What a Win means for the Challenge War of the Worlds 2 Finalists
Whenever the final approaches, I like to review the historical relevance of what a Challenge win means for every competitor. While Challenge wins are not the be-all and end-all, they can change how we view different players in the long run. If Brad did not win Cutthroat, we’d see him as one of the best players to never win instead of a legend. If Darrell wins three in a row instead of four, would people rank him dramatically lower considering his faults in daily challenges? If Derrick has another win, do we put him and Darrell on the same tier? And if Laurel or Evelyn each had one more win, I think each would separate themselves as the greatest.
Let’s break these down:
Chris Tamburello (Team UK)
It is CT’s eight career final, tying Johnny Bananas for most finals appearances by a male competitor. In terms of all-time competitor rankings, CT needs this win to maintain his status in the top 3–5 competitor range. I know many view him as their top competitor, all-time. Still, his total amount of appearances to win ratio in comparison to Landon & Darrell is becoming hard to overlook if he doesn’t get this one. CT is in the phase of his career where finals appearances mean nothing, and only wins matter. CT, Cara, Ashley, and Jordan all have the potential to become the first 3x Champion since Bananas accomplished the feat on Rivals 1.
Cara Maria Sorbello (Team USA)
Like CT, Cara is in the phase of her career where finals appearances don’t matter anymore. Cara is now a 9-time finalist, which is an incredibly impressive feat of consistency. However, in comparison to Laurel, Evelyn, and Emily, who displayed an incredible amount of dominance during their time on the show, Cara has dug herself into a statistical hole. As good as Cara is, we all know Laurel eliminated her twice, Emily ripped the pole out of her hands with ease, and Evelyn has the most wins of any female in half as many appearances as Cara.
Nobody can rank Cara as a top 3 all-time female knowing the other women exist. There’s nothing wrong with being fourth, and if Cara wins this season, you can put her in that spot all-time.
Except for one simple fact…
Ashley Mitchell (Team USA)
If Ashley wins alongside Cara Maria this season, then I think Ashley vaults over Cara all-time. If Ashley can manage to become a 3x Challenge Champion in only six appearances in the modern era, then Challenge Fans need universally cede to her greatness and rank her just below those who dominated. I’ve always thought that Johnny Bananas’ most exceptional skill is his luck, and Ashley trends the same way. They are players who put themselves in the best possible situation to win no matter what. Ashley went into a house with no allies and became friends with one of her biggest enemies to ride a wave to the final. As impressive as it was for Evelyn to say “fuck your alliance,” she was also someone to cut a deal with said alliance to get a win.
Ashley is not the best athlete, but she is a great winner that other players could learn from.
Jordan Wiseley (Team UK)
I wrote a giant article in which I tried to quantify the value of each Challenge title e.g., an individual win is often more valuable than a team win, etc. In the end, I came to one significant conclusion: Landon and Jordan are neck and neck in terms of their dominance and consistency. From a purely competitive standpoint, the two individuals have been the same up to this point, and if Jordan can pull out the win this season, then he takes the lead as probably the greatest player in Challenge History.
We as fans are afraid to anoint someone over existing legends, but Jordan has a 7–1 elimination record, a strong history in daily challenges, and might win three seasons in 5 appearances in an era where it is tough to win. Sidenote: he would be the first person to win three appearances in a row since Derrick did so on Inferno 3-Island-Ruins.
Zach Nichols (Team USA)
Does anyone else feel like Zach always carries himself as if his win on Battle of the Season was the previous season? Part of me wants Zach never to win again mostly because it is funnier to watch him enter every season after losing in such a catastrophic way. If Zach can pull off a second win, then he joins the conversation as a top all-time competitor. When you dig deep into the stat books, there’s a legitimate argument for Zach as one of the two or three best daily challenge competitors ever, and then he if he wins this, that is two wins to go with four final appearances.
I can’t imagine ranking Zach higher than Wes, Kenny, or Derrick with a win. I would put him over Brad, and then Abram might be a stretch. A Zach loss would be easier on us all.
