Tonight’s on NBC American Ninja Warrior airs with an all-new Monday, June 22, 2026, season 18 episode 3 and we have your American Ninja Warrior recap below!
In tonights American Ninja Warrior season 18 episode 3 called, “Western Regional Finals” as per the NBC synopsis, “The new Regional Finals begin as ninjas from the Western Region compete for a spot in the National Finals.
The “Tripleheader,’ a supersized three-lane racecourse, debuts, where ninjas go head-to-head-to-head in high speed, side by side races.”
Tonight’s episode looks like it is going to be a great season 18, so be sure to tune in for our coverage of NBC’s American Ninja Warrior at 9 PM – 11 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, it’s the start of the Regional Finals! The show also introduced the three lane race course tonight. It’s called the Triple Header. There was only going to be about fourteen men and six women getting through to that and so Brian Beckstrand wanted to cement his legacy another way. The patriarch of the ninja Beckstrand family was the first to hit the course. He wanted to hit a buzzer the same night as his daughter Baylee. He wanted that to go down in history books as the first father/daughter duo. He unfortunately got hit in the face on one of the obstacles. Not that he let that stop him from finishing the course in two minutes.
Brian was left heavily bleeding from that face wound by the way. He still pushed through it just to get the buzzer and now it was up to his kids to carry the legacy. Next up was Colby Player. He was the acrobat that lives in Las Vegas. He left his home state to pursue a life in the circus, but tonight wasn’t his night. He got knocked out early on and that was it for him. He was soon followed by a commercial break full of ninjas still running the course. Most of whom became finishers before they highlighted the next ninja.
Zhanique Lovett was up next. She wanted to be the first grandma to hit a buzzer. She’s been training all year and she was looking good until Greased Lighting. She let go at the wrong time. It cost her the rest of the season. After she fell, she admitted to how disappointed she was to not be the first grandma to hit a buzzer. Its going to be okay because Zhanique was going to come back better and strong next summer. She was never going to stop competing. Zhanique was then followed by Baylee Beckstrand.
Baylee wasn’t as muscular as her dad or her brothers. She had to use her legs as propellers on one of the obstacles. It worked for her and it wasn’t long before she was hitting her buzzer too. She and her dad truly did become the first father/daughter duo. Akbar called the whole family the Fantastic Four because he had no doubt they’d all be moving forward after tonight. Up next was Nick Hanson. The Alaskan Ninja was known as a top athlete in his home state. He’s been training students at his Ninja gym for the past few years.
Only he remains one of the greats. His mentee had gone up before he did. He hit a buzzer. Nick didn’t want him to outlast him so then he went and got a buzzer too. It came at certain costs. He didn’t fall into the water, but he kept falling awkwardly. Matt and Akbar joked he hit his Northern Lights that were actually far more south than north. He was then followed by Luke Filar. He left home to pursue his Olympic dream of being a decathlon. He maintained his ninja training and nothing could’ve prevented him from falling on Diamond Dash.
Luke was out for the rest of the season. Payton Myler was up next. Her brother finished with the fastest time during another commercial break and she wanted to beat it. They were both a part of Ninja Kidz. It started out as a social media group that now does live shows. Payton has the biggest following. She trains along with her siblings. She really wanted to be the first brother/sister duo to hit buzzers tonight and she did just that. She’s been slowly getting better with each season. And this season has so far proven to be her best because she hit a buzzer.
Payton got her first buzzer. She also got to the record before the Beckstrand brothers could compete on the same night as their own sister. Luke Beckstrand then had his run. He fell during his last run. He must’ve remembered it because it made sure it didn’t happen again. He sped through the obstacle course until he hit a buzzer with the fastest time of the night. He became the one to beat. Next up was Zay Keaton. He was a Hollywood stuntman. He was also expecting his first child in a couple of months. It was going to be a little girl.
Zay also fell on Kaleidoscope last time. He didn’t want that to happen again so he took his time. He didn’t aim for the fastest and he ended up getting to the buzzer with a respectable amount of time. Luke got it under a minute. Zay got it under two minutes. It was good enough for him and he was so tired afterwards that he couldn’t really celebrate it. Next up was Jesse Graff. She was running in her new signature heels. She was at her best she’s ever been and she gained her ninth buzzer tonight in what she called her “Hero Heels”.
The women were catching up to LaBreck’s status with her ten buzzers. Taylor Greene also hit her ninth buzzer and she’s been competing for four seasons. They women were doing great tonight. It sucks that it had to end because the show was opening a new chapter in their history. Now, that the competition was nearly done, it came time to set up the Triple Header. The first three to run that course were Nate Hansen, Deren Perez, and Josiah Pippel. Deren was the newbie out of the three. And he had a right to be concerned because the others have already built a stellar reputation.
Josiah was easily the fastest right out of the gate. He was on the second obstacle while the others were on the first. Nate was a close second. Deren was falling behind until the end when he came in second to Josiah. Nate was left out, but it’s still one of his best seasons. The next race was between Sean Bryan, Max Manson, and Nick Hanson. Max fell into the water first. Sean got to the buzzer first. As for Nick, he couldn’t keep holding on. His arms got tired so he fell later on in the course and still secured his spot in the next round.
Daniella Blanchard, Jesse Graff, and Baylee Beckstrand were the Triple Header for the women. Jesse made a crucial mistake right out of the gate and so she was out. It still left her roommate, Daniella. Daniella eventually fell as well. It was just Baylee left standing and she hit another buzzer tonight. Daniella will also be moving onto the next round. Jesse was the one that was out. Now the next triple race was between Devin Harr, Colton Skuster, and Max Feinberg. Devin was considered a threat before the race because he’s been hitting buzzers all season long and it was shocking when he fell first.
Both Max and Colton went on to hit buzzers. Though they can’t wait for a rematch because they competed against each other once before and now they each have a win. Kaden Lebsack, Rai Flores, and Glenn Albright were the next men’s group to run. Glenn has competed against Kaden several times. Rai was still a newbie. Glenn was going too fast for his own good because he fell. He was the fastest and the fall took him by surprise. The other guys went on to hit buzzers. Zay Keaton found himself up against two country boys in the next race.
Zay was competing against Kieran Yuan and Colt Elder. Colt was the first to the buzzer. Kieran fell early into the course. Zay clinched the second spot and he too fell. Now, Kai Beckstrand later faced the Ninja Godfather as well as a Ninja Kid. There was no beating Kai. He was simply too darn fast. He finished the course while the others were still making their way. Meaning tt was all about who came second. The Ninja Kid beat out the Godfather. The next race had another Beckstrand. Luke Beckstrand was celebrating his birthday along with his win.
He raced against Xzavnian Ochoa and Anders Johnson. Luke won because of course he was going to win. He was a second more than his brother. Which he’ll fix in the next round. Xzavnian came second. As for the last race for the men, it was Simeon Serrano, Cal Plohoroes, and John Mack. The last competitor had the fiercest reputation because he was known as the reach for being very tall. Cal was the first out with this set. John was the first to the buzzer and Simeon actually came in second.
With the women’s final race, it was Payton Myler against Taylor Greene and Emily Gardiner. Taylor was the most seasoned of the group. She proved why when she clinched her tenth buzzer of her ninja career and Payton got her second one when she came in second place. Both will be moving onto the next round.
THE END!
