The past few years have given us a lot of Challenge content. We’ve seen competitors return on All Stars, World Championships, and the huge 40-person Battle of the Eras cast. This has allowed some heavy-hitters to redefine their Challenge legacy.
Still, the flagship Challenge seems to have the same veterans appearing over and over, making fans eager to see unexpected players who could disrupt the status quo. These are Challengers who have the potential to play the game and earn power — not just faces that people are eager to see. Also, I’m only looking at the flagship series, not people we want to see on All Stars.
Frank Sweeney
It may be premature to say this, but All Stars: Rivals is likely to go down in Challenge history as an odd season due to its imbalanced casting and heavily neutralized challenges. It resulted in Frank getting a significantly less athletic partner, but he navigated the social game flawlessly. This made viewers eager to see him on a season where he could reach his full athletic potential and play master manipulator.
Kailah Casillas
Kailah had an impressive run on All Stars 3, but when she returned for Ride or Dies, she was the first girl to get the boot. This was a surprise, not just because Kailah is a strong player, but because she’s very connected in the Challenge scene. But a twist on Ride or Dies meant her friends like Bananas, Nany, or Jordan couldn’t save her from going into elimination. Still, Challenge viewers know Kailah has potential and they’re eager to see her reach it on a future season.
Zach Nichols
Love him or hate him, Zach has gone through a bit of a rebrand in current years. The last time we saw him, he had an impressive run on War of the Worlds 2, but he insists behind-the-scenes drama has kept him from getting recast. Over the past five years, Zach may have lost a little muscle, but he gained many friends. He has a podcast and invites a lot of Challengers onto it, and those connections may carry him further in the game than his muscles ever did.
Julie Stoffer
During Era 1, Julie was her own brand of Challenge crazy. She was desperate to win, and this ruffled a lot of feathers, but she also had moments where she displayed impressive achievements. After 17 years away, she returned for Real World: New Orleans Homecoming, and her crazy antics came back with her. However, she’s a distance runner and in good shape. If someone like Rachel or Aviv could return and keep up with the new school players, Julie has the same potential.
Chris Underwood
While the Challenge USA seems to have disappeared from streaming services, people who saw these seasons know that some of the competitors displayed great potential. No one has more hype behind their name than season 2 winner Chris Underwood. He eliminated some heavy hitters from the competition and had a great underdog story. He clearly showed that he’s someone that the veterans ought to fear, and viewers want to see if he can keep his winning streak alive.
Stop Being Polite 