List of American Ninja Warrior cities

This is the list of cities where the Qualifiers, Semifinals and National Finals are filmed.

Atlanta, Georgia[]

Atlanta, Georgia is a Southeastern city, responsible for hosting one regional in American Ninja Warrior 8, and one regional in American Ninja Warrior 11.

History[]

Atlanta was the second regional out of five, for American Ninja Warrior 8. It was held at Turner Field, and introduced both the Pipefitter, and Block Run. Drew Drechsel, James McGrath, Travis Rosen, and Brett Sims were the only competitors to hit both buzzers that regional, with Sims' achievement marking the first time he advanced to Vegas. Caleb Watson was the second-fastest finisher during the Qualifiers, but fell on the Big Dipper during the Finals. JJ Woods also fell at the Big Dipper during Qualifying, marking the first time he did not move on past Qualifying. Casey Suchocki and his Grandpa were introduced, and Suchocki made it to Vegas.

Atlanta then was the second regional out of six, for American Ninja Warrior 11, three years later. This time around, it was held at the Mercedes Benz Stadium, and the Qualifying episode was sponsored by The Secret Life of Pets 2. Drew Drechsel attained the "Trifecta", known as getting the Mega Wall, the Speed Pass, and the Safety Pass, with Drechsel defeating Tyler Gillett & Kevin Carbone on the two Power Tower races. Caleb Bergstrom, Ryan Stratis, and Carbone himself all got the Mega Wall. Travis Rosen bounced back from injury and cleared the Qualifying course, his final buzzer, while Neil Craver had a shocking early exit on the Block Run.

Many notable competitors got their start here, including:

Baltimore, Maryland[]

Baltimore, Maryland is a northeastern city, which has hosted two regionals, one in American Ninja Warrior 5, and one in American Ninja Warrior 11.

History[]

Baltimore is the fourth regional to host a competition related to the American Ninja Warrior show, first beginning in American Ninja Warrior 5. There, several competitors got their start here, including Michelle Warnky, and Joe Moravsky. In addition, the Rumbling Dice & Body Prop made their American debut.

After six years, Baltimore returned as a city for American Ninja Warrior 11. The Qualifying ended up havingthe lowest amount of clears that season, with a total of 9 clears, and notable competitors Chris Wilczewski, Najee Richardson, and Joe Moravsky all got stuck at the Mega Wall.

The Regional Finals were the most notable part about Baltimore, as there were no clears, and no attempts for any obstacle past Angry Birds, the sponsored obstacle. That entire episode was sponsored by The Angry Birds Movie 2, and said sponsored obstacle ended up taking out all 22 of the people that attempted it. This was the worst total performance for any 10-obstacle course, as no one got past the eighth obstacle, and one of two Regional Finals courses with zero clears that season, the other being Seattle/Tacoma, Washington's American Ninja Warrior 11 course. Top names like Joe Moravsky, Najee Richardson, Dave Cavanagh, Lucas Reale, Allyssa Beird, and Chris Wilczewski could not get past the obstacle. In addition, Jamie Rahn did not qualify for Vegas for the first time in seven years, as his time was not fast enough to advance.

Other notable competitors that got their start here include:

Chris Wilczewski's brother, Brian Wilczewski, who avenged Chris by making it to Vegas the season Chris fell
Towers of Power members Dan Polizzi & Brandon Mears
Seth Caskey
Conor Galvin

Cincinnati, Ohio[]

Cincinnati, Ohio is a Midwestern city, responsible for hosting one regional in American Ninja Warrior 11.

History[]

Cincinnati was the sixth and final regional in American Ninja Warrior 11. Here, two women cleared the Finals course; Jesse Labreck, and Michelle Warnky-Buurma. As a whole, the Chicago ninjas were incredibly successful: Ethan Swanson getting the Speed Pass, Michael Torres getting the Safety Pass, and Dan Polizzi, Brandon Mears, and Chris DiGangi all hitting the Finals buzzer. Philip Scott had an inspiring run after a panic attack the night before, and Grant McCartney finally made it back to Vegas, taking his Mega Wall clear with him.

Several competitors got their start here, including:

Cleveland, Ohio[]

Cleveland, Ohio is a Midwestern city, responsible for hosting one regional in American Ninja Warrior 9.

History[]

Cleveland, Ohio was the fifth regional out of six in American Ninja Warrior 9. This time, a record two women hit a buzzer in Qualifying; Jesse Labreck & Allyssa Beird, as did their boyfriends, Chris DiGangi, and James McGrath. All four of them, however, would go on to fail the infamous Nail Clipper, and all but two competitors (Joe Moravsky & Jamie Rahn) that attempted the elusive obstacle fell on it, as did Michael Torres, Jon Alexis Jr., Mike Meyers, Michelle Warnky, Najee Richardson, and many more.

