American Ninja Warrior, NBC’s obstacle course competition airs tonight with an all new Monday, June 8 season 7 episode 3 called “Houston Qualifying.” We’ve got your recap down below! On tonight’s episode a qualifying round in Houston features such obstacles as Tilting Slider, Cargo Crossing and the Swinging Spikes. Competitors include Brent Steffensen, Sam Sann and Kacy Catanzaro.
For those of you who don’t know, the action-packed series follows competitors as they tackle a series of challenging obstacle courses in both qualifying and finals rounds across the country.
On the last episode “American Ninja Warrior” traveled to Kansas City, Missouri where competitors faced new obstacles the Big Dipper, Floating tiles and Stretch Hold. “American Ninja Warrior” veteran, and first woman ever to complete the Jumping Spider in last season’s National Finals, Meagan Martin returned, while Brian Arnold and the Denver rock climbing team dubbed the “Wolfpack” also made a comeback. 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 say the NBC synopsis, “American Ninja Warrior” travels to Houston, Texas where competitors tackle six obstacles including the brand new Tilting Slider, Cargo Crossing and The Swinging Spikes. “American Ninja Warrior” veterans Brent Steffensen and Sam Sann return along with season six breakout star and fan-favorite Kacy Catanzaro. Competitors in this rigorous obstacle course competition series vie for a chance to win a cash prize of $1,000,000 and the title “American Ninja Warrior.”
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.
Tonight’s episode begins now – Refresh Page often to get the most current updates!
#AmericanNinjaWarrior is in Houston, Texas. Matt and Akbar welcome us to the event and says everyone is amped to see Kacy Catanzaro who took the event by storm last year. Her BF Dallas is there to compete as well. They talk about Daniel Gil who’s a phenom and just old enough to compete. Kristine talks is through the course with three new obstacles.
The five steps are first as usual then the tilting slider. Then it’s the spinning log that rotates. Then the cargo crossing has them jump to a cargo net then make a six foot swing to a trapeze. The swinging spikes swing in different directions and some are a bungee. Then there’s the warped wall to finish it.
First up is a 42 year old software engineer named Ian Waggoner. He says he wants to inspire his kids. He makes it through the steps and then moves to the tilting slide. He makes the leap to the pole and barely makes it to the ledge but does. He moves on. The spinning log is next. He makes it to the platform and hits hard but moves on. Now it’s the cargo crossing. He makes it to the net and to the other side but then falls short of the trapeze bar. Ian says it was fun but he got too tired.
CJ Maico is a zookeeper who cares for primates at the Tulsa Zoo. He says he trains a lot in the chimp enclosure because they’re like obstacles. He says it’s good exercise for he and the chimps. He says he thinks a chimp would do well on the Ninja course. He says he want to prove himself to the chimpanzees. He’s the official obstacles tester at the zoo for the chimps. He clears the steps then moves to the tilting slider. He falls short there and goes down. He just lost his grip.
Next is Jeremiah Morgan, a 25 year old Mississippi minister who ran last year. The men all train together and his dad and brother are competing tonight as well. Jeremiah bounds over the steps then clears the slider easily. He runs the log fast then right onto the cargo net without a moment’s pause. He moves to the end and builds momentum and then clears that one too. Now is the swinging spikes. He almost makes it then falls from the last one. He could still move on, though, because he had a good time.
Jake Goldstein fell off the steps and two more zookeepers, Evan Newpher and Tom Mortimer both fell short. Now it’s Karsten Williams who is a Ninja veteran from Dallas. He clears the first couple then slides through the log. He’s on to the cargo challenge. He struggles on the cargo net which is a problem because he’s so tall. He recovers then swings for the trapeze. He makes it and then swings to the platform. Next is the spikes and he falls short there and just couldn’t hold on to the last spike.
Next is Rose Wetzel, the top female obstacle course racer in the world. She’s from Seattle and has been racing for 16 years in a variety of formats. She says then she tried a Spartan race and loved it. She’s the top female Spartan Racer in the world and now wants a new challenge. She says she’s a runner first but is also strong. She hops the steps and then moves to the tilting slider. She bangs that out and moves on. Next is the log and she falls to the platform but makes it.
