and his season is over.
Still, these two put on an incredible show.
[cheers and applause]
Let's go back and look at Vance's dominant performance.
Look at him link every move on Epic Air Surfer.
He looks like he's ready for another run
at a million dollars. [buzzer blares]
- Whoo-hoo!
- And Vance is gonna celebrate
and get ready to take on Stage 3.
- Stage 3!
- We have to say goodbye to Flip Rodriguez.
He came close, but just misses out on the runoff.
And someone's breathing easy right now.
James "The Beast" McGrath holds onto that fourth spot
among the non-winners, so he'll be in our runoff.
Here are the others who now get a second chance
to earn a spot on Stage 3.
McGrath will have to race against
another longtime veteran, the Papal Ninja, Sean Bryan,
while teenager Max Feinberg will try to outrun
the Cat Daddy, Jackson Twait.
We'll see those races next.
Then we'll be on the move
over to the legendary Stage 3 course,
the upper-body gauntlet.
It's the next hurdle if you want to win
that million dollars on Stage 4
on the national finals of "American Ninja Warrior."
- It's high stakes and high drama here in Vegas.
We are now just minutes away
from sliding over to the Stage 3 course.
So far, 13 of our finalists have survived Stage 2
and will be moving on.
- Hey! Hey! Hey!
- Our final two spots are up for grabs.
We're gonna settle it in our runoffs
between our top four non-winners.
And first up is Jackson Twait versus Max Feinberg.
These two both made it to the end
in their earlier races.
Twait is the fun-loving cat owner from Iowa.
He'll need to outrun Feinberg,
the college student from the University of Denver.
- Hup! Wha-cha!
- Oh, boy, they out there clowning around,
but this is serious.
Lose this race and your season is over.
- Twait's a little older
and a little taller,
and both of these guys have
"Ninja" experience.
Max Feinberg has been to Stage 3 before.
He'll have his parents and friends cheering him on.
Jackson Twait has his mom, girlfriend,
and those rowdy ninjas from Iowa cheering for him.
It's win, or the season's over.
They got to leave it all out there on the course.
[countdown clock beeping]
- All right, here we go. Run your own race,
but just run it faster.
- And just neck and neck.
And the bar is uneven for Twait.
And a little misstep there, but Twait corrects.
- Oh, it looks like Max Feinberg was waiting
to see what Jackson was gonna do.
- Let's see, can they link it on Jawbreakers?
It's high-risk, high reward.
- Oh, boy.
- Twait looking smooth.
- Yeah, and Max looking a little conservative.
- But just trouble keeping that momentum going.
On now to the Swing Surfer.
- Oh, buddy.
Well, Jackson's starting to get his momentum.
- And you see, he's not using that rope,
just like last time.
First off onto the Epic Air Surfer.
Twait has the edge.
- All right, let's go, Cat Daddy.
- We've seen a lot of falls here.
Gonna test your catlike reflexes.
- Max Feinberg better put some pep in his step.
- Well, Feinberg-- - Oh!
- And Feinberg's linking it. - Uh-oh, here we go.
- Here he comes. - Oh, they're tied up!
- Who will get the dismount first?
Twait! - Oh, boy--
oh, nice! - Right into it.
- Here we go. We've got a race, ladies and gentlemen!
- Neck and neck. - Uh-oh.
Max Feinberg better get the dog out.
He better let the dog out because the cat is going!
- Who can get the blind grab?
Oh!
And Feinberg down.
The Cat Daddy's moving on.
[buzzer blares] - [yelling]
[cheers and applause]
- That was a good race. That was a good race.
- That was an incredible race.
Max closed the gap coming off the Air Surfer,
and they were neck and neck
as they swung across the Falling Shelves.
But Max missed on the last one,
while Jackson was able to make the grab.
He survives a nail-biter.
Well, Max Feinberg gave him all he could handle,
but the Cat Daddy didn't blink.
I got to say, I love racing on Stage 2.
Cat Daddy!
Jackson Twait, what a race.
What was going through your mind there
on the Falling Shelves?
- Ah, just go.
[laughter]
- Are you ready to take on Stage 3?
- Oh, I am so ready.
I've been dreaming of this for so long.
- Well, I'll tell you what, go get a noggin buzzer.