Several competitors got their start here, including:

Dallas, Texas[]

Dallas, Texas is a Texan city, responsible for two regionals in American Ninja Warrior 4 (Mid-South & Midwest), one regional in American Ninja Warrior 6, and one regional in American Ninja Warrior 10.

History[]

Dallas was the hosting spot for the Mid-South & Midwest regionals for American Ninja Warrior 4, becoming only the second city to host a regional in the show's history.

However, in its next appearance on American Ninja Warrior 6, Kacy Catanzaro became the first woman to hit a buzzer, the first woman to clear the Warped Wall, the first woman to clear a Qualifying course, and later on, the first woman to clear the Regional Finals course. This propelled the show into the spotlight, in no small part thanks to her massive achievements for the women's future success. Dallas also introduced Dillon Gates, who famously knocked Brent Steffensen to 31st, eliminating him from the competition.

Dallas then returned as a hosting spot for American Ninja Warrior 10, and due to the episode being swapped out with the airdates for Los Angeles, California, the first episode to feature people under 21 competing on the show. Ninjas like Mathis Owhadi (better known as The Kid) and Matthew Day both got their start here. In addition, Jeremiah Morgan made a miraculous comeback, after nearly dying of electrocution the previous year, clearing the Regional Finals course.

Trivia[]

Dallas marks the first episode to feature people under 21 in the show's history.
Dallas's Mid-South finals for American Ninja Warrior 4, is the third-most amount of clears on a Regional Finals course, right behind the Northwest & Southeast finals of the same year.

Daytona Beach, Florida[]

Daytona Beach, Florida is a Southeastern city, responsible for hosting one regional in American Ninja Warrior 9.

History[]

Daytona Beach was the third regional out of six, for American Ninja Warrior 9. This time around, all eyes were on Jessie Graff, the first woman to clear Stage One. And she did not disappoint, fighting until her fall on Rolling Thunder in Qualifiers, and fighting up to the Elevator Climb in the Regional Finals. JJ Woods & Sean Darling-Hammond also made it to the Elevator Climb. Drew Drechsel was the sole finisher of the Regional Finals, while veterans like Travis Rosen, Ryan Stratis, and Brett Sims all came up short. Lindsay Eskildsen was a prominent rookie star, punching her ticket to Vegas, as were Tyler Gillett & Kevin Carbone.

Several competitors got their start here, including:

Denver, Colorado[]

Denver, Colorado is a Southwestern city responsible for hosting regionals for American Ninja Warrior 5, American Ninja Warrior 6, and American Ninja Warrior 9. Denver is also home to The Wolfpack, a group of dedicated rock climbers who've competed throughout many American Ninja competitions.

History[]

Denver's first appearance was in American Ninja Warrior 5. Here, a record 48 competitors cleared the Qualifying course, the most since the "Win and you're in" rule was introduced that same season. Notable competitor Isaac Caldiero was introduced in a Jesus costume, the man who would later go on to achieve Kanzenseiha two years later. Sam Sann also injured himself near the ending dismount of the Grip Hang, yet he still managed to get up the Warped Wall and finish the course. Competitor Brian Arnold also finished both courses, going on to become the Last Man Standing that season.

Denver returned as a visited city in American Ninja Warrior 6. Here, The Wolfpack was introduced as a mainstay group, with competitors Ian Dory, Brian Arnold, Noah Kaufman, MD, and Isaac Caldiero clearing both courses. Meagan Martin, another member of the group, became just the third woman to clear the Warped Wall, the third to hit a buzzer, and the fourth to qualify for the Regional Finals. Martin failed the Spikes into Cargo in the Regional Finals, yet still got a spot in Vegas as a Wildcard.

Three years later, Denver became a visited city for the third time, in American Ninja Warrior 9. This time, the Rail Runner brutalized the competitors, with only eight competitors getting past it. Meagan Martin fell on the Rail Runner, marking the first time she failed a Qualifier course. Brian Arnold broke his nose transitioning to the second rail, marking the first time he fell on a Qualifier course. Competitors [[Noah Kaufman, MD], Jon Stewart, and most shockingly, Jake Murray, fell on the Bouncing Spider, and the cut-off for the Women's Leaderboard, for only the second time, was on the second obstacle, the Ring Swing.

The Regional Finals were also incredibly brutal, as The Wedge took out 13 of the 16 competitors that reached the obstacle. In addition, the episode served to promote The LEGO Ninjago Movie, releasing three weeks after the episode. The sponsored obstacle, the Ninjago Roll, eliminated two out of the three competitors who attempted it, with Ian Dory being the only competitor who could complete it.

Many competitors got their start here, including:

Houston, Texas[]

Houston, Texas is a Southern city, responsible for hosting one regional in American Ninja Warrior 7.

