Matt Iseman & Akbar Gbajabiamila claim ‘American Ninja Warrior’ has had “more marriages’ than the entire ‘Bachelor’ franchise: “Probably more babies too!”

After hosting American Ninja Warrior together for the last 14 years, Matt Iseman and Akbar Gbajabiamila know each other inside and out. With the hit NBC reality competition franchise back for its 18th season, the two are constantly in awe of how these athletes have evolved and forced the sport to evolve with them. Though Iseman assured fans that Mount Midoriyama, the show’s former final obstacle, is “not necessarily gone forever,” the series had to feature the speed and skills of its athletes by incorporating a racing element.

Accordingly, fans this season will see ninjas race head-to-head-to-head in the Triple Header course. “This was the most electric new edition of the show we’ve had in a long time,” said Iseman. “The sport is so much more fast paced now,” added Gbajabiamila. The world has certainly taken notice, announcing that obstacle racing will be incorporated into the Modern Pentathlon at the next Olympics. “There’s no better way to prepare than out on the course going head-to-head,” said Gbajabiamila.

While Iseman and Gbajabiamila love the sport of ninja, they also love the community it fosters . “Ninjas are such a special breed of people,” said Iseman. Over the years, the duo has watched the child athletes they first met on American Ninja Warrior Jr. become the fiercest competitors on the main show. “This is one of those sports that is not just about your ability, but your ability to put the work in day in and day out, to learn from failure, and continue to evolve,” said Iseman.

Iseman and Gbajabiamila stopped by the Decider studio to talk about the season, dish on some of their favorite ninjas, and much more.

DECIDER: Back again for Season 18! What changes to the format can viewers expect this season?

MATT ISEMAN: We’ve done regions in the past, but for Season 18, we’ve divided the competitions into west, central and east. In the regional finals, we’re introducing the triple header course. We’ve had ninjas go head-to-head before, but now this is head-to-head-to-head! This is the most electric new edition of the show we’ve had in a long time.

AKBAR GBAJABIAMILA: It really is. The show is constantly evolving. It used to be a longer, more drawn-out show/sport where you would watch these individual ninjas tackle the obstacles solo on the course. Now, these ninjas are testing their limits by racing opposite each other. The sport is so much more fast paced now.

This new format looks a little bit Olympic-y. You see what I did there? The ninjas know the show is getting ready to go to the Olympics. There’s no better way to prepare than out on the course going head-to-head.

Did you two miss Mount Midoriyama?

MI: Yeah, Mount Midoriyama was great. It really was what the show was built around. What’s great is that Mount Midoriyama is not necessarily gone forever. We’re always talking about how to evolve the show, and sometimes you go back to go forward. So, we’re not saying it’s gone, but we’ve been tailoring the show to follow the evolution of these ninjas as they just get faster and faster on the course.

I do have to ask: will we see two-time champ Vance Walker back on the course this season?

AG: Well, you’re just going to have to wait and see. Vance had two back-to-back remarkable seasons. Everyone wants to see if that’s going to happen again. Season 18 has got a lot of surprises, not to mention there’s even a little Cinderella story or two in there.

Well, we know the reigning champ Kai Beckstrand is back from last year’s triumph. What’s it been like to watch him evolve over the years?

MI: I remember when his dad, Brian, first came on the show. I remember seeing Kai and his siblings on the sidelines. We met Kai on ANW Jr., where he first tasted victory on the course. Now, he’s grown into this young man who has become a firefighter and who recently got married. It’s been wonderful to watch. Brian trained Kai, Luke, and Bailey into ferocious competitors who just don’t give up. When something is hard, they’re going to work even harder to overcome it. That quality is what makes a great ninja, and Kai is one of the greatest.

Let’s get into the first episode. I love that you two and co-host Zuri Hall share your predictions about which ninja will have the fastest time of the night.

AG: We had a lot of fun just going back and forth. If you watch across the landscape of sports, a lot of broadcasters can’t do what we do. We banter, we cut up, and share our knowledge of the sport and its competitors in a cool way. It was nice to share our predictions on camera. I’m better at it as far as picking the fastest competitors—

MI: Here we go. This is so you!