She leaps to the cargo net and then moves along it. She makes it to the end and has to swing for the trapeze but falls when she tries to build momentum. Her hands just gave when she was swinging. Rose tells Kristine this is awesome and she’s lucky to be there. She thanks the crowd and says she could feel the energy and is excited about the whole thing. Kacy Catanzzaro chats with Kristine and says the tilting slider looks tough. She asks if her height will be an issue but Kacy says she’ll figure it out.
Next is Daniela Bright from England who’s a teacher in Houston now. She’s a breast cancer survivor from just a few months ago. Daniela did MMA before the cancer diagnosis. Unfortunately, she falls on the second step. Next is rookie Dustin Rodgers who is 41 and a fishery biologist from Mississippi. He says he watches the show with his two young daughters and likes these challenges. He clears the steps and moves on to the tilting slider. He clears it just barely.
Dustin moves on to the log and stumbles through it. He has an issue with the cargo net but seems to recover then just barely misses the trapeze bar. He’s out but his daughters and wife are still cheering.
Mark Morgan, Jeremiah’s dad bought it on the spinning log and son Joshua fell on the steps. That’s the whole Morgan family out of it. Gymnast John Horton is next and he’s an Olympic medalist who is training to go the Olympics again next time. He had to stand in line for a walk on shot this time. He says gymnastics doesn’t give the adrenaline rush it used to and that’s why he’s going Ninja Warrior. He bounds over the steps. He’s the oldest current competing gymnast in the world at 29.
He moves to the tilting slider and clears it incredibly. It was textbook. Next is the log and he jogs it fast. He leaps to the cargo challenge as the crowd chants USA. He makes it to the trapeze then does a perfect dismount. Now it’s the swinging spikes which no one has cleared yet. He clears that one too. Now it’s just the warped wall. He runs it and falls short then tries again. He grabs it and that makes him the shortest man to clear it at just 5’1”. He’s the first finisher of the night in Houston.
He tells Matt and Akbar this was scarier than when he won his silver medal. John talks to Kristine and she asks if he had something to prove. He says he was frustrated that he wasn’t picked for the show so he had something to prove. He says he also had surgery just two months ago. Joey Zavala veteran with his face paint fell on the tilting slider. Dustin Wray bought it on the spinning log. Max Grocki got tangled up in the cargo net and had to be pulled down by the crew.
Jonathon Parr makes his third appearance tonight but has never made it up the warped wall. The physical therapist works with those with neurological injuries and uses obstacles inspired by Ninja Warrior to help clients. Damien Maya, a patient, says it has made a huge difference for him. Damien is there to support Jonathon. He clears the steps then moves on to the tilting slider and works it easily. Now it’s the rolling log and that’s good too. He leaps right onto the cargo net and works through it.
He reaches the trapeze then bounces to the platform. Next is the swinging spikes and he pulls his shirt off. He clears that one too and now it’s just the warped wall. Damien shouts for him to get up that wall. He’s failed on the wall before but reaches it and scrambles up. He’s the second finisher of the night! Next up is veteran Anthony Scott – the Human Panther – he got out on a technicality in the Denver qualifier last year when his toe tapped the water.
Anthony hops the steps fast then moves to the slider and easily tops it. He runs the log then moves to the cargo net. He’s working fast. He makes it to the end of the net then swings for the bar and clears it. Now it’s the swinging spikes. He dips a foot in the water again just like last year and on the fifth obstacle. He lies there upset for a few moments. Kristine talks to Anthony and he is just so upset he can hardly talk. He says it’s disappointing and says he thought he had it. Poor guy.
Brent Steffensen, Kacy Catanzaro’s BF is up next. He has down well on his own in the past but last year he failed on the ring toss in the Denver qualifier. He says he upped his grip strength training to avoid the same type of misstep. Kacy cheers for him as he starts out. He hops the steps fast then moves to the tilting slider. He clears it fast and moves on. He rushes over the log and pounces on the cargo net. He runs through that fast too. He lands the trapeze and is moving on.
Next is the swinging spikes and the crowd is screaming. He’s up high using great technique. He’s got the fastest time so far. He clears it and now just has the warped wall to conquer. He runs it fast and clocks in just shy of 1:50. It was a great run and he tells Akbar and Matt – I’m back baby! Kristine is with Brent and they call Kacy over. He says speed wasn’t his strategy but he wanted to keep a good pace and did his thing. Brent tells Kacy when it’s her turn to go big and get it done.
