If you look at the Era 4 seasons (31-40), you’ll notice there are a lot of rookies in the mix. Add in the CBS seasons and the international adaptations, and there are tons of Challenge has-beens with potential.
These 10 people only did one season, but it feels like fans would love to see them return. This list is not made up of my opinions; rather, it’s my observations. These are names that get brought up by dedicated Challenge viewers during cast speculation, only to be disappointed when they don’t make the final cut. But, it’s never too late — as long as another season is in the pipeline, we have a chance of these rookies making a return.
10. Esther Agunbiade
This Nigerian reality star took pride in being the first Nigerian competitor to win a challenge, and she made a big impression early into her appearance on Spies, Lies and Allies. She kept up with Fessy, making her one of the rookies to watch, but she also found herself in some messy drama. Despite her potential, she fell victim to the rookie curse and the vets voted her into an early Lair, where she went home.
9. JP Andrade
Being paired with Natalie Negrotti was a cursed position on War of the Worlds. She was targeted for her size, and she barely got any screen time (perhaps because of her off-screen antics). JP may have been a victim of this, but he appeared to be in great shape for The Challenge. In retrospect, viewers see a lot of untapped potential, though many people are still bitter he picked CT to go into the three-way elimination.
8. Natalie Anderson
Double Agents is a season packed with DQs, but perhaps the biggest lost opportunity was sending Natalie home. She came onto the show with a padded resume that included two Amazing Race appearances and two Survivor appearance — including a championship. Before she was medically DQ’ed, Natalie won in the first Crater, and she seemed to be a heavily-coveted partner in the game.
7. Kelz Dyke
Coming into Spies, Lies and Allies, Kelz had a lot of momentum. He looked like a huge threat and he believes that’s why he was sent into the Lair. He felt he was the one person Fessy feared, and as such, he was sent into an early elimination. Then, he lost in a game of magnets and puzzles. While Kelz may not be the greatest Challenger ever, viewers want to see if he offers more than a quick Tori showmance and an inability to build a world map.
6. Angela Rummins
One of the standout competitors on the Challenge USA, Angela quickly established a strong alliance with Tyson and played a big role in steering the direction of the game. She was caught between the Big Brother and Survivor alliances, and she made it all the way to the final. She did well until a weird formatting decision resulted in her kinda-sorta quitting.
5. Ashley Cain
Even before he debuted on War of the Worlds, Challenge fans identified Ashley Cain as a British competitor who could make waves on The Challenge. He was a strong competitor during his first season, but he only made it about halfway through War of the Worlds. After the show, he went through an unthinkable tragedy when his daughter died, but he continues to train to honor her strength and keep her legacy alive.
4. Cassidy Clark
Fans quickly took a liking to Cassidy because she played an honest and vulnerable game, but she wasn’t going to let her kindness be mistaken for weakness. Whenever she was sent into the Arena, she put up a fight. She notched three elimination wins and nearly made the final, but by the time she departed, she had won over a lot of viewers.
3. Johnny Middlebrooks
Coming into Ride or Dies, Johnny Middlebrooks was determined to prove there’s space for more than one Johnny in the Challenge universe. He won the first daily challenge and made a bold move by targeting the veterans. This started the season with a rookie/veteran divide, and in his three-episode run, he managed to start a fling with Nurys that resulted in drama with his partner, Raven. After losing in the third Zone, Johnny was close to getting cast on season 39, but was cut from the cast at the last minute.
2. Emy Alupei
At first glance, Emy seemed to be a cringeworthy oddball, but as Spies, Lies and Allies progressed, she became a bit of a beloved rookie. CT took her under his wing, and she won four eliminations, becoming the sole rookie to make the final. She seemed poised to be a Challenge breakout star, but she found herself in some controversy that could have been avoided if production had conducted a proper background check.
1. Chris Underwood
The eventual winner of USA 2 didn’t walk an easy path. He caused a lot of drama by shaking up the Survivor alliance, but he stayed in the game because he was a slayer in the Arena. By the time he got to the final, he was up against three Challenge veterans, but he walked away victorious. If he made a comeback, he’d be a huge threat, and a second win isn’t out of the question.
BONUS: Heather Cooke + Marlon Williams
These two made the Rivals 2 final, and showed great potential… but I didn’t put them on the proper list because they weren’t a part of Era 4. However, they showed pulses of interest during that time. Heather Cooke was an alternate for All Stars 1; she flew to Argentina and quarantined. Marlon never got that close to being on a Challenge, but he did make a return to MTV in early 2020 (between War of the Worlds 2 and Total Madness) on Ex on the Beach: Peak of Love.
Stop Being Polite 