Which WWE Star is your Favorite MTV Challenge Legend?

I am a massive wrestling fan and a massive Challenge fan. After spending many hours debating with myself in my notes app, I pinned down 16 WWE to MTV Challenge legend comparisons, which I feel are apt. Some of these comparisons fit like a glove, and others are a bit more of a stretch. Altogether, this was a fun exercise that I hope readers enjoy. I will note that I compared Challenge females to male WWE superstars as most female Challenge careers often last longer than WWE female divas/superstars have (thus making the correlations harder to pinpoint). Also, a significant amount of the greatest women in WWE are currently in their prime, still writing their stories.

On we go!

Johnny Bananas — Triple H

Two divisive all-time greats in their sports. Triple H Main-Evented WrestleMania 7 times, and Johnny Bananas won 7 Challenge Championships. Despite this, when fans get asked if they were the greatest of their sports, many would immediately throw out another name. Though more Challenge fans would probably accept Bananas as the GOAT after his recent win. Each guy had a ridiculous amount of longevity in their sport where they mid-tier players for a long time, became friends with the top players, used those connections to move their way up the food chain, and eventually become the #1 guy and create reigns of terror.

In the present, they are older, yet still involved in their sport. Triple H less so as he has been running WWE’s developmental system NXT since his “retirement.” However, Triple H Main Evented Wrestlemania and was World Champion as recently as 2016. As I just mentioned, Bananas became a Champion again in 2020 after a six-season drought of not even making it to a final.

Laurel Stucky — The Undertaker

Like the Undertaker, she is bigger, stronger, and more intimidating than any of her counterparts. Each person’s title amount is less than you would expect considering their statures in their sport, but it’s not from the standpoint of under-performing. It is more or less that they don’t need the titles for people to know their dominance. When they walk into a room, they completely change the energy, and either people try to avoid them or get forced to team up with others to take them out.

Laurel’s 9-win elimination streak is the closest thing to Undertaker’s 21-win WrestleMania streak. When their streaks ended, fans were shocked.

Evelyn Smith — CM Punk

CM Punk’s eight-year run with WWE and Evelyn’s five-year run on the Challenge are stretches that put them in the history books of their sports where they each won a ton of titles and left a hole when they exited. In 2011, Punk laid down his famous “Pipe Bomb” promo where he talked about his standing in WWE, his problems with the company, its leader Vince McMahon, and the poster boy John Cena (who he was facing in 3 weeks for the World Championship). Three years earlier, Evelyn gave her “Fuck you and Fuck your alliance” speech on the Island, where she took aim at the male alliance who were bullying their way through the game.

Each person left their mark on their sport and departed earlier than most expected. Even though it’s been six years since CM Punk wrestled in the WWE and nine years since Evelyn’s been on the Challenge, fans still want their return, and they are each young enough to once again be atop of the food chain. Evelyn is younger than Jenny West, the current reigning female champ, and younger than Cara Maria, the franchise’s recent female face.

Wes Bergmann — Chris Jericho

Wes has been a significant player on the show for a whopping 15 years, even taking breaks that give his returns a feeling of importance. Likewise, Chris Jericho has been doing the same thing in the wrestling industry over the last thirty years. In Jericho’s early days in WCW, he got stuck in the “Cruiserweight” division because of his size, and it wasn’t until he went to WWE that he ascended the ranks. Wes was a star on the Real World Austin, but it was apparent producers loved and preferred Danny Jamieson’s classic good looks, Boston accent, and relationship with Melinda Stolp. It wasn’t until he went to the Challenge that he cemented his place in reality TV history. Wes winning the original Duel and beating players like CT, Brad, Derrick, and Evan is the Challenge equivalent of Jericho defeating the Rock and Stone Cold in the same night to become the Undisputed World Heavyweight champion.

Each player has changed their styles and body-type(s) over the years while still maintaining many of their classic elements and trademarks. They’ve had their ups and their downs, but as a whole, them at their worst is still more entertaining than many others best. Both players have other passions, Wes is an entrepreneur who owns a company focused on building up start-ups called BetaBlox, and Jericho is the lead singer of his heavy metal band Fozzy.

Landon Lueck — Bret Hart

Bret the Hitman Hart used to refer to himself as the Best There Is, The Best There Was, and The Best There Will Ever Be. A good portion of Challenge fans feels the same way about Landon Lueck. He competed in four seasons of the Challenge, won three of them, and tallied a dominant 5–1 elimination record. Landon was a top player when competing against other elite players, and as proven on Fresh Meat 2, could even be a top guy when working with limited talent (sorry, Carley). Bret Hart was the same way as he was a multi-time world champion and could wrestle a good match with a chair.

Coral Smith — Stone Cold Steven Austin

Two absolute icons. When these people walked into a room, the spotlight was on them, regardless of what they were doing. Stone Cold was the face of the attitude era, and Coral was probably the biggest figure of the Real World v Road Rules Challenge days. When fans ask about memorable wrestling quotes, moments, and promos, they all instantly call back to Stone Cold’s massive library, ranging from Austin 316 to the “What?” chants that still proliferate through wrestling crowds in 2020 (pre-Covid). Coral’s “I don’t wrestle, I fucking beat bitches up!” is something that has been in my heart since the moment I first heard her echo the words.

