Najee Richardson, nicknamed "The Phoenix", is a fitness coach and former gymnast from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania who has competed in nine competitions of American Ninja Warrior and has now retired from the show in becoming an actor.
American Ninja Warrior[]
American Ninja Warrior 7[]
Najee first competed in Pittsburgh in American Ninja Warrior 7. His run was cut, but he was one of the many athletes that failed Snake Crossing in qualifying which was the only time he failed to advance past qualifying in his career.
American Ninja Warrior 8[]
In his second year of competing on American Ninja Warrior he competed in his hometown of Philadelphia in American Ninja Warrior 8. In Philadelphia Qualifying, he cleared the course with the 5th fastest time and moved onto the city finals.
In the city finals, Najee failed the Stair Hopper, but he placed 6th overall in the top 15 and advanced to the Vegas finals. In the national finals, Najee finished Stage One with 8.01 seconds remaining. On the Second Stage, he cleared the Giant Ring Swing, but he failed the all-new Down Up Salmon Ladder.
All Stars Special 2[]
He was chosen as a part of Team Matt alongside Jesse Labreck and Chris Wilczewski in the second ever All Stars Special as the only rookie in the competition. On Stage One, he had the final two obstacles but didn’t get the shot at them because Jesse LaBreck’s foot touched the water on Sonic Curve. On Stage Two, he attempted the first two obstacles this time where he once again conquered the Giant Ring Swing and got his revenge on the Down Up Salmon Ladder and his team won the heat moving onto Stage Three against Team Kristine. On Stage Three, he had the middle three obstacles where he conquered the new Ultimate Cliffhanger but shockingly failed the Hang Climb and lost the heat and competition to Flip Rodriguez and Team Kristine. He later attempted the Mega Wall in the All Stars competition where Najee made it to the 19ft height and lost to Jon Alexis Jr. In the final competition of the night, it came down to a showdown on the Supersonic Shelf Grab at 15ft where on the first attempt both he and Drew Drechsel failed so the producers gave them a second attempt where he once again failed the lache while Drew Drechsel made it, so he lost the attempt at a skills medal but do these incredibly strong laches, he began to get the nickname: “The Pheonix”.
American Ninja Warrior 9[]
Najee returned to compete in American Ninja Warrior 9 where he completed the Cleveland Qualifying course placing 6th. In the city finals, Najee tried an unorthodox technique on the Nail Clipper which ultimately caused him to fail. However, he still placed 13th overall punching his ticket to the National finals. In Vegas, Najee cleared Stage One with 27.21 seconds left. He became the second competitor to clear Wingnut Alley, which earned him the POM Run of the Night and cleared Stage Two with 20.29 seconds remaining.
On Stage Three, though he managed to get revenge on the Nail Clipper, he fell on the Ultimate Cliffhanger on Stage Three (though he completed it during All Stars Special 2 but in a team-relay race), becoming the only person this season to fail to complete city finals but also make it to Stage Three.
Richardson had revealed on local news that he ran the course and nearly suffered a mild asthma attack after his Stage Two run. Because of this, he openly expressed about his medical condition, which resulted in him becoming an ambassador for the American Lung Association.
USA vs. The World 4[]
After being only one of three to make it to Stage 3 during the regular season, he was granted a spot on Team USA in the fourth ever versus the World competition. Najee then competed in the second heat of Stage Two where he got through the Criss Cross Salmon Ladder which knocked out Sebastian Prieto (Team Europe), the Wave Runner which knocked out Yosua Laskaman Zalukhu (Team Asia), then attempted the easier version of Wingnut Alley (this time with 3 Wingnuts), then conquered the course for the second time this season, but lost the heat to Sean McColl with the fastest time moving Team USA to Stage Three.
All Stars Special 3[]
Najee then competed in the third ever All Stars Special where this time he competed in the Wicked Wingnuts competition against Kevin Bull, Tyler Yamauchi, and Drew Drechsel winner of last year’s lache challenge. It came down to him and Drew Drechsel on a 20ft lache which he missed but Drew made the lache and Najee lost out on a skills medal for the second year in a row.
American Ninja Warrior 10[]
Najee Richardson at the Philadelphia City Qualifiers - American Ninja Warrior 2018
Najee Richardson at the Philadelphia City Finals - American Ninja Warrior 2018
Najee Richardson had returned to compete in his hometown in Philadelphia for American Ninja Warrior 10. He was shown to have cramps in his legs during his run, but was able to battle through them and even go as far as scaling the Mega Wall, winning $10,000 and becoming the 6th competitor to successfully do so. He ended off placing the sixth fastest time in qualifying.
In the city finals, Najee finished the entire city finals course, placing 2nd overall. This is his first city finals buzzer in his career.
In the national finals, Najee finished Stage One with 22.14 seconds left on the clock. He once again defeated Wingnut Alley, becoming one of three yet again to do so. Unfortunately he timed out on the Water Walls on Stage Two and in a post-run interview, he mentioned that he had to use up time on the obstacle for the safety of his asthma.
