Vets & New Threats is getting ready to debut, and it seems the “New Threats” are going to have their work cut out for them. There are a lot of tough competitors on this cast, but some of the most threatening veteran competition isn’t on the roster.
Aside from the 16 veterans who made the cut, these Challengers would have been great additions to the cast — either because of their level of competition, their unfinished storylines, or because casting them wouldn’t feel super repetitive.
Shane Landrum
All Stars has been the start of a redemption arc for a few Challengers (like Jonna and Derek), and Shane seems to be the next one poised for a big comeback. He made his first final on All Stars: Rivals, narrowly losing, and he seems to be in good shape to return to the main series. He stands a chance at winning, but if nothing else, he’s proven himself to be a threat.
Rachel Robinson
Battle of the Eras was filled with a lot of major Challenge stars, but this season truly felt like the debut of Rachel 3.0. After all, she won (along with Jenny) for the women, so we know she’s still capable of performing well. She’s also a Challenger who’s taken long breaks, so her return wouldn’t feel overly repetitive. However, there’s also a part of me that feels Rachel believes her season 40 win is a satisfying end of her Challenge career.
Wes Bergmann
I know, Wes is retired or whatever, but he’s taken breaks before and returned. In fact, he took a significant break from the main series after Rivals 3, only to return to War of the Worlds a few years later. Vets & New Threats feels like a spiritual successor to War of the Worlds, and it would be a great chance for Wes to manipulate rookies and veterans while helping to build future Challengers in the process.
Kailah Casillas
Leaving Ride or Dies as the first boot doesn’t feel like it should be the end of Kailah’s run on The Challenge. There was a time when she seemed poised to become the next Challenge star, but a fight on Final Reckoning seemed to stall her momentum. Her later seasons underwhelmed, but a return to the show could allow her to reset her Challenge career and get back on the track to winning.
Emanuel Neagu
Though he may not be the most popular winner, Emanuel is a Challenge champion. His Battle for a New Champion victory ought to count for something, especially since he didn’t appear on Battle of the Eras. He’d be an interesting inclusion on this cast because there are only a few people from Spies, Lies and Allies and Battle for a New Champion on this season, so he may gravitate toward the New Threats rather than the other veterans.
Tori Deal
I know, having Tori on this season would feel super repetitive, but it’s also hard to think of current, successful Challenge veterans without thinking of Tori. She has the longest active streak of appearances in the final (5, from Spies, Lies and Allies through Battle of the Eras), and with a significant reduction in the Vacation Alliance, it’d be interesting to see how she navigates a game with Bananas.
Hunter Barfield
Last time we saw Hunter, he had a moderately successful — but somewhat tumultuous — run on War of the Worlds. Despite the chaos he caused that season, absence seems to make the heart grow fonder. Fans seem anxious for his return, and this would be a good season for his comeback. We have his foes Ashley, Bananas, and Turbo (who dubbed Hunter the original “pussy chicken”) on this season, but we have enough new faces that he could be successful despite his rivals.
Nicole Zanatta
After a break up with Laurel, it seems Nicole is trying to distance herself from that relationship on the show. But Laurel isn’t on this season, so it would be a great opportunity for Nicole to show her skills on the main series again. Arguably, she’s one of the best competitors. She’s never been eliminated (aside from her injury/DQ on Double Agents) and she’s made four finals. Then again, she’s one of the worst Challengers in finals, coming in last in all four of them.
Joss Mooney
It seems Joss has sworn off the Challenge, which is a shame because he was always a competitor with a lot of potential. He made the Final Reckoning final, and nearly made the final on War of the Worlds 2. If he is bitter with the show, there’s no better revenge than targeting production’s beloved veterans and throwing a wrench in their plans for the season — plus he’d be returning with his BFF Rogan.
Emily Schromm
After winning Rivals 2, Emily avoided the main series Challenge for over a decade, only to return on Battle of the Eras and get eliminated early into the game. Undoubtedly, this is a blemish on her resume, but she’s still highly regarded as a competitor. Emily certainly hasn’t overstayed her welcome since returning, and this season would have been her chance to prove that her season 40 elimination was a fluke.
Stop Being Polite 