The Challenge can be a stressful game, and it requires mental strength to get to the end. In some cases, people are ready to go the distance, but in other cases, competitors lose focus at the first sign of adversity.
These people didn’t put up much of a fight when they were sent into the first elimination. They squandered opportunities to keep themselves safe, and they didn’t show the mental grit needed to make it past week one. I am not counting people like Jo, who outright quit. For this reason, I am looking at the first elimination people were eligible to compete in. For example, the first male and female eliminations will count on The Inferno.
10. Chet Cannon (Free Agents)
Chet was put in a tough position this season after he was randomly assigned as a captain and his team lost the first daily challenge. He became an easy target for the first elimination, but by all accounts, he was going to fight. Then, he split his chin open during Balls In thanks to the shield on his helmet. He could have continued to fight through the injury, but he elected to remove himself once he realized stitches were needed. While he could have done more, I can never fault him for wanting to address his injury rather than potentially worsen it.
9. Jenn Lee (Total Madness)
To summarize, Jenn’s strategy this season was: flirt with Rogan, look pretty, and follow Wes’ advice. So, she got completely played and was sent into the first elimination. All of the girls pounced on the opportunity to compete against her, but can you really blame them? Jenn barely flipped one switch in Flip the Switch.
8. Jon Brennan (The Inferno 2)
Though he initially avoided the first Inferno, Jon volunteered himself to replace The Miz when the Lifeshield came into play. He claimed that this was some effort to rise up and protect his team, akin to the works of Jesus, and he did protect his teammates, but the Bad Asses were likely thanking him once Dan won in Hang Tough.
7. Ace Amerson (The Inferno)
It was all good until Ace saw bugs. Sure, he felt a little defeated when he was the first person sent into The Inferno, but he still had a fighting chance. Then, he had to stick his head in the Bug Helmet, and he noped out of there in about 10 seconds. Sure, that’s a gross elimination, but can we really say Ace tried?
6. Wes Bergmann (Battle of the Seasons)
If you watched The Challenge: Untold Stories, you’ll know Wes has openly admitted that there are seasons where he didn’t really try. Nowhere is this more apparent than on Battle of the Seasons. He lost in the first elimination (the first Hall Brawl ever), and he knowingly picked Lacey to compete with him in a physical Arena. Due to this decision, he left exes Danny and Melinda to continue in the game as the first team of two, which became a further death sentence for Team Austin.
5. Robin Hibbard (Rivals)
If you told me that Jessica modeled her speech on Battle for a New Champion after Robin’s Rivals speech, I’d believe you. Robin tried to keep herself safe by telling people their vote “didn’t matter” and by talking in circles. Admittedly, Robin is someone who knows she’s not good at eliminations, so even though she tried to win, it’s clear that nerves consumed her before she set foot in The Jungle.
4. Joseph Allen (Double Agents)
Watching Double Agents, it immediately became clear that Joseph’s head was not in the game — not even close. At the first male elimination, he set his target on Wes and tried to propose everyone vote Wes in, but really, this just painted an even larger target on Joseph’s back. Then, he went into elimination and licked mustard like he was going to become Popeye eating spinach. Did it help? Yes, assuming his goal was to get a flight home.
3. Jessica Brody (Battle for a New Champion)
By the time Jessica was in The Arena, people were already counting her out. She definitely did try to win, but after her speech at the deliberation, nobody was trying to save her. Jessica told people to keep her around because she didn’t have much chance at winning the season, and if she made it further in the game, she’d be easy to pick off down the road.
2. Dunbar Merrill (Rivals 2)
Dunbar didn’t outright quit this season, but he did everything but explicitly quit. Coming into the season, it felt like he wanted to play for the prize. Then, he was paired with Tyrie. Admittedly, Tyrie doesn’t have the best track record, but he did seem to be in his best physical shape this time around. However, Dunbar mentally checked out once he got his partner. The he stumbled through the season’s first challenge and elimination — perhaps intentionally.
1. Alex Smith (The Gauntlet 3)
It seems like Alex just wanted to continue the party he started on The Real World: Denver. He went into the first Gauntlet of the season with no fight, and he kind of tried at first. But his opponent, Nehemiah, wasn’t really the one who defeated him. After the sun got too intense, he decided The Challenge wasn’t for him.
Stop Being Polite 