Matt Iseman & Akbar Gbajabiamila on Their Special Bond and Season 18 Changes

With the summer months really starting to heat up, so does the competition of American Ninja Warrior. Season 18 premieres June 8 with the Western Regional qualifiers on NBC. This time around ninjas from the West, Central, and East will battle it out for a spot in the new Regional Finals on the road to the National Finals in Las Vegas. Calling the action on the course are the excitable Matt Iseman and Akbar Gbajabiamila, along with co-host Zuri Hall. 

Another addition this year is what’s described as a three lane racecourse called the Tripleheader. Participants will go head to head to head in high speed, side by side competition One thing carried over is the all-racing format with the winner walking away with $250,000. No matter how long Iseman and  Gbajabiamila have been watching these athletes, their passion has only grown. 

That was evident when we sat down with the two to preview what’s to come. 

AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR — Pictured: (l-r) Matt Iseman, Akbar Gbajabiamila — (Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC)

Your longevity with the series is pretty incredible going into Season 18. Put that into perspective as longtime hosts. 

Akbar Gbajabiamila: Well, first he just called us old, Matt [laughs].

Matt Iseman: I think the show has stuck to what it has always been. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things and the incredible storytelling that gives you a reason to care about these athletes. That has what it has always been about. All of it stems from we just keep getting these incredible athletes who are so courageous about sharing their story. I think you’re sitting at home watching. We get a chance to see parents, mothers, sons, daughters and go out there and leave their full-time jobs and have these struggles in life. You see yourself in these athletes. I think that’s the thick of the show. 

Akbar: I think it also comes down to the adaptability of the show. It says a lot. I think about the NFL for example. I think it has adapted its rules to the speed of the game with what the fans want and the excitement of pass play. We’ve seen that. Ninja has as well where we’ve seen the evolution of the head-to-head-to-head type of match-ups. This is the generation where we are seeing a lot more of the short attention spans. Let’s be honest. You need that action. In the book reading club it’s the page turners. This season like the one previously, we’re seeing a lot of the page turners where it’s, “Oh man, I can’t look away or pick up my phone because I have to watch this because there is that much action.” It’s a credit to all of us as hosts, Zuri, and the producers to be able to change and manipulate the format to meet the modern-day athlete and modern-day fans. 

When was the moment you knew this was a special partnership between the two of you? 

Matt: Honestly, it was the very first day. The great thing is when he came in, the thing I immediately recognized was, and this is what surprised me. Because he played in the NFL and was a tremendous athlete and been around so many tremendous athletes, the thing I loved about him was that he was still impressed by the athletes and what we were seeing from these everyday people. That’s the thing he and I have shared. We have this wild enthusiasm. What we love about the show, you watch the NFL and it’s Joe Buck and Troy Aikman. They have to try to be impartial. Not us. We are cheering for these athletes. We are pulling for them. We want them to do well. It’s not our money we’re giving away. It’s NBC’s. We love giving away the money. He and I have shared that energy of we are all for the athletes, and we are so impressed by what they do. 

Akbar: I think another part of it is Matt is freakin’ wicked smart. He is wicked clever. I come in, and he and I prepare differently than Matt. Matt can recall stuff. I have to study my stuff. I have my little thing, but what I try to do is infuse a little bit of pop culture. In my mind, I have a silent competition with Matt. I’m always dropping little things here and there mid-call. Like a freakin’ NBA all-star, he just picks up the ball and slam dunks it. I think that is what makes chemistry. We have this nonverbal communication, but in my head, it’s loud. Like, “Wait until I drop this one. He won’t know this one.” He’ll just pick it right up and keep going and won’t even break stride. I’ll look at him mid-call and be like, “Bro, you weren’t supposed to get that.” That’s chemistry right there. You can’t buy that. It’s just chemistry. I knew this was a cool dude. 