USA vs. The World 5[]
After being one of three to conquer Wingnut Alley, he got another spot on Team USA in the fifth ever USA vs the World. He competed in the first heat of Stage Two where he said that he wanted revenge on the Water Walls, he flew across the easier version of Wingnut Alley once again, then flew through the pools of the Water Walls to conquer the course, but lost the heat to Bryson Klein (Team Australia). Even though Team Europe had been mathematically eliminated after the first heat of Stage Three, Najee attempted the course (for fun) and made it as far as Cane Lane. [1]
All Stars Special 4[]
He attempted the Wicked Wingnuts against new faces this time: Josh Salinas, Adam Rayl, Kevin Bull, and Ethan Swanson. He was also the only one out of the five to conquer the Wingnuts previously where it didn’t go as far this season, as he failed the lache at 19 feet, lost to Adam Rayl, and lost a skills medal for the third year in a row.
American Ninja Warrior 11[]
Najee returned to compete in Baltimore for American Ninja Warrior 11. He made through most of the qualifying course with ease, despite a close call on the Hazard Cones. He was trying to make it up the Mega Wall for the second year in a row. But possibly due to the cold conditions making the Mega Wall very slippery, he surprisingly failed all of his 3 attempts and ultimately failed the qualifying course for the first time since his debut in ANW 7. He still placed 11th overall at the end of the night.
In the city finals, he was one of many who failed the unbeatable Angry Birds. Despite his fast time, he had been beaten by Lucas Reale by two-hundredths of a second, so he placed 3rd overall and once again missed out on attempting the Power Tower.
In Vegas, he shockingly fell on Tire Run after a bad transition from the spinning tire to the second steering wheel. This marked his first time failing Stage One.
All Stars Special 5[]
Najee competed in the Twist & Soar (a variation of Twist and Fly), which wasn’t shown due to Drew Drechsel’s arrest. Najee also competed on the Big Dipper where he gave a salute to Sean Bryan (who couldn’t compete) and front flipped his way to a 25. In his second attempt, he paid homage this time to Ethan Swanson and did a swan dive to get a 26 which combined to get a 51 losing by a point to both Grant McCartney and Jessie Graff to lose a skills medal for the fourth year in a row.
American Ninja Warrior 12[]
Najee returned in for American Ninja Warrior 12 with a more confident demeanor as he sailed through the third night of qualifying course to put up the seventh fastest time. In the second night of the Semi-Finals his asthma affected his performance, slowing him down greatly. He was still able to finish the course with the 6th fastest time, but before attempting the Spider Trap he took a hit of his inhaler. In the finals Najee improved his pace and finished the course with the 4th fastest time. In the first match up of the Power Tower Playoffs he faced Austin Gray and was ultimately defeated by him, ending his season.
All Star Spectacular[]
Even though he missed the regular season, he competed in the Big Dipper Freestyle where he caught a rope to hit a Spider-Man and then did a 540 backflip into the water to get a strong score of 27. In the second round, Najee went full “Pheonix” mode in midair to get a score of 30, which combined to a 57 to win his first skills medal in his career.
American Ninja Warrior 14[]
Najee originally got the call for American Ninja Warrior 13, but he unfortunately had to withdraw, due to recovering from a dislocated knee cap. He came back for American Ninja Warrior 14 in the second qualifying episode. There, he once again cleared the course with no trouble, despite once again missing the Mega Wall. He placed 11th overall, having been the slowest finisher that round. He later competed in the first semifinals episode. There he ended up being one of five competitors that round who failed the eighth obstacle, going out on Ghost Town. He placed 10th overall, advancing him back to the national finals. Unfortunately he tested positive for COVID-19 and he was forced to withdraw from competing at the national finals. He was replaced by Jackson Erdos.
American Ninja Warrior 15[]
Najee returned to compete in American Ninja Warrior 15, but announced that he was considering retiring from the competition. In the first qualifying episode, he powered through the first four obstacles, but fell on Lasso Launch, making it the first time he failed the qualifying course since ANW11. Despite this, he placed sixth and advanced to the semifinals.
In the semifinals, Najee went against promising rookie Mazeiah Andrade in the second episode. Mazeiah fell on Hopscotch, guaranteeing the win for Najee, who went on to fail Slingshot.
On Stage One, Najee was cruising through the first six obstacles while struggling with asthma, but after the Warped Wall, he was struggling to catch his breath and just decided to continue, but because of that, his run ended on Dipping Birds, when he missed the final step. After that, the safety crews helped him to get out of the water to catch his breath again. Luckily, although his season was done, he was okay a bit later.
American Ninja Warrior 16[]
He returned in American Ninja Warrior 16, announcing that this would be his final season competing.
In qualifying, Najee was trying to finish in under 1:20 and get a chance at the Mega Wall, but missed his first attempt at the Warped Wall, missing his chance to attempt it. Even so, Najee was able to get his last qualifying buzzer, moving on to the semifinals in seventh place.
In the semifinals, Najee raced against his friend, Xavier Dantzler where before the race they swapped shirts. He was in the lead for most of the race (showing off his skills on Wingnuts), but on the Spin Hopper, he failed the first jump and got eliminated after Xavier conquered the course and while this seemed like his last run.
