Was Melissa Wrong for Kicking Nurys?

If there’s one thing we know about The Challenge, it’s that balls and mud make the best competitions. Why? Because they’re games that generally allow for some physical contact.

Recently, we saw Bingo Bango, and it seemed like the game might underwhelm because one team was throwing the competition. But, we did get a few controversial moments, and we can thank Melissa and Nurys for that.

The first time, the 55 ball was dropped. Nurys’ team already retrieved that ball, so they had no use for it, but she jumped into the mud with the sole purpose of sabotaging Melissa — and it worked. Berna retrieved the 55 ball.

The second time, Nurys’ team needed the 31 ball. In this round, she jumped in the mud and helped Zara get the ball, even though it would have given her team the win. This is because the US alliance wanted the blue team (Zara’s team) to get the victory.

After this, it became super obvious to Melissa that there was a plan to sabotage the turquoise team — which was the team with Melissa and Big T. So, she kicked Nurys for helping Zara and pinning her down in the mud.

Some people cried foul, but other people appreciated the gameplay. But, was Melissa actually in the wrong?

In defense of Nurys, the round was over. Zara got out of the mud, and there was no ball in play. So, it seems reasonable that the tackling should also stop. Clearly, Melissa’s kick was out of anger and frustration, and there seemed to be no strategy that would warrant any kicks.

To defend Melissa, this is a game that allowed tackling. Her kick was not more aggressive than other moves permitted in the competition, and because Nurys helped Zara to get the 31 ball, there would be more rounds in the game. Any move to hinder your opponent, whether it be a physical or psychological attack, was fair game because the challenge wasn’t over.

In the end, there was no foul. Melissa wasn’t penalized, so her kick wasn’t explicitly forbidden. In that regard, Melissa is not in the wrong, especially when you consider the fact that Nurys wasn’t playing the game to win.

But, Nurys’ anger is totally justified. The kick was personal, not strategic. In fact, Melissa did it to be confrontational, and she got the exact response she was hoping to receive.

If I had to pick a side, I’d probably go with Melissa’s, just because this is a reality show, not a real sport. But I can’t hate on Nurys for her response.