Matt: What I think people forget too is we’re doing this all night long, night after night. There are times we’re there until 3 and 4 in the morning. You’re just going through it. You feel this comradery. The thing I just love about Akbar, and I’m trying to do this as well, is his energy just never drops. In between runs, we may be falling down and need a Reese’s, but as soon as somebody gets on the course both of us are completely focused. That’s because at any moment you might see something you’ll never forget. That’s the hook of the show. Every run could be heartbreak, but it can also be a triumph. 

As you’ve gotten to know each other through the years, is there anything you found out about each other that would surprise people? I know you two are tight like brothers, but is there anything you’re bothered by the other or tolerate? 

Akbar: I’m the cleanest eater of the bunch. Whenever we start filming, he corrupts me. Then before I know it I go to my vices like the Reese’s peanut butter cup. I always start my first day on set where I want my nice drinks, clean drinks and clean food and snacks. I plan to be so good because these late night shoots you could eat like trash. Then here comes Matt with some trash food. Before you know it the aroma gets you, the candy tempts you. Then before you know it, we’re spinning out of control. By Day 2, I’m already eating poorly. 

Matt: It is a hundred percent true. I have terrible eating habits. I will tell you the thing that surprised me about Akbar. We were in Miami very early on. You talk about late shoots. Someone brought us a Cuban coffee, essentially motor oil with pure distilled caffeine. Akbar took three of them. We think he is having a heart attack. Like man you took in enough caffeine to keep a blue whale up for a month. The crazy thing is Akbar has become a coffee connoisseur. This guy has become a master espresso maker, late maker. He is going through this journey of starting out by hand grinding things and traveling to Italy to learn more. One of the thing I love about Akbar is when he starts out, he become obsessed. He learns all about it. Now, forget Starbucks. I ask Akbar to bring me one of his coffees. Those are the best on the planet. 

Akbar: By the way I just picked up some beans from Nigeria last month. They just started producing. Shoutout to Mai Shayi Coffee in Abuja. I’ve had Costa Rican beans. I’ve had Guatemalan beans. I’ve had beans from Italy. I’ve had them from a lot of places including Ethiopia. But never from Nigeria. I do love some coffee for sure. It definitely started with that set in Miami. 

AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR — “Regional Finals” Episode — Pictured: (l-r) — (Photo by: Scott Everett White/NBC)

Ninja producers are always looking to tweak or add. Tell me about the new Tripleheader.

Matt: We saw this in head-to-head racing. When you watch the athletes and how they train year round. They are not building four-stage courses. They are building head-to-head race courses. We saw these ninjas push themselves through speed. Our producers are always asking what’s next, what’s bigger, what’s better. When they came up with the Tripleheader, we were thinking how this was even going to work. The thing I loved about it is it’s never over. With the Tripleheader course, you have two people advancing. It looks like it’s done, but until two people hit that buzzer there is always a chance. The thing we loved is you never knew how a race was going to shake out and having not just one person out there, but two people change strategy and move up the pressure. It was something we didn’t know how it would turn out and it ended up being one of my favorite parts of the season. 

Akbar: I agree. You talk about Ninja, which always has a flare for the dramatic things we have going on. This one reminded me I know there will be Ninja obstacles in the Olympics, but this reminds me of a track and field meet. You’re going, “Who is going to break away?” You can see some of the ninjas who might get that midway burst, and boom, come out of nowhere just when you thought it was over and surprise everyone. That element meets the fans where they are with the excitement. I think that is where television is right now. You better bring some drama for your mama if you’re going to get eyeballs watch the show. We know we’re in different times where people’s attentions are divided and fractured with devices in hand. You remember those commercials that were like, “Bet you can’t eat one chip.”…I bet you can’t watch Ninja this season with your phone in your hand. You just can’t because it is that fast-paced, that energetic, and it really is exciting. Then there is the fandom about it too. You’re invested in the race, the story, and invested in the legacy of the show. 

