BY DC CUEVA
■ @DC408Dxtr @ TW / IG / YT
We started this season in the very middle of the summer in mid-July, and so much has gone down in Colombia... just about everything you can imagine has taken place during this landmark season for the MTV show you and I love. We began this journey with a collection of names familiar and fresh: from one whose first time on MTV was nearly two decades ago to a guy who we saw get in a short lived romance with an alum of his fellow show, and in between a stacked cast of champions, veterans and newcomers. And we have seen plenty of drama, awesome competition and so much more... and we haven't seen host TJ Lavin spill the news to the competitors of the $1 million up for grabs.
It's with all of this in mind that, just before the final Redemption Challenge takes place, this is the perfect time for us to venture into a place we go to each week during Are You The One?, but enter only when the game gets serious on The Challenge: The Strategy Room. Here, we get to don our analyst's hat to analyze where the game situation stands and break things down just like every other site and webcast do every week... something we don't do much of because of our supplementary vision to offer our signature storytelling and social reaction.
Ahead after the jump from this room, we'll offer a capsule of each of the remaining players, look at what they've done in so far this season, the possibilities that await them and help make sense of it all, followed by our site's first power rankings of the remaining players of the Dirty 30. Afterwards, ExtraTime will let you in on two life-changers for two Challenge champions... join us there.
First, the format for last season, Invasion, may not have been exactly the best and most fairest. This one for Dirty 30 is much more clearer, and the drama and action that we have seen have made this as good as a season can be - from a competitive standpoint and for viewers at home. Yes, things have been a bit choppy with episodes not having the standard challenge and elimination being put in the same week, but it has the traits of what makes this show something you and I love. Of the eight seasons that I have watched of The Challenge since I started watching this again five years ago, easily this ranks as my favorite of this recent generation (not counting Rivals I).
THE PLAYERS
For the players still in this game, we have seven past champions still left with us with their aim to add to their trophy case. The rest of the seventeen players who have a reasonable or a long shot chance at making it to the end are a mix of veterans and newcomers who span the generations. All of them except one have been in an elimination, and each of them have had their moments this season.
The coming episode will see what's likely (and hopefully) our last peek at the Redemption House, and just by seeing that place be at its maximum capacity, you'll think that those cramped up quarters there is the place to be, and not the luxurious pad Bananas, Derrick and Jailah call home. Imagine, five past champions, three past finalists, a girl who's become a staple in the course of this season and a guy just lucky to still be here, all living under one roof. That compares to just two, one and four of that order living in the main house who'll get a week off before they embark on the season's homestretch… they'll no doubt need it because the most dangerous part of any season is just ahead.
First, we begin in the main house, and with the guys still left in that mansion.
►THE MAIN HOUSE
● DERRICK: First, after what we saw last week, we're finally getting to see why Derrick has won three of these in the past, and coming back to do this for his son. Him being able to put the CrossFit experience he developed in between Cutthroat and this Dirty 30 season and using the balance, footwork and agility he had to win in the past to good use was no doubt a joy to watch... having a more muscular body and chest no doubt helps too. Like what we've been seeing with the one he beat last week, as usual Derrick has been flying under the radar politics-wise and just focusing on the game itself... only what happened with him and Nelson was his notable non-competitive appearance right up until last week. As we wrote in our WRAP yesterday, watch for not only his experience of doing this nine previous times and being in four finals, but also his leadership to come into play... he will be a great asset to those who might partner with him if this is a Free Agents-style final, and Nelson aside is on good terms with everyone in the house.
● CAMILA: We don't wanna compromise our objective stance to join the rest and condemn her after what we saw earlier, but it's clear that Camila has the edge among the women in the main house. It's the competition that counts above all else - even after what we had to sit through from her this season, and after what happened in the Presidio she's proven why she has those finals appearances, that title and that drive after falling short these past two seasons (CP included). Yes, if she goes on and win no doubt that will set off a riot among fans, and obviously it will no doubt be tainted because of what happened with her and Leroy. But this is the same Camila who also sent Laurel early last season and had it not been for Ashley taking advantage of the finals time bonus, Camila would be going for back to back. Competitively, she is a favorite here no matter what you say about her.
● DERRICK: First, after what we saw last week, we're finally getting to see why Derrick has won three of these in the past, and coming back to do this for his son. Him being able to put the CrossFit experience he developed in between Cutthroat and this Dirty 30 season and using the balance, footwork and agility he had to win in the past to good use was no doubt a joy to watch... having a more muscular body and chest no doubt helps too. Like what we've been seeing with the one he beat last week, as usual Derrick has been flying under the radar politics-wise and just focusing on the game itself... only what happened with him and Nelson was his notable non-competitive appearance right up until last week. As we wrote in our WRAP yesterday, watch for not only his experience of doing this nine previous times and being in four finals, but also his leadership to come into play... he will be a great asset to those who might partner with him if this is a Free Agents-style final, and Nelson aside is on good terms with everyone in the house.
● HUNTER: If someone goes on a late surge, it may bring them on a deep run into the final... that's exactly what we've been seeing with someone who's currently on pace to be our year's Breakout Performer. Hunter came to Colombia intent on building upon what he did last season, while also trying to work on himself after he got somewhat of a bad rap on Invasion... if you remember seeing the freakouts he had in Thailand, you probably know why. For this former baseball player who has muscled up a bit since we first saw him two years on AYTO3, he's physically capable to become a great Challenger. And he's also encountered adversity, losing his girlfriend and best friend in the house in the same week along with Cory earlier on. Hunter's no doubt bounced back in a big way the past few weeks: upsetting Leroy in elimination, getting Tony to leave the veteran guys' alliance to keep him afloat, them winning the past two missions and eliminations, and sending Jordan, Dario, Leroy, CT and Bananas to Redemption. This might be the one move that brings him a title.