If Stone Cold ever came back for one more match, and if Coral ever came back for one more season, fans wouldn’t even care about them being rusty or having aged because their personalities carry them so much.

Sarah Rice — Kofi Kingston

Two players who are incredibly talented in their sports and somewhat got put in a B+ player role despite having the credentials to be in the starring role easily. Sarah was the Puzzle Girl, and Kofi Kingston was the high-flyer who each had tons of success early in their career and then fell down the ranks of their sports to no real fault of their own. It wasn’t until Sarah Rice’s 8th season and Kofi Kingston’s 11th year in the WWE that they each went on the best stretch of their careers. For Sarah on Exes 2, once given a great partner in Jordan Wiseley, excelled in most of the daily challenges, won a clutch elimination, and finally became a Challenge Champion! Due to an injury to another wrestler, Kofi became a last-minute addition to a 6-Man Elimination Chamber World Title Match, fans who had once wanted him to be a Wolrd Champion but had given up on the dream had a fire lit under them, and Kofi did not disappoint at all. While Kofi didn’t win the 6 Man Elimination Chamber, the fan response to his performance propelled him. At Wrestlemania, he went on to win the World Championship on the biggest stage, becoming the first African born holder of the WWE title!

Unfortunately, each player would also have heartbreak after their big wins, as Sarah picked up a second win on Rivals 3, but had her 127k dollar winners purse stolen by Johnny Bananas. On Day 180 of his title reign, Kofi lost his title to Brock Lesnar in a match lasting only 10 seconds. Each moment put a bad taste on two great players’ legacies.

Derrick Kosinski — Rey Mysterio

Two colossal fan favorites. Rey Mysterio was never the “Top Guy” in WWE, and Derrick never got regarded as the #1 guy on the Challenge. Still, each guy won multiple championships and consistently overcame bigger opponents. Watching Derrick in a physical elimination and battle giants was like watching Rey Mysterio fly across a ring hitting hurricanranas. Rey Mysterio departed from the WWE for a few years in the 2010s, and so did Derrick from the Challenge. When Mysterio reappeared in the 2018 Royal Rumble, he returned in the best shape of his life. Just six months earlier, Derrick reappeared on the Challenge looking in better shape than ever, finished second-place after a seven-year break.

Rey Mysterio lasting over an hour in the 2006 Royal Rumble to win, is reminiscent of Derrick going hours in his Pole Wrestle type elimination against Joss on Vendettas.

Darrell Taylor — Brock Lesnar

Two athletes who show up to make money and win championships. Darrell had the greatest initial run in Challenge history, competing on 4 seasons and winning all 4 times. Only one other person in Challenge history has achieved more than 3 wins, and Darrell completed the franchises’ early stages. Likewise, Brocks Lesnar had an original dominant run in the early 2000s in WWE that was only two years long, but he quickly became a multi-time champ with wins over the Rock, The Undertaker, Kurt Angle, and more.

They have gone on and done other ventures. Darrell is a golden gloves boxer who runs his gym, and Brock Lesnar went on to become UFC Heavyweight Champion. When they returned to their original sports, they each made their presences known; Darrell reminded everyone he was the still the king by beating the face of the franchise Johnny Bananas in a physical elimination, while Brock Lesnar butchered John Cena.

Emily Schromm — Sheamus

A weird comparison. It’s a bit hard since Emily only appeared on three seasons and was never the most prominent personality. Still, she was a dominant player and gets regarded as one of the greatest female competitors in the franchise’s history. Emily is most known for her physique and fitness. Sheamus is a four-time World Champion who had an impressive physical build and achieved success as quickly as Emily. Yet, also never resonated with fans as much as the company wanted to when they were champions (Sheamus is more appreciated now in 2020). Emily destroying Cara Maria in a five-second Pole Wrestle is very similar to Sheamus beating Daniel Bryan in 18 seconds at Wrestlemania.

Currently, Emily’s focus is on her gym and promoting her Em Pack; a weighted hydration bag used to maximize daily workouts. Meanwhile, Sheamus has a YouTube channel where he does his “Celtic Warrior Workouts.” He has cut over 50 lbs in the last couple of years to extend his career.

Veronica Portillo — Kurt Angle

Veronica’s time on the Challenge and Kurt Angle’s in WWE correlate well. They debuted around the same time, and for the stretches they were on, they were always in an important position. Veronica set the record for most titles won by a female, and Angle pulled out 6x World Title wins. She was a great personality who had the social status of being “Queen V” while also backing it up with her performance in the actual challenges. Veronica totaled the most lifeshields for the Road Rules team on the Inferno 1. Kurt Angle is a literal Olympian whose in-ring prowess was backed up by his ability as a comedian and on the mic.

