10 Eliminations Where the Underdog Emerged Victorious

Everyone loves a good underdog story, and The Challenge has no shortage of them.

It’s not uncommon for elimination match ups to be perceived as lopsided, and usually, the front-runner comes out victorious. There have also been times when David beat Goliath and an unexpected competitor emerged with the win.

These 10 eliminations watched an unexpected victor return to the game while a strong competitor was sent packing. I’ll consider multiple factors here, like the elimination game, track records, and other external variables. But, you usually know a jaw-dropping victory when you see it, and these eliminations left jaws on the floor.

10. CT vs. Nehemiah (Battle of the Eras)

There’s no denying that CT had some poor performances on The Challenge, but his career was at an all-time high coming into season 40. He won his two prior appearances — Double Agents and Spies, Lies and Allies — and he was the perceived captain of the Era 1 team. So, it was a surprise to see Nehemiah beat him in Getting Hammered, especially because Nehemiah lost to CT on Rivals and CT had worked construction jobs outside of The Challenge.

9. Frank vs. MJ (The Gauntlet 3)

When MJ joined the rookies team as a late arrival, he was immediately viewed as the muscle on the team. Meanwhile, Frank was playing the game strategically, but a good number of his teammates wanted him off the team. So, when the two faced each other in Ankle Breaker, viewers were surprised to see Frank defeat MJ by taking a methodical approach in an otherwise physical game.

8. Derrick vs. Syrus (The Gauntlet 2)

Early into The Gauntlet 2, Derrick had established himself as a tough competitor, but we still hadn’t seen the full extent of his skills. When he faced Syrus in Beach Brawl, it felt like Derrick was not competition for someone Syrus’ size. However, Derrick used his smaller stature to gain leverage and defeat his larger opponent. After this, other competitors gave Derrick more respect as a team captain, and viewers weren’t quite as surprised to see him take out Mark on Battle of the Eras.

7. Alton & Nany vs. Robb & Marie (Battle of the Seasons)

Battle of the Seasons was full of fresh faces, but Alton stood out as one of the veterans with the most skills and experience. He started off the season doing well, but eventually, he clashed with almost all of the rookies. When he faced the two St. Thomas rookies, he was likely checked out of the game. But the fact that a Challenge great had bowed out in such a fashion was a surprise to most Challenge viewers.

6. Darrell & Cara Maria vs. Jillian & Pete (Fresh Meat 2)

After winning the first Fresh Meat season, Darrell established himself as one of the best Challengers ever. Despite getting DQed on The Ruins, his abilities in the game remained unquestioned. Then, he was sent into the first Exile this season with a still-unproven Cara Maria. It felt like Jill and Pete, the smaller team, would have been doomed. Instead, the race integrated puzzles, and that was enough to knock the four-time champ out of the game.

Sarah & Katelynn vs. Jasmine & Jonna (Rivals)

By the time Rivals rolled around, Sarah had established herself as a formidable Challenger, but she was really noted as being a puzzle master. When she was spoon-fed Unburied, a game based on a simple puzzle, she should have won with ease. Unknown to Sarah, Jonna was also great at puzzles. Plus, Sarah’s troubled communication with Katelynn was a recipe for disaster, and Sarah was sent home because of two rookies and a puzzle.

4. Wes vs. Cohutta (The Ruins)

Coming into The Ruins, Wes had an impeccable elimination record, but he was also a huge burden to the Champion team. By the time he faced Cohutta in Spool, Wes had already eliminated two members of the Challenger team and had a 8-0 elimination record across his three seasons. Then, to the shock of most people, Cohutta outperformed Wes and handed him his first loss.

3. Jordan vs. Josh (War of the Worlds 2)

It’s no secret that Jordan is a beast on The Challenge, and he’s not one to demand special treatment for his disability. But it seemed that a one-handed person wouldn’t stand a chance in End of the Rope, a glorified game of tug-of-war, against any two-handed person. Instead, Jordan played a strategic game, watched Josh like a hawk, and figured out how to get Josh to self-destruct.

2. Tina vs. Emily (Battle of the Eras)

Emily was a highly anticipated return on The Challenge’s flagship 40th season, especially when we consider that she had never lost an elimination in the past. So, most people expected Tina to be dead on arrival when facing Emily in The Arena. Instead, the two girls played Getting Hammered, and Tina secretly had skills as a woodworker. This meant she could remove all of her nails with ease, Emily fell behind and got flustered, and Tina earned a shocking victory.

1. CT vs. Jay (Total Madness)

On War of the Worlds 2, CT wasn’t in his best shape, but he was still respected in the competition and got to the end fairly easily. On Total Madness, it was a different story. CT had to prove his ability in an elimination, but luckily, he had just won a challenge. He was facing Jay, his opponent of choice, in Take Shelter, a variation of Knot So Fast. It felt like Jay was at a severe disadvantage, so it was utterly surprising to see Jay strategically disassemble the mess CT made and beat the multi-season champ very early into the season.