Get ready for Stage 3, buddy. - Whoo!
[buzzer blares]
[cheers and applause]
Let's go, baby!
- And now it's time for our second runoff race,
James "The Beast" McGrath
versus the Papal Ninja, Sean Bryan.
This is a battle of beloved "Ninja" veterans.
McGrath's a 37-year-old from Massachusetts.
He's been doing Ninja for 14 years,
while Sean Bryan's in his ninth season on "Ninja."
And though almost 40, he still believes he can win it all.
With more than 40 buzzers between them,
James and Sean are two of the sport's all-time greats.
[buzzers blare]
The 39-year-old Bryan has been competing for nine years...
[buzzer blares] The Papal Ninja!
And last reached Stage 3 back in season 10,
when he finished as the overall runner-up.
- I feel the best I ever have in my whole career.
I feel stronger and more confident.
My motivation isn't just to get past Stage 2.
It's to take down the mountain.
Total victory or nothing.
- The 37-year-old McGrath started competing
way back in 2010, and is in "Ninja's"
top five for career buzzers.
[buzzer blares]
But he hasn't reached Stage 3
in 11 years and is desperate to return.
- Sean Bryan, I think he deserves
a shot at Stage 3.
But I've been waiting
a little longer than that,
so he can get in line.
- The Beast will have his number one fan,
his fiancée, fellow ninja Allyssa Beird,
cheering from back home.
Bryan, the Catholic church worker,
has his crew wearing the papal colors.
Mom's saying a prayer for this one.
Both of these guys have been to Stage 3 before.
It's been 11 years since McGrath's been on Stage 3,
and six years for Sean Bryan.
[countdown clock beeping]
- All right, here we go.
Matt, this one's gonna be real good.
- McGrath, the former track star, he's got speed early.
Sean Bryan, the former gymnast,
is tremendous on the bars.
- Nice.
- Whoa!
Just dead even.
- All right, now these guys are moving.
- And this is such focus, Akbar, not to flinch,
not to steal a glance.
- Nice.
- Sean Bryan first off, then The Beast.
- Oh, these guys are racing.
They want to get to Stage 3.
And look at that incredible move.
- And The Beast taking a gamble.
Knows he needs every edge he can get.
- Matt, it's like he was shot out of a cannon!
- And The Beast is the first to finish.
He has the edge here on the Epic Air Surfer.
- Nice. Here we go.
- Trying to link it.
- Beast trying to beast Air Surfer.
- Oh-hoh!
And Sean Bryan's slightly ahead.
- Ooh! He floating like he going to heaven!
Oh! Oh, my goodness!
Praying that he gets up!
- Sean Bryan was the first one off.
Oh, what a matchup!
- This is it. Uh-oh.
- The Beast! - Oh, The Beast wants it.
He almost misses that third one.
- He's risking it!
- Nice--
both: Oh!
- No!
- Oh, my goodness.
- Looked like he had it.
And Sean Bryan, another save.
- Another one-handed save, get out of here.
- And he's going back to Stage 3.
[cheers and applause]
- Oh, my goodness.
- These races could not be any better.
James McGrath was going all out.
Went for the rope on the first swing
on Swing Surfer to surge ahead.
Sean Bryan came back and survived a rough landing
on Air Surfer to take the lead.
McGrath was linking moves,
but couldn't handle the final Falling Shelf,
and the Papal Ninja held on for the win.
[buzzer blares]
- Hey, Sean, be honest.
Did you pray for that?
Did you pray for those one-handed saves?
- I knew I needed to dig deep.
I knew it was gonna be on the threshold.
So I was prepared just in case it happened again.
- Well, just amazing watching two veterans push each other.
It's been six years since you've been on Stage 3.
You're looking strong.
Are you ready for it?
- I'm ready and I'm hungry.
- Oh!
I like that hunger.
- Well, say your prayers.
I know you're gonna need a helping hand on Stage 3,
and I think you got the people to give it to you, my friend.
An incredible race and a heartbreaking loss
for James McGrath, but The Beast still had
his best season in more than a decade.
So from the hundreds who ran our course this year,
we're down to just 15 who survived Stage 2.
They're still in the running for that million dollars.
So now we're on the move.