Tori Deal (Team UK)
If Tori can pull out the win, then she makes herself a top 20 woman all-time but sets up her legacy for an even more significant jump if she can get a second win on a future season.
Right now, Tori could potentially have a 3–1 elimination record, 1 Challenge win, and two finals appearances in 3 seasons. Those are great stats; there is just a significant amount of women in front of her in the 1–2 win range. It’s an excellent start for someone who we all expected to win after her amazing Dirty 30 performance.
Paulie Calafiore (Team USA)
I like to joke about the fact that Paulie said a Challenge win from him would be the greatest 3 season stretch to start a Challenge career ever (I have a top 10 list of better stretches already compiled that I’m going to put out once I have the time). However, Paulie has had an incredible run. According to the stats, Paulie has the second-highest daily challenge win ratio of all-time currently. Those numbers are incredibly skewed based on the fact that Team USA wrecked Team UK this season.
A Paulie win would be much deserved based on the work he has put in the last two seasons. A Paulie loss would be much more entertaining.
Dee Nguyen (Team UK)
I think if you throw Dee on Invasion, then she becomes the fourth Lavender Lady instead of Sylvia. She fits that archetype of the intelligent player who likes to have fun with their friends and is intensely loyal to those they care about. Likewise, they do their best when people underrate them. Dee was able to succeed last season alongside Wes and is now in a final without him. He must be so proud to watch his Young Padawan kill it in his spirit.
Dee could be the Achilles heel of Team UK as her conditioning is suspect, but she might be their best puzzle person. It is a mixed bag with her.
Leroy Garrett (Team USA)
If Leroy gets this win, then Leroy is an undoubted Hall of Fame competitor. Leroy is a 4-time finalist and tied for the second most elimination wins, impressive wins too: Bananas 2x, Wes 2x, Brad, Cohutta, Reilly, Zach. Throw in a win, and on paper, he is better than a good amount of all-time players.
I mentioned this in a previous recap, but Leroy is 2008 Donovan McNabb right now. In 2008, McNabb played his final NFC Championship game, and it was his last realistic shot ever to become a Champion. If McNabb becomes a Champion in that season, then he becomes a Hall of Famer. Instead, he is going to be on lists of the greatest players to never win. Leroy will suffer the same fate if he loses.
Rogan O’Connor (Team UK)
I genuinely love Rogan on this show. I know most people hate him and how he has mostly done nothing this season while calling the shots. To me, I am always impressed when someone can mist their team into believing they are a strong competitor when they have displayed nothing. Rogan avoiding the eliminations and putting his friends and allies through immense amounts of stress while he shrugs everything off has been wild.
CT has put all his eggs in the Rogan basket, and it is wild to watch. Even if they win, this is still a lousy investment because who would ever expect Rogan to win? Likewise, there are only two teams in the final, so one of them has to lose, and one has to win. Rogan is the chick-shit wrestling heel who might steal a win from out of nowhere and stun the crowd. I’d be much more okay with Rogan winning than I’ll ever be with Dunbar being a Champion.
Kam Williams (Team USA)
A Kam win would vindicate her fans and their unwavering support for her. Kam is cocky, and I love it. She is a strong and badass woman who, despite flaws as a competitor, views herself as an elite player. I wish she saw her faults and worked on them more, but I also know Cara has carved herself out a fantastic career with all of her flaws. Kam putting together a 7–2 elimination record with two finals appearances and one win in 4 seasons would be quite impressive. I’m not sure if she would rank in the top 10 all-time for females, but she would be in the conversation. Kam and Tori are two competitors who have gotten linked in their careers, and them going head to head in this final will be great. Ultimately, it could determine who gets regarded as higher all-time.
Ninja Natalie (Team USA)
Ninja Natalie was the top female finisher on her first season and might win her second season. An incredible run that has been incredibly diminished by the fact that fans do not like Ninja. She will never get the credit she deserves as a competitor, and it proves that the Challenge is still a reality show.