History[]

Houston was the third regional in American Ninja Warrior 7. Notably, Sam Sann's gym is located in Houston, but during the taping of the show, he still owned "Iron Sports Fitness". That gym also marked the start of fantastic competitors like Daniel Gil & Mathis Owhadi.

Houston's course was difficult, with the Tilting Slider eliminating 51 ninjas that episode, the most out of any obstacle in the history of the show. Competitors like Mighty Kacy & Karsten Williams struggled, and Kacy herself was eliminated on Cargo Crossing (but later went on to receive a Wildcard spot), while Karsten Williams fell on the Swinging Spikes. However, competitors like Sam Sann went on to have amazing runs, with Sam clearing both the Qualifying and Finals courses. Jeremiah Morgan was the only other competitor to clear the Finals course, after shockingly falling on the Swinging Spikes. Daniel Gil begun his career, clearing with the fastest time of the night that episode. And people like Brent Steffensen & Dillon Gates bounced back from two early exits, and made it back to Vegas.

Many notable competitors got their start here, including:

Indianapolis, Indiana[]

Indianapolis, Indiana is a Midwestern city, responsible for hosting one regional in American Ninja Warrior 8, and American Ninja Warrior 10.

History[]

Indianapolis was the third city out of five, for American Ninja Warrior 8. Here, we were introduced to the Fly Wheels, and Disc Runner. Competitors Jake Murray, Brian Arnold, Ian Dory, and Adam Arnold, were the only ones who cleared both the Qualifying and Finals courses. Ethan Swanson also admirably made it to the Invisible Ladder. Meagan Martin finally got her justice in a 10-obstacle course, by making it all the way to the Circuit Board. However, shockingly, competitor Lorin Ball, who achieved the fastest time of the night in Qualifying, fell on the Rolling Log in the Finals, as did Dan Yager & Drew Knapp.

Indianapolis returned, as the fourth city out of six, for American Ninja Warrior 10. This city marked the return of Isaac Caldiero, plus the uprising of the Chicago competitors. Ethan Swanson got his justice on the city by clearing the Finals course. Power couple Jesse Labreck & Chris DiGangi both qualified for Vegas. Dan Polizzi, in spite of Cane Lane snapping on him, made it to the Spider Trap. And Isaac Caldiero, the first million-dollar winner, shockingly fell on Block Run, eliminating him from the competition.

This city marked the start for several ninjas, including:

Kansas City, Missouri[]

Kansas City, Missouri is a Midwestern city responsible for hosting one regional in American Ninja Warrior 7, and American Ninja Warrior 9.

History[]

Kansas City's debut was as a city in American Ninja Warrior 7. Taped in front of the iconic Union Station, a total of 38 people cleared the Qualifying course, the third most since the "Win and you're in" rule was introduced. Meagan Martin cleared the course for the second year in a row, the only woman to have hit a buzzer that year. During the City Finals, the Body Prop proved to be the star of the show, as with the added down move on the track, it eliminated 13 of the 16 competitors that got there. Competitors Brian Arnold, Paul Kasemir, and even Isaac Caldiero who achieved Kanzenseiha that season, failed this obstacle. Though Meagan Martin cleared in Qualifying, she shockingly fell on just the second obstacle; the Big Dipper.

Kansas City returned as one of the regional cities for American Ninja Warrior 9. In Qualifying, Crank It Up proved to be the star of the show, eliminating 35 competitors in total. Not a single woman got past the obstacle in Qualifying. Lance Pekus got the fastest time, even with a major save on the Broken Pipes. And the Broken Pipes would rear their ugly head during the Regional Finals, as a whopping 8 competitors failed just the third obstacle, and it also took out three of the Windy City Warriors that season, the only one getting past it being Tyler Yamauchi. No one could finish the Regional Finals course, only the second time that has happened, after Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's American Ninja Warrior 8 course. Mitch VeDepo got the farthest, making it to the Elevator Climb before falling.

Many notable competitors got their start here, including:

Las Vegas, Nevada[]

Las Vegas, Nevada is the city responsible for holding the National Finals of American Ninja Warrior, just off the strip for a 4-Stage course, referred to as Mt. Midoriyama, modeled after SASUKE's very own 4-stage course. It is the finale, or the "pay-off", after all of the Regionals/Semifinals are finished with, and is usually taped during late June, or more recently, mid/early May. Las Vegas has been a mainstay for every season since American Ninja Warrior 4, with the exception of American Ninja Warrior 12 (in that case being due to the COVID-19 pandemic).