We're headed over to Stage 3,
where our remaining ninjas
will try to keep their season alive.
- Only the best can survive that gauntlet.
It's gonna be a battle.
- And that's next on "American Ninja Warrior."
- Welcome back to Vegas and the national finals.
We are about to step onto hallowed ground for ninjas.
It's Stage 3.
- This course is a legendary upper-body test,
and, Matt, only the best are gonna pass it.
- You said it, big man. For a closer look,
let's go down to Zuri.
- Guys, just getting to Stage 3
is a huge accomplishment.
And to beat it, these ninjas are gonna have to get through
seven brutal obstacles.
First, they'll have to learn the ropes on Patriot Pass.
Then the ninjas have to find the slots
as they swing across Stalactites.
Next, they'll land the ball in the hoops on Slam Dunk.
The fourth obstacle is the iconic fingertip test
of Ultimate Cliffhanger.
A brand-new obstacle awaits them at number five.
It's a grip and flip challenge called Pizza Party.
[upbeat music]
With tired arms, they'll have to plot their way
across Pressure Cooker.
And finally, it's Road Signs,
which ended many runs last season.
- [screams]
- If they survive, they'll move on
to climb Stage 4 for a million dollars.
Guys.
- Stage 3 is special.
Very few ninjas ever get here.
And leading us off is the always entertaining
Ninja Cal, Cal Plohoros.
He's making his first appearance on Stage 3,
and he's gonna enjoy it.
This Pennsylvania teenager has come a long way
since we first met him.
[upbeat music]
When he first started on "Ninja Junior,"
he was only 4'7" and barely 90 pounds.
Since then, he's grown almost a foot,
added 60 pounds of muscle,
and with the help of his coach Flip Rodriguez...
- Come on, Cal! Power!
- Has taken his Ninja skills to the next level...
[buzzer blares] And he's done it!
And is having his best season ever.
- And Cal Plohoros just dominated!
Just like that!
- It's crazy to think that I'm one buzzer away
from attempting that rope.
I've always been the little guy.
I've always been so underestimated
and I think overlooked, ever since "Junior."
- Don't count out 12-year-old Cal Plohoros
because this kid is a beast.
[buzzer blares]
- If the nine-year-old kid that first started
watching "Ninja Warrior" could look up
and see me making it this far, he'd be--
he'd be amazed.
- Ninja Cal's got his big crowd back on his sideline,
including his energetic mom, Ivette.
There's no clock on Stage 3.
All you gotta do is get past these seven obstacles.
[countdown clock beeping]
Here we go.
These ropes on Patriot Pass are the first test.
You got to swing across as they unwind.
- Matt, these early obstacles may not take you out,
but they can wear you out.
[cheers and applause]
- Yes! - Let's go, Cal!
- If there's one thing we've seen about Cal Plohoros,
no shortage of confidence.
This young man believes in himself.
Now has to slide the handles in the slots
here on Stalactites.
And if you don't have a plan on this obstacle,
you can use up a lot of energy.
It's real easy to get turned around.
[cheering]
Little hung up.
- He's gonna have to make a couple more moves
before he thinks about an early dismount.
[cheers and applause]
- Go from afar! Go from afar!
- Ooh. - He's going for it.
- Yeah, he is. - Got it.
- Bring it on! Bring it!
- How you guys doing?
- Take your time with the crowd.
How you guys doing? - Well, he's a budding actor,
so clearly comfortable in front of a crowd.
- I like that. He's not competing here
on Stage 3 with that extra pressure.
- Some people like a big stage.
Cal Plohoros likes to hear the roar of the crowd.
[audience chanting] Let's go, Cal!
- He's 5'6".
Let's see what he can do on Slam Dunk.
Look at his quads.
This dude has gotten so strong.
- Oh! - Oh! Comes up just short.
Doesn't survive Slam Dunk,
but it's been a great season for Cal Plohoros.
- You did that! You did that!
- The up-and-coming actor had the crowd entertained,
but watch his hands on Slam Dunk.
He couldn't make the grab on the left side,
and his season is over.
- I'm happy to be out here.
I love it. I hope to be back.
I love you guys!
all: We love you, Cal!
[cheers and applause]
- Up next, another impressive teenager.
It's Tennessee's Elijah Browning.
