{"id":12435,"date":"2026-07-21T09:44:24","date_gmt":"2026-07-21T04:44:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=12435"},"modified":"2026-07-21T09:44:24","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T04:44:24","slug":"american-ninja-warrior-recap-07-20-26-season-18-episode-7-central-regional-qualifying-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=12435","title":{"rendered":"American Ninja Warrior Recap 07\/20\/26: Season 18 Episode 7 &#8220;Central Regional Qualifying 1&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div xmlns:default=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"#comments-anchor\"><span class=\"spot-im-replies-count\" data-post-id=\"486912\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.celebdirtylaundry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ANW-Recap-2-1.png\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-486914\" src=\"https:\/\/www.celebdirtylaundry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ANW-Recap-2-1.png\" alt=\"American Ninja Warrior Recap 07\/20\/26: Season 18 Episode 7 &quot;Central Regional Qualifying 1&quot;\" width=\"500\" height=\"334\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.celebdirtylaundry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ANW-Recap-2-1.png 500w, https:\/\/www.celebdirtylaundry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ANW-Recap-2-1-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/www.celebdirtylaundry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ANW-Recap-2-1-100x67.png 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Tonight\u2019s on NBC American Ninja Warrior airs with an all-new Monday, July 13, 2026, season 18 episode 7 and we have your American Ninja Warrior recap below!<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In tonights American Ninja Warrior season 18 episode 7 called, <em>\u201cCentral Regional Qualifying 1\u201d <\/em>as per the NBC synopsis, <em>\u201cIncredible athletes from across the nation come together in one location to test themselves against on one of the world\u2019s most challenging courses.<\/em><em>\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"Standard\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">Tonight\u2019s episode looks like it is going to be a great season 18, so be sure to tune in for our coverage of NBC\u2019s American Ninja Warrior at 8 PM \u2013 10 PM ET! While you wait for our American Ninja Warrior recap make sure to check out all our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.celebdirtylaundry.com\/category\/television\/american-ninja-warrior\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">American Ninja Warrior news, spoilers, recaps &amp; more!<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em><strong>Tonight\u2019s American Ninja Warrior recap begins now \u2013 Refresh Page often to get the most current updates!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">On tonight\u2019s American Ninja Warrior episode, it was now Central Americans\u2019 chance to Qualify tonight! They did West, they did East, and now Central was rocking the stage. There were the Shrinking Steps, Greased Lightning, Domino Effect, Tilt-A-Whirl, Cubes, and naturally the Warped Wall. They get a chance at the Mega Warped Wall if they finished the course in less than a minute and a ten in 1:10 seconds.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Up first was Maggi Thorne. She was a track start back in the day and now she\u2019s winning medals along with her kids. She was from the great state of Nebraska.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Maggi actually knew Jesse Graff from the University of Nebraska. They both were on the track team together. Jesse cheered Maggi from the sidelines and Maggi got so close to the end when she fell. She fell on Cubes. There\u2019s a good chance she\u2019ll move onto the next round. She was then soon followed by McKenna Knipe. Now, she was a happy adrenaline junkie. McKenna admitted that herself. She grew up in the modeling world and left it to go skydiving. She wasn\u2019t afraid of heights. She just wasn\u2019t used to obstacles.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">McKenna was out on Greased Lightning. This Floridian should\u2019ve tried racing during the East Coast competition. It left her out for the rest of the season. There was a commercial break up next and it resulted in a lot of falls. Dennis Lappin was a Michigan firefighter. He was also a skydiver. He\u2019s the one that got McKenna interested in the sport. He was also in his fifties now and was out on Domino Effect. He took hard hits tonight. He was going to feel that come the morning. He might have to bench skydiving for a bit. He was quickly followed by Nick Warren. He was a teenager from Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">He was a footballer. He kept himself in peak condition. Which helped him tonight. He was already being looked at by colleges and this rookie ended up being the first finisher of the night. He finished the course in a minute and thirty plus seconds. He was advancing. He just has to keep up the momentum to the next round. Steve Janke was up next. He was sixty-nine. He was the oldest competitor of the night though he does still compete in track and field till this day. This bionic man was from Kansas.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Steve said that training for Ninja Warrior has lit a fire in him. He loves it. He was hoping to make it far tonight and he made it as far as Greased Lightning when he fell. Next up was professional wrestler named Francisco Barajas. He first started ANW back when he had a stutter. He\u2019s since gained confidence and was now known professionally as \u201cthe Cheetah\u201d in the wrestling world. He was living his dream come true. Thanks to ANW helping him transform. He was a true performer nowadays.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">He had a hard hit on Greased Lightning. He righted himself and he made it to the Cubes when he too fell. He has to wait and see if he went far enough fast enough to qualify for the next round. The odds are still good for him. The Cheetah was followed by Isabella Folsom. She trained with her husband and brother-in-law who are all involved in ANW. She was a true ninja. She learned who had ran before her and she made it all the way to the buzzer. She was the first female finisher and the second finisher of the night.