American Ninja Warrior, NBC’s obstacle course competition airs tonight with an all new Monday, July 6 season 7 episode 6 called “Military Qualifying.” We’ve got your recap down below! On tonight’s episode the qualifying rounds conclude at the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro, Cal., before the historic battleship USS Iowa, where active duty and retired military members tackle such obstacles as the Log Runner and I Beam Cross.
On the last episode American Ninja Warrior Pittsburgh, PA’s historic Carrie Furnace hosted the fifth qualifying round where competitors tackle two new obstacles including, the Snake Crossing and the Wind Chimes. Ninjas competed to qualify for the finals in Las Vegas and a shot at winning the grand prize of $1,000,000. “American Ninja Warrior” veterans Michelle Warnky and “Captain NBC” Jamie Rahn returned, while Olympian and Pittsburgh local Brianne McLaughlin and Harlem Globetrotter Flip White took a shot at the course, along with University of Pittsburgh “vampire” professor Joel Brady and Team USA members Joe Moravsky and Elet Hall. Competitors in this rigorous obstacle course competition series vied for the title “American Ninja Warrior. Did you watch last week’s episode? If you missed it we have a full and detailed recap, right here for you.
On tonight’s episode per the NBC synopsis, “the qualifying rounds continue with a very special all-military cast competing on the pier in San Pedro, California in front of the historic battleship USS Iowa. Competitors, including both active duty and retired military members, will tackle the six stage city qualifying course featuring two never-before-seen obstacles – the Log Runner and the challenging I-Beam Cross. Former Army National Guard Caption and six-time “American Ninja Warrior” veteran Ryan Stratis and active Navy Lieutenant Junior Grade Dustin McKinney return for another shot at the course. This round will be the last of the city qualifying rounds before the show heads to the city finals rounds.”
Tonight’s episode looks like it is going to be great and you won’t want to miss it, so be sure to tune in for our coverage of NBC’s American Ninja Warrior at 9:00 PM EST! While you wait for our recap hit the comments and let us know how excited you are about the show so far.
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RECAP:
#AmericanNinjaWarrior is a special edition tonight – it’s all military competitors. We are in San Pedro, California right off the USS Iowa. Matt and Akbar welcome us then introduce Kristine to show off the course the service members from all branches will compete on. There are six obstacles as always from the quintuple steps to the jump hang that’s a cargo next climb. Then the log runner is new and then the monkey pegs. Then the I-beam cross is next and of course the warped wall.
First up tonight is Kyle Durand. He’s a former Navy JAG officer who served in Baghdad and under other extreme conditions. He starts his run and kills the steps then conquers the jump hang. He moves past the rolling logs and onto the monkey pegs. He beats that then scales up the I-beam and across it upside down but then gets stuck at the transition point and falls. That’s a tough one!
Amanda Graham is next – she’s a junior Navy officer. She cleared the steps and then pops her braid into her mouth so it won’t drag in the water. She kills that one and moves on to the rolling logs which are easy enough for her. The monkey pegs are next and she gets hung up in the middle and has to swing for momentum. She makes it almost to the end then takes a spill into the water.
Next is Keith Knoop, an Army railroad engineer – he and his twin brother Kenneth are both competing tonight. Keith was injured in Iraq and shattered his knee and broke his hip. Kenneth helped Keith recuperate and pushed him through physical rehabilitation. Him being hard on his brother is the reason he recovered and can now walk again and is competing tonight.
Kenneth is first and he pushes past the steps but then when he grabbed onto the net, he fell into the water. He’s out early. Keith is up next. His doctors told him he would never walk again and if not for brother Kenneth, he may not have. He takes on the steps and clears them then goes for the next leap but fell like his brother because he didn’t make a good leap onto the net. He says his run was to inspire wounded soldiers to get back to it.
Over the break, three ran the course. Mike Young missed the cargo net completely. Felicia Flake fell hard on the rolling logs. Dean Mosier was taken out by the monkey pegs. Next up is Deon Graham who is stationed in Norfolk with the Navy. He’s an openly gay service member and says he’s always been judged for the quality of his work. He recently came out to his family and says working out was therapy.
On his run, Deon easily clears the steps then moves to the net. He traverses it with ease as well. The logs are quickly done. He slows up on the monkey pegs but keeps moving. He moves on to the I-beam that no one has beat yet tonight. He scrambles up, then over but it’s the transition up again that’s insane. He gets stuck there like the last guy and falls at the same exact point.
Over the break, three more competitors ran. Sara Valdez cleared the steps but then fell hard off the net. Styves Exantus, a two time veteran fell hard on the logs and hit the platform then fell. Jason Cantu also fell on the I-beam cross. Next up is Distin McKinney, a 5’2” guy from Georgia in the Navy. He’s a veteran of the Armed Forces and American Ninja Warrior.
This tiny powerhouse starts his run and hops the steps fast then leaps to the net and moves along at top speed. He takes the logs no problem then it’s the monkey pegs. He’s going fast and sticks the dismount. Next is the dreaded I-beam. He’s out and over then to the transition point where he wriggles past it – his size may have helped him there. He’s on the second leg and going good.
He hops down and now it’s just the warped wall. Distin takes a breath then runs right up that wall that’s almost three times as tall as him, busts a move and slaps the button to be the first finisher of the night. #DustinMcKinney rocks it. Akbar salutes him. Over the break, three ran. Amy Proctor fell on the cargo net. Former Marine Joshua Stone hit his head dismounting the monkey pegs and took a hard fall. Chris Moore fell right before he completed the I-beam.