He's known as The Boss because he runs multiple businesses.
And he's back on Stage 3 for the second straight year.
He's got a huge group cheering for him,
led by his mom, Renee, who's battling breast cancer.
Last year, made it all the way to Road Signs.
Can he break through this year?
[countdown clock beeping]
He looked strong early tonight.
Beat The Flyboy, Isaiah Thomas, on Stage 2.
Got his second buzzer of the season.
[cheers and applause]
6'1".
That reach should help here on Stalactites.
This kid is just so good
and just a hard worker.
Entrepreneur, has businesses,
and takes care of business at "Ninja Warrior."
- Yes, he does. Maybe one day, Matt,
we'll be working for him.
- Look at him moving efficiently.
And he's through.
[cheers and applause]
Now climbs up to take on Slam Dunk.
- Boss this one.
- That ball is 8 pounds, and those are 3 1/2-foot gaps.
It really is these transfers that are the big challenge.
You got to grab it simultaneously.
Great job.
This last one's a little lower,
but no problem.
He's gonna get through Slam Dunk.
[cheers and applause]
And now The Boss will be the first tonight
to try the iconic Ultimate Cliffhanger.
It's a staple here on Stage 3.
- So proud of you, buddy!
I'm so proud of you!
- 170, one of the bigger guys
that'll take on Stage 3 tonight.
That's a lot of weight to carry on your fingertips
as you go across these narrow ledges.
Some of them are only an inch wide.
And you can just see,
being as efficient as possible on this obstacle.
Long reach, no problem.
[audience chanting] Boss! Boss! Boss!
- It's 55 feet total across this pool.
This is where he has to jump back to the other side.
Just a fingertip transfer 6 feet over.
- Hey, I would have been busting my fingernails up.
- And The Boss one step closer.
- That's amazing, buddy!
- Now he's gonna give us our first look
at this new obstacle, Pizza Party.
This one is diabolical.
Those slices spin, so you have to grip it,
flip it, and catch it again.
- Wow, it's like that New York style pizza right here,
nice and thin.
All right, turn that thing around.
Fold it up. Nice.
- Oh, wow.
He had to complete that rotation grabbing onto it.
- He did. And he had perfect hang time.
That's the key right there
because you give it enough time to rotate.
- Well, did he learn? What can he do differently
here on the second slice?
That was close. - Here we go.
New York style again. Turn it.
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh.
- He's struggling.
Gonna try to regrip.
No!
He looked strong early,
but the pizza slice slips from his hand.
The Boss comes up short on Stage 3 once again.
- I'm so proud of you!
- His technique was perfect on the first one.
He used both hands to spin it.
But on the second slice, he didn't let go
with his right hand, so the pizza didn't spin around
like he needed, and he slid right off.
His season is over, but what a lift
he's given his family this year.
- So proud!
- And that obstacle, Pizza Party,
came from our Obstacle Design Challenge.
It was dreamed up by a former ninja, Kevin Brekke.
If you've got an idea, go to...
We might see your creation on the course next season.
Up next, Daniel Gil knows
how to conquer Stage 3. [buzzer blares]
He's done it twice before. [buzzer blares]
He'll try to be the first to do it three times
when we come back
on "American Ninja Warrior's" national finals.
- Our next competitor has been to Stage 3
in three previous seasons.
Now he's ready for his fourth attempt at this course.
And Zuri's gonna get him started.
- Guys, last year, Daniel Gil missed out
on winning a million dollars on Stage 4
by just over a second, so he is hungry
to conquer Stage 3 and get back to the tower once again.
That's especially true this year
because he and his wife, Abby, have a baby on the way.
- Last season was literally a dream come true.
I got my rematch on Mount Midoriyama.
- So close!
[buzzer blares]
Daniel Gil did it! - Oh, my gosh!
- And I conquered it,
except for the fact that someone did it
a few seconds faster than me.
[buzzer blares]
- Vance Walker has done it!
A full second faster than Daniel Gil.
- Of the eight competitors that took on
Mount Midoriyama last year,
I was the old man at almost 30 years old.
- Daniel Gil gets another Stage 1 buzzer.
- But this year, I have a renewed hope,
a spark, a fire in my belly
that is getting me through each of these stages.
