The bar was raised fairly excessive final yr on NBC’s American Ninja Warrior after Vance Walker earned his second consecutive win. This story of the 19-year-old with cerebral palsy who overcame all the chances to safe one other million greenback prize tugged on the heartstrings. It’s these sorts of moments why the fact competitors collection has continued to thrive now going into Season 17.
As soon as once more right here to name the ninja motion are the dynamic duo of Matt Iseman and Akbar Gbajabiamila, together with co-host Zuri Corridor. The journey for these athletes from all walks of life begin in Las Vegas for the qualifiers and semifinals. All of it culminates with the nationwide finals the place the quickest ninjas within the nation will face a high-stakes course in side-by-side and head-to-head races. Given the adjustments, Mt. Midoriyama is just not again this season to make room for the suspenseful racing motion. The finals may also embrace a brand new bracket fashion match. Ultimately, there may be just one final champion who will stroll away with the grand prize and title of American Ninja Warrior and $250,000.
We caught up with Matt Iseman and Akbar Gbajabiamila to interrupt down what stands out this season.
With Vance profitable twice in a row, what sort of impression would you say this has on the competitors?
Matt Iseman: The dominance is spectacular, however I additionally assume it additionally makes it really feel very near see somebody win it back-to-back and present that it may be finished. Nearly as good as Vance is, a whole lot of these ninjas have crushed him earlier than. They know he’s unbelievable, however many know they will grasp with him. I feel coming into Season 17, notably with these ninjas realizing they are going to be going head-to-head and being examined. I feel a whole lot of them are coming in additional excited and feeling they’re nearer to profitable than ever earlier than. We had been so excited to see how this season unfolds, and it exceeded our wildest desires.
Akbar Gbajabiamila: I feel it put a whole lot of the opposite ninjas on discover to convey their A-game. They’ve all the time finished this, however there’s something about competitors when you already know any individual is a back-to-back champ. They’ve a goal on their again, however it additionally provides you the additional motivation. Like how did this man go back-to-back. What we’ve seen this season is do issues we’ve all the time identified they might do, however really see it in actuality and unfold in entrance of everybody. It was fairly spectacular, which is why we’re actually enthusiastic about what is going to unfold this season.
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What are you able to say about this yr’s impediment slate?
Matt: The ninjas needed to know, “I’m unsure I can do that, however I’ve to take these possibilities as a result of I do know the athletes I’m competing towards are so good.” The Falling Cabinets, what a brutal impediment that’s underneath one of the best of circumstances.
Akbar: This did a distinct sort of stress on these athletes. It confirmed them what they had been able to. This yr the side-by-side continues so as to add to the drama. I feel what additionally provides to this fantastic thing about competitors is that this yr for the primary time the entire competitors, semi-finals, qualifying, finals, all of it occurs in a single metropolis. It’s not you’re flying off to this place and that place. We’ve all of it occurring abruptly. That’s one other component of stress since you’re used to the identical cadence. This yr we threw off the cadence. So, the cadence is completely different, which means the competitors appears to be like completely different. We’ve a whole lot of side-by-side racing. It’s actually enjoyable this yr. I feel that is one thing the followers can have an enormous response to.
Any new additions?
Akbar: We really introduced again a whole lot of the outdated ones, which is basically cool. We’ve some throwbacks as a result of we wished to pay homage to among the throwback ninjas. We expect again to Ryan Stratis, who began in Season 1. What was attention-grabbing is what we name throwback and paying homage to the previous. Additionally, among the ninjas weren’t even born when Ryan was first competing in his very first season. They’d an opportunity to see “new obstacles” to them as a result of these had been issues they’d solely seen on TV, however they’d by no means competed on. So, that was enjoyable to observe as effectively.
Matt: We introduced again Cannonball Alley. That was the one Kevin Bull made well-known in Vegas. It was 15 ninjas who had gone 15 and failed. Then Kevin Bull goes invented and locks his legs and throws a flip off it. This was a kind of moments that had been like, “What did we simply see?” We’ve by no means seen that sort of innovation earlier than fixing an impediment. It was so nice. Then to have that impediment again was actually cool. We knew ninjas had been coming into this new section, so let’s pay respects to ninja’s previous as we have a good time the long run.
AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR — Pictured: Vance Walker — (Photograph by: Elizabeth Morris/NBC)
These ninjas all the time have such charming tales. What one stands out to you proper now this season?
Akbar: Gary Weiland to me was the story. He’s going to be in our premiere episode, so that you get an opportunity to know this story up shut. For individuals who didn’t catch his story beforehand, he had a surgical procedure that sort of went unsuitable and had some issues that led to him changing into an amputee. He had some struggles in earlier years, however it had gotten higher all through the years. He had his struggles, however got here out this yr the place he completely refuses to give up. His intestinal fortitude and all the pieces he has gone by in his private life.
For him, to come back out as an amputee and not likely establish as an amputee. He identifies as an athlete. Right here’s a man who was a fireplace marshal and 44 years outdated. He comes on the market and competes onerous. His story is one thing you fall in love with. Matt says this on a regular basis. You take a look at sure athletes and among the sure circumstances they’ve gone by. It makes you assume, “So, what’s your excuse?” You don’t have any excuse when a man like Gary competes at a excessive degree with the format altering, he got here out to race and compete. If you see him within the very first episode, you’ll fall in love along with his story.
