American Ninja Warrior Season 17 Episode 6 Recap: Qualifiers 6

With the tension peaking, the sixth and final night of the Qualifiers in Season 17 of NBC’s ‘American Ninja Warrior’ roars to life with electrifying energy. As the last batch of athletes step up to prove their skills, the course is stacked with iconic obstacles that push even the fiercest ninjas to their limits. The ever-energetic hosts, Matt Iseman and Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, return to the podium alongside Zuri Hall on the sidelines. The competition officially begins with her teaser, where the hosts count down the wackiest moments in the show’s history. As the final buzzer of the Qualifiers approaches, it’s all or nothing for these competitors aiming to earn their ticket to the Semifinals.

A Night Full of Action Unfolds as Unforgettable Athletes Take on the Course

The night begins with the five ever-iconic obstacles: #1 Quad Steps, #2 Lunatic Ledges, #3 Log Runner, #4 Crank It Up, and #5 V Formation. If the athletes can climb the 14½ feet Warped Wall in under a minute, they can grab the opportunity to overcome the 18½ feet Mega Wall. It can fetch them the $10,000 Wells Fargo & Company’s Active Cash Credit Card prize. The first athlete to take the stage is 27-year-old Physical Therapist Nikki Zink from St. Louis, Missouri. She has one of the most unique cheering sections with her sister Alison, a nun in the Vatican City, and her fellow sisters. After Nikki’s participation in the show, the sisterhood has also become fans of the show and embraced fitness. Despite a good start, she falls into the water on the Log Runner.

The second athlete of the night is 56-year-old Pine Tree Farmer Bootie Cotharan from Possum Kingdom, South Carolina. He is retiring this year after 10 years of competing on the show. He reveals he had moved to the mysterious place he now calls home, which cannot even be found on a map, a little after 2000. Not only does he hunt for meat and cut firewood to stay warm, but he also grows his own food. Surrounded by his furry kittens, he loves indulging in all kinds of outdoor activities. He is the oldest athlete of the night, and he had previously exited the game at Lunatic Ledges in the 2020 Qualifiers. However, this time, he successfully overcomes the first four obstacles, only to fall short on the fifth one. After his standing ovation, the hosts reveal that they will take us through the top 5 wackiest moments in the show’s history throughout the episode.

At number 5 is John Loobey’s memorable season 9 performance. The 65-year-old had made it to the third obstacle when he fell into the water, and his dentures came out. The next athlete to take the stage is 41-year-old Steven Peters, who is a Firefighter and a Drill Sergeant in the US Army Reserve. The rookie begins his run on a high note but fails to overcome the second obstacle. Right after him is 50-year-old Tech Consultant Jimmy Choi from Bolingbrook, Illinois. He has Parkinson’s disease, diagnosed in 2003, so he chose to retire from the course a few years ago when his tremors worsened. In his confessional, he reveals that the condition has made doing just his daily chores a challenge too, but he is determined to live his life to the fullest. At this stage, the only treatment he has is adequate exercise. He began his ninja training with his daughter, Karina Choi.

The Night Delivers Some Incredible Personal Stories and High-Speed Triumphs

Jimmy divulges how he came out of retirement because of Karina. She will be stepping away from ninja training for a while because she has an offer to play Division One Softball. So, this is likely their last chance to compete together, and he wants to make it worth it. He also hopes to at least inspire just one person to keep on going no matter what the universe throws at them. For the past three seasons he played, he had not been able to overcome the third obstacle. Although he does so this time around, he falls into the water on Crank It Up. During his post-run interview with Zuri, he admits there was a time he never would have believed he is where he is today, so he’s proud. Jimmy then advises others to continue fighting whatever obstacles they have, stay dedicated to their goals, and be disciplined to grow. After this inspiring moment, his daughter takes on the course, but unfortunately, her run is cut short on the Log Runner. Michael Vasilevich from Chicago, Illinois, follows suit right after.

It is the debut season for Michael, who is a dancer and dreams of reaching Broadway once he graduates from Western Michigan University. However, he ends up falling into the water on Crank It Up. 23-year-old Sebastian Ramos from East Harlem, New York, is the next athlete for the night. His specialty is that he has been delivering food for a few years now, with his mode of transportation being an electronic skateboard. Sebastian believes that his quick reflexes are going to serve him on the course. He is a college track star and was also a star football player in high school. His three years of training finally pay off as he flies through the course and presses the buzzer at 02:46.36, becoming the first finisher of the night. The next athlete is a 39-year-old Software Product Manager and a father of two, Scott Bishop.