[buzzer blares]
I've got a dream, and I'm going to do whatever it takes
to hit these buzzers to move on,
because I am determined
to make my way back to Mount Midoriyama
and do it a few seconds faster this time around.
[cheers and applause]
- And Abby will be leading the cheers
along with Daniel's mom and sister.
Daniel Gil's already been to Stage 4 twice.
If he finishes this course right now,
he'll be the first to get there three times.
[countdown clock beeping]
Akbar, I'm not sure how you rebound
from the disappointment at the end of last season.
But for Gil, he always leans on a higher power.
- Well, Matt, he's-- he's rebounded.
I mean, look at him. He's at Stage 3.
I mean, he has had an amazing season 16.
[cheers and applause]
- Last season, had a romp as one of eight ninjas
who hit the buzzers on Stage 3.
But so far, Stage 3 is pitching a shutout.
Long reach there.
Got it.
Akbar, he's taking more moves
than anyone we've seen on Stalactites.
- He's got to be thinking about the long game here.
- Whoo!
- 5'9", 165, just a tremendous athlete.
- This is my favorite part.
I love--I love to see Daniel Gil on Slam Dunk.
Watch him. Watch his hair flow
as he goes. Watch.
Flow and go. Boom, nice.
- Reminiscent of Air Jordan here on Slam Dunk.
- No, this is more like Hair Jordan.
Nice.
- Real smooth.
And just, Gil looks remarkably calm.
He always runs with a smile on his face.
[cheers and applause]
Now makes his way over to the fourth obstacle.
And, Akbar, you can see with the clear wall
on Ultimate Cliffhanger, as he goes through this,
he's gonna be staring at Stage 4.
- Matt, that's a great point, and it's so distracting.
I say keep your eyes on the rim.
Right there.
- Daniel did fall here back in season 8.
- Nice. Well, Matt, you can tell
by his movement that he's got a lot of strength.
- Great progress. - No doubt in my mind
he completes Ultimate Cliffhanger.
- Well, you know, just because you've done it before,
can't take any obstacle for granted.
[cheers and applause]
And Daniel is halfway done.
- But it's the Pizza Party that is very concerning.
- He did not have to face this obstacle last year.
Just when ninjas think they have something figured out,
we throw a brand-new obstacle their way.
- He may not look like it, but I'm sure he enjoys
a slice of pizza from time to time.
All right, let's see if he's gonna enjoy this one.
- Well, you know, he wants to have two tonight.
- All right, there's only one way to eat a pizza.
Turn that sucker around the right way and eat it.
- Got it. - Nice, boy!
- You can see, though, that slice, got to calm it.
- Ooh. - And this is expending
grip strength. - Yes, it is.
- Good recovery. - Good.
- What a diabolical obstacle.
Ooh-hoo-hoo!
- Boy. Boy, he is stuffing--
- Oh! - Oh, my goodness!
That was incredible!
I thought he was about to be stuffed.
- Daniel Gil, a tremendous save.
That was wild. I want to see that again.
He made the flip, but he missed the grab
with his left hand and had to regrip.
His fingers were way down at the bottom,
and he was gripping like crazy to hold on.
- But, Akbar, you got to think
that took something out of those forearms.
[audience chanting] Daniel! Daniel!
- He'll give us our first look tonight at Pressure Cooker.
You have to slide those handles on and off the poles.
The Kingdom Ninja's been to the top of the mountain,
but has to get through the Pressure Cooker to get back.
And this is another taxing obstacle.
There's nothing holding you up except your body weight
as you lean back on those handles.
And he's spinning.
Stage 3 can throw so much at you,
and even a great ninja like Daniel Gil can struggle.
- You're good. You're good.
- You can see how hard it is to control your momentum.
You're just spinning.
Have to reach out and find that pole.
And he's really having to work to get through this.
[cheers and applause]
- Well, these two obstacles are really taxing Gil.
- Yeah, he's starting to fish around now.
- Staying calm.
- Yeah, that's the only thing you can do.
When stuff gets tough, stay calm.
- Oh, no!
- All right, get it, get it, get it--
- Got to get it locked in.
- Nice.
- Well, this has not been an easy run for Daniel Gil.
- Yeah, he's not efficient at all.
Oh, boy. - Well, now he's facing
the wrong way, roping around.
