After Vets & New Threats, there seems to be split opinions on the Challenge veterans. Many fans recognize they’re important to the franchise, but most of them aren’t performing as they used to.
Now that this season is over, people are wondering if some old schoolers need to hang up their jerseys. Most competitors from Eras 1 & 2 are in their 40s, and none of them were represented in the Vets & New Threats final. Plus, the season followed Battle of the Eras, where Era 1 had a terrible run (though Era 2 had a strong showing).
In this post, I’m going to look at recent competitors from Eras 1 & 2, and determine whether they should hang up their Under Armour. Specifically, I’m looking at people who appeared on Battle of the Eras, All Stars: Rivals, and Vets & New Threats. I’m not “retiring” anyone here — rather, I want to find where these people best fit in the Challenge world by assigning them to the flagship Challenge, All Stars, or both.
Vets & New Threats
Johnny Bananas: Flagship series — Despite an early elimination on Vets & New Threats, it’s clear Bananas is critical to the Challenge. He was involved with drama, alliances, and showmances, and he provided a lot of entertainment on Battle of the Eras and Vets & New Threats. He’s also still in good shape; just because he’s not physically stronger than Gabe doesn’t mean he has no chance at winning another Challenge.
Cara Maria: Flagship series — Though Cara was on Vets & New Threats, and she didn’t perform too well during her time, we’re going to ignore this season because she had to leave for personal reasons. Still, we know Cara Maria can keep up with young players. She stays in peak physical shape, and 2026 Cara Maria is probably in better shape to win than 2011 Cara Maria.
CT: Flagship series — I know, a lot of people see that CT isn’t in the best shape, and it was kind of difficult to watch him flop on Vets & New Threats. But he still poses a threat when it matters (like the mini final). Plus, he’s a huge promo tool for the franchise, and simply having him in the pre-season ads is worth the investment for the show.
Aviv: Flagship series — Aviv is a weird case, because her return on season 40 was super unexpected, and the coattail appearance on Vets & New Threats was doubly surprising. Still, she seems to be in good shape and capable of playing a political game. If she keeps her momentum from Vets & New Threats, a second Challenge win definitely isn’t out of the question.
Derek C.: Both — It’s clear production saw Derek’s potential on All Stars 4, and his second-place finish on Battle of the Eras proved he could win… or did it? Derek definitely benefited from being on the dominant Era 2 team, and he delivered a mediocre performance on Vets & New Threats. Perhaps if his momentum continued on All Stars, his second-place finish could have been a first?
Derrick K.: All Stars — There’s no doubt that Derrick played a role in establishing the Challenge as the show we know it to be, and there was a time he was considered an elite player. As we enter Era 5, he seems to be one of the competitors who is transforming his reputation. It’s not for lack of determination, but injuries and age may have slowed him down compared to the new kids, but he’d still pose a threat on All Stars.
Aneesa: All Stars — Twenty seasons, zero wins. It feels like Aneesa is cursed to never get a championship, but she definitely doesn’t pose a threat on the flagship show. It’s hard to imagine her climbing the final mountain on Vets & New Threats — she struggled on All Stars 1. Based on her most recent flagship seasons, she’s the type of player who needs the randomness we find on All Stars to win.
All Stars: Rivals
Shane: Flagship series — If we need someone from Era 1 on the flagship show, Shane seems to be in the best shape to do well. He brings endurance to the game, and he did most of the heavy lifting in the All Stars: Rivals final. He was seconds away from winning, but this shouldn’t be super surprising. He gave a great performance on Final Reckoning, his most recent flagship show.
Steve: Both — All Stars has transformed Steve from a forgettable Road Rules filler player to a serious threat. He has an active streak of eight elimination wins, and he’s a very well-rounded competitor. We know he’s a serious threat on All Stars, so an upgrade to the flagship shouldn’t be out of the question.
Adam: Both — While Adam was considered a strong player on his early Challenge seasons, his reintroduction on All Stars is similar to Steve’s. He would be an interesting inclusion on the main series, but if he makes that jump, it would likely be to showcase his romance with Averey, not because of his competitive potential.
Kellyanne: Both — Logically, Kellyanne should fit into the main series. She’s still friends with many of the people on the show, but her more recent flagship appearances have been mediocre (Bloodlines, Rivals 3, Battle of the Eras). However, she’s a standout player on All Stars, so she’s always welcome on that series, especially because she’s gotten close to victory.
