The Top 10 Challenge Vets & New Threats Recastings That I Would’ve Made

The Challenge Season 41 is upon us, and it’s essentially Fresh Meat 4. I call it Fresh Meat 4 because the show’s premise is that we’re getting half a cast of Vets and half a cast of brand new, never played The Challenge rookies. I call it Fresh Meat 4 because War of the Worlds 1 was a similar format, and I would say historically , Fresh Meat seasons are pretty damn good. The most recent one, War of the Worlds 1 , is a season I’d personally rank in the Top 5 All-Time.

Part of what made War of the Worlds 1 & other Fresh Meat seasons so good & had a lasting impact is that the Veteran casts were really strong. When I say strong, it doesn’t just mean competition — they put people on the cast that fans cared about, and because fans cared about them, whatever rookie got partnered with them, people would inherently take interest in. On the women’s side, you had Cara and her massive fanbase, Ashley & Amanda with both Lavender Lady fans & haters watching, Jenna had casuals & Barbie Beast fans, Da’Vonne had her Big Brother fans, and Killa Kam had quickly established herself as a fan favorite. And then on the men’s side, there were the three male faces of CT, Bananas, and Wes. You then had hot new blood in recent champion Hunter coming off getting money stolen, and then Paulie & Kyle coming in with all their Cara drama from Final Reckoning. Toss in Zach in there fresh off his and Amanda’s exit from Final Reckoning, and it’s an incredible group of people where the eliminations every week felt like they meant something.

This brings us to the point & title of this blog: I don’t think MTV did a good job casting the Vets for Season 41. There are so many names on this cast that I don’t feel strongly about one way or the other. Aviv, Olivia, Nia, Theo, and Derek C. are names I somewhat like, but I don’t love or hate them, and they don’t have a huge fan base behind or against them. Having one of them on the cast is fine, having a third of your cast being people that you won’t be gutted or thrilled to see get eliminated sucks. And then there are names like Leroy, Derrick, and Anesa, where, despite having fans, we know they won’t make much of an impact in entertainment and are unlikely to win on the flagship show, given its current direction. Now, I hope all 8 of these people I’ve singled out prove me wrong, because I ultimately want to watch a good reality TV show.

For the sake of content, though, I put my fantasy casting hat on and put together 10 names that should have been on Season 41 while also being realistic. There are a whole lot of names of people who declined Season 41 that would’ve been shoe-ins had they said “yes”. For this list, we’re focusing on names who, to my knowledge, were either in the running or haven’t been asked yet, but are still open to competing on this show. Additionally, I went with 8 vets and 2 rookies for this list because I don’t know Reality TV rookies as well as people who have actually been on The Challenge. These are the 10 casting choices that I would’ve made and if you have any interesting name suggestions, comment from wherever you’re reading this from.

Let’s jump into it.

10 Shane Landrum

Shane was left as an alternate for Season 41, and it’s a shame because he’s someone I would add to almost any Challenge season. He is a great competitor who often gets into messy drama, which is based both on the game and personal conflicts! Shane has proven capable of forming an alliance to take on & overthrow the status quo, and he can be Shady Shane sneaking under the radar. Even though Shane is an “OG”, he’s someone who mixes it up better with younger castmates. He was the person stirring the Kool-Aid on Invasion of the Champions and was a significant reason why that season was entertaining. Shane was literally cursing people off while partnered with Brooke Hogan on Champs vs. Stars 3. The guy shoots from the hip and will mix it up with anyone, whether it’s Johnny Bananas, Louise Hazel, or Jozea Flores.

Importantly, I know Shane is a MUST casting addition because you saw his name and you either LOVE or HATE Shane. So if you put him on this cast, you’re either going to be a fan or a hater of his and whoever he partners with, which is great. We want people to care and feel something when they watch this show.

9 Ravyn Rochelle

Season 39 Battle For A New Champion was a season with no former winners, and thus it gave an opportunity for a newer generation to become potential stars. In my opinion, one of the biggest standouts was Ravyn. After a short stint on Ride or Dies, Ravyn returned for S39, where she won multiple eliminations & daily challenges, proving to be strong physically. She also had hookups/showmances on & off-screen with Ciarran, Emmanuel, and possibly more people. On Season 38, she was at odds with Nurys and in a triangle situation with her and Johnny Middlebrooks.
Now, Ravyn does not have as many fans or followers as other Challengers.

