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Jeopardy! champion James Holzhauer takes Ninja Warrior classes

Between learning everything ever about the world, he gets on the obstacles.

James Holzhauer is Jeopardy’s biggest challenger since Ken Jennings. 
Sony Pictures Entertainment

In case you missed it, James Holzhauer, the current champion on Jeopardy revealed that he trains for ninja warrior and mentions American Ninja Warrior. I'd love to see some of his ninja videos. Wouldn't you? The episode aired Friday, May 3, 2019, and he joined for the same reasons I did. The Brick Ninja approves! I want to give him a light up Lego buzzer! I think he has earned one.

Posted by Daniel Zipadelli on Monday, May 6, 2019

UPDATE: James Holzhauer’s reign on Ninja Warrior recently came to an end, but he gave a VERY interesting quote in an interview with ESPN...

ESPN: What’s next? Are there any other game shows you’d like to compete on?

Holzhauer: ”Jeopardy!” owns my game show rights for a while, although they’re OK with me running on American Ninja Warrior or appearing on WWE Raw, so maybe you’ll see me on TV again soon.

So, we just want to point out that Ninja Warrior will be in Vegas in mid-June, and it seems like Holzhauer’s might be clear...

One eagle-eyed American Ninja Warrior fan and season 11 competitor, Daniel Zipadelli, noticed something pretty cool on the May 3 episode of “Jeopardy!” Reigning champion and Jeopardy! phenom James Holzhauer trains for Ninja Warrior (when he’s not reading every book ever written, we assume).

Holzhauer has amassed $1,691,008 over 22 games. He’s now only behind Ken Jennings in historical regular-game winnings on the show. He’s developed a devilishly effective strategy that has left the viewing audience wondering just how far he’s going to take this streak.

On the May 3 episode, host Alex Trebek had his usual chat with Holzhauer. It was then that he revealed he takes classes at a Ninja gym! Holzhauer said that watching American Ninja Warrior motivated him to start visiting an, “adult playground.” What inspired him? “People looked like they were having fun on the television. I said, ‘That’s for me.”

Holzhauer has already earned more in his time on Jeopardy! than the total grand prize for beating all four stages of the National Finals on American Ninja Warrior. So, we’re not entirely sure how motivated he would be to try out for the show himself.

However, Holzhauer does hail from Las Vegas, NV. Ninja Warrior will be there in just over a month to tape the season 11 National Finals. He’s at least got to stop by and check it out in person! That is, if he’s still not hauling in the cash on Jeopardy! during that time.