American Ninja Warrior has become a tentpole of NBC's programming schedule, which probably came as a surprise to many. The early days of the obstacle course competition series were not as auspicious as the modern era, and it certainly didn't get the ratings that it does now.
These days, people dream of running that course in front of their friends and family, not to mention millions of people watching them on TV. They train for years and wait for days in walk-on lines. Some people surprise everyone during their first time out. Others, however, get way too confident and blow the whole thing.
Overconfident: David "Flip" Rodriguez
"Flip" Rodriguez is a well-known American Ninja Warrior competitor out, as well as a prolific stuntman. He's worked on several major movies, including two Transformers movies, Bad Boys for Life and the Shang-Chi and Legend of the Ten Rings.
But, despite all of his skills on the course, he has never won a season of American Ninja Warrior. Accidents happen, but he also seems to have a tendency to look past easier obstacles. They say speed kills, and that has often been the case for Rodriguez.
Underdog: Daniel Gil
First showing up in the show's seventh season, Daniel Gil quickly became a mainstay of the American Ninja Warrior scene. His athletic skills, combined with a bright, golden demeanor have made him a fan favorite. Plus, his hair is truly glorious.
But, no one knew what to expect from the trained and talented opera singer when he arrived. Gil turned out to be one of the most athletic and capable Ninja Warriors of all time, utterly destroying his qualifying course his first time out.
Overconfident: Jake Murray
The fun-loving attitude Jake Murray brings to the course has become infectious over the years. He became well known for his stunts, including bringing a fanny pack with a corndog in it that he ate after running the course. Murray is also one of the most capable athletes they have. Unfortunately, he also got caught up in his own antics and lost focus on what he was there to do.
In season nine, Murray made a big show out of getting to the starting blocks on a Segway, then didn't complete the qualifying course. He missed the top 30 and was done that season after falling on the third obstacle. After that misstep, he started taking things a bit more seriously.
Underdog: Jesse "Flex" Labreck
Over 12 seasons of American Ninja Warrior, the numbers of women participating have only increased. With that ever-increasing number of female competitors, the number of history-making moments has also increased.
When "Flex" ran her first qualifying course in the series' ninth season, no one knew what to expect. She quickly proved herself to be a main event player, though, becoming the fourth woman to qualify for the Vegas finals. Her career has only continued to explode from there.
Overconfident: Grant McCartney
Without question, Grant McCartney is one of the most popular Ninja Warriors. The athletic fight attendant from Honolulu has an absolutely magnetic personality that grabs viewers' collective attention right through TV screens.
Despite his skill and natural ability on the course, McCartney might be his own worst enemy. A series of mistakes and missteps at different times throughout his career have cost him what some have seen at easy wins.
Underdog: Stephen Amell
Like many competition series, American Ninja Warrior occasionally has a celebrity version of the show. To date, this has only happened in 2o17 and 2018. Each celebrity was paired with a professional Ninja Warrior as a coach.
Stephen Amell, a well-regarded actor, and occasional pro wrestler, was partnered with Kacy Catanzaro. He completed the course and the most obstacles, raising the most money for his charity. Amell then went on to attempt additional obstacles, just to prove he could.
Overconfident: Isaac Caldiero
A hallmark of American Ninja Warrior is how rarely someone actually wins the whole competition. Only a handful of competitors have ever completed the whole thing, with Issac Caldiero being the first full winner in the seventh season.
Everything after that was surprising, to say the least. He more or less left the sport for a while, entering into what seemed like an egotistical feud with ANW. When he finally returned in season 10, he didn't make it to the finals in Vegas, and he was seen as the biggest bust of the season.
Underdog: Najee Richardson
Referred to by some as "The Philly Phoenix," Najee Richardson's raw athleticism and refined skill on the course has made him a treat to watch compete. With five seasons under his belt, Richardson is one of the top Ninjas in the game.
It wasn't always that way, though; he failed early on the qualifying course in his first season. But, Richardson came back better than ever in his second season, finishing the qualifying course with the fifth-fastest time. He went from underdog to top dog in a year.
Overconfident: Geoff Britten
While Issac Caldiero was the first official ANW winner, he almost wasn't. Moments before he ascended Mount Midoriyama, Geoff Britten did the same. Caldiero won because he completed the climb slightly faster than Britten.
Geoff Britten returned the following season, making it all the way back to the Las Vegas National Finals. Then, in what is considered one of the most stunning moments in ANW history, Britten fell on the first obstacle of the finals. He didn't return until three seasons later when he was eliminated from the competition on the qualifying course.
Underdog: Kacy Catanzaro
Possibly the biggest and most successful underdog of all time on American Ninja Warrior was Kacy Catanzaro. While her height often put her at a disadvantage, that never stopped Catanzaro from delivering an incredible performance.
In season six, Catanzaro became the first woman to ever complete the Warped Wall and complete a qualifying course. She followed that up by becoming the first woman to complete a city finals course. Years later, she moved on to WWE where she competes on NXT, but the history she made on ANW will never be forgotten.