American Ninja Warrior: Two Earn the Title – But Who Won $1 Million?

Early seasons of the American series sent top finishers to Japan’s “Mt. Midoriyama”, as the course, constructed in a Yokohama parking lot, is called; it has since been re-created in Las Vegas. Veterans and fan favorites Brian Arnold, who up until Monday (Sept. 14) had gone farther in the “American Ninja Warrior” competition than anyone else, and Brent Steffenson both went out on Stage 2 of the course.

On the Season 7 finale of NBC’s American Ninja Warrior this Monday, not one but two competitors – 33-year-old bus boy/professional rock climber Isaac Caldiero, and 36-year-old cameraman/dad Geoff Britten – conquered Stage 3, which involved a stretch of four obstacles where you feet never touch the ground.

Their final task: Climb a 75-foot rope in 30 seconds. Britten completed stage four with less than one second left. (That’s his old run from Pittsburgh in the video above.) Giddy and exhausted, Britten and his family cheered: He was the first Ninja Warrior. Caldiero finished with three seconds to spare and took home the grand prize of $1 million.

McCartney’s dad, brother, girlfriend and coworkers came to Las Vegas to cheer the Knoxville native on.

Ron McCartney said Grant’s mother even tried to have him early, so she could play in a state tennis tournament the next week. “I don’t think he harbors any ill will about it. He’s just so happy to have done what he’s done”.

McCartney also got choked up in an interview before he took on the obstacle course.