There is also the fastest pick of the night where you Matt, Akbar, and Zuri predict who will post the fastest time of the night. Do you get a trophy or is there a bet made? 

Matt: It’s bragging rights. That’s one of the things we learned when we started this. Akbar played in the NFL. I played in college. You think you know athletes and you can eyeball somebody. I was genuinely surprised. We always have this friendly rivalry of who knows the show or the athletes. That’s how this idea came to be. Who do you think will go the fastest? It was such a fun time. Again, we’re picking and have all the science behind it but in the end we don’t know either. That’s what makes it fun. Seeing who gets bragging rights because we all love to brag. 

Akbar: I will say this was one of the very first rules when I came into Season 5 of Ninja Warrior. I remember Matt early on, “Hey, you don’t want to start guessing who is going to do what. You never know.”  You think one person isn’t going to make it and then, boom, you get a Kacy Catanzaro. This time around we have let it breathe a little bit and have fun with it. You watch an athlete. I was just at my son’s track meet. I’m looking at all the 100-meter runners and the age group after him. I’m looking at the 16 or 17-year-old runners and I can just tell that the one in Lane 3 is going to win. I could just tell. You don’t know these guys but start picking up on little different cues. It’s kind of the same thing with Ninja. Because the course changes from year-to-year, yes you know  how good this athlete is. But you don’t know how it is going to turn out. You pick up on some cues like this guy is going to win this one or that one. It creates a different dynamic between myself, Matt, and Zuri where we get to go back and forth and rub it in someone’s face. Of course, I’m always right. I can spot the athlete.

Scott Everett White/NBC

You talked about drama. I’m glad you all have kept the all-race format after last year and are building on that. What stands out about this season for you? 

Matt: Not that it is new, but the coolest thing I think hammers home is family. We have Sandy Zimmerman out there competing with her kids and husband. We have Ryan Beckstrand who has been competing since i believe season 6 or 7 competing with his son Kai, who won last year. His son Luke and now his daughter Baylee are out there. I love the family because sometimes you’ll see maybe one racing another. To me, I love seeing generations competing on this show. It is what this show is. Families watch this show together. Grandparents watch with their grandkids. It’s one of those shows that brings people together. It’s so cool to see that on the course this year. How much family there really is. 

We’re going to see some Ninja Warrior style obstacles going into the Modern Pentathlon in the Los Angeles Summer Olympics 2028. I can’t think of a better team to call that action. 

Akbar: That’s what I’m talking about. From your mouth to God’s ears. That would be a dream. Seriously, I might pass out if we got the phone call saying hey you and Matt will be going to be commentating or broadcasting the Olympics. I don’t even know what I would do with myself. I would lose my mind. 

Matt: This is going to be the most anticipated of the 2028 Olympics. Forget swimming, gymnastics, or the 100-meter, everyone is going to watch the Modern Pentathlon. You know Mike Tirico is going to lose his mind. 

Akbar: Mike Tirico does it all and so darn good. It would be pretty fun, but it’s also cool to see the evolution. To see this evolution and have a portion of our show with the obstacles inside the Modern Pentathlon. That’s pretty dope. There is no show that has done anything like that before. We have really created a lane for ourselves. 

Matt: The Paris Olympics is where we saw Breakdancing come in. But I think what started out as a reality competition show has become so recognizable as a part of the Olympics. That is such a testament to the show and what it has become. To be able to be a part of that for as long as we had, it makes you feel like we have been a part of something much bigger than just a TV show.

Akbar: I will say this. By the grace of God because Scott you said it. When Matt and I get that call, I just want to wear that jacket. I want to wear the jacket!. I don’t have an Emmy, Super Bowl ring. I have some high school championship rings. I don’t have a college award or accolades like that. But right there you couldn’t take that away from me. That jacket would be sitting right here in my office. I’m just going to frame it here in my office. 

American Ninja Warrior Season 18 premiere, June 8, 9/8c, NBC (Next Day on Peacock)