The final teams have been solidified, and the Grey Team is heading into the last race with four girls, compared to the Orange Team with three men and two women. After a long, messy team, the Grey Team is a shell of what it once was, compared to the Orange Team which has been fairly unified.
This is the first time an all-female team made its way to the final. On The Ruins, two Challenger girls ran against four Champion men and one woman, and on the original Cutthroat, the Blue Two only had two women in the final. But both times, the women’s teams failed to defeat teams with men.
So, do we have any reason to believe Cutthroat (2026) be different?
Compared to the Challenger Team and the Blue Team on Cutthroat 2010, the team of Adrienne, Cara Maria, Cassidy, and Lete seems to be in decent shape. They’ve been performing fairly well throughout the season, and they seem to know their strengths. In fact, they’re heading into the final after a win on Swing Into Action that seemed to demoralize the Orange Team.
We also know there are some glaring weaknesses on the Orange Team. CT is far from his peak physical condition, and most of the players struggle with puzzles. So, it seems the Grey Team is banking on a Big Easy strategy, where one anchor costs their opponents a victory. If that strategy fails, they’re hoping the Orange Team isn’t prepared for the final race’s puzzles.
And if I’m being fair, I think the Grey Team has a better shot at winning the final than the Challengers on The Ruins or Blue Team on Cutthroat 2010. As far as all-female teams go, this is a pretty well-rounded group. Cara Maria may be the biggest concern, and while Cutthroat hasn’t been a stellar season for her, there are far worse competitors to bring to a final.
But I still think the Orange Team has a much better shot at winning the final. Even if CT isn’t in his best shape, Dad Bod CT won War of the Worlds 2. He’s also demonstrated that his strengths can compensate for his weaknesses.
It would be a huge upset to see the Grey Team win — not impossible, just unlikely. Sadly, they’re in a rough position, and that can mostly be blamed on Cutthroat’s ample disqualifications and messy format.