History[]

The Mt. Midoriyama course was initially modeled specifically after SASUKE 27, as with the first three seasons competitors traveled to Japan to compete in SASUKE's own course. In light of Monster9's bankruptcy in November 2011 though, the American show created their own 4-stage course due to uncertainty with SASUKE's brand in Japan. With the exception of the Rolling Log in Stage One and a few obstacles in Stage Three, the course was almost directly modeled after SASUKE 27, with arguably some presence of it still lingering today.

Since Isaac Caldiero & Geoff Britten's Kanzenseiha in 2015, the course has been changed radically for some positions, and remained the same for others. Obstacles including the Jumping Spider, Warped Wall, Rope Ladder, Ultimate Cliffhanger, and Flying Bar have stayed since the American finals' inception.

Some of the most notable moments in American Ninja history have happened here:

American Ninja Warrior 4: Brent Steffensen becomes the first American to get past the Ultimate Cliffhanger. He would later fall on the Hang Climb, setting a precedent as the Last Man Standing for future success to come.
American Ninja Warrior 5: Brian Arnold becomes not only the Last Man Standing, but makes it farther than any other American in the show up to that point. He would fall on the Flying Bar, just short of victory.
American Ninja Warrior 6: Meagan Martin becomes the first woman to stick the landing on the Jumping Spider, and later, the first woman to make it past the Half-Pipe Attack in Vegas.
American Ninja Warrior 7: Geoff Britten becomes the first American Ninja Warrior, having hit all six buzzers, including becoming the very first to hit that Stage Four buzzer.
American Ninja Warrior 7: Isaac Caldiero becomes the first American Ninja Warrior Champion, winning the grand prize of $1,000,000, and becoming the only the second to achieve Kanzenseiha in the American version of the show.
American Ninja Warrior 8: Jessie Graff makes history as the first woman to ever clear Stage One, in addition to placing 5th on the leaderboard, AND, becoming the first woman to attempt Stage Two.
American Ninja Warrior 8: Geoff Britten falls on the very first obstacle, Snake Run, imposing a hush on the crowd from utter shock, even as Britten gets up from the water with a smile on his face.
American Ninja Warrior 8: Jessie Graff becomes the first woman to attempt Stage Two. Unfortunately, she gets hung up on the Giant Ring Swing, and falls on the Wave Runner. Graff still holds the record for the farthest a woman has ever gone on the show.
American Ninja Warrior 9: Allyssa Beird becomes only the second woman to clear Stage One, later going on to become the second woman to attempt Stage Two. She unfortunately fell on the Criss Cross Salmon Ladder later on..
American Ninja Warrior 9: A record 41 people clear Stage One, the record for most clears ever for that course.
American Ninja Warrior 9: The Wingnut Alley eliminates 24 competitors, far-and-away the record for most fails on a Stage Two obstacle. Only three ninjas (Joe Moravsky, Najee Richardson, and Sean Bryan) clear the obstacle, and all three clear Stage Two.
American Ninja Warrior 9: Joe Moravsky makes it the furthest he has ever gone, surviving up until the Time Bomb, during which he missed a hook, and fell to the water, ending his season. Despite this, he remains the Last Man Standing.
American Ninja Warrior 10: Joe Moravsky falls on the Double Dipper, his first time ever failing Stage One. In addition, Flip Rodriguez, Brett Sims, David Campbell, and Abel Gonzalez would go on to fail the obstacle.
- American Ninja Warrior 10: In addition, Travis Rosen breaks his ankle, having hit it on the landing pad, and regressing into the water.
American Ninja Warrior 10: The Last Man Standing rule is officially introduced, and competitor Drew Drechsel beats Sean Bryan by getting to the Ultimate Cliffhanger faster, where they both fell.
American Ninja Warrior 11: Travis Rosen announces his official retirement from the sport, ending his career with a Stage One run. He makes it past the Double Dipper, which gave him the injury he survived through, and makes it all the way to the Diving Boards, where he falls, finishing his career.
American Ninja Warrior 11: Drew Drechsel shockingly falls on the Tire Run, marking his first Stage One fail on American soil. He uses his Safety Pass to redo Stage One, during which he clears.
American Ninja Warrior 11: A record 21 competitors clear Stage Two, more than the previous five seasons combined.
American Ninja Warrior 11: Drew Drechsel becomes the third man to achieve Kanzenseiha on American soil, hitting all six buzzers after eight years of competing. He gets arrested a full year after the taping, for multiple criminal acts with a minor, and is currently awaiting trial.
American Ninja Warrior 13: Having failed the eighth obstacle the previous three Vegas Finals, Jesse Labreck finally clears Stage One in the regular season, and becomes only the third woman to attempt Stage Two.
American Ninja Warrior 13: Kaden Lebsack goes the furthest ever for a rookie, making it to Stage Four, before failing the Rope Climb. He sets the record, not only as the first Last Man Standing for a teenager, but also:
- The first teenager to make it to Stage Four and...
- The youngest ever to attempt Stage Four, at only 15 years old.
American Ninja Warrior 14: A record five competitors clear Stage Three, being Josh Levin, R.J. Roman, Josiah Pippel, Jay Lewis, and Kaden Lebsack (being the second time he attempts Stage Four). All 5 time out on the Rope Climb, with Kaden Lebsack completing it in the fastest time, becoming the Last Man Standing for the second year in a row.
American Ninja Warrior 15: A record eight competitors clear Stage Three. Two competitors achieve Kanzenseiha: Daniel Gil and Vance Walker. The latter becoming just the third American Ninja Warrior Champion, winning the grand prize of US$1,000,000.