Kurt Angle had his stable of collegiate wrestlers backing him up, known as Team Angle, and Veronica had Rachel and Tina as her Mean Girls. They each made returns in 2017 that had fans going crazy. While they weren’t the same old Veronica and Angle, they had brilliant moments in their returns. Veronica won key daily challenges and an elimination against Aneesa on Dirty 30. Angle was part of a killer Wrestlemania tag-team match as Ronda Rousey’s partner in her debut match. Angle’s career in the ring for WWE seems to be over, and I don’t think we’ll see Veronica as a competitor again.

CT — Randy Orton

When people talk about Randy Orton, they say he “If you built a wrestler from the ground up, it would be Randy Orton.” You can say the same thing about CT when it comes to the Challenge. Every few years, people say that so and so will be the next CT, and here we are in 2020 with CT gearing to compete on Season 36. Both players have had personal issues where their drama away from their sports and also when competing have held them back. The main difference between the two is that even with Randy’s problems, he never left, got more titles, and always remained in phenomenal shape. CT’s body type has fluctuated a ton, and he’s gotten heavier in recent years. Nonetheless, he is still CT.

These guys bring star power to their sports, and when they get going, they are on another level. Randy Orton’s RKO finisher has become one of the most iconic finishing moves in wrestling history, and CT’s backpacking of Bananas is the closest thing to a finisher that there’s ever been on the Challenge.

Jordan Wiseley — Seth Rollins

Jordan is the hardest to pin down since he nearly retired from the Challenge twice already in his carer. Regardless, the two have been some of the all-around best talents over the last half-decade. Rollins first appeared on the WWE Main Roster in 2012, and Jordan debuted on the Challenge in 2013. They were both highly talented prospects with giant hurdles to overcome. While Rollins had been a star on the independent circuit, he’d have to overcome being only 215 lbs during an era where giants were still dominating the industry. Jordan might have been a collegiate athlete, but he had a physical disability where the carnival games the Challenge throws at you could end his game at any minute simply because he didn’t have ten fingers.

In the end, they both triumphed. Rollins has become a 4x World Champion, won two World Titles at WrestleMania, won a Royal Rumble, and is always in a prime storyline. Jordan is a 3x Champion, has a crazy 7–2 Elimination Record, and has proven he can win as an individual, in a pair, and as part of a team. Both guys have had decent runs as “good guys” when facing off against ultimate evil. Most prefer each of them in the villain role as it naturally fits them, Seth with his nasally voice, and Jordan being a general smart-ass.

Ashley Mitchell — Edge

Edge was known as the “Ultimate Opportunist.” Ashley Mitchell perfectly embodies the same label. As a wrestler, he always struck at the most advantageous moments. He won his first World Title by cashing in the Money in the Bank contract on a bloodied John Cena. En route to her first Challenge win, Ashley “teamed up” with her friend Amanda in their 3-way elimination against Nicole Zanatta, where Ashley was doing the worst out of the three but could pull out the win because of the team-up. Edge goaded a wrestler into a match where if he won, he would get the wrestler’s Money in the Bank contract (essentially a free World Title), and Ashley almost got Jordan murdered by Turbo on War of the Worlds 2 because she was bored.

Their best scores are Edge attacking and stealing Kofi Kingston’s spot in the 2009 Elimination Chamber and Ashley choosing not to split the million dollars with her partner Hunter on Final Reckoning. Both are the ultimate opportunist icons.

Cara Maria Sorbello — Dolph Ziggler

Probably the most controversial comparison, but their career parallels are eerily similar. Cara and Dolph were initially top prospects who flopped on their debuts, with Cara getting eliminated first on Fresh Meat 2 and Dolph getting put on the Spirit Squad, a wrestling team of demonic cheerleaders. As time went on, they gained fans and haters with their work-rates. Dolph was one of the best in-ring workers and was in the mid-card, while Cara made it to 3 finals in her first 7 seasons and racked up a ton of elimination wins. When Dolph cashed in the Money in the Bank contract in 2013, it had easily one of the biggest crowd reactions of the decade, and then his moment got flattened by a concussion that would force him to drop the title soon after. Cara Maria finally pulled out her first Challenge Championship on Battle of the Bloodlines, and rather than being celebrated, she had to deal with a reunion where most of the questions were about her and Abram’s relationship.

Now, Cara has had way more success than Dolph Ziggler because she has become the franchise’s face, and Dolph has never been close to that. It’s just nobody in the wrestling world has ever achieved the fame Cara has this late in their career. Neither will get enough credit until they retire.

The Miz — The Rock

The obvious one. What the Rock is to WWE is what the Miz is to the Challenge. Miz was a 2x Challenge Champion who went on to have a massive career outside the show and became the greatest Intercontinental Champion in WWE History. In the Wrestling world, Miz is a 1x World Champ, 8x Intercontinental Champ, 7x Tag Champ, and 2x US Champ. While still being an essential wrestler to WWE, Miz has a reality show that follows he and his wife known as Miz and Mrs. Miz also hosts Cannonball, a reality TV competition similar to Wipe-Out, and pops up on the Challenge on occasion to host reunions or the Champs vs. Stars spin-offs.

As the Rock keeps putting more on his plate, the Miz keeps putting more on his. Their work ethics are off the charts, and even with everything they accomplish, they remember where they came from.