Scott worked through his injuries after his accident and had first run the course four years prior in the 2021 Qualifiers when the Log Runner knocked him out. History repeats itself once again as he falls on the Log Runner. The ninth player of the night is 36-year-old Jamie Rahn from Troy, Missouri, well-known as Captain NBC. Although he had run the course for 15 seasons, he never faced the V Formation. However, it does not stop him from successfully overcoming all five obstacles to press the buzzer at 02:56.00. Right after, the hosts announce the fourth wackiest moment in the show’s history, which came from a Fishing Shop Manager, Chris Cambre. He has always run on the course in bulky rubber boots rather than athletic shoes. He never made it through the fifth obstacle but managed to do so in the 2019 Semifinals in the same boots.

From Seasoned Veterans to Fiery Rookies, the Night Continues With Some Great Performances

The tenth athlete of the night is 31-year-old Alyssa Beird from New Bedford, Massachusetts. She has been a fifth-grade teacher at Burkland Elementary School for over a decade and is an eight-year ninja veteran who was forced to take a step back due to a tear in her shoulder. In the 2016 Qualifiers, she was a part of the Fantastic Four Women as a rookie, and in 2017, she became the second woman ever to complete Stage One of the National Finals. In her confessional, she shares how it feels good to be a role model as a female ninja. She recalls her struggles with Physical Therapy and MRIs due to her injury and feels ready to take on the course after missing two years. Despite a fabulous beginning, her run is cut short on Crank It Up. Jenson Little, a Physical Therapist, follows suit, starting his run after proudly waving the transgender flag across the stage.

Despite it being his fourth time on the show, Jenson falls into the water on the Log Runner. Right after him is Brandon Singletary, a Car Salesman from New Jersey. He had gotten his first buzzer the previous year, but this time, he falls on the fifth obstacle. Next up is 24-year-old Baker, Amir Malik, AKA Sonic, from Essex Junction, Vermont. His rookie season was the 2020 Qualifiers, and he had taken a break after season 13 since he was struggling with anxiety. As he begins his run on the course, he easily overcomes the five obstacles and presses the buzzer at 01:50.09. A 30-year-old Social Media Influencer with more than half a million followers and a mother of two, Yari Breunig, takes the stage right after, only to fall on the Log Runner.

The next athlete is Middle School Science Teacher Rachel Degutz from New Jersey. The 5-time ninja veteran becomes the first woman for the night to overcome Crank It Up. She gets knocked out on V Formation. The 16th player to take the stage is 30-year-old Chainsaw Salesman Micah Skinner, who trains by lifting logs. But alas, he ends up falling into the water on V Formation. The hosts then shift their focus to announce the third wackiest moment on the list, which comes from Bob Reese. He tried doing a flip on the Jumping Spider obstacle in season 14 but failed to overcome it. However, the memorable moment came in the next season when he did a flip and succeeded on the same obstacle. The 29-year-old Content Creator from Anderson, South Carolina, has returned once again to the course for the night.

As The Night Goes On, Energy Remains High Thanks to the Astounding Contestants

Bob has been making TikTok videos with his baby boy, Story, and one of them has gained 63 million views. As he begins his run, he shocks everyone by doing a flip as he passes between the bars on Crank It Up. He successfully overcomes all the obstacles and presses the buzzer at 02:20.84. The game moves on as a 28-year-old Photographer, Ace Pritchard from Baldwin, New York, takes the stage. However, the rookie falls into the water on the Log Runner. Next up is the 22-year-old Luke Lowell-Liszanckie, who was voted “Most Likely to Compete in ANW” in high school. He cruises through the obstacles and presses his debut buzzer at 03:14.44. Zuri then introduces the next athlete, 33-year-old Rob Moravsky from Los Angeles, California. The Real Estate Agent has always turned heads since his first run in season 6.

Rob had last competed 10 years prior, and many things have changed since then, especially in his professional life as he now deals with multi-million dollar properties. However, the athlete has not given up keeping himself at his prime with his strict gym regimen. On the sidelines is his cousin, Joe Moravsky, who is also going to be running later. To his dismay, Rob’s run on the course is cut short by the Lunatic Ledges. As Zuri inquires about what happened before his fall, he confesses that he had blacked out. However, he feels good about his return and may do so again in the future. 21-year-old College Student Travis Nguyen, from Milford, Connecticut, is the next player for the night. He has already started his own business by running a summer camp, which he explains is called a Combo Camp. This is because it combines parkour, calisthenics, and ninja training.

At the camp, Travis teaches children between the ages of 8 and 10. He is also a finance major at the University of Saint Joseph and was a track athlete in high school. This being his debut season, he impressively overcomes the first four obstacles but falls into the water on V Formation. For the second wackiest moment on the list, the hosts recall several memorable runs, like when athletes ran the course in a T-Rex costume (season 8), disguised as an 81-year-old man (season 9), and as Bigfoot (season 11). However, what stood out was a very revealing run in season 5 by an unknown Streaker. The next athlete to take the stage is Brett Sims from Greenville, South Carolina. This 13-time ninja veteran has made it to the National Finals five times, but this time, he falls on the Log Runner.