Trivia[]

There was uncertainty for a period of time of whether NBC could keep the lot for the National Finals, as there were rumors of F1 racing taking its place.
Although initially, Vegas was meant to return for American Ninja Warrior 12, due to COVID-19 hitting America, there was no Vegas, and filming was held entirely in St. Louis, Missouri.

Los Angeles, California[]

Los Angeles, California is the second-most populous city in the United States of America, and the most populous city an American Ninja competition has visited. It is also the home for the ATS Team, the team behind the obstacles, and much of the driving force behind American Ninja Warrior.

History[]

Before settling in Universal Studios Hollywood, the show was based in Venice Beach, California, where the Northwestern regional took place for the preceding three seasons. Los Angeles is a considerable mainstay in every season onward from American Ninja Warrior 8 (excluding American Ninja Warrior 12). In addition to holding a regional competition in Seasons 8, 9, 10, and 11, it was also where the Semifinals took place from Seasons 13, and 14, and is set to be the city that hosts the Qualifiers & Semifinals for American Ninja Warrior 15 & American Ninja Warrior 16.

Several iconic moments & competitors got their start here, including:

Jessie Graff's Qualifying clear in American Ninja Warrior 8, followed by placing 2nd on the Regional Finals leaderboard, having been one of two competitors to clear The Wedge.
The start of Sean Bryan & Adam Rayl, two consistent mainstays from American Ninja Warrior 8 onwards.
The sponsored episode for American Ninja Warrior 10, themed after Jurassic Park: Fallen Kingdom, which would later release on June 22, 2018. In addition, Chris Pratt & Bryce Dallas Howard made special appearances.
The hosting of the very first Power Tower show-off, between Hunter Guerard & David Campbell, for the Speed Pass.

Miami, Florida[]

Miami, Florida is the city responsible for hosting two regionals (Northeastern & Southeastern) in American Ninja Warrior 4, and one regional in American Ninja Warrior 5, American Ninja Warrior 6, and American Ninja Warrior 10.

History[]

Miami was one of three cities to host two regionals each for American Ninja Warrior 4. Notably, they had the Wall Lift right before the Warped Wall, in spite of no timer.

Miami then returned as a city in American Ninja Warrior 5, where the Slider Jump became extremely brutal, even breaking the nose of Tukrong Klengdong when the bar derailed.

Miami then appeared as a city once again for American Ninja Warrior 6. This time, the main notable event was when Drew Drechsel fell on the Downhill Pipe Drop, eliminating him for the first and only time ever in the Regionals. In addition, Flip Rodriguez shockingly touched the water on the Jump Hang, marking his first & only time failing to move on past the Qualifiers.

Miami's latest appearance was in American Ninja Warrior 10, where top competitors Drew Drechsel & Jessie Graff both competed. The Battle of the Beards also took place between Brett Sims & Ryan Stratis, but both cleared the Qualifying & Regional Finals courses. Drew Drechsel also shockingly fell on the Stair Hopper, yet still moved on and even went on to become Last Man Standing.

Also, several competitors got their start here, including:

Minneapolis, Minnesota[]

Minneapolis, Minnesota is a Midwestern city, responsible for hosting one regional in American Ninja Warrior 10.

History[]

Minneapolis was the sixth and final regional in American Ninja Warrior 10. Being the last regional, several competitors who could not compete in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania due to the extreme rain, competed here instead. This was also the only new regional for that year. The Ring Jump was the Qualifiers' star of the show, eliminating 38 competitors, including Dan Yager, Sarah Schoback, Sara Heesen, and Michael Stanger. In addition, numerous fan-favorites went out on Diamond Dash & Battering Ram, including Roo Yori, Meagan Martin, Hunter Guerard, and Drew Knapp. However, Eric Middleton had Matt & Akbar fulfill a pact of eating spiders, as a result of his course clear, Abby Clark attained redemption on the Ring Jump and cleared the course, and Joe Moravsky, in spite of not getting the Mega Wall, still cleared with the fastest time. Jake Murray also hit two buzzers in the regionals, as did Moravsky, Jon Alexis, Ian Dory, and Jonathan Stevens. Even Austin Gray made an impressive debut with just one kidney to spare, surviving up to Iron Maiden, and becoming a breakout star.

