FanPost

Your long overdue National Ninja League preview and recap

Joe Robbins/NBC

It’s been about a month since I updated everyone on the happenings in the National Ninja League. I was actually in the process of moving halfway across the country and starting a new job, so I just didn’t have the time, sorry about that!

But I’m back now, and the National Ninja League rolls on with 3 more great events this weekend packed with American Ninja Warriors! First up, on Saturday, we have Classic City Ninja in Waterloo, Indiana and TA Fitness in Weymouth, Massachusetts. Then on Sunday even more competitors will get to test their skills at the hosting gym for this year's National Ninja League Finals, Apex Movement Norcal in Concord, California.

Classic City Ninja is located in the Classic City Center. A massive 12 acre sports, community, events, and entertainment facility that has hosted everything from youth soccer games to weddings (not sure how many ninja gyms can say that)! As amazing as the facility is as a whole, I know you want to hear about the Ninja Warrior side.

Classic City Ninja boasts an awesome 140ft straight line course rarely seen outside of the show. The man behind the Classic City Ninja is John Manon, a member of Michelle Warnky's cheering crew who has become so enthralled with the show that he had to get Ninja Warrior into Classic City Center.

John has a pool of 30+ obstacles that he's constantly swapping in and out to keep things fresh for aspiring ninjas of all ages. He even promises to have 5 more never before seen obstacles that he's bringing out to test this stacked National Ninja League field.

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[Classic City has a unique layout that makes competitors feel like they're running on the actual American Ninja Warrior course.]

Classic City is located within driving distance of some great Ninja Warrior states and competitors. This weekend we expect to see the Windy City Warriors, Michelle Warnky's M Lab Ohio disciples, and Andrew Karsen and a myriad of Michigan Ninjas.

These groups bring a lot of big names to the table: Dan Polizzi, Brandon Mears, Ethan Swanson, Karen Sabo Michelle, Cory Cook, Bryce LaRoche, Karsen, Dennis Lappin, and Dan Banura. But, if I have to pick one favorite, that has to be "The Daredevil" Ethan Swanson.

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[One of the favorites this week at Classic City, shows off some of the course behind him from their last event - which featured 3000 spectators]

One of the biggest stories to take place while I was away, has been Ethan Swanson's ascent of the leader board. Swanson already had third place (XT Fitness) and first place (The Edge) finishes under his belt. But in the last month he's added two more thirds (Shinobi Fitness and M Lab Ohio) and another first (NinjaQuest).

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[When he's not destroying American Ninja Warrior Courses, training kid ninjas, or embarking on death defying stunts, Ethan is also an Acro-Dunker for the Chicago Bulls - a man of many talents!]

In the past month Swanson has actually matched the points gained with the current leader Ernest Phillips who went to one more event and placed; fifth (GCA), third (Brooklyn Zoo), first (M Lab Ohio), and fourth (Ninja Warrior Playground). This is shaping up to be an intense race for these two ninjas who will go seemingly anywhere and destroy the local ninjas.

The other action on Saturday will be hosted by "Team Awesome" TA Fitness owners: Dave Cavanagh and Jenny Lawyer. These two have been around American Ninja Warrior for many years, often competing by way of the walk-on-line, to the point that Cavanagh was at one point was know as the king of the walk-ons. Jenny recently completed 55+ miles and obstacles as part of the World's Toughest Mudder.

I've mentioned both as favorites to win other events earlier this season (and although neither took home a first place finish this season, both have qualified and will be competing at the national finals at Apex NorCal March 3rd. Speaking of the finals, Dave and Jenny are offering a crazy prize for their first place finisher, a plane ticket to the NNL Finals.

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Dave Cavanagh with just some of the many obstacles housed inside TA Fitness.]

At every competition they host, TA Fitness rolls out some of the most diabolical obstacles ever conceived. Dave prides himself on creating courses that will yield no finishers, but contain obstacles that on their own are all entirely doable (a sign of a perfectly crafted course).

He will have his work cut out for him this week as their crazy prize has brought out another extremely talented group of ninjas, including: Chris Digangi, Mike Meyers, Jesse Labreck, Allyssa Beird, Noel Reyes, Jon Stevens, and the seemingly omnipresent Ernest Phillips.

It's super tough to pick a favorite out of this crew, but for some reason, I'm feeling like Mike Meyers could take this one. He's got a similar style to Dave (fast as can be, but still insanely strong, and controlled) and that's really all I'm basing it on. Honestly, if any one of those ninjas I just mentioned wins that flight, I won't be surprised.

Last and certainly not least, we have our National Ninja League finals precursor at Apex Movement NorCal. Brain Kretsch and Alan Connealy always deliver amazing courses.

And sometimes amazing commentary from all of our favorite Celebrity Apprentice contestant Matt Iseman.

This is the second of three qualifiers they've hosted this season so I have no idea what to expect from an obstacle standpoint. That gym is packed full of obstacles so it's difficult to guess as to which ones Kretsch and Connealy will be bringing out this week and which ones they're saving for the NNL Finals.

The field contains 5 great American Ninja Warriors who are still looking to secure a spot back at Apex next month: Thaddeus Robeck, Adam Rayl, Arnold Hernandez, Jessie Graff, and David Campbell. They're joined by competitors from other Sasuke spin offs; Derek Wayne Miyamoto (Sasuke Vietnam) and Adam Waring (Australian Ninja Warrior) as well as talented females Jeri D'Aurelio and Tiana Webberley who have already qualified.

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[David Campbell has been part of American Ninja Warrior for the last 9 years, competing in every season, and even winning the last American Ninja Challenge.]

My favorite for this week has to be David Campbell, stage 1 has killed him on American Ninja Warrior lately but he still is the most experienced ninja in the history of the show, so not only is he my favorite to win this week... but I'm calling it now, he's my "way too early" favorite to win the whole thing next month too.

Alright I already know this has been a ton of info and I'm waaaay behind on events so here's Chris Wilczewski conveniently breaking down what happened at most of the events I missed!

And since I missed several events here's another recap video:

And one more, I know it's not all the events I missed, but hopefully this gives you guys a good picture as to what's been happening:

Also the National Ninja League Youtube page has been posting complete runs from one of the top 3 finishers from some of the last events so go check those out too!

Sadly, there will be no more fantasy games to go along with the NNL events for the remainder of the season, as I am in the process of switching over the site to full on American Ninja Warrior Fantasy mode, so playing along with the show in Season 9 will be even better than ever. We're almost ready to start having you make teams though!

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of American Ninja Warrior Nation's writers or editors, or of NBC.

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