As Dreams Take Flight and Buzzer Times Drop, the Energy Becomes Palpable

The 23rd athlete of the night is Jojo Grubesic, a High School student with the renowned Olympic Gold Medalist Dan O’Brien as her coach. Unfortunately, her run is cut short when she falls into the water on the Log Runner like the previous contestant. 24-year-old gym owner Matt D’amico from Billerica, Massachusetts, is a 3-time ninja veteran. He successfully flies through the obstacles and presses the buzzer at 01:30.11, becoming the fastest athlete of the night to do so. Right after is 26-year-old Gym Owner Lucas Reale, from Kingston, Massachusetts, who has been watching ‘ANW’ since he was 10 years old. The athlete has returned for his 6th season with a renewed love for the ninja, owing to the students he coaches.

In his confessional, Lucas expresses his gratefulness to be able to coach such great athletes and tries to inspire them to reach their dreams. In his rookie year in season 10, he had made it to Stage 2 but has not competed for the past two years. Although he manages to overcome all the obstacles this time, it takes him the third attempt to press the buzzer at 01:55.92. It is now the turn for 23-year-old Olivia Keyes from Bridgewater, Massachusetts, the shortest competitor of the night at 4’11”. However, the graduate student is also a gymnast who won the State Championship twice. Unfortunately, though, her run comes to an early end as she falls on the Log Runner. At 5’3″, 17-year-old Ben Behrends from Cedar Falls, Iowa is one of the short male competitors, who had made it to the National Finals for the past two seasons.

Ben maintains his reputation by flying through the course to press the buzzer at 01:40.24. The 28th athlete to take the stage is 16-year-old New York Harbor School student Brandon Griffin from New York. He has always been a superfan and has even set up his home with ninja obstacles since childhood. His athleticism began early on with his performance in gymnastics, tumbling, rock climbing, jujitsu, karate, and fencing before he eventually moved on to ninja. Brandon’s coach is none other than 20-year-old Xavier Dantzler, who is a 4-time veteran. The latter discloses how he saw his reflection when the former walked into the gym. Brandon further expresses how he considers Xavier like his brother. Just like his coach’s debut season, the 16-year-old also ends up falling into the water on the V Formation.

The Final Night of Qualifiers Ends on a High Note With Some High-Intensity, Quick Runs

Xavier follows suit right after and succeeds in overcoming all five obstacles and pressing the buzzer at just 01:10.35, becoming the fastest finisher of the night. 16-year-old high school Track Athlete Corine Capriotti from Levittown, Pennsylvania, next runs the course but falls into the water on the third obstacle. The next athlete is a 31-year-old Gym Owner, Abby Clark, from Bedminster, New Jersey. The track athlete is the final female competitor of the night. It is revealed that she has recently gotten engaged to Joe Capo. They have been together for 12 years since their time at Springfield College, where both of them were part of the Gymnastics team. She had nearly conquered Stage 1 during the previous season. This time, Abby overcomes all the obstacles to press the buzzer at 03:24.40, becoming the only woman of the night to do so.

Abby also becomes the ninth woman of the season to press the Qualifier buzzer and the first woman ever to overcome V Formation. Right after, the hosts finally announce the number one wackiest moment in the show’s history. It was in season 8 during stage 1 when Jake Murray dived into the water after pressing the buzzer while eating a corn dog that he had kept in his fanny pack. Then, the competition resumes with Deren Perez taking the stage. Originally from Santa Rita, Guam, he is a 40-year-old Officer at the US Coast Guard, who begins his run by waving his homeland’s flag. He overcomes all five obstacles and presses his first-ever buzzer at 02:45.65. Right after him, 19-year-old Electrician Noah Meunier takes the stage. The 3-time veteran had made it to Stage 4 for the last 2 seasons, and he once again amazes everyone by flying through the course and pressing the buzzer at 01.02.43.

Noah gets the opportunity to climb the Mega Wall but fails to do so. The final athlete of the night and the Qualifiers is 35-year-old Joe Moravsky from Monroe, Connecticut. He has 34 total career buzzers, making him the person with the most buzzers ever. Moreover, at 3 climbs, he is tied in the title of the athlete with the Most Mega Wall Runs. This time, as expected, he flies through the course to press the buzzer at 01:03.17 and attains the chance to take a shot at the Mega Wall. He had the chance to break the tie of having the most Mega Walls ever, but alas, he fell short by just a foot. However, Joe achieves the second fastest time of the night. In the end, the 20 athletes who have proceeded to the Semifinals are: Noah, Joe, Xavier, Matt, Ben, Lucas, Amir, Bob, Deren, Sebastian, Jamie, Luke, Abby, Brandon Griffin, Travis, Brandon Singletary, Rachel, Allyssa, Olivia, and Corine. All eyes are now on the next episode to witness what the show has in store for the Semifinals.