Everything is better with your best friends! The competitors on American Ninja Warrior have always been a community, but Dan Polizzi and Brandon Mears share a special love. Together, the firefighters are the “Towers of Power.” The two have been training and competing on the show since season five.

The goal for them has always been to take down all the stages together, but it just hasn’t happened. They’ve never qualified for the National Finals in the same year.

That all changed at the Cincinnati City Finals when they BOTH hit the buzzer. It was the first City Finals buzzer for both of them, and it promised them both a spot in Vegas. Needless to say, it was very special for the two guys.

Before they both get the chance to face Stage One, Dan gave us some insight on what it’s like to achieve a goal that was seven years in the making, with your best bro by your side.

“I got to compete in the City Finals in Cincinnati, and I have to say it was, definitely by far, my most exciting experience in a City Finals I’ve had yet, out of seven seasons.

I’ve always wanted to complete an entire City Finals course and have always wanted to complete a City Finals course alongside my fellow bro, Tower of Power, Brandon Mears, and that finally happened after seven seasons. We actually did it, and I can’t even explain how excited I was. I mean, it was probably the best feeling in Ninja Warrior history for me, because it’s been something in the making for awhile.

I was so close to beating the City Finals last year, and that’s been a goal of mine. But then to step it up and have both of us complete it, made it just that much better. It was awesome.”

“It’s weird, actually. It kind of feels like every time we’ve gotten to the Vegas finals, it’s one of us makes it, one of us doesn’t. So if we’re out here, we’re usually out here together, but one’s not really competing. That’s what we experienced in the past. So both being here, getting ready, doing interviews, getting our mental game plan together. It’s kind of like, it’s cool, like it’s fun, but also at the same time weird because it hasn’t happened in the past. This is the first time.”

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“Actually, the weird thing to say is I really don’t feel as nervous this year. I think I always get nervous. There’s no way (to avoid it). It’s just human nature. You’re going to be a little bit nervous about competing. You want to do well. But I feel a little less nervous, and I think part of is because, having both of us here in Vegas just is fun. It’s cool. It’s just like a fun experience, because we’re both here and we just really want to enjoy it. It’s cool that we can sit and talk about these obstacles together -- how are we going to tackle it, how we’re going to take it on. And all we’ve done is train and prepare for this moment. So it’s just a matter of going out there and having fun with it.

I kind of feel like in the past where if only one of us makes it, you feel like your performance is resting on both your shoulders, and you’re representing both of us. So it’s a lot more pressure on just one person. I think this is cool. We’re just going to go out and have fun.”

“As far as my expectations, I always expect more, like as much as possible for myself. I want to get farther than I’ve always done before. That’s always my goal. I made it to Stage Two. I feel like I’m highly capable to beat Stage Two, and I want to keep moving forward.

So if I could at least make it anywhere farther than I did the previous year or in the past, I’d be happy with my performance. I know that my goal, obviously, is to beat all of it. That’s what I trained for and that’s what I’m gonna shoot for, but I just hope to keep improving.”