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Josiah Pippel Wins 'American Ninja Warrior' Season 18; NBC Renews Series Through Season 20
Josiah Pippel won the Season 18 finale of 'American Ninja Warrior,' taking home the $250,000 grand prize. NBC renewed the series for Seasons 19 and 20, with Season 20 set to celebrate the sport's Olympic inclusion. Taylor Greene also made history in the women's bonus tournament.
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Pippel's Road to Victory
Josiah Pippel, a competitor from Moorestown, New Jersey, was crowned the Season 18 champion of "American Ninja Warrior" in the finale that aired Monday night on NBC, as reported by Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter. Pippel, described as 21 years old by Deadline and 20 by The Hollywood Reporter, took home a $250,000 grand prize for his first career title.
According to Deadline, Pippel first appeared on the show at age 15 and has competed in six consecutive seasons, reaching the National Finals each time. After a disappointing early exit in the Season 17 Finals, Pippel returned with a renewed focus on speed and precision. His winning run began with a first-place finish in his Qualifying round and a successful climb up the Mega Wall. He then secured the No. 2 seed in the Final Round of 32 before prevailing in the finals, outperforming more than 200 competitors on obstacle courses designed to test speed, strength, and endurance.
Season 18 Highlights
Deadline reported that the finale introduced the Tripleheader, a new three-lane racecourse that featured head-to-head-to-head races. The top four female competitors also competed in a bonus tournament for a $50,000 prize. Taylor Greene successfully defended her title in that bracket, defeating Isabella Folsom in the final head-to-head race and becoming the first female athlete to win back-to-back titles on the show.
Renewal and Olympic Connection
NBC has renewed "American Ninja Warrior" for two more seasons, bringing the series through its 20th season, according to both Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter. Season 19 will air in summer 2027 and feature the return of the Mt. Midoriyama obstacle course in Las Vegas. Season 20 is set for 2028 and will be an all-star edition, with The Hollywood Reporter noting it will feature champions from more than a dozen countries and several former Olympic athletes. Deadline similarly reported the season will include former Olympians and elite ninja champions from more than 15 countries.
The renewal coincides with the sport's inclusion in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The Hollywood Reporter detailed that a Ninja Warrior-style obstacle race will be incorporated into the modern pentathlon, replacing the equestrian show jumping portion. Tokyo Broadcasting System, which created the Sasuke/Ninja Warrior format, has licensed some of its intellectual property, including the design of some obstacles, to the governing body of modern pentathlon for the Olympics.
Production Credits
The Hollywood Reporter identified the executive producers of "American Ninja Warrior" as Arthur Smith, Kent Weed, Anthony Storm, Brian Richardson, and Kristen Stabile. The series is produced by A. Smith & Co. Productions.
Looking Ahead
With the Season 18 finale in the books, attention turns to the upcoming seasons. Fans can look forward to the return of Mt. Midoriyama in Season 19 and the Olympic-themed "Summer of Champions" in Season 20, which will bring together top ninja athletes from around the world.
How each outlet told it
A framing line is our reading of that outlet's own text — an interpretation, not a quotation and not a fact we assert. Check it against what the outlet published.
Framing: The headline emphasizes both the crowning of the Season 18 winner and NBC's renewal for two more seasons.
Facts Included:
American Ninja Warrior has crowned a new winner for Season 18, and NBC has renewed the series for two more seasons.
Season 19 will see the return of the iconic Mt. Midoriyama, and Season 20 will celebrate the sport’s inclusion in the 2028 Olympic Games with a special Summer of Champions.
The trophy went to 21-year-old Josiah Pippel of Moorestown, New Jersey, who took home a $250,000 grand prize.
Pippel first appeared on the show at 15.
The season introduced the Tripleheader, an all-new supersized three-lane racecourse.
Pippel has competed in six consecutive seasons without ever missing the National Finals.
Reigning Women’s Champion Taylor Greene, an 18-year-old college student, successfully defended her title by defeating Isabella Folsom in the final head-to-head race, becoming the first female athlete in franchise history to win back-to-back titles.
Framing: The headline announces the show's renewal through season 20 on NBC. — Neutral and celebratory
Facts Included:
NBC has renewed American Ninja Warrior for two more seasons, which will be the 19th and 20th for the competition series.
The renewal comes on the heels of the show’s season 18 finale Monday night.
Season 19 will air in summer 2027 and feature the return of the Mt. Midoriyama obstacle course in Las Vegas.
Season 20 is set for 2028 and will be an all-star edition, featuring champions from more than a dozen countries around the world and several former Olympic athletes.
A Ninja Warrior-style obstacle race will be incorporated into the modern pentathlon at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, replacing the equestrian show jumping portion of the event and joining fencing, swimming, running and shooting.
Tokyo Broadcasting System, which created the Sasuke/Ninja Warrior format, licensed some of its intellectual property (including the design of some obstacles) to the governing body of modern pentathlon for the Olympics.
On Monday, Josiah Pippel won season 18 of American Ninja Warrior.
The 20-year-old has competed on the show for six consecutive seasons and reached the national finals stage each time but had never taken home the grand prize until this year.
The show’s executive producers are Arthur Smith, Kent Weed, Anthony Storm, Brian Richardson and Kristen Stabile.
Framing: Highlights Pippel's New Jersey origin, his victory, and the monetary prize on his 20th birthday
Facts Included:
Josiah Pippel, of Moorestown, just secured the season 18 'American Ninja Warrior' championship and a $250,000 grand prize during the season finale of the popular competition show on NBC Monday night.
The young athlete clinched the victory on his 20th birthday after reigning champion Kai Beckstrand suffered a technical error and fell on the Cane Lane obstacle, NBC Insider reported.
Pippel has participated in the sport since age 13 and previously earned the nickname 'Junior Giant' during his rookie season on 'American Ninja Warrior Junior,' the kids version of the program.
Two years later, Pippel, then age 15, became the youngest athlete to compete in 'American Ninja Warrior,' according to NBC Insider.
The show's latest season also saw 18-year-old Taylor Greene became the first female contestant to win back-to-back titles by defeating Isabella Folsom in the Women's Championship, TVLine reported.
Following the broadcast, NBC announced a multi-season renewal for seasons 19 and 20 of the obstacle course competition, with all rounds scheduled to film in Las Vegas later this year, according to TVLine.
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Claim
Confidence
Status
ClaimNBC has renewed American Ninja Warrior for two more seasons, which will be the 19th and 20th for the competition series.
ClaimSeason 20 of American Ninja Warrior is set for 2028 and will be an all-star edition, featuring champions from more than a dozen countries around the world and several former Olympic athletes.
ClaimA Ninja Warrior-style obstacle race will be incorporated into the modern pentathlon at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, replacing the equestrian show jumping portion of the event and joining fencing, swimming, running and shooting.
ClaimTokyo Broadcasting System, which created the Sasuke/Ninja Warrior format, licensed some of its intellectual property (including the design of some obstacles) to the governing body of modern pentathlon for the Olympics.
ClaimJosiah Pippel clinched the season 18 victory on his 20th birthday after reigning champion Kai Beckstrand suffered a technical error and fell on the Cane Lane obstacle.
ClaimJosiah Pippel previously earned the nickname 'Junior Giant' during his rookie season on 'American Ninja Warrior Junior,' the kids version of the program.
ClaimNBC announced a multi-season renewal for seasons 19 and 20 of the obstacle course competition, with all rounds scheduled to film in Las Vegas later this year.
ClaimThe top four female competitors in Season 18 earned the opportunity to compete in a bonus tournament for a $50,000 prize and the title of ANW Season 18 Women's Champion.