That’s three finishers. Other flops were Matthew Sopic, a hair model who fell on the slider. Yvette Ontiveros also fell off that one as did Jeff Kearney from the Air Force reserves. 31 people have fallen off the tilting slider. Next is Cassandra Dortch who trains with her husband, a Ninja Warrior veteran of the past three seasons. She clears the stairs then moves to the tilting slider. It also takes her out. That’s 32 for the night.
Next is Ryan McCoy who works in the oil industry and is a devoted dad. We see him doing Ninja Parenting where he wears her on his back when he trains. He starts out with daughter Lily watching and clears the steps easily. He’s on to the slider. He makes it past! Then it’s the log which he scales easily and he’s on the cargo net. He makes it to the end and now it’s just the jump to the trapeze. He makes that and moves on to the spikes. He clears that and now it’s just the warped wall.
Ryan runs up it and makes it as the fourth finisher of the night. He has the second place time as of now. Next up is Jill Lancaster, a gorgeous accountant. Her brother Geoff also competed tonight. She scales the steps and moves on. She moves on to the slider and it takes her down as well. Tough obstacle. There are now 51 fails tonight on that one setting a new record. Next up is Artis Thompson III who has a prosthetic leg. He plays semi-pro ball and lost his leg to a motorcycle accident three years ago.
The leg was severed by the chain on the motorcycle. He says they couldn’t save his leg and he was told it would be eight months before he walked but he walked out in three months and headed to the gym then went back to football within a few more months. He hopes to be the first amputee to finish a Ninja Warrior qualifier. He rocks the steps and moves to the tilting slider. He clears it and moves to the log which takes him out – that was the obstacle he was most worried about. Artis tells Kristine that he couldn’t get his footing on that. He says it was rewarding being there but he hates losing.
Student Dillon Gates scored the second fastest time of the night to finiss. Father and son David and Vance Yarter both fell short on the swinging spikes but are in the top 30 for now. Sam Sann is next and he’s a veteran of the last two years. He is moving along and clears the first four then is on the spikes. He clears those as well and goes for the warped wall. He runs it and snares the top then does a little trick before he taps the button.
Now Ashley Hajeck is next and she trains at Sam’s gym – many of tonight’s train with Sam. She says her training saved her life. She was outside her driveway and heard a car come up. A guy grabbed her and put a knife to her throat and they wrestled in her yard. She says he told her to stop fighting or he was going to kill her. She says she couldn’t stop and didn’t give up. She says she made him drop the knife and he just stole her purse and drove away. She says Ninja Warrior saved her life.
She says if she hadn’t been training she would not have had the strength to fight him off. Ashley starts her run and clears the steps then moves to the dreaded slider. She does a little happy dance before she moves on. She clears the slider! Now it’s the log which she scampers across then moves to the cargo net but falls short right off the bat. She missed the bar on her initial leap. Dylan St John, a math tutor, fell on the log then Tremayne Dortch, hubby of Cassandra, finished his run and made it to the finals.
Abel Gonzalez, another veteran, also scaled the wall and slapped the buzzer. Next up is another of Sam Sann’s trainees is Daniel Gill who just got old enough to compete at 21. He’s an amazing athlete who has been watching the show since season one and says it’s a passion of his. He’s also an opera singer. He says it has helped him maintain composure and a level head. He says he wants to surprise people and show them what he’s got.
He starts his run and bounces the steps fast. The slider is next and he clears that too. The net is no problem and he lands that too. Then it’s the Swinging spikes. He’s moving fast and clears those then runs hard for the wall and slaps the button to beat the night’s best time by more than 20 seconds. He knocked Brad Steffensen out of his first place slot. Daniel tells Kristine it’s a dream come true. Kacy’s run is finally here!
Last season, mighty Kacy was the first women to clear the warped wall. Now she starts her 2015 qualifying run with boyfriend Brent Steffensen watching. She hops the steps fast then moves to the slider. She clears that too then skips across the rolling log. Now it’s the cargo challenge. She works that hands and feet then falls short on the trapeze. It’s a six foot gap and she’s just five feet tall. She just released too early and fell short by just a couple of inches.
Kristine talks to Kacy and gives her a hug then says she told her she was concerned about it. Kacy says she was swinging and thought she was high enough but it threw her back a bit. She says she left it all out there and says she’ll train hard for her next shot. She goes to hug Brent and he kisses her. Matt says that was heartbreaking and she could still win a wild card that would let her compete in Vegas. The night finishes with 15 finishers!
THE END!
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