The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion is a season with a lot of unfamiliar faces. You’ve likely seen them all before (at least most of them), but many of the competitors were overshadowed by the veterans. Now, the playing field has been leveled, and rookies have a chance to emerge victorious.
However, there’s power in numbers, and there will be alliances. Coming into the season, here are five major alliances — based on prior seasons and our current knowledge of this one — that could control the game.
Big T, Melissa, and more
Unsurprisingly, the UK girls are closer to each other than the non-UK girls. This puts Big T and Melissa at the center of a potentially disruptive alliance. Zara seems to also be part of the group, and oddly, Big T seems to think Jay will be working with her. These girls may have more extended allies, but they seem to be less stable than Jay.
Jay and friends
Many cast members have small social circles, but Jay seems to be an exception. He has his “Ride or Die” Michele on the cast with him, and she’s recently gained a reputation as a bit of a shape-shifter. He’s also maintained a friendship with Asaf, whom he first met on Total Madness. There are other friendships he’s developed over time, but it seems plausible that Jay could be the glue connecting multiple social groups.
The Ride or Dies Girlies
Olivia, Moriah, Nurys, and Ravyn all made their debuts on Ride or Dies, and it seems that bond has carried over to the next season. While all the ladies could work together as a cohesive unit, it appears that smaller groups of women are willing to take shots at each other. This alliance quickly set a target on the UK girls, though when Jessica delivered her awful self-defense at deliberation, they had no issue taking the easy route by voting her in.
The Men
While the women may not be able to vote as a unit, the men seemed to be on the same page when it comes to voting — and that page read “got a girl out.” If the men continue to work together, they will always have the majority and will continue to pick the women off one by one.
Berna, Michele, and Hughie
Currently, the men have the majority in the house, but that assumes no one waivers. Some males may be more loyal to their female allies. Specifically, Berna seems to be an oddball in the house, but she does have friendships with Michele and Hughie. While they did have an argument in episode 1, Hughie made it clear that he will continue to support Berna. And if he follows through, he could be a swing vote in a pivotal moment.
Stop Being Polite 