Got it.
- Wow.
- Oh, my.
One obstacle left.
His arms have to be burning.
- Whoo!
- Does he have enough left to get through Road Signs?
Has to swing through and grab these signposts.
It is such a challenge to have this as the final--
oh! Oh! - Ooh, my goodness.
Oh, my goodness. - He barely got on.
- Man, Matt, are you serious?
- Oh, my.
- Yes! Come on! You got it!
- It just looks like his forearms
are barely responding.
- Whew. Okay. - What a recovery.
- Nice high grip there.
He's getting so close.
- No! - Oh, no!
No, no, no, no, no, no, no! - Oh!
[applause]
The accumulation was just too much for Daniel Gil.
- Good job, Daniel!
- He used up a lot of grip early in the course.
And when he made it to the last obstacle,
he just couldn't hold on.
Look at his face right there. Yep, he knew it.
There'll be no trip to Stage 4 this year for Daniel Gil.
- Daniel, I am so sorry.
We are not used to seeing you wet.
You were so close.
What happened here? Did you just run out of gas?
- Yeah. I mean, I think I just--
I over-gripped on a few places that I shouldn't have.
And any ninja knows that if you over-grip too soon
in an endurance course like this,
you'll pay the price near the end.
It happens. Everybody falls.
Everybody fails. But the important thing is
to get up, learn, grow, move forward,
and get on with it, you know?
- Absolutely. You are preaching right now, Daniel.
And I am with it. You are such an inspiration.
We can't wait to see what you do next.
- I appreciate it, Zuri.
Thank you. - Absolutely.
Matt, Akbar, back to you.
- Coming up, he's been tearing up the course
the past two seasons.
- Oh, my goodness! [buzzer blares]
- But Kai Beckstrand's never faced Stage 3.
Can the Utah teenager take it down?
He's next on "American Ninja Warrior."
- Next week, it's "American Ninja Warrior's"
season finale.
Our remaining athletes will get their shot at Stage 3.
Then we're moving over to the Stage 4 tower,
where someone's gonna win a million dollars.
You don't want to miss it.
Well, we've got one more athlete tonight,
and he's one of the favorites to win it all.
It's Utah's Kai Beckstrand.
His season started by taking down the Mega Wall,
had the fastest time in the semifinals,
and added two more buzzers here in Vegas,
and did it all while battling a chronic condition.
[soft music]
- When I was 12 years old, I was diagnosed
with type 1 diabetes.
- * I think it's time that we recognize *
* All of the pain that we put behind *
* Is what made us *
- I was a little scared at first
because I didn't know exactly how that was gonna affect me.
But I was not gonna let that be the deciding factor.
Eventually, I went training and felt super great.
- * Now we've become who we are now *
* Oh, who we are now *
- Some of the challenges that I face,
I have to monitor my blood sugar all the time,
and depending on where my blood sugar range is,
can affect how I perform on the course.
Having diabetes is just another obstacle
that I have to go through every day,
but I'm not gonna let that stop me
from doing what I love.
- Kai Beckstrand, what a beast!
- Hitting a Stage 3 buzzer would mean the absolute world
to me because when I was only 12 years old,
I couldn't even fathom the idea
of being able to climb Mount Midoriyama.
- And Kai, for the first time in his career,
will be going to Stage 3!
- And now that that idea is in sight,
it's time to get to that Stage 4 rope.
[cheers and applause]
- And of course, Kai's part of that big Ninja family.
His mom, dad, and siblings all compete.
They're on the sideline,
along with friend, Mady Howard.
We had eight ninjas finish Stage 3 last year,
but none so far tonight.
[countdown clock beeping]
5'10", 180.
When you see him move, you don't know
if he has that much mass and muscle.
- You got to wonder if 180 pounds
will be nice to him on Stage 3.
That's a lot of weight.
[cheers and applause]
You can see him just kind of planning out
his route on Stalactites.
- Well, this is a big one, Akbar.
Over the years, we've seen ninjas
get hung up on this obstacle.
- And we've also seen some early dismounts.
Really not trying to spend a lot of time.
That might be a good strategy
for Kai Beckstrand at 180 pounds.
You can see him--he's starting to think about it.
- You got it. Come on.
