Which Challenger Owned 2025?

Happy New Year! 2026 is here, and 2025 is fully wrapped up.

Now that we can put 2025 in the rear view, three Challenge seasons influenced the year: Battle of the Eras (the final few episodes), All Stars: Rivals, and Vets & New Threats.

Taking a look at all three of those seasons, and events that happened off camera, which Challenger had the biggest impact on 2025?

Honorable Mentions

Turbo: On All Stars: Rivals, we saw Turbo make another comeback after his disappointing run on Ride or Dies. This made him a semi-important Challenge cast member, but he solidified his importance on Vets & New Threats. He found himself as a solid competitor who stood a real shot at winning and brought plenty of drama. He’s now more polarizing than ever, but there’s no doubt that he has a future on the show.

Frank Sweeney: All Stars may not be as important as the flagship Challenge, but Frank’s return on All Stars: Rivals reminded us that he’s a great addition to the show. He was a solid physical threat, but his partner was not. So, he played a sneaky social game that resulted in a major rivalry with Shane. He also managed to get to the final, where he frustratingly lost, but he might have repaired his relationship with Sam?

Olivia Kaiser: If Theo was the star of Vets & New Threats, Olivia was the plot. She pulled off a huge come-from-behind victory and proved that she can compete on her own. Well, maybe not fully on her own — she was pregnant when she won Vets & New Threats. The fact that she now has a child with Theo will make her a focal figure on The Challenge in the future.

Johnny Bananas: This year, Bananas claimed that he is the Challenge. Even if you disagree, there’s no denying he’s playing a big role in keeping the franchise afloat. In 2025, he ran swam the Battle of the Eras final after forging a rivalry with Tori. He later returned to Vets & New Threats, where he caused some drama and sparked a showmance, even though he only lasted a few episodes. When he’s not filming, his Death, Taxes, and Bananas podcast keeps fans entertained and spills plenty of tea.

Challenger of 2025: Nany Gonzalez

2025 felt like the start of Nany’s third Challenge era. Her second era (War of the Worlds through Ride or Dies) ended with her engagement to Kaycee, her inclusion in the Vacation Alliance, and fan fatigue.

Even though Nany benefited from taking a break, her absence from Battle of the Eras was noteworthy. Then, her return on All Stars: Rivals proved she still has some fight left in her. She did well and improved her relationship with Turbo, but her real reintroduction came on Vets & New Threats.

Season 41 showed fans that Nany adds a lot to the franchise, even if she hasn’t won yet. She returned after breaking up with Kaycee and formed a new showmance with Will. This hookup and the eventual falling out will be one of the most memorable stories of the season. She also entertained fans with a major fight with Aneesa that fed the rumor mill and a not-as-important argument with Michaela & Cedric.

Best of all, Nany was winning challenges this year. She eliminated two teams on All Stars: Rivals, and she scored multiple wins with her partner Justin on Vets & New Threats. After 14 seasons, Nany still hasn’t scored a win, but her recent performances have proven that she might be able to break the curse.