Several notable competitors got their start here, including:

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma[]

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma is a southern city, responsible for hosting one regional in American Ninja Warrior 11, as well as one in American Ninja Warrior 8.

History[]

Oklahoma City was the fourth regional out of five, taped outside the Governor's office. During the Qualifiers, the Log Runner proved to be the star of the show, eliminating 36 competitors, and every woman who got to that obstacle. Lance Pekus, Kevin Klein, and Kacy Catanzaro all fell, as did Barclay Stockett in her rookie year. But Artis Thompson III made an incredible recovery, and made it to Tire Swing before falling. In addition, Brent Steffensen made it to Bar Hop, but fell due to the lack of a switch-grip. Thomas Stillings beat out Daniel Gil for the Fastest Time of the Night, only to fail the Invisible Ladder in the Finals, while Gil cleared the course. Grant Clinton also cleared the course, less than a year after suffering a near-death stroke.

Oklahoma City returned as the third regional out of six, for American Ninja Warrior 11. Once again, the balance obstacle, this time the Diving Boards, brutalized the competitors, figuratively and literally, with even Maggi Thorne getting a concussion. However Maggi was also one of four female competitors to make it to the back-half of the Finals course. Karen Wiltin made it to the Salmon Ladder, while Maggi Thorne, Barclay Stockett, and Taylor Amann made it to the Crazy Clocks, Barclay herself besting the balance obstacle this time around. Daniel Gil and Mathis Owhadi got to compete on the Power Tower for the Safety Pass, Mathis winning the Safety Pass. Matthew Day also got to compete against Daniel Gil on the Power Tower in Qualifying, but fell on the Coconut Climb in the Finals.

Notable competitors who got their start here include:

Orlando, Florida[]

Orlando, Florida is a Southeastern city, responsible for hosting one regional in American Ninja Warrior 7.

History[]

Orlando was the fourth regional out of six, in American Ninja Warrior 7. Taping was held at the Universal Orlando Resort. Competitors were prone to dizziness those two nights, with the modified Rolling Log throwing a ton of competitors into the water. And yet, competitors like Drew Drechsel, and Flip Rodriguez bounced back from disappointing exits in Miami, Florida, with Drew even doing a backflip off the Warped Wall. Other electrified Qualifying runs included Travis Rosen, James McGrath, JJ Woods, and Jon Alexis Jr.. During the Regional Finals, Cannonball Alley made its return, while Helix Hang made its debut. Notable competitors like JJ Woods and Jo Jo Bynum fell short at the Cannonball Alley, and Neil Craver, Drew Drechsel, and Flip Rodriguez all fell at the Invisible Ladder. And yet on the upside, walk-on Adam Arnold cleared the course, alongside The Beast, James McGrath.

Many notable competitors got their start here, including:

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania[]

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is a Northeastern city, responsible for hosting one regional for American Ninja Warrior 10 & 8.

History[]

Philadelphia was the fifth & final regional out of five, for American Ninja Warrior 8. Qualifying marked history, as for the first time ever, a record four women made it to the Regional Finals: Michelle Warnky, Jesse Labreck, Rachael Goldstein, and Allyssa Beird. Jesse Labreck then became the first rookie female to qualify for the National Finals. Geoff Britten returned to the show after achieving Kanzenseiha, clearing the Qualifiers and failing the Stair Hopper in the Finals. And for the first time ever, no competitor cleared the Finals course; the first for a 10-obstacle course. Chris Wilczewski and Joe Moravsky got the closest, making it to the Invisible Ladder.

Philadelphia then returned as the fifth regional out of six, for American Ninja Warrior 10. Qualifying also marked history, as Michelle Warnky, Allyssa Beird, and Casey Rothschild all cleared the Qualifying course, a record amount of female Qualifying clears. Michelle Warnky & Allyssa Beird then qualified for Vegas. Chris Wilczewski bounced back from a traumatic accident, clearing the Mega Wall, clearing the Regional Finals, and getting fastest time of the night both times. Najee Richardson, the Phoenix, also got the Mega Wall. It's worth pointing out, competitors like Jon Alexis Jr., Michael Torres, Abby Clark, and Joe Moravsky all got their runs moved to Minneapolis due to the heavy rain.

Many notable competitors got their start here, including:

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania[]

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is a Northeastern city, responsible for hosting one regional in American Ninja Warrior 7.

