By Kayla DeKraker
AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR will return for an exciting new 18th season! The hit competition show will film in Las Vegas this fall.
Matt Iseman, Zuri Hall and Akbar Gbajabiamila will serve once again as the series’ hosts. This time, the show will debut a special new twist — a supersized three-lane racecourse. This will allow for three competitors to race side-by-side.
The show’s renewal comes after a very successful Season 17. It amassed over 23 million viewers on both Peacock and NBC. In addition, it had over 676 million social media views.
“Guy’s, I just got the news right now, it’s amazing,” Gbajabiamila began a video posted to Instagram. “AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR is coming back for season 18. We just got the pickup. This is a big news.”
Gbajabiamila thanked viewers for keeping the show going.
“I just want to take this time to say thank you very much to all the ninja fans, Ninja Nation, for rocking with this…I mean, right now, especially in television, it has been extremely difficult, but one thing stays consistent, and that’s AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR. You guys spoke up. You said you wanted action.”
He concluded, “We’re going to continue to try to amp it up, bring it up, but thank you guys so much. The response this season has been big. We’re still in the middle of it. We’re in the finals of Season 17.”
People in the comment section showed nothing but love for the show. One person said, “My son (and our family!) are obsessed and he is counting down the days until he is old enough to try out & hopes to make it on the show one day 🙌”
Another person added, “One of my fav shows. Wanted to compete for years when younger then realized the strength needed and tore my rotator cuff – it’s still on my bucket list. Let’s go!!!!”
AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR may be a hit show in the US, but the idea actually came from another show in a different country.
The Statesman reported, “AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR draws inspiration from the Japanese show SASUKE, which has aired 42 seasons in Japan. The format has become a global phenomenon, inspiring spinoffs in several countries and turning everyday people into national heroes.”
In the US, the show platforms athletes like Daniel Gil, who uses the following he’s amassed to point fans to Christ.
“…from day one, I had the mindset of ‘I’m going to work hard, I’m going to do my best, and I’m gonna trust God with the rest,’” he told NBC earlier this summer.
AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR began in 2009 and continues to inspire and entertain fans of competition nationwide.
Read Next: American Ninja Warrior Daniel Gil Takes Faith to the Finish Line
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