Cutthroat is coming back for a second round, but after a 16-year gap, The Challenge has changed a lot. Many of the original Cutthroat participants have moved on from the series, but three(ish) of those competitors will appear on season 42.
So, how is it that Bananas, Brad, and Cara Maria managed to achieve this double Cutthroat feat?
Johnny Bananas
At this point, putting Bananas on a Challenge season seems like a no-brainer. He’s a staple of the franchise — but he wasn’t always. In 2010, Bananas was a series regular, but he didn’t seem irreplaceable.
Bananas built his legacy in two ways: He always agreed to appear on the show, and he played into the villain arc. He’s probably made more rivals than friends over the years, and he’s remained central to the show’s drama. He’s now in his 40s, but he still finds himself arguing with his castmates and in the middle of love triangles.
When Bananas did Cutthroat in 2010, he wanted to be a reality star. Now, he’s doing Cutthroat in 2026, having achieved that goal.
Brad Fiorenza
Cutthroat 2026 has a small cast, and Brad doesn’t immediately seem like an obvious choice to make the cut. That is, until you remember he won the original Cutthroat.
For a while, it seemed like Brad was going to retire from The Challenge after that victory, and he took a 7-year hiatus to focus on family life. Then, he made a great return on Vendettas, and we were introduced to Brad 2.0.
While Brad hasn’t has the best Challenge run following Vendettas, he continues to show a love for the game. He wears his champion status as a badge of honor, and if production wanted one of the Cutthroat 2010 winners to return for Cutthroat 2026, Brad seems like the obvious choice.
Cara Maria Sorbello
When we watched Cara Maria on Cutthroat in 2010, she was still new to the Challenge scene. It was only her second season, and she was the first girl eliminated on Fresh Meat 2. But Cutthroat was when Cara Maria really started to build her identity and fan base.
On the original Cutthroat, Cara Maria was portrayed as a lovable outcast and underdog. She completed the final as part of the runner-up grey team, and that really seemed to light a fire under her. She then returned for many seasons — including a runner-up Rivals appearance with her Cutthroat foe Laurel — until she won Bloodlines in 2015.
Since becoming a Champion, Cara Maria has become an interesting case in the Challenge world. She had a villain arc, a new love story or two, and up-and-down relationships with other Challenge staples. She’s certainly evolved since her 2010 Cutthroat appearance, and now viewers will see if that’s enough for her to get her third win.
Bonus: CT Tamburello
CT was a “Heavy Hitter” on 2010’s Cutthroat, and it was a soft launch for his return to the franchise after his Duel 2 fight. It’s safe to say viewers latched onto CT.
That appearance gave us the Johnny Bananas backpack moment, so it’s clear CT would have been a dangerous player if he truly competed on 2010’s Cutthroat. While his fan base has exploded since his Heavy Hitter stint, he certainly isn’t in the same shape he was in for that appearance. “Dad Bod” CT is likely to make an appearance on Cutthroat 2, which isn’t a death sentence, but he won’t be the jaw-dropping player he was in 2010.
Stop Being Polite 