With The Challenge: Ride or Dies bringing The Challenge back to the TVs of loyal fans weekly, this season has already proven how important it is to be on the same page as a teammate. Setting a perfect example of this early on was the abrupt exit of Nam Vo due to his partner, Emmy Russ, quitting.
With yet another season of Nam’s being cut short due to unfortunate circumstances, Redditors discuss other heartbreaking times single challengers ended their whole team’s time on The Challenge.
Devin and Cory
While some saw Final Reckoning as the season where Devin and Cory may have finally gotten their first Challenge championship, Cory’s physical altercation with Tony over pasta caused Devin to be disqualified by association.
Redditor couldn’t help but this disqualification: “Devin got DQ’d because of Cory’s fight with Tony.” After Cory’s pasta was sat on in the van ride home, Tony threw it out the window. Cory took this as Tony intentionally embarrassing him, and with both men’s tempers getting the best of them, this pasta cost more than just Cory and Tony $1 million.
Desi and Enzo
As one of the stronger Challenge: USA competitors, Desi proved herself as a recent Challenge player fans want to see again, especially after Enzo quit during the final and disqualified her. The game Desi played all season didn’t matter because she was partnered with Enzo first.
Rain2505 stated this made it even “harder to swallow… If you’re on a team with someone from the start to the finish, it makes more sense to share their fate.” Losing based on someone she was partnered with for a minimal time makes Desi’s disqualification even worse.
Sarah and Vinny
Sarah’s time on The Challenge was marked with plenty of partners that caused her to be eliminated before she deserved to be, making her one Challenge player who deserved more respect for continuing to return and trying to compete.
Savvy-librarian recalls one instance of her partner leading to her downfall in the competition as Sarah was disqualified on Battle of the Exes early on “because Vinny ripped off Mandi's top at the bar.” While it was right for Vinny to be disqualified from the competition for this act, fans can’t help but wish there was a way for Sarah to stay and compete somehow.
Cohutta and Casey
For some, Cohutta’s most recent Challenge appearance on All Stars solidified his place as one of the unluckiest Challenge players of all time. His partnership with Casey seemed to be going well until she discovered she was pregnant.
While this is one of the happier reasons to be disqualified because of a partner, Jmagnabosco was one of the many fans who were “so pissed… because someone else DQd medically as well, and their partner was just given a in the previous episode!” Fans' disappointment stems from how the show handled medical disqualification because it felt unfair to send Cohutta home based on the precedent set.
Avery and Leroy
Among the times Leroy’s seasons ended early for disqualification, his time on Rivals III seems to be the one Redditors considered him the most at fault for, as he entered the competition with a preexisting injury.
Buccobruce12 its they “don’t blame Leroy for coming for the appearance check at all, but [I] really wish production brought someone to replace him” because it is “such BS for Avery.” Others felt the same and believed it was even more unfair that a replacement team entered the house later, but Avery had to be sent home because there wasn’t a replacement for Leroy.
Katelynn and Brandon
In a Fresh Meat II elimination where Brandon and Katelynn were planning to quit because they were unlikely to win due to Katelynn’s injury, Brandon ensured they would be sent home after drinking a beer before the elimination.
KaitlynEh sees this as a rare case where one partner wasn’t terrible for causing a disqualification: “He didn't really screw them over, but I always find it funny that they were going to lose that elimination because of Katelynn's injury but actually lost it because of Brandon.” With a knee injury, it would have been hard to win an exile, so they were the team going home one way or another.
Brianna and Brandon
Rivals III was a difficult season that seemed to send the other teammate home unfairly. Taking their rivalry from Are You The One, Brianna and Brandon did not make amends in the house as he quit the show, which also sent Brianna home.
Slowsupra mentions this as the disqualification that stood out to them because of TJ Lavin’s classic response to quitters, “Brandon quit, and Brianna had to leave. ‘Don’t take care, hope to see you never.’” Because Brandon got homesick, he took away Brianna’s opportunity to win and disappointed and upset TJ in the process.
Leroy and Mike
During the Rivals' final, otherwise considered one of the most difficult Challenge finals, Leroy’s partner Mike ends up quitting. While Leroy didn’t seem upset with Mike, it was still disappointing to see a team surprisingly make it to the final and not finish the competition.
Many commented how both teammates wanted to quit, and Mike did it officially. JuanRiveara sums these up best, “I think Mike took the fall, but Leroy has mentioned that they both wanted to quit after the first day.” With both partners wanting to quit, Mike calling off the final seems like it was in the best interest of him and Leroy.
Sarah and Trishelle
As another piece of evidence fans used for a while to say Sarah was “cursed” as a Challenge competitor, Trishelle caused her to be disqualified and sent home during Rivals II far too early for some.
While discussing Sarah’s Challenge history, one Redditor reminds others of the time they forgot when “Sarah got DQ’d when Trishelle quit Rivals 2.” Trishelle had a heated and insensitive argument with Aneesa, leading to her quitting and sending Sarah home for being teamed with her. Trishelle’s exit caused Sarah’s second disqualification due to a partner after Battle of the Exes, leaving her to hope for better teammates in seasons.
Jenna and Jay
In what some consider one of the worst performances in a Challenge final, Jay quit on Jenna during the eating portion, taking them both out of the competition. All of their work to get to the final didn’t matter because Jay refused to eat.
This ending for Jenna didn’t feel right, and Acedia gives Jenna credit in this situation, “When Jay wouldn’t do the eating in the final…Jenna didn’t do it either, but would’ve at least tried or done more if Jay hadn’t quit.” Jenna does whatever she can to win, so knowing she could have done more if Jay tried slightly harder frustrates the audience even more.
