The Grey Team is now 100% women. What will the show do?
Girl Power and Motivation
The Grey Team is in a rough spot because Chris is gone, leaving no more men on the team. Plus, the team isn’t super close because the Blue Team had to merge with Grey (ironically, because no men were left on the Blue Team). Adrienne tries to bond the group by making everyone share why they want to win: Anna Leigh needs fertility treatment to start a family, Cara Maria had a rough year with a breakup and her mother’s dead, and Cassidy wants to support her nieces because her sister died. Then, we get to Lete. She just wants to win because she always wins. Finally, Adrienne reveals that her mother died just weeks before she showed up for this season. Her mother suffered from multiple sclerosis, and Adrienne wants to show that movement isn’t a punishment; it’s a privilege.
Ultimate Fighting Challengers
The cast is hanging out at home, and TJ shows up and disrupts Tori’s chair yoga with good(ish) news. There’s no daily challenge, but captains are going to have a “Trial by Combat.” This means they need to go into a random-ass elimination because two-time UFC champion Valentyna Shevchenko was sent to the show by Paramount. Then, TJ flips a coin, meaning Tori gets to go second in the Trial by Combat, but neither Tori nor Adrienne has any idea what this means.
At Rachel’s Mercy
The team captains are playing two games in The Arena: one plays Balls In, and one plays Pole Wrestle. Adrienne kicks things off with Pole Wrestle, but she doesn’t know her opponent yet. However, if the captains win their elimination, they punch their ticket straight to the final. Then, TJ brings out a mercenary: Rachel Robinson. Plus, he reveals the elimination winner gets $25,000. If Rachel wins, she takes the money home. If Adrienne wins, she brings the $25,000 to her team as a prize in the final.
Adrienne vs. Rachel
Pole Wrestle kicks off, and Rachel emerges as the aggressor while Adrienne is a bit more passive.
Round 1: Adrienne hangs on for the ride. After a fight, Rachel inches the pole out of Adrienne’s hand and takes the first heat.
Round 2: Adrienne gets a little more active, and in a swift move while standing, Adrienne quickly yanks the pole away and wins the round.
Round 3: Both girls are getting gassed. Eventually, Rachel gets on the ground and uses her body to nudge the pole out of Adrienne’s hands.
Round 4: This heat starts slowly, with Adrienne playing defense. The girls gently kneel on the ground, and Adrienne eventually gets Rachel on her back while she is above her. When Adrienne gets to her feet, she secures the pole.
Round 5: The final heat. The girls get to the ground, roll around, and stand up, but neither girl loosens her grip.Eventually, Adrienne gets Rachel into a similar position to round 4. She pins Rachel down, pulls the pole away, and stays in the game.
Adrienne comes back to her team with $25,000, and she’s heading to the final. Rachel goes home with no money… looks like her good karma has run out.
The Sarah Rice Surprise
Tori heads to the sand for her game of Balls In, and out walks a second hooded figure: Sarah Rice. This is her first time on The Challenge in 10 years (well, the first time it actually aired), and we get a montage of her top moments… plus we relive Bananas stealing her money. Sarah is shocked to hear she could win $25,000, but Tori tries to get in her head, revealing she might have the chance to steal money from Bananas if she wins this elimination.
Sarah vs. Tori
TJ blows the horn, and Balls In starts with Tori on offense and Sarah on defense.
Round 1: Tori runs a circle around the ring, and her agile strategy works. She sinks the first ball.
Round 2: Sarah takes a more direct approach, and Tori tackles Sarah. After a little wrestling, Tori gets the ball away from Sarah.
Round 3: Tori sneaks by Sarah and scores her second ball.
Round 4: Again, Tori tackles Sarah. After a less-intense battle, she pulls the ball out of bounds.
Round 5: Sarah guards the basket, and as soon as Tori tries to sink her ball, Sarah pounces. This successfully kills the ball, keeping Sarah alive.
Round 6: Sarah barely steps in the ring before Tori pushes her out of bounds.
Round 7: Sarah tries to ambush Tori by the basket, but Tori has learned to adapt. After a quick spin, Tori gets her third ball in, winning the Arena.
This means Tori takes $25,000 back to her team, and Sarah goes home with no money… but apparently Johnny will accept her friend request once he gets his phone back.