Matt: Amen. For me, what was nice seeing in Season 17 the story of households increasing. With out spoiling an excessive amount of, you see the subsequent steps of the Bergstrom Bunch and the Beckstrand, Behrends out of Iowa. You see them develop and broaden the affect they’ve had on ninja. It’s actually enjoyable to see as we’ve spent a lot time attending to know these households. The opposite factor that was cool was having the Ninja Kidz on, who’re one of many greatest YouTube sensations round. They do stunts, karate, all these items. They put their children on the present and put their names on the road to compete. It was superior to see how that turned out. So, when you’re a fan of the Ninja Kidz, you’re positively going to like seeing them on Ninja Warrior.
Akbar: Not solely the Ninja Kidz, however Matt and I’ve had personal conversations within the sales space the place we speak how we are able to’t look forward to the opposite Ninja children to compete as a result of you will have the relationships with the households which have grown by the years. We’ve had ninjas relationship ninjas. Ninjas marrying ninjas. Then as soon as they begin having children and what that’s going to appear to be. You don’t see many sports activities like that the place two athletes in the identical sort of sport have these households. Matt and I can’t wait to name the runs 15 years down the place we’re saying, “We keep in mind your mama and daddy ran this course.”
Matt: Who’s going to be our Ken Griffey Jr.?
As you’re speaking concerning the household, I’m stunned we haven’t seen an American Ninja Warrior actuality present following a couple of of those households.
Matt: Scott, my April Fools’ joke was we had been going to do American Ninja Lovers. I put it out as a result of, and that is true, we’ve had extra profitable romances than any of the fact relationship exhibits. So, I mentioned we’re going to do American Ninja Lovers. Actually, the response was, “That is superior and going to be a fantastic present. Perhaps Ryan Stratis will discover a lady.” I feel you’re onto one thing I feel we have to do the Ninja Courting World: Obstacles of the Coronary heart.
You have already got the title and tagline!
Akbar: Matt, you bought me too.
Matt: Akbar was like, “Hey, why wasn’t I contacted about this present?”
Akbar: I used to be like what? That is occurring. I despatched this out, then I seen it was April Fools. It was a fantastic thought.
Matt: You understand what, that’s payback for my birthday prank, buddy!
You two have clearly shaped fairly the bond through the years. That exhibits on TV as a lot because it does in these conversations.
Akbar: I’ll say this, Matt is a real buddy. We don’t need to spend each waking time collectively. I feel there’s a lot, not solely commonality, however our friendship goes past work. Generally you may really feel a bit of betrayed since you may get sucked into the thought you will have a relationship at work and that can comply with you in your private life when most instances actually it’s a transactional relationship. Whereas I don’t imagine Matt and I’s relationship is transactional. We’ve grown collectively, skilled issues collectively. Whether or not it’s on the present or off digicam as effectively. I maintain that relationship very pricey as a result of I do know that these relationships may be onerous to come back by once you’re speaking about work relationships. Most individuals it’s like, “When you’re finished you’re finished. I’m out. I don’t have any extra time for you.” That’s not the case for us.
Matt: There’s a great quantity of respect. I acquired married in September simply earlier than we filmed Season 17. One of many highlights was Akbar was there. He actually, as quickly as we mentioned I do, needed to go to the airport as a result of he needed to do soccer the subsequent morning. He wished to be there and wasn’t going to overlook it. It’s a kind of issues the place I like working with Akbar, however I respect him a lot extra as a human being. It has actually been a blessing to have met this man and to get to the present with him. On the finish of the day, we each share the sensation that we’re grateful to be a part of this present. Whereas my athletic endeavors didn’t find yourself on the excessive degree, we each really feel like athletes with a coronary heart. I feel we each respect somebody who does one thing in a efficiency that’s actually distinctive. We’ve a entrance row seat for individuals having moments of their lives they didn’t know they had been even able to. Akbar and I are there dropping our minds as a result of we really feel it. We see it of their faces. It’s so enjoyable for us to be part of that.
What stands out about this season?
Matt: I simply assume when you see the racing and see the drama. With out giving spoilers, there are conditions the place you assume, “Oh my God. It’s over. A profession is over.” Then, rapidly, the unattainable miracle occurs and that individual is resurrected. It’s stuffed with dramatic moments, these unbelievable races. The respect among the many athletes. I feel it’s a brand new sort of ninja.
Akbar: There may be a whole lot of drama to your mamas too. Mamas are going to like it. Everybody will like it. You’re attending to see after we are establishing the tales of what we’ve historically seen and getting invested within the athletes. Then we get into the racing portion, come on! It’s over. You’re by no means going to un-see Ninja once you see it like this. If you see Ninja on this format, this can be a format that ushers it into the brand new age of tv and competitors. I feel we all know this to be true that once you take a look at the panorama of leisure and Hollywood, the one factor that has actually stayed up is stay sports activities. If you take a look at the stay sport component of this as a result of we’re capturing this stay and seeing the competitors, this ushers on this new period of competitors for American Ninja Warrior.. This ain’t your granddaddy’s Ninja Warrior. That is new. That is the drama to your mama Ninja.
American Ninja Warrior Season 17 premiere, June 2, 8/7c, NBC