AG: But Matt, I’m better at picking. We’re in Vegas. All the little companies like FanDuel, they’re calling me and saying, hey, can you help us? Like, no, sorry, I can do this only for Ninja. You know, I’m really good at it [laughs]. All right? You know, I’m like, 100% right.

MI: He’s the soothsayer, the oracle [laughs].

Josiah Pippel really stands out this episode and not just because he got the fastest time of the night. Who are some other ninjas to watch this season?

AG: Jessie Graff. We’ve seen Donovan Metoyer come out here in a full-on suit, but Jessie Graff ran the course in heels! These ninjas got some little quirky things that they do, but it works. They’re so athletic. I dare anyone to go out there and try to run a ninja course in heels. Only she can do it.

MI: I’m really looking forward to the Mylers being back out there . We met the Ninja Kidz back on ANW Jr. so long ago. They’ve built this entire YouTube empire, and then they come on our show and they put it all on the line. I just give them so much credit. If they fell on the first obstacle, they could risk that athletic identity they created. It was like when Stephen Amell came on the show as Arrow and crushed the course. He wasn’t afraid to risk his image, just like the Ninja Kidz aren’t afraid to risk theirs. That’s why I’m so impressed by them.

Let’s talk about the course a bit. What makes the Roller Bag so diabolical?

AG: TSA couldn’t even check that luggage! The design was great on it, but our ninjas stepped up to the challenge. They weren’t afraid. They just wanted to come out and compete.

MI: Extracting the handle from the roller bag suspended in the air and then having to latch with it is crazy! It was interesting to watch the ninjas strategize as they approached it. You could see people thinking, “how much pull is it going to take? How much will it zap me when I get thrown?” One of the things we see with our great ninjas is their insane problem-solving abilities, which is what an obstacle like Roller Bag requires.

I love that the Cowboy Ninja, Lance Pekus, mic’d up during his run on the course. If you could mic up any other ninja on the course, who would it be and why?

AG: For me, it would be the Flyboy Ninja Isaiah Thomas. I love him because he’s got a lot of personality. He’s not afraid to put his emotions and his thoughts out there. I’ll still never forget his first buzzer where he yelled, “I am him!” [Laughs] It was cool to see that element this season. You see that a lot in the NFL with their players miced up. It felt special to get to hear ninjas” thoughts as they’re going through the obstacles.

MI: I love Taylor Johnson because she is very vocal. We don’t need a mic to pick her up because we hear her anyway [laughs]. It’s always fascinating to hear a ninja going through the obstacles.

It was mentioned that Kaden Lebsack and Katie Bone were dating in the first episode, which made me feel old because I remember their ANW Jr. days. What’s it been like to watch these ninjas grow into adults over the course of the series?

AG: I’ve seen this with my own kids. They were small just yesterday and then boom, today they’re teenagers. My daughter just went to prom as a junior, and I’m going, wait, what? How did we get there? When I look at these young ninjas who have come up on the show, it does make me feel old, but it’s so cool that we get to grow right alongside them. We feel like father figures. We’re happy for Kaden and Katie. They’re such a good couple.

MI: It was really cool to see them go from ANW Jr. to the big show. This is one of those sports that is not just about your ability, but your ability to put the work in day in and day out, to learn from failure, and continue to evolve. Ninjas are such a special breed of people. It’s been so great that they found each other in this community. There’s so much positivity.

AG: So many people have found their person through doing ninja.

MI: I think we’ve had more marriages than that other dating show has. The one with roses, but I’m not going to give them any free advertising [laughs]. We’ve had quite a few marriages.

AG: Probably more babies too!

Lastly, what can you tease about the upcoming season?

MI: It’s fast. Some of the head-to-head racing was so unbelievable. Despite the fact that we’re making predictions, we just couldn’t predict how some of these races turned out. You see some David versus Goliath battles and some incredible ninjas. At the same time, you’ll also see fan-favorite ninjas sit there in the water as someone else goes by them. It’s heartbreaking, but it’s what makes the show so special.

AG: The action speaks for itself this season. It really does.

American Ninja Warrior Season 18 airs Monday nights at 8/7c on NBC.