Beth: Both — You may be surprised to see Beth listed for both, because she’s not going to win a flagship Challenge season. Truth is, she’s not going to win All Stars either, but she is going to stand out. Beth is the type of player who shows up for two episodes but still manages to earn her appearance fee. It just so happens that most of her preexisting story lines are found on All Stars, but if she can contribute to the plot on a flagship season, bring her onto the show.
Veronica: All Stars — Everyone knows Veronica isn’t a huge physical threat in the game, and this includes Queen V herself. She shines when it comes to the political game, but more recent main series seasons have replaced strategy with drawing sticks and chance cards. Veronica still manages to play a savvy game in these environments, but on All Stars, her sneaky strategies steal the show.
Katie: All Stars — When Katie showed up for Battle of the Eras, few people expected her to do well. This was a correct assumption, because she left early. Katie wasn’t even a huge threat on her first two All Stars seasons, though she did have memorable moments. However, her appearance on All Stars: Rivals proved she’s still got the brains to navigate the game, so long as that game is All Stars.
Battle of the Eras
Laurel: Flagship series — Laurel did one All Stars season. She won it. Even an out-of-shape Laurel does well on the flagship series and brings a lot of entertainment, so that’s where she should be.
Emily: Flagship series — After decades away from the flagship show, Emily’s return on Battle of the Eras was underwhelming, but we still know she’s a great competitor. She’s one of the youngest people in Era 2, and she has many friends who still appear on the flagship show. She’d fit in fine on that franchise and remain competitive.
Rachel: Flagship series — When Rachel returned for All Stars 4, fans were excited. Then, she was sent home in a super random elimination. On Battle of the Eras, she was the standout Era 1 competitor because she does better in games that require skill and athleticism. You’re more likely to find that on the flagship show, though she did need the randomness of karma points to secure a win.
Mark: Both — Even though Battle of the Eras was not his season, Mark is always Challenge-ready. He’s in peak physical shape, and he’s bigger than most of the newbies. It almost feels weird to see him on All Stars because he’s a producer, so the flagship show seems more suitable for him. However, he’s known for making handshake deals, so if he comes back, fans want to see Mark put his all into the show.
Tina: Both — Tina is a wildcard competitor, and let’s be real, she’s mostly on the show because of her personality. Her blend of humor and confrontation is perfect for reality TV, and she seemed to be in good shape coming into Battle of the Eras. In fact, she was probably more impressive that season than she was on any of her All-Star appearances, though it’s hard to see her winning a flagship Challenge.
Brad: Both — Some of the Era 1 veterans seem to be tarnishing their reputations by doing flagship seasons, but that’s not really the case for Brad. He struggled to get a win, so he always had a bit of an underdog edit. When Brad trains, he performs well and he doesn’t have any broken body parts (that we’ve seen). So, the potential is there… he just needs to bring it.
Nehemiah: Both — Early into his Challenge career, Nehemiah was a slept-on competitor, but he was a star on All Stars 1, 2, and 3. He also did well on Battle of the Eras, though he was fortunate to be on the strong Era 2 team. Still, he’s as deserving of being on the flagship show as Derek C., so if Derek can do Vets & New Threats, Nehemiah deserves another shot.
Jodi: Both — In the 2020s, we’ve seen Jodi compete in different capacities: All Stars 2, the World Championship, and Battle of the Eras. After Battle of the Eras, it seems hard to recommend putting her on another flagship season, and we know All Stars is in her wheelhouse. However, she showed potential on the World Championship and played an entertaining game. Based on that oddball season, I’m not fully opposed to her getting another shot on the main series show.
Darrell: All Stars —No doubt, Darrell helped form the Challenge. He made winning seem effortless on his first four seasons, but he remained a powerhouse on The Ruins and Invasion. More recently, he’s had a hard time on the flagship show. He’s been eliminated fairly early, and it’s making people question his abilities. It’s a different story on All Stars, because he made the final on two of his three appearances.
Brandon: All Stars — We’ve seen Brandon do two seasons since making a return to the Challenge. He was quickly eliminated from Battle of the Eras, but his All Stars appearance wasn’t much better. Perhaps he could return to the flagship show if he has an impressive All Stars season, but for now, he seems better suited for the spinoff.
Ryan: All Stars — I’m convinced Ryan was cast on Battle of the Eras to weaken the Era 2 team because the women were so dominant. Unlike his friend Derrick, he didn’t stand out for much on All Stars, so it seemed odd to put him on the flagship show. Ryan has shown a lot of personal growth since his early Challenge days, so he belongs with a cast of people who can fully appreciate this on All Stars.
Stop Being Polite 