- Come on, Kai. - There you go.
- He can cover some distance at 5'10".
Nice. - There's his brother, Luke.
This year, he and Kai became the first brother duo
to make it to Stage 2.
Let's see if the 5'10" Beckstrand
can dunk here on Slam Dunk.
- He's got some boosties.
- He's a great all-around athlete.
First saw him on "Ninja Junior"
where he was the champion of the 12-year-old division.
So impressive. He does all his athletic
accomplishments despite having type 1 diabetes.
Just amazing to see him out here.
No limits.
Here's a guys that takes five to six shots
a day to keep his blood sugar in check.
And he's definitely in the zone right now.
Well, this is where his size might be a challenge,
carrying that weight across
the narrow ledges of Ultimate Cliffhanger.
- Come on, big fella. - Got to move quickly here.
- Matt, he gets through this one,
he'll be the heaviest ninja
to ever get through Ultimate Cliffhanger.
- He's just levitating, Akbar.
- Nice.
[cheers and applause]
- His family's got those gyms in Saint George,
and it's paying off.
- Nice. Okay, big body.
- Wow.
That was just tremendously efficient.
[cheers and applause]
This next one, Pizza Party, is brand-new
and like no obstacle we've had before.
- Well, this pizza right here, Matt,
for Kai Beckstrand, it's gluten free.
And hopefully it's not-- - Ooh, ooh.
- Nice.
- Great handwork there.
- Here we go. Come on.
Come on now. Last one.
You got to get saucy with this one.
Get saucy with it. Get saucy with it!
Nice! Oh, my goodness.
Get out of there. Get out of there.
Oh, boy. Oh, boy.
Stage 3, we got a problem.
Beckstrand's on it.
- Let's go. Two more.
- You can do it.
- Well, here we go.
Kai trying to withstand the Pressure Cooker.
- All right. Here we go, big body.
- 180 pounds.
- Yeah, he's got to be very, very precise with this.
He can't afford to spin around and move around on this one.
- He's going high up there.
Little spin.
Just remaining so calm.
- Yeah, well, he's-- he's got long arms,
and he's trying to make sure that he's fully extended
so he doesn't have to have his arm bent.
If he has his arm bent,
that's gonna be a lot more time under tension.
- Well, you know what? We're seeing him go
much higher than anyone else has
and using that 5'10" wingspan.
It's certainly working.
He's got this.
There we go!
One more obstacle between Kai and Stage 4.
- He wants a chance to fight for that million dollars.
- Trying to be our first finisher tonight,
but will have to survive Road Signs.
These vertical grips, this will be the test.
- Got it. Nice, high and tight.
Now he's got to throw himself up.
Good. - Just generates
tremendous power with that lower body.
- He puts in work in the Ninja gym
and in the weight gym.
Ooh. - Ah, did a little spin.
- Here we go. Big ups.
Come on, come on, come on, come on.
Uh...oh... - Does he have it?
- Yah--hyah!
- Yes!
[buzzer blares]
Kai Beckstrand hits that buzzer!
[upbeat music]
* *
His dad, mom, and all the rest
are rushing to congratulate him.
He's the first to finish Stage 3 this season.
Three years ago, they were the first
father-son duo to hit a buzzer.
Now they get to celebrate this moment together.
* *
- Way to go, Kai!
- Kai Beckstrand, you did it, my friend.
What did it feel like getting that buzzer?
- That was probably the best experience of my whole life.
- You're 18 years old, man.
You still got a lot to live.
But I got to ask, did you have any doubt
that you could hit that buzzer?
- If you're doubting, you're not ready.
- Ooh!
Kai Beckstrand, when I get younger,
I want to be just like you, man.
- Sounds good. Sounds good.
- Hey, rest up. We're gonna see you on Stage 4
climbing for a million dollars!
Hit that buzzer one more time.
[buzzer blares]
A great way to end tonight.
Next week, our remaining athletes will tackle Stage 3,
including our defending champion, Vance Walker,
plus The Weatherman, Joe Moravsky.
And someone's gonna take home $1 million.
It's a season finale like we've never had before.
For Akbar Gbajabiamila and Zuri Hall, I'm Matt Iseman.
We'll see you next time on "American Ninja Warrior."
[dramatic music]
* *