However, the reason Ravyn should’ve been a lock for Season 41 is that she’s genuinely one of the last authentic reality TV characters. On modern Reality TV, everyone is so damn calculated and focused on getting famous while also not getting cancelled. On The Challenge, it’s even worse because there are so many pregame alliances. Ravyn does not do or follow those things because Ravyn is both stubborn & not the brightest. On S39, Ravyn could’ve easily coasted as part of the Jay/Ride or Dies Vet girls alliance, and instead, she linked up with public enemy #1, Chauncey, and put the whole house against her. It was purely idiotic, and it was a move made by Ravyn because she does whatever she wants, and it makes great TV.

Ravyn lives in her own world, and because she’s gorgeous & athletic, sometimes her bad choices end up in successful outcomes. Other times in results in entertaining outcomes for us the viewers. It’s refreshing to see someone who is actually their selves on Reality TV.

8 Josh Martinez

It’s a guarantee that you just saw Josh Martinez’s name and you had a reaction , which is precisely why Josh should be on Season 41. I’m half-joking here. We should not put someone on The Challenge purely for “hate views”. That said, Josh is easily one of the most recognizable and established characters from the last decade on this show. You say “The Goof,” and everyone knows who you’re talking about. Even if you spoke vaguely and said “the guy who cries a lot”, they know you’re referencing Josh.

Ongoing multi-season storylines are one of the best things about The Challenge. It was a massive deal when Paula, Cara, Sarah, Brad, and CT all eventually got their first Challenge wins after 8–9 seasons. I will say, I do not care for any will “Leroy, Nany, or Aneesa” ever win storylines because if it hasn’t happened at this point, it’s never happening. On the other hand, an interesting ongoing storyline is “Will Josh Martinez ever make a Final”? He’s come close so many times, and each time he loses, it’s hilarious because it’s Josh. And yet, I can see it happening because I watched Season 40, and it’s some of the hardest daily challenges. Josh was in the middle of the pack and near the top when it came to pure cardio & fitness. Among players who made it to the individual portion, I think Jordan & Kyland were the only two men with better cardio than Josh! Josh is not a good competitor, but he’s a lot better than people realize.

Josh is also a great person in a Vet & Rookies season because he’ll always be trying to hook up with the rookie girls. Josh has sneaky had a bunch of romantic flings & hookups, including Georgia, Esther, Bettina, Nia, Laurel, Cassidy, and a few we’ve never seen on camera. Every Josh exit is a moment on this show.

7 Cassidy Clark

After living my whole life in Southern California, I moved to the Phoenix area in October. Since then, I’ve gone on a ton of first dates in part because I wanna learn the area & new spots, I enjoy beautiful women, and I love a good meal — if that’s illegal, fucking sue me. Why am I mentioning this right now? Well, on rare occasions, I’ll discuss Reality TV on some of these dates. In the times I’ve mentioned The Challenge, I’ve had multiple people tell me they’ve either only watched The Challenge USA or that they began watching The Challenge because of Challenge USA. Man, it’s such a bummer that we couldn’t keep that spinoff going. Who would’ve thought more casual people would watch if it were on a major network like CBS?

Challenge USA 2 was a solid season that could’ve been elite had they not edited out so much of the drama. One of the best parts of Challenge USA 2 was Miss Cassidy Clark from Survivor. On USA 2, Cassidy coasted early on thanks to being on a strong team & being part of a Survivor alliance. However, once the numbers shifted, Cassidy found herself on the outside, fighting for her life in the game. Cassidy won 3 eliminations and lost in the elimination before the Final. It was a fun underdog season for her, and Cassidy proved to be a fun, likable personality. I want Cassidy on Season 41 because she’s young, bisexual (thus has double the hookup potential), is a solid competitor, and the biggest thing is she’s very steadfast in her ways.