History[]

Pittsburgh was the fifth out of six regionals, filmed for American Ninja Warrior 7. This time, the two men who made it to Stage Three, Joe Moravsky and Elet Hall, were competing for farthest & fastest those two nights. Elet Hall beat Joe's time by eleven seconds, and yet in the Regional Finals, Elet failed the Doorknob Arch, while Joe Moravsky cleared the course. Jamie Rahn cleared the Qualifying course, and even got to the Invisible Ladder before falling. Sean Darling-Hammond popped up as a formidable competitor, making it to the Doorknob Arch in the Finals. Michelle Warnky made it to the final steps of the Devil Steps before gracing the water. Her Finals run ended earlier, as she then fell on Snake Crossing. Chris Wilczewski, a colleague of Michelle, also fell early on Snake Crossing. But his brother Brian cleared the Qualifying course, and then made it to the Floating Monkey Bars before his fall.

Several notable competitors got their start here, including:

San Antonio, Texas[]

San Antonio, Texas is a Southern city, notable for hosting the Qualifiers of American Ninja Warrior 14, and a single regional in American Ninja Warrior 9.

History[]

San Antonio, Texas was the second stop out of six, for American Ninja Warrior 9. Here, the Sky Hooks made their debut, and Kacy Catanzaro announced her retirement from the show, making it to the 14'6 Warped Wall, but not making it up. Barclay Stockett made it up the Warped Wall, and all the way to the Hourglass Drop, before falling there. Both women advanced to Vegas. Daniel Gil was the sole person to finish the Finals, while Thomas Stillings, Nicholas Coolridge, and Brent Steffensen all failed at the Elevator Climb. Spinball Wizard also made its debut in the Finals, eliminating Karsten Williams, and Andrew Lowes.

San Antonio then reappeared, this time as the sole city for all of the Qualifiers. Jessie Graff made her return to the show, after being away for a season due to injury, and the same can be said about Najee Richardson. Jesse Labreck hit her tenth buzzer. Gary Weiland had one of the most memorable runs throughout those five nights, making it all the way to the Log Runner in spite of having a prosthetic leg. Jordan Carr made history as the youngest woman to hit a buzzer. Joe Moravsky got up the Mega Wall for the third year in a row, and got his 28th buzzer, more than any other American Ninja competitor has done. And a record 10 people cleared the Mega Wall, including R.J. Roman, Kyle Soderman, and Josiah Pippel.

Many notable competitors got their start here, including:

San Pedro, California[]

San Pedro, California is a Northwestern city, responsible for hosting a special Military regional for American Ninja Warrior 7.

History[]

The Military episode was the last out of six regionals for American Ninja Warrior 7. All of the competitors were members of the Military, either formerly or at the time of the taping. It was held in front of the USS Iowa, a former battleship responsible for much of the travel during World War II.

Ryan Stratis was the star of the show; the man cleared the Qualifying course, and made it to the Invisible Ladder during the Finals, something only two other competitors did. One of them was fighter pilot Matthew Jensen, and the other was 5'2 Dustin McKinney, who cleared all ten obstacles, and became the shortest man to clear a 10-obstacle course. Newcomer Tory Garcia made it far into the Monkey Pegs, before falling short. Robin Pietschmann achieved the fastest time of the night, and made it to the Globe Grasper before his run came to a close. The Log Runner was surprisingly brutal, as was the second obstacle, the Jump Hang, and the I-Beam Cross.

Several notable competitors got their start here, including:

Seattle/Tacoma, Washington[]

Seattle/Tacoma, Washington is a Pacific Northwestern city, responsible for hosting one regional in American Ninja Warrior 11, and the Qualifiers for American Ninja Warrior 13.

History[]

Seattle/Tacoma is the first ever regional to host indoors, specifically the Tacoma Dome. Of course, Qualifiers marked the return of Geoff Britten, the first American Ninja Warrior, only for him to fail the Broken Bridge. Austin Gray also failed Broken Bridge, not moving on. Nick Hanson, Nate Burkhalter, and Sean Darling-Hammond all fell at the Lightning Bolts, only to fail the Floating Monkey Bars in the Finals. And the Lightning Bolts took out a record 17 competitors during the Finals, including Meagan Martin, Jake Murray, Alex Hatch, and Lance Pekus, who had achieved the Mega Wall during Qualifiers. There were no finishers during the Finals, with Jessie Graff getting the closest at the Northwest Passage, but since she was the slowest, Dan Yager & Karson Voiles went to the Power Tower, Karson Voiles winning by a longshot. And Sandy Zimmerman became the first mom to get up the Warped Wall (at least in airing order).

Seattle/Tacoma then hosted the Qualifiers for American Ninja Warrior 13. These Qualifiers marked the debut of many successful teenagers, and the falls of many veterans. A record low amount of finishers were achieved in the first Qualifier, with only 5, Isaiah Thomas & Elijah Browning getting the fastest. Jake Murray upped his streak of "fastest time of the night" to 4 with his Qualifier clear, and Meagan Martin got her first buzzer in 5 years. Mathis Owhadi was the first runner of the season, falling at Split Decision's very own Spinning Log. And Split Decision proved to take out some elite competitors, such as Michelle Warnky-Buurma, and Thomas Stillings.