Kristin Bagby is former Coasts Guard who is now with Homeland Security. At 26, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and she had a double mastectomy to knock it out and prevent it coming back again. She says fitness was vital to her recovery and the former figure skater is cancer free and says she’s in better shape now than ever. She is dedicating her run to woman with breast cancer being strong.
Kristin starts her run at the steps which are easy enough. The net is also no trouble and she dismounts and moves on. The rolling logs take her out though. Just one misstep. Next is Air Force’s Seth Caskey a veteran who had to train on site in Afghanistan. He couldn’t compete last year because of his deployment. He worked out by flipping tires, doing pull ups all over base and just using everything around him.
Seth hops the steps, kills the cargo net and bounds over the logs. He heads onto the monkey pegs then swings and dismounts neatly. Now the dreaded I-beam. It starts at 3 inches wide at the start and ends up just 1 inch wide. He rotates and skids himself along and then is at the end hanging by his fingertips and nails a solid landing. The crowd chants #BeatThatWall. He takes it and will be the second finisher with the fastest time so far at just under 3:30.
Daniel Glenn fell on the steps, Paul Metzler bought it on the logs and Natalie Schibell fell hard on the cargo net. Chuck Mammay is 72 and a Vietnam veteran. He starts but unfortunately a misstep on the slanted steps takes him down early. The #Chuckster is out but he’s still impressive as hell. Next is Jeremy Prather, a former Marine from Texas who is now a US Marshal, another dangerous job.
The Iraq veteran starts his run and easily conquers the steps. He hit the net high and hangs on tight. He moves along fast. He clears it then hops the logs fast. Now the monkey pegs. He lands a one armed dismount and moves on. He peels off his shirt and heads onto the I-beam. He gets stuck at the transition point like so many others have and tries to pull himself up. He’s dangling then has to let go and falls.
Next is Kevin Jones, a former Green Beret who is now a Kansas legislator. He’s a father of six, Army veteran who did high risk mission in Iraq as a Green Beret. He ran door to door with flyers to get his community to elect him. He hopes his run tonight shows that politicians can be good guys. He’s the first elected official to run the course and he fell hard when he tried to run on just one side of the steps.
Justin Gielski is a former Air Force member who now serves in the Guard with his wife. He trains with the kids at the gym and in the backyard together. He starts his run and hops the steps fast then moves to the cargo net. He makes a good leap then starts working it. He’s done and then hops the logs and clears them. It’s on to the monkey pegs. He makes a big leap and clears that too.
His kids make #MagicFingers and he moves to the I-beam. He slides along and kills the transition easily. Wow. He was so close and didn’t even use his fingers on the last half and that was a bit cocky and cost him. He splashed down and out of it. His fingertips just gave out. He says he should have taken his time. Justin is still on the leader board and will likely be part of the top 30 that gets to move on.
Three more competed over the break. Scott Redding fell hard off the cargo net. Kristin Dalton fel prey to the logs. F16 pilot Matthew Jensen landed a fast time and slapped the buzzer. ANW vet Ahmed Toure is in a button down and jeans as he competes. He clears obstacle after obstacle then moves onto the I-beam. As a pro climber, he’s cool and collected. He’s comfortable and presses on. He stops and waves to the crowd mid-beam. He nails the landing then does a little dance before he takes the wall.
He’s not the fastest but delivered the coolest performance in his buttoned down preppy attire. Akbar asks what happened to his gym clothes and he says these are his gym clothes. Hyrum Prince, former Army Airborne guy is up next. He’s a dad of triplets and trains with the kids sitting on him. All three are there to watch their daddy run. He hops the steps but then loses it on the logs.
Next up is Tory Garcia, a Navy intelligence officer who is a gymnast and diver. She’s running today for her son to show him fear shouldn’t stop you. She clears the steps and makes a huge leap onto the cargo net. She clears that and then gracefully hops the logs. Now it’s the monkey pegs. She gets close to the end when her grip strength fails her and she falls. It was a great rookie run.
Next up is former Navy man and current comedian PJ Walsh. He struggled on the cargo net and makes it but is winded. The logs take him out for a lack of flexibility. He says he’s there to thank everyone who serves and the family at home waiting on them. Ken Kreutzer took a fall off the monkey pegs. Van Tran flew through the course and slapped the buzzer and Caleb Hayre landed the fastest time of the night.
Next is Robin Pietschmann is a Coast Guard rescue swimmer who loves extreme sports. He jumps out of helicopters to save people. He’s a Ninja Warrior veteran who made it to Vegas last year. He hops the logs fast. He takes a clean approach to the pegs and goes arm over arm then pulls himself up high while he has to move the pegs. He nails a one armed landing. Now he’s on the I-beam. He traverses it with ease and then runs the wall, slaps the buzzer and beats the fastest time of the night by almost 10 seconds.
Last of the night is Ryan Stratis, one of the first military members to compete on the show. He’s out of the military now and is a trainer at a Parkour gym in Marietta. He goes out of his way to mentor other competitors. He starts his run and leaps the steps. He’s competed in every season of Ninja Warrior so he’s cool under pressure. He navigates the cargo net then wobbles on the logs but moves on. Now the monkey pegs.
He clears those pegs and it’s onto the I-beam now. He’s taking his time and not making any mistakes. He clears that too then runs the wall to slap the buzzer at 4:25 with a solid showing. #RyanStratis roars when he’s done. There were 10 course finishes then another 20 will move on owing to their farthest and fastest status. That’s the last city qualifier of the season!