On USA 2, Cassidy was a bit oblivious to the game around her and took her going into eliminations at times as a personal attack. In reality, the numbers were just against her, and yet, it’s better TV for Cassidy to take game matters personally. We don’t want people who roll over in a competition game. Cassidy is both fun & amicable, yet always on the outside looking in when it comes to the game politically & socially.

When I watch Cassidy, I see a new generation KellyAnne Judd, which is some of the highest praise I could ever dole out. Between having some Survivor fans behind her and a promising showing on USA 2, it would’ve been great to see Cassidy on Season 41.

6 Kariselle Snow

On Season 41, we have a rookie from the Paramount Plus season of Are You The One, and I’m here to suggest that we should have also gotten Kariselle Snow from bisexual Are You The One Season 8. Am I suggesting here purely because she’s a hot single bisexual woman? No. I’m suggesting Kariselle, because if you’re a Reality TV fan, she’s a name you might recognize and have zero clue she was ever on Are You The One? That is because Kariselle has been on Sexy Beasts and The Perfect Match, dating shows on Netflix — the latter of which was a major show!

If part of the goal is to bring in rookies who will bring eyes to The Challenge, Kariselle is a perfect fit. It’s not a total fantasy idea either, because Kariselle has been posting & commenting for years, saying she’s been waiting to make a Challenge debut. The fact that she has the original MTV ties is the cherry on top.

5 Jared Fields

Not casting Jared on Season 41 was pretty egregious, and he was set to appear on the season, but he got dropped either the day before or the day they left to film. If you’re not aware of who Jared is, he is the son of Survivor Legend and Traitors winner, Cirie Fields. They actually competed on Big Brother Season 25 together as part of a twist. So, the casting of Jared on this show would have given us some Big Brother fans and a couple of ride-or-die fans, like Cirie Fields.

More crucially, Jared fits into this cast so well because his ex-showmance, Blue Kim, is on the show, and I don’t think they ended things on the best of terms. Ex-castmate America Lopez is also there, and they don’t get along either. Having rookies with established histories and the ability to continue storylines from other shows immediately gives them an edge on the show. It’s what can get Big Brother fans more hooked on The Challenge. Back in the day, it was great watching Real World roommates who never got along now competing against each other or even with each other. Jared is also athletic, so when you consider everything else, he was so ready-made for The Challenge that it doesn’t make sense why they cast some of the names they did.

4 Kiki Morris

If you watched Challenge Australia or The Challenge World Championships, you know that Kiki Morris is an icon. For those who don’t know, Kiki was the winner of Challenge Australia, where she walked in, called herself a fashion-obsessed bimbo, and yet was also determined to prove she could compete. Kiki proved herself and then some. In the past, The Challenge has had Barbie Beast competitors like Jenna & Amber who proved they could look pretty and physically carry themselves. What set Kiki apart was that not only did she have excellent cardio & fitness, she was also wickedly smart & clever. Kiki often figured out ingenious strategies to tackle daily challenges that were reminiscent of elite players like CT, Jordan, and Laurel. She was also strong when it came to puzzles & memorization games as well. In any challenge that came down to testing mental fortitude, like drinking a gross food or walking across a beam on top of a skyscraper — those were child’s play for Kiki.

While being from Challenge Australia inherently gives Kiki less fans going in than anyone from the flagship or CBS reality shows, she is someone who is the second you see her on your TV, you’re going to love her. Kiki is funny, intelligent, self-aware, and a badass competitor. She’s also someone who has overcome a scary domestic violence situation in her past and has emerged as a strong voice, actively letting people know that help is out there and you can find yourself again. I know we shouldn’t be viewing Reality TV stars as people we look up to, but I have so much respect for Kiki, and if I had a daughter, I’d be cool if she looked up to Kiki. As I say all this, I want to note that Kiki is willing to get messy because she isn’t someone who will ever roll over. Kiki is the rare “Good Guy” character on Reality TV who is not boring whatsoever — she is someone who can unite both drama-heavy and competition-loving Challenge fans.

