Tonight’s on NBC American Ninja Warrior airs with an all-new Monday, June 9, 2025, season 17 episode 2 and we have your American Ninja Warrior recap below!
In tonights American Ninja Warrior season 17 episode 1 called, “Qualifiers 2,” as per the NBC synopsis, “Qualifiers continue in Las Vegas with a special “How to Train Your Dragon” episode.
Dragons Toothless and Stormfly join the ninjas, and the film’s star, Mason Thames, joins Matt and Akbar in the booth.”
Tonight’s episode looks like it is going to be a great season 17, so be sure to tune in for our coverage of NBC’s American Ninja Warrior at 8 PM – 10 PM ET! While you wait for our American Ninja Warrior recap make sure to check out all our American Ninja Warrior news, spoilers, recaps & more!
Tonight’s American Ninja Warrior recap begins now – Refresh Page often to get the most current updates!
In tonight’s American Ninja Warrior episode there’s been a lot of big names over the years. Only this was the first time ever they had dragons. The new movie “How To Train Your Dragon” was out and old obstacles have been converted to match the Viking theme of the night. Up first was Max Manson. The grad student was building rockets in his spare time. He likes pushing the limits and perhaps there’s a pilot license in his future one day. His earlier accomplishments of pole vaulting as well as track helped with ANW while at the same time preventing him from coming to the course much sooner. He loves ANW. He’s been a fan since the age limit was twenty-one. He didn’t join right away because he was a college athlete at the time and now he finally got to live out his dream.
Max’s homemade obstacle course at home even came in handy tonight. Max easily made it past Fly Wheels. It was the infamous Log Runner that almost took him down. He saved himself twice on that obstacle. He spent approximately a minute on that and he didn’t have enough energy for the fifth obstacle. Max fell, but he still might make it into the next round. Up next was Anna McArthur. The teenager was a returning veteran. She also helps her family with running their RV park. Some of her customers recognize her from ANW.
Anna never thought she’d have fans. Now she does! The one problem she had with Log Runner was the dismount. It was once again the fifth obstacle that took out this ninja. Megan Rowe soon had her turn. She was another returning veteran. She injured herself on season fourteen. She tore her ACL. It was such a bad injury that she’s been in physical therapy ever since and she felt well enough to return tonight. Megan has since gotten married. They met through rock climbing. They have pets now.
Her husband encouraged her to be her true self. This included ANW. Megan was one of the top competitors before her injury. She was known as the Axe Throwing Ninja back then. She wasn’t ready to go back to that hobby only she remains great as a ninja. She sailed through the course with ease. The gymnast even did it with flair. She whipped out a black flip at one point. She was so good that she hit a buzzer her first season back and her husband and dog were there to cheer her own. Welcome back, Megan!
Another returning face was Derek Nakamoto. He was on season six. He was a young gun back then. He had the fastest time and he’s back now that his life has changed. He was now a dad. He wanted to show his kids he still got it. He made it as far as Log Runner when he got taken out. It wasn’t so bad for someone that’s been retired for years. Derek was then followed by a living day knight. The Knight Ninja was Trent Lintzen.
Trent really was a Knight. He worked as a performer at Medieval Times. He knew how to hype a crowd. He also did several times in one night. He was big. He was also unfortunately heavy. He was pure muscle and that wasn’t fully conducive to ninja. He made it as far as the fifth obstacle when his heaviness worked against him. Trent still might have made it far enough fast enough to make it into the next round. Next up was Forrest Strick. He was an Alaskan that teamed up with the renowned Alaskan Ninja to bring ANW to their great state.
Nick Hanson even helped him build a makeshift obstacle course out of driftwood. The course must have helped because Forrest had a great season. He made it all the way to the fifth obstacle when he fell. He was moving pretty fast before then. He was considered a shoe-in for semifinals. Up next was the Godfather. David Campbell has been competing on every season of ANW. It’s how he got his ninja name. This true veteran was the oldest tonight at forty-seven and his son Luke cried through the whole race. Babies are fussy. He didn’t understand how big it was when his father hit a buzzer.
The Ninja Kids also got a chance to run the course. The social media sensation showed they had what it took. One of them managed to hit a buzzer his first time on the big kids course. Nick Hansen himself also ran tonight. He sailed through the first couple of obstacles until he ran up against Log Runner. It was that obstacle that nearly took him out. He saved himself there. He couldn’t do so later on Ferris Wheel. He had nothing left. He couldn’t even move to a different part of the same obstacle. He held until time was called. And his fall into the water was a sweet release.
Kaden Lebsack then had his run. The kid was back with fans all over the universe. There was a bigfoot. There was an alien stopping in to say high. Kaden didn’t spend time laughing. He raced through the course with such a speed that it was clear he wanted the Mega Wall. He missed out on that tonight by a mere two seconds. Only he did hit a buzzer with the fastest time of the nigh. Up next was Anabella Heinrichs. The hairstylist was also a scuba diver. She loves going into the water and that’s the one thing she didn’t want to do tonight.
Anna loves swimming with sharks. She’s proven she’s strong amongst them. Was she strong enough for the Ferris Wheel? The veteran managed to move past that dreaded obstacle and she hit her first buzzer ever. The second buzzer of the night for the women. The men have gone further tonight and a little faster, but the women were fighting on. Soon another female ninja will cause a stir. Until then, let’s celebrate Anna and Megan.
Sandy Zimerrman was back this season. She was a ninja veteran. She recently wrote her first book. She does motivational speaking. She was a great role model and a great mom. She just didn’t get her revenge on Log Runner. It took her out the last time she tried it. It took her out again tonight. Her season was over before it begun and it was now Baylee Beckstrand’s turn. She comes from the Beckstrand family. Her dad made a strong impression back on season six. Her two brothers have since competed. It was officially Baylee’s turn to run the course.
They have a course at home. It’s why they were known for speed. Baylee wanted to maintain that tradition. She also wanted to be cautious and so she took a future extra turns that her brothers would have ignored. It was the fifth obstacle that took her out. Ferris Wheel was truly the devil. They shouldn’t have brought it back. It’s nearly impossible to complete. The same for Log Roll. Log Roll took out Baylee’s mom who was also a veteran ninja. And there were several ninjas over the commercial break that stood out in one way or another.
Colton Skuster was up next. The college student was a proud member of Beta Theta Phi. They were all best friends over there. From video games to golfing and yes even studying – they did it all together. It’s why they were so close. His frat brothers also helped him with his ninja training. They were all watching as he sailed through the course and hit his first buzzer. He finished with enough time to go after the Mega Wall. Only he didn’t make it up that one. He still put on a good show and his brothers were happy to cheer him out.
Katie Bone was the last ninja of the night. She was the Women’s Champion. Then she got injured. She was rock climbing and she had a bad fall on her leg. She openly admits that recovery has not been smooth. She still has a brace on her knee tonight as she made her run. She was another cautious one. She took her time. She didn’t get the Warped Wall right away. She was able to get it on her second shot and her return to ANW was highlighted with a buzzer tonight.
THE END!
