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It’s been 17 seasons, and American Ninja Warrior is still the feel-good show that makes audiences cheer, gasp, and occasionally cry happy tears. The NBC series is more than just an obstacle course — it’s a tight-knit community. With fan-favorite hosts Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, Matt Iseman, and Zuri Hall returning to guide the action, Season 17 isn’t just about record-breaking performances, it’s about celebrating the people behind them.
After two straight wins by Vance Walker, the series is taking a nostalgic turn, bringing back some of the most iconic obstacles to challenge returning vets and rising stars alike. But the obstacles are only part of the appeal. According to the hosts, the real reason fans keep showing up every season? The heart, the hustle, and the humanity of the Ninjas themselves.
American Ninja Warrior celebrates a new generation of athletes
Season 17 of American Ninja Warrior is putting the spotlight on the next wave of Ninjas. The show is mixing things up this year with a new bracket-style format for the National Finals, swapping single runs for side-by-side races. Host Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, who’s been on board since 2013, is fired up about the change, and about the athletes driving it.
“The evolution [of] these Ninjas,” is what keeps the show moving forward, Gbaja-Biamila said.
“They just continuously [get] better year after year.”
And now that these athletes are competing head-to-head, there’s a new level of intensity, and camaraderie, on display.
Even without Mount Midoriyama, the show is getting back to its roots with classics like the quad steps and the log grip making a return.
“As we celebrate the past, we’re looking towards the future,” Gbaja-Biamila added.
With its revamped format and retro flair, American Ninja Warrior is giving longtime fans and newcomers alike a reason to tune in.
The show has gone from sport to culture
What started as a TV competition has become a full-on movement. American Ninja Warrior isn’t just about agility and upper-body strength, it’s about connection. Gbaja-Biamila believes the show has grown into something bigger than anyone expected.
“It’s gone from being a TV show, to becoming a sport, to establishing itself as a culture that brings people together,” he said.
That culture is expanding in a big way. Now, thanks to its global fervor, the stealthy warriors will demonstrate their dexterity and daring as part of the modern pentathlon events at the 2028 Summer Olympics.
For the presenters, this cultural evolution holds deeper significance than mere excitement. Hosting a program that has organically become a stronghold for fellowship, individuality, and growth is what drives their commitment each season. It offers more than mere amusement; rather, it has become a belief system for masses of devotees worldwide.
American Ninja Warrior is a home for the unconventional
Matt Iseman, who joined American Ninja Warrior back in 2010, knows that the show resonates with people who never quite fit into traditional team sports. And for many of the athletes, the show is more than a competition, it’s a safe space to be themselves — it’s home.
Iseman pointed out that a lot of Ninjas “were homeschooled” or involved in charity work. They’ve trained not just their bodies but their minds.
“They had to learn how to be responsible and disciplined,”
he explained, and those qualities show up in every run.
“It’s exciting to be a part of this community and to watch this generation of Ninjas grow into good people,”
he said. That growth, Iseman believes, reflects the foundation built by earlier competitors.
“It speaks volumes about the athletes who came before them who fostered this community into something special.”
For Iseman, every day in the host tower is a reminder of how meaningful American Ninja Warrior has become.
Zuri Hall found her place in the Ninja family
Since joining the American Ninja Warrior family in 2019, Zuri Hall has gone from sideline reporter to co-host, and she’s never looked back. For her, the show isn’t just about athleticism. It’s rooted in the values that remind her of home.
“I really take a lot of pride in Midwestern values that stress community, family, faith, loyalty, love, and kindness,”
Hall shared. And those are exactly the qualities she sees in the Ninjas who compete. The show’s culture aligns with the one she grew up in—and that’s made all the difference.
“American Ninja Warrior was the first space in Hollywood for me that really felt like home,”
she said. It’s a set where people show up for one another, cheer each other on, and bring their full selves to the competition.
“To be able to come together every year with these guys and this Ninja community is such a gift,”
Hall added.
The heart of the show is its people
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At a time when headlines can be overwhelming, American Ninja Warrior offers a welcome break, and a dose of hope. Watching athletes push their limits, support one another, and celebrate each other’s wins (even when they’re competitors) is what makes this show feel different.
And that’s something the fans notice. The series has cultivated a loyal following not solely because of its demanding courses, but because of the humanity at its foundation. American Ninja Warrior is a reminder that individual progress, community, and kindness still matter, and that there’s delight to be uncovered in aiming for something larger than oneself.
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