It was not his last run, however, as a competitor withdrew from the national finals, and Najee replaced them. In his final Stage One run on the course, it appeared that Najee would go on to complete the course. Unfortunately, his grip unexpectedly slipped on The Gambler, and he fell, ending his season and storied ninja career altogether. After his run, he recieved a standing ovation from the crowd.
After his retirement, he did announce on Instagram that he and his wife gave birth to their first child on December 12th.
Other Appearances[]
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Najee has been the team captain of the Phoenix Force on American Ninja Warrior's team ninja competition spin-offs. They have competed on season 2 of Team Ninja Warrior and season 1 of American Ninja Warrior: Ninja vs. Ninja.
Overall, Najee's final Individual race record throughout the two seasons was 3-2.
Najee would also appear as a mentor for American Ninja Warrior Junior. For Season 1 of American Ninja Warrior Junior he helped the 11-12 division, while on American Ninja Warrior Junior 2, he helped the 9-10 division and all the divisions alongside Jesse Labreck in American Ninja Warrior Junior 3.
Trivia[]
- Najee holds two Guinness World Records. The first is for the furthest bar to bar laché at 18 feet 3 inches (5.56 meters), which he achieved in 2020, and the furthest bar to wall laché at 16 feet 1 inch (4.9 meters), which he achieved in 2021.
- Najee has hit 13 buzzers in the regular season (18 buzzers if Ninja vs Ninja and USA vs the World competitions are counted).
External Links[]
- https://www.americanninjawarriornation.com/2021/9/21/22686365/american-ninja-warrior-najee-richardson-is-now-an-official-world-record-holder-lache
- https://www.americanninjawarriornation.com/2021/1/13/22229123/american-ninja-warrior-you-cant-watch-najee-richardsons-first-run-pittsburgh-season-7
- https://www.americanninjawarriornation.com/2020/8/26/21375379/american-ninja-warrior-najee-richardson-career-runs
Team Ninja Record[]
| Season | Episode | Round | Heat | Opponent Team | Opponent | Result | Notes | Individual Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team: Phoenix Force | ||||||||
| 2 | 4 (Qualifying) | Round One | 3 (Anchor Run) | Team Grit | Kevin Bull | Win | 1-0 | |
| 2 | 4 (Qualifying) | Round Two | 2 | Iron Grip | Daniel Gil | Loss | 1-1 | |
| 3 | 8 (Qualifying) | First Matchup | 3 | Think Tank | Noah Kaufman | Win | 2-1 | |
| 3 | 8 (Qualifying) | Final Matchup | 3 | Frostbite | Nick Hanson | Win | 3-1 | |
| 3 | 13 (Playoffs) | First Matchup | 3 | Team Wolfpack | Dan Yager | Loss | Najee fell at the Floating Tiles. | 3-2 |
Relay Showdown Record[]
| Season | Episode | Competitor (Obstacle Attempted) | Opponent Team | Opponent (Obstacle Attempted) | Result | Notes | Relay Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team: Phoenix Force | |||||||
| 3 | 8 (Qualifying) | Cassie Craig (1-2) Michael Torres (3-4) Najee Richardson (5-6) |
Think Tank | Leila Noone (1-2) Noah Kaufman, MD (3-4) Matt Wilder (5-6) |
Win | 1-0 | |
| 3 | 8 (Qualifying) | Cassie Craig (1-3) Michael Torres (4-6) Najee Richardson (7-9) |
Frostbite | Zhanique Lovett (1-3) Nick Hanson (4-6) Jackson Meyer (7-9) |
Loss | Cassie fell at the Tick Tock, resulting in a 5-second penalty for Michael. Then, Najee fell at the Zig Zag Climb and suffered a cramped leg. | 1-1 |
| 3 | 8 (Qualifying) | Cassie Craig (1-3) Michael Torres (4-6) Najee Richardson (7-9) |
Frostbite | Zhanique Lovett (1-3) Nick Hanson (4-6) Jackson Meyer (7-9) |
Win | Cassie fell at the Tick Tock, resulting in a 5-second penalty for Michael. However, he and Najee could make up the time penalty. | 2-1 |
American Ninja Warrior Results[]
| ANW | # | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Failed Down Up Salmon Ladder (Stage Two) | ||
| 9 | Failed Ultimate Cliffhanger (Stage Three) | ||
| 10 | Failed Water Walls (Stage Two) | Timed Out | |
| 11 | Failed Tire Run (Stage One) | First time he fell on Stage One. | |
| 14 | Withdrew | Did not compete due to testing positive for COVID-19. Replaced by Jackson Erdos. | |
| 15 | Failed Dipping Birds (Stage One) | ||
| 16 | Failed The Gambler (Stage One) | Replacement for a competitor who withdrew from the national finals. Final run on ANW. |
American Ninja Warrior: USA vs. the World[]
| Competition | Stage | Heat | Run | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Stage Two | 2 | 3 | Clear (3:59.03) | Lost the heat to Sean McColl and Team Europe. Still earned 2 points for Team USA. |
| 5 | Stage Two | 1 | 1 | Clear (3:50.86) | Lost the heat to Bryson Kleinand Team Australia. Still earned 1 point for Team USA. |