page_title: American Ninja Warrior
section_title: Presenters
hierarchical_section_title: American Ninja Warrior / Series overview / Presenters
caption_attribution_description: English: The broadcaster position, where hosts Matt Iseman and Akbar Gbaja-Biamila narrate and commentate on athletes' runs, here seen set up for the Indianapolis City Qualifier and City Finals competitions during American Ninja Warrior season 8. Some of Monument Circle can be seen in the background.
context_page_description: American Ninja Warrior is an American sports entertainment competition based on the Japanese television series Sasuke. It features hundreds of competitors attempting to complete series of obstacle courses of increasing difficulty in various cities across the United States, in hopes of advancing to the national finals on the Las Vegas Strip and becoming the season's "American Ninja Warrior."
  To date, only Isaac Caldiero, Geoff Britten, and Drew Drechsel have finished the course and achieved "total victory". Caldiero and Drechsel are the only competitors to win the cash prize. The series premiered on December 12, 2009, on the now-defunct cable channel G4, and airs now on NBC with encore episodes showing on NBCSN. Since 2020, the show also airs on Spanish-language network Telemundo.
context_section_description: During each episode, the play-by-play announcer and color commentator provide play-by-play on a competitor's run on the course while the sideline reporter introduces the obstacles and interviews competitors.
  American Ninja Warrior was originally hosted by G4's Blair Herter and Alison Haislip.
  In the second season, comedian and television host Matt Iseman joined the show, replacing Herter. Producers were fond of his knowledge of sports and lighthearted, enthusiastic delivery. Additionally, MMA fighter Jimmy Smith was brought in as co-host while Haislip was assigned to the new sideline reporter position. The panel remained the same throughout season three.
  For season four, Olympic medalist Jonny Moseley was brought in as the new color commentator, replacing Smith. Producers believed his experience as a freestyle skier would bring a unique perspective to the series. Meanwhile, sportscaster and television presenter Angela Sun replaced Haislip.
  For season five, two newcomers were introduced. Sports analyst and former NFL player Akbar Gbaja-Biamila replaced Moseley, while ESPN sportscaster and model Jenn Brown replaced Sun as sideline reporter. Gbaja-Biamila was contacted to audition for the role of co-host in Los Angeles after being seen on the NFL Network by one of the series' executive producers. The season five panel remained the same through the sixth season.
  For season seven, CBS Sports reporter Kristine Leahy joined the show as the new sideline reporter, replacing Brown, and remained on the show through season 10.
  Iseman and Gbaja-Biamila returned to host the eleventh season along with new sideline reporter Zuri Hall.
caption: The broadcast position for host Matt Iseman and co-host Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, seen here in the eighth season alongside a city course
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