What Non-Champion Veteran Has the Best Chance at Winning Vets & New Threats

The 41st season of The Challenge is on the horizon, and half of the cast is made up of veterans. Of these 16 people, half of them are trying to get their first win this season.

Looking at Aneesa, Derek, Leroy, Michaela, Nany, Nia, Olivia, and Theo, we have a fairly strong roster of potential winners — but do any of them actually stand a chance? After all, they won’t just need to deal with the rookies, they’ll also have to outperform the other eight veterans on the cast who are proven winners.

Don’t count anyone out just yet, but some of these non-champ veterans are in better positions that others.

8. Aneesa Ferreira

Credit where it’s due — Aneesa is coming into this season in better shape than All Stars: Rivals. But if she’s going to win, she’ll need to be much faster and have significantly more endurance. I’m not saying she hasn’t improved these skills, but it doesn’t seem likely she’ll be able to outpace people like CT, Cara Maria, or even Nany. She has more losses than any other Challenger, so statistically, she’s unlikely to get a win this season.

7. Nia Moore

Since returning to the Challenge scene on All Stars 3, Nia has had mixed levels of success. She made the final on All Stars 3, went home early on the World Championship, and made it slightly past halfway on Battle of the Eras. She probably has the endurance and strength to win a final, but she could work on her puzzle-solving skills and she definitely needs to improve her eating abilities. However, Nia has also seemed less confident on more recent seasons, and she’ll need to have more faith in herself to take the win.

6. Olivia Kaiser

Olivia is one of the freshest veteran faces on the Challenge with only three appearances under her belt. She made it to the final on her rookie season and she made it fairly far on her other two. She has a pretty good social game, but she’s a Lady of Leisure. This alliance might have the numbers to get to the end, but unless she’s put in a lot of work during the off season, other veterans will be more likely to win in the final.

5. Nany Gonzalez

Nany has done over a dozen Challenges without a win, but she comes into this season as a single woman. This could ignite a new fire under her ass, which might be the motivation she needs to win. If there’s one thing Nany does well, it’s make it far into the game, and we know she can physically handle the final. If she gets the right partner this season, he could supercharge her skills and give her the push she needs to get a first-place finish.

4. Derek Chavez

Derek is the opposite of most of the other people on this list. He’s fast, got endurance, and can blitz through puzzles. If he makes it to the end, he has a great shot at winning. However, he’s the type of person that could struggle in eliminations. He’s strong, but other people are stronger and bulkier. Eventually, someone will want to face him in an elimination, and that’s where the odds aren’t necessarily in his favor.

3. Leroy Garrett

Leroy has more Challenge losses without a win than any other male in the series, so why is he so high on my list? He’s fast, strong, and can excel at eating competitions. If he gets the right partner, they could have a super well-rounded skill set that helps Leroy overcome his struggle points (like puzzles). He also has a lot of friends, so it seems unlikely that people like Bananas, CT, or Nany will voluntarily say Leroy’s name in a vote.

2. Michaela Bradshaw

Michaela went home first on Spies, Lies and Allies, but it seems she just played that game really, really poorly. She later returned to the Challenge: USA 2 and made the final that season. She proved that she’s a very tough competitor, and she played a much smarter social game than on her rookie season. While Michaela doesn’t have the longest resume, the fact that she’s a wildcard on an upward trajectory makes her a competitor with a lot of potential.

1. Theo Campbell

When competitors walk one the Challenge, Theo is the type of opponent they hope isn’t on the season. He’s tall, fast, and pretty smart — so he stands a chance at winning any competition. If he gets a decent partner, they’ll become a super tough team to beat, but if he made the final, he’s a nearly lethal competitor… unless he hurts his leg like he did on the World Championship.