Several notable competitors got their start here, including:

St. Louis, Missouri[]

St. Louis, Missouri is a Midwestern city, which has hosted a regional in American Ninja Warrior 6, but more importantly, the entire season for American Ninja Warrior 12.

History[]

St. Louis's debut was in American Ninja Warrior 6, as the only new city. Michelle Warnky became the second woman to make it up the Warped Wall, and the second to hit a buzzer. In addition, Amy Pajcic made it to the Warped Wall, before failing all three attempts. During the Regional Finals, Moravsky broke the Rumbling Dice, as it rumbled off the track, leaving him susceptible to falling, and yet he made it through. Competitor Michelle Warnky made it to the back-half, becoming only the second woman to do so, before falling on the trampoline jump to the Salmon Ladder.

St. Louis was supposed to have two regionals for American Ninja Warrior 12, but due to COVID-19 hitting America, all regionals were postponed, until an abridged season taped between July 13th-23rd, of 2020. Every competitor had to get COVID-19 tested frequently, and were required to wear masks, and practice safe social distancing. Notably, Daniel Gil won the season, as the champion of the abridged format, with Austin Gray as a runner-up. Amir Malik ended up making it into the Final Four, with competitor Jesse Labreck becoming the first woman to compete on the Power Tower. Competitor Joe Moravsky disappointingly fell on the Slam Dunk in the Finals, eliminating him from the competition, and another competitor, Jessie Graff, injured her shoulder on the Falling Shelves, causing her to take off American Ninja Warrior 13.

Many notable competitors got their start here, including:

Amir Malik
Nate Hansen
Geoff Britten, future "American Ninja Warrior"
Dave Cavanagh
Brent Ruffin

Venice Beach, California[]

Venice Beach, California is a city just off the Golden Coast, where for the first three seasons of the show, the Qualifiers & Semifinals were taped at, before they go onto SASUKE to compete in its finals. For the fourth season, the Northwest & Southwest regionals were taped there, and then a regional in American Ninja Warrior 5, American Ninja Warrior 6, and American Ninja Warrior 7, with 7 being the final time a competition was held there.

Synopsis[]

Venice Beach's first competition was in American Ninja Warrior 1, where Qualifiers were completely held there, and competitors had to fly themselves out there. Venice itself is a neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, where from American Ninja Warrior 8 onwards, the Northwestern regional was taped at Universal Studios Hollywood. Many notable competitors got their American Ninja Warrior start here, including:

Kevin Bull's historic Season 6 completion of the Cannonball Alley, where he hung from his legs on the third cannonball, to make his way to the landing platform.
Jessie Graff's American Ninja Warrior 5 performance, where even in her chicken costume, she placed 30th in the Qualifiers, advancing a woman to the Regional Finals for the first time ever.
- She then went on to compete two years later in American Ninja Warrior 7, placing 28th in the Qualifiers, and then clearing the Hourglass Drop (something only nine other competitors did), and placing sixth on the leaderboard, becoming only the second woman ever to place on a Regional Finals leaderboard.
David Campbell, who became Last Man Standing for the American competitors in American Ninja Warrior 2 & 3.
Nicholas Coolridge, who was the sole finisher of American Ninja Warrior 7's Venice Regional Finals course.
Grant McCartney, a major personality in the future seasons, who had an incredible rookie season.

Trivia[]

Venice Beach set the record for lowest amount of clears on a 6-obstacle course for six years, specifically in American Ninja Warrior 7 in no small part thanks to the Hourglass Drop, as well as the newly-modified Rumbling Dice & brand-new Clear Climb.
- This record was then broken by American Ninja Warrior 13's first Qualifier, held in Seattle/Tacoma, Washington.

Washington, D.C.[]

Washington, D.C. is an Eastern city, which was initially supposed to host two regionals for American Ninja Warrior 12, but both were postponed, and eventually cancelled, due to COVID concern.

History[]

Washington, D.C. was set to be the second city visited, also set to hold the second and third regionals of the season. Taping was set to be indoors for only the second time, inside the D.C. Armory during the day. Taping was set to be held on April 6-7, and 11-12, of 2020. D.C.'s regionals followed Los Angeles, California's, which got postponed the day before they were set to film. Due to the COVID-19 lockdown, eventually D.C.'s and St. Louis, Missouri's tapings were also postponed. D.C. was never revisited again, with St. Louis, Missouri being the sole filming location that year.

For a list of competitors that were set to compete, check this link at ninjaguide.com for more information.