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">During the commercial break, there was a third finisher. Back up was Chad Riddle. He was on season ten and he was back now after a loss. He lost his wife just one year ago. He was a principle of a small kid now raising his son alone. It started out as muscle spasms until they got it tested by doctors. It turned out to be a condition that would eventually take her life. One of her final requests was that he\u2019d return to ANW. He took some time to grieve and he returned this season to pull off a win. It wasn\u2019t a buzzer yet it was still a win when he made it to the Cubes when he fell.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Again, the competitor\u2019s chances are high. He was soon followed by Dylann Yee. This teenager from Ohio was into everything. He was a musician, an athlete, and an academic. He happily admitted he speaks Algebra and so the hosts said that every obstacle was an e4quation. As long as he viewed it that way, he wouldn\u2019t fall. He was also close to his sister who will be competing tonight as well. Their dream was to hit a buzzer on the same night. Dylan did his part by becoming a finisher and his sister went next.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sydney Yee had her best season in Season 16. She pulled off an impressive save on Greased Lightning and then came up short on Tilt-A-Whirl. She was most likely out this season. Next up was Aidan Gonzales. He was a film student. He\u2019s been behind the camera for years shooting and directing his own projects. He was even wearing a camera tonight. He was making a documentary about his ninja journey this season. It was almost a short film after Greased Lightning. He pulled off a save there and then took a fall on the Cubes. Luckily, the camera was waterproof.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Aidan was followed by Kenzie Hughes. She\u2019s dreamed of hitting a buzzer since she was nine years old. She\u2019s been competing for a while and the buzzer was proving to be quite elusive. There was also the bigger prize connected to tonight. The top four women this season will go on to compete in the Women\u2019s Championship. Kenzie wanted a shot at that just like every one else. What helped her was when she finally got to the Warped Wall on tonight\u2019s episode. She hit her first official buzzer on ANW. And congratulations!<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Next up was Andrew Pickert. His girlfriend was another ninja. They were brought together by Jesse LaBreck who acted as a matchmaker\/coach for both. They trained them and she told him to take a chance on love. She hasn\u2019t regretted it. She didn\u2019t want him too either. Now he doesn\u2019t have to. He ran tonight with his girlfriend cheering him on and he finished with the fastest time of the night. He was the first to be given a chance at the Mega. He came close to getting it. He had the momentum just not the jump.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Andrew was then followed by Gary Weiland. The amputee had some big news to share with everyone. He\u2019s officially a grandpa. His granddaughter calls him \u201cG-Pop\u201d. It gave him a new lease on life only the obstacles were still being difficult. He was out for the rest of the season after a fall. He was another victim of Greased Lightning. The same obstacle took out Andrew\u2019s girlfriend Emerson Muir. The Behrends returned next up with Scott Behrends. His two sons have competed during commercial breaks and have both hit buzzers. Scott wanted to join them when he fell a little short.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Scott fell on Tilt-A-Whirl. He was out for the rest of the season. Still, the competition carried on with Jalessa Himka. She hadn\u2019t hit a buzzer in her ninja career so far. She was cursed to fall on the fifth obstacle. Only her mom felt differently about tonight. She thought Jalessa has been training even harder and she seemed to be sailing through the course until she got to the fifth obstacle. The curse struck again tonight. She fell and she might still make it to the next round depending on her timing. And up next was Daniel Gill.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Daniel has had some changes as well. They had their second little girl. They travel all around giving speeches and Daniel has written at least two books. He was deeply motivated tonight to go fast and he was fast. Not the fastest, but fast and he was the first to hit a buzzer on the Mega Warped Wall. He won the extra ten grand and it turns out they were already thinking about baby number three. Best of luck on all of their endeavors!<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The final competitor of the night was Flyboy Isaiah Thomas. He was consistently one of the fastest ninjas on the course and he was practically a blur tonight. He finished with second fastest time but he didn\u2019t get the Mega Warped Wall. It slipped out of his fingers. He\u2019ll be advancing too.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Out of the bet between the hosts, the one who won it ended up being Matt with his pick of Phil Folsom.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">THE END!<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script>\n        (function(d, s, id) {\n            var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];\n            if (d.getElementById(id)) return;\n            js = d.createElement(s);\n            js.id = id;\n            js.src = \"\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/all.js#xfbml=1&appId=151439664950885\";\n            fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);\n        }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));\n    <\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Tonight\u2019s on NBC American Ninja Warrior airs with an all-new Monday, July 13, 2026, season 18 episode 7 and we have your American Ninja Warrior recap below! In tonights American Ninja Warrior season 18 episode 7 called, \u201cCentral Regional Qualifying 1\u201d as per the NBC synopsis, \u201cIncredible athletes from across the nation come together in&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12436,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.celebdirtylaundry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ANW-Recap-2-1.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12435","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-celebrity-gossip"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12435","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12435"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12435\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/12436"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12435"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12435"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12435"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}