Sometimes, you don’t know what you have until it’s gone. The Challenge is a show that invites people to appear on multiple seasons, and some faces have become mainstays.
Often, these folks are important faces of the franchise, but their story arcs can get stale and repetitive. Then, these 10 people put their Challenge careers on pause and their lives progressed off camera. When they came back, fans welcomed them with open arms.
This list mostly focuses on public perception and story lines. The ability to compete is secondary.
10. Paulie Califiore
War of the Worlds 2 -> USA 2
When Paulie debuted on Final Reckoning, he was quickly pigeonholed as a forced villain, “lone wolf,” and “king of cringe.” He often inserted himself into other people’s drama, which was off-putting for most Challenge fans. After a four-year break following War of the Worlds 2, the Vacation Alliance had taken over the franchise, and viewers were desperate for someone to disrupt the status quo. Paulie promised he’d be that person, and while his appearances on USA 2 and Battle of the Eras were underwhelming, he showed a softer side of himself. He was slightly more humble, and while he took early flights home, at least he tried to oppose the majority during his brief appearances.
9. Nia Moore
Battle of the Exes 2 -> All Stars 3
Some Challenge fans liked “Hurricane Nia,” the version of Nia we saw on Battle of the Exes 2. She was hyper confrontational, but there’s no doubt that she took things too far. This resulted in explosive fights with Jordan and Nany, and eventually, Nia was kicked off Exes 2. Eight years later, Nia and Jordan found themselves in the same house, and they were on much better terms. They apologized, made up, and made out, and this let us see a different side of Nia. She wasn’t afraid to be vulnerable, and while showing weakness isn’t the best thing on The Challenge, this human side of her made her much easier to appreciate.
8. Frank Sweeney
Free Agents -> All Stars: Rivals
Frank was known as a messy competitor when he first debuted on The Challenge. He was strong, but he was also emotional, rude, and argumentative. He showed some growth on Free Agents, but we never really saw the extent of his development because he was medically disqualified from the season. A decade later, Frank appeared on All Stars: Rivals, and he was much more self-aware. While he didn’t completely avoid drama and emotions, he was less explosive. This allowed viewers to empathize with him, and when his patience ran thin with his less-than-athletic partner, it was easy to understand his frustrations.
7. Wes Bergmann
The Duel -> The Ruins
It may be hard to remember, but at one point, Wes was planning to retire from The Challenge after winning The Duel. He took four seasons off, but when The Ruins rolled around, he showed up out of the blue. He went from a cocky jerk on Fresh Meat to a likable underdog on The Duel, but on The Ruins, he was somehow a likable jerk. While he was threatening to throw competitions, his multi-season break allowed the Johnny/Evan/Kenny alliance to thrive on The Challenge. Many viewers applauded his efforts to ruin their plans, even if they were contradictory to the spirit of The Challenge.
6. Shane Landrum
Fresh Meat -> Invasion of the Champions
Nobody saw this return coming, but after 11 years away from the franchise, Shane had been through a lot. He had gotten married and divorced, but he also got into great shape. On Invasion, Shane played an unapologetic game. He was sneaky, formed alliances with rookies, and became known as “Shady Shane.” When this risky strategy landed him in hot water, he proved he was a physical threat, and he did well in competitions, which nearly got him to the final.
5. Brad Fiorenza
Cutthroat -> Vendettas
Brad was a likable presence on The Challenge, but his story seemed to change around The Duel 2. He was portrayed as a player desperate to win, and he was in a relationship with Tori, who wanted him to commit to married life. Then, the couple won Cutthroat together, and this would have been a satisfying end to Brad’s Challenge story. But Brad’s an Era 1 competitor, and he grew up on reality TV. After separating from Tori, Brad was starting a new chapter of his life. He returned to The Challenge and put in a great fight on the season. He nearly made the final, despite having to play as a born-again rookie, and he showed that he can still create great reality TV.
4. Veronica Portillo
The Ruins -> Dirty Thirty
Veronica helped create The Challenge, but she took her first break after The Inferno 2. Her brief return on The Ruins didn’t seem to renew her interest in the show, and she disappeared for 11 seasons. Then she shocked fans with a return on Champs vs. Pros — but Dirty Thirty was the real comeback. Veronica fit perfectly into this theme, and she proved she still had fight left in her. Better yet, she was unafraid to make big moves, and she left fans shocked when she used burn votes to completely shift the direction of the game.
3. Cara Maria Sorbello
War of the Worlds 2 -> All Stars 4
Cara Maria fought hard to become a Challenge champion, but getting the title didn’t really stop her from appearing on The Challenge. She was a staple of the “trilogy” that ushered in Era 4, but her time on the show was cut off after War of the Worlds 2. This was probably a good thing because the show had taken its toll on her body, and despite her continued success, fans weren’t rooting for her to succeed when she was part of a majority alliance. Four years later, she came back for All Stars 4. She had a renewed sense of gratitude for the show, touched on some of her personal struggles, and was a bit of an outcast again. She had to fight to get to the end, but viewers seem to gravitate to Cara Maria when she’s the lovable underdog.
2. Nany Gonzalez
Rivals 3 -> War of the Worlds
When Nany debuted on The Challenge, fans loved her tough mentality and her willingness to get her hands dirty and compete. By the time she was on Rivals 3, it felt like the show had taken a mental toll on her, and she wasn’t super motivated. Then, she took four seasons off while MTV aired the “trilogy.” The casts on seasons 30-32 were highly repetitive, so seeing Nany on War of the Worlds felt like a breath of fresh air. Plus, she seemed hungry for a win. She made it deep into the competition, outlasting many of the super vets, and it seemed like Nany might actually win. While she didn’t, it created a clear sense of excitement with fans.
1. CT Tamburello
The Duel 2 -> Rivals
Many people liked CT early into his Challenge career, but Rivals was the season that made him a legend. CT was kicked off The Duel 2 for punching Adam, which temporally banned him from The Challenge. Three seasons later, Rivals forced him to address the incident. He came onto the season having somewhat matured, but not so much that he wouldn’t confront the scheming and drama head-on. He was forced to play the game as a lone wolf, but he was such a strong presence that the wholehouse was scared of him. Sadly, he lost Rivals because of its partner format, but appearing this season did wonders for CT’s reputation and allowed him to become an invaluable part of the show.
Stop Being Polite 