After the tragic and sudden passing of Tyler Duckworth earlier this week, there has been an outcry of love and support for the two-time Challenge champion. He achieved many great feats across his 6-season Challenge career, but the reevalution of his time on the show has revealed just how much he accomplished.
Tyler was a valued and beloved member of the Challenge community, and his presence will be sorely missed. In loving memory, we’re going to look at his 10 greatest highlights on the competition show — including competitive achievements, memorable moments, and glimpses into his personality. This is not a look at The Real World; those moments will be reserved for another time.
Introducing Tundra (All Stars 2)
When you think of Tyler’s time on The Challenge, All Stars 2 might not be your first thought — but it was truly a reintroduction for the two-time champ. He shared updates from his life, like his pivot to teaching, and he competed with his Real World roommate Janelle again. He also showed his fun side when he dressed as Tundra, his drag persona, and became the life of the party with his fellow all-stars.
Going Out Like an All Star (All Stars 3)
Sadly, All Stars 3 will be Tyler’s final Challenge appearance, and while it wasn’t his best competitive showing, we still saw the mentality of an All Star. He played this game hoping to make big moves, but even with the support of his friends like MJ, he ended up in the first Arena. He lost to Syrus, but he exited the game by completing the elimination round (even after Syrus rang the bell), giving Syrus his well-earned props, and showing his respect for the competition. If you have to leave the game, that’s the way to do it.
Fun fact: Beth and Ace recently confirmed Tyler was originally an alternate for this season, but he was moved to the final cast. It’s believed he replaced Johnny Bananas.
Tyler & Ryan Hook Up (The Gauntlet 3)
LGBTQ+ representation has always been part of The Real World, but it took substantially longer to translate into Challenge moments. On The Gauntlet 3, the show had its first on-camera male/male hookup when Ryan and Tyler had a fling. As an athlete and proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, Tyler helped bridge the gap in representation organically.
Tyler Defends Paula (Rivals)
The Key West cast has always been a tight bunch, and it’s no secret that Laurel has an assertive side. When tensions boiled over on Rivals, Laurel stood up for her partner, Cara Maria, by redirecting animosity toward Paula. Tyler was not going to allow Laurel to weaponize Paula’s past struggles, and he quickly jumped in to protect Paula. Once the situation settled down, he stayed with his former roommate to comfort her.
Tyler Defeats John (The Duel)
Every rookie has a dreaded Challenge moment: their first elimination. Unfortunately for Tyler, that was after his first daily challenge, and he found himself against his Real World roommate, “John.” While they found themselves in the notoriously bad I Can elimination, Tyler outsmarted and outlifted Bananas, becoming the first person to send the Challenge icon home.
Tyler Defeats Derrick (Cutthroat)
Every Challenger knows that you never want to find yourself in the final elimination, but that’s where Tyler ended up on Cutthroat. He faced Derrick in Pole Me Over, and anyone who knows Derrick knows he prides himself on slaying competitors much larger than him. However, Tyler was one opponent Derrick could not overcome. This victory earned Tyler’s spot in the final, and it was also a full-circle moment because Derrick eliminated Tyler on The Duel, making him the first person to defeat Tyler in an elimination.
Tyler Wins T-Bone (Rivals)
In the world of Challenge eliminations, T-Bone on Rivals may be one of the most universally remembered. Tyler and Adam began the game by mistakenly grabbing the wrong balls, and the elimination became a sprint for the two competitors to rectify their error. Tyler likely had a rougher road because CT slammed into him at full force, but he won the game by a split second, earning his place in the Rivals final.
Tyler Holds Off CT (Cutthroat)
Back Up Off Me is best remembered for the Bananas backpack moment, but on the other side of that elimination is CT’s battle against Tyler. We know Tyler held off CT longer than Bananas could, but the final edit didn’t do this performance justice. Allegedly, Tyler stalled CT for 45 minutes. He was determined to beat CT, and while that may not have happened, CT never defeated him.
Tyler First Challenge Win (Cutthroat)
Cutthroat is a fan-favorite Challenge season, but going into the final, the Red Team didn’t seem like the obvious winners. The team had some friction throughout the season, but they ended up with a lean group of four. Once the race started, the group took the lead and held it throughout. It was a long, exhausting trek, but near the end, Tyler’s knowledge of Russian helped his team complete the final checkpoint and take home the victory.
Tyler’s Back-to-Back Win (Rivals)
Rivals is a beloved Challenge season and a turning point for the franchise. It was the first season to have a location change, which hyped up the first-ever overnight final. Tyler began the race with a case of food poisoning, but he rallied through the first day, though he and Johnny were in second place going into day two. They managed a come-from-behind victory, and Tyler managed back-to-back victories after Cutthroat. He shared this moment with his partner and former roommate, Johnny, and he watched as his close friend Paula got her long-awaited Challenge win.