3 Jay Starrett

Remember when I said we shouldn’t cast someone purely based on hate views? Well, I lied because I think Jay should have been a lock for this cast, largely because we need a non-Johnny Bananas villain that people hate and are rooting against. While I do think Rogan is one of the better modern Challenge “villains”, he’s been gone for so long that his return is welcomed with lukewarm cheers mostly. With Jay, though, he was far and away the biggest male personality and the villain of Season 39. That hatred is still fresh & alive, but it’s expiring as the day goes on. We need to capitalize on the vitriol while it still exists, because when he goes out, people will celebrate.

There is also a factor to Jay, where he is a good competitor, and he has shown the ability to play the game politically (even if it pissed a bunch of people off). Jay has the ability to make his mark and show that he can compete against both the Vets that weren’t there for 39 and this new crop. You also can’t underestimate a redemption arc. If Jay can take down Bananas or CT again in elimination, that would give him so much street cred, and then he goes from a villain people hate to an anti-hero or a villain that people love to hate. Comeback stories can be great.

2 Nurys Mateo

Nurys is near the top of this list for the same time urgent sentiments as Jay is. We are not far removed from Season 39, where Nurys was easily the breakout star of the MVP of the season. Is a one-season break not bad? Yes. Except, Nurys was out so early on Season 40, that it basically was a one-season break already. We need Nurys back on this show while she is still a hot commodity. Some people might say that Nurys will always be a Star on this show because of how she carries herself. At the same time, I lived through the Kailah Casillas experience, where at one point in time, Kailah’s rivalry with Cara Maria put her in the spotlight of this show, and she was legit for a short time; she was the second most important woman in the franchise. Then, Kailah got kicked off early into Final Reckoning, got cut from War of the Worlds 1, and was an alternate for War of the Worlds 2, and suddenly, her mega stardom was gone/the show passed her by. Kailah was still extremely relevant on both Total Madness and All Stars 3 — yet her star power & importance were never quite what it was during the Dirty 30/Vendettas era.

We are at that exact breaking point with Nurys. People still ride hard for Nurys, and whoever gets attached to her at any point will be relevant. After her early exit on Season 40, a good performance on 41 would cement the strength of her Season 39 run as not a fluke. You might be wondering, where is Horacio on this list? The answer is that I don’t want both Nurys and Horacio on a season together for a while because I think they’re better when they don’t have to be constantly worrying about each other. So if I had to pick one, I’m riding with Nurys because she is much more of a threat to get into drama & play the game strategically.

1 Kyland Young

When I saw the male Vet cast for this season, I just felt tired. Obviously, you have to have CT & Bananas as the faces of this franchise, but another win for either at this point does nothing for this show or even their legacies that much, especially if Jordan isn’t there because I feel like we all (should) know Jordan is the truly the best guy on this show.

Without Jordan there, the hope is that someone on the Vet side could ascend the ranks and take up the mantle as the new top male Challenger, becoming a face of this show. No offense to Turbo — he’s a very good competitor, but I think the language barrier (and also the way he acts) is always going to hold him back from being a true face of the franchise. After watching Season 40, the guy who felt primed to jump to that level was Kyland Young.

On Challenge USA 1, Kyland immediately proved to be one of the stronger competitors and then got humbled with an early elimination loss. He came back for Season 39, won 4 eliminations, destroyed multiple Champion mercenaries, and then lost that crazy three-person elimination to Nurys. We then saw Kyland return for Season 40, joining a cast of many legendary Challenge males. Kyland won two more eliminations and consistently finished 1st/2nd in many individual daily challenges, including the mini Final. He then got humbled again by the most water-heavy Final this show has ever seen. I say this because each time we’ve seen Kyland get humbled, he’s come back so much stronger & better. After his loss in the Final last season, I think Kyland was primed to win this season with Jordan not being there.

It’s not just a competition aspect with Kyland either. He’s rumored to have hooked up with a lot of women in the Reality TV world, and has had on-screen showmances with Melissa & Nia on the MTV show. We’ve also seen him get messy and be a bit out of pocket on some occasions. The Challenge needs men who can compete and check the other major Reality TV boxes, and Kyland is exactly that. Instead, MTV went in a head-scratchingly different direction. He ended up getting to film The Amazing Race instead, so good for him.

By the way, if you want some more Season 41 coverage, my podcast broke down the Vet & Rookie casts for this season.