● TONY: A story we've been following has been of if Tony becomes a good competitor or just a great entertainer, and we have seen him have his moments which wouldn't be good examples to his kids. And in being deemed one of this show's worst-ever competitors, a lot of people wrote down Tony after he lost to Ammo in that elimination earlier on and him not being in a winning mission, and we thought he would just throw in the towel and enter parenthood fulltime. But then came Redemption - which has certainly made a difference for him. Being a formidable underdog to Darrell in that first battle, we all thought the Champs vs. Pros champ would win his way back... but that's why they always determine these on the field: Tony taking down the champ when he was almost on the edge was remarkable and a boost in confidence that has now seen him come to this point. Yes, there was what happened after, but upon his return he won trivia, responded to his critics winning his first night elimination, aligning with Hunter and winning the past two challenges.
● TONY: A story we've been following has been of if Tony becomes a good competitor or just a great entertainer, and we have seen him have his moments which wouldn't be good examples to his kids. And in being deemed one of this show's worst-ever competitors, a lot of people wrote down Tony after he lost to Ammo in that elimination earlier on and him not being in a winning mission, and we thought he would just throw in the towel and enter parenthood fulltime. But then came Redemption - which has certainly made a difference for him. Being a formidable underdog to Darrell in that first battle, we all thought the Champs vs. Pros champ would win his way back... but that's why they always determine these on the field: Tony taking down the champ when he was almost on the edge was remarkable and a boost in confidence that has now seen him come to this point. Yes, there was what happened after, but upon his return he won trivia, responded to his critics winning his first night elimination, aligning with Hunter and winning the past two challenges.
● CAMILA: We don't wanna compromise our objective stance to join the rest and condemn her after what we saw earlier, but it's clear that Camila has the edge among the women in the main house. It's the competition that counts above all else - even after what we had to sit through from her this season, and after what happened in the Presidio she's proven why she has those finals appearances, that title and that drive after falling short these past two seasons (CP included). Yes, if she goes on and win no doubt that will set off a riot among fans, and obviously it will no doubt be tainted because of what happened with her and Leroy. But this is the same Camila who also sent Laurel early last season and had it not been for Ashley taking advantage of the finals time bonus, Camila would be going for back to back. Competitively, she is a favorite here no matter what you say about her.
● JENNA: For the first of the two who call themselves Jailah, this is Jenna's fifth straight challenge, and she's been doing pretty well this season: fresh confessionals, a BFF alliance and being honest. She would've easily not been casted for this season based upon the fact that she's not done anything suspicious herself... just being with worse partners in the past have plagued her... and up until then she hasn't fared well in the daily missions. But in a place where she has owned -- the elimination chamber, she has had a stellar 5-1 record in win or go home scenarios. And it's also here where we've also seen the Double Cross change the game: she was double crossed by Jemmye in the very first elimination, but then came back to pull a double cross of her own and put in Camila just this past week after she won just her third daily.
● KAILAH: For the other half of Jailah, Kailah came here to build on what she had in her rookie go, and hope that she can become the great competitor some have pegged her to be. Yes, it was hard to root for her after getting close to Tony and Cory and being disliked so much, but after falling in the first Invasion Fortress she has improved herself much better. Her relying on her boyfriend Mikey P.'s Ninja Warrior experience has helped her become a fixture in Vegas gyms everyday as well as adopting a new diet. This season, she has been breakout performer for the ladies: three daily mission wins, two elimination wins, and being safe in the others. Yes, her captaincy choices can be questioned, and she & Jenna aligned themselves with Cara & Camila early on to help get a foothold... which now they have. As what happened in Vegas, watch for her endurance to get tested soon.
● TORI: There were, understandably, mixed feelings about AYTO invading Challenge land, but one who has made the smooth transition from there into this world is definitely Tori. Fellow blogger Allan Aguirre has her near the top of his list of probable likable winners, and compared to the rest of the girls field the star status she garnered last year has translated her to being both a great competitor and an even greater liked person as Leroy, Derrick and CT. She won the first three challenges she got to compete in, but then she got sent into the Presidio where she beat out Marie, followed by earning safety in every succeeding week then -- two of them escaping the Double Cross including last week. And there was what happened with that relationship, but that's another story. Tori has already gained much respect and new fans as a very likable girl, but what can turn a good rookie into a great one should be coming up.
● KAILAH: For the other half of Jailah, Kailah came here to build on what she had in her rookie go, and hope that she can become the great competitor some have pegged her to be. Yes, it was hard to root for her after getting close to Tony and Cory and being disliked so much, but after falling in the first Invasion Fortress she has improved herself much better. Her relying on her boyfriend Mikey P.'s Ninja Warrior experience has helped her become a fixture in Vegas gyms everyday as well as adopting a new diet. This season, she has been breakout performer for the ladies: three daily mission wins, two elimination wins, and being safe in the others. Yes, her captaincy choices can be questioned, and she & Jenna aligned themselves with Cara & Camila early on to help get a foothold... which now they have. As what happened in Vegas, watch for her endurance to get tested soon.
● TORI: There were, understandably, mixed feelings about AYTO invading Challenge land, but one who has made the smooth transition from there into this world is definitely Tori. Fellow blogger Allan Aguirre has her near the top of his list of probable likable winners, and compared to the rest of the girls field the star status she garnered last year has translated her to being both a great competitor and an even greater liked person as Leroy, Derrick and CT. She won the first three challenges she got to compete in, but then she got sent into the Presidio where she beat out Marie, followed by earning safety in every succeeding week then -- two of them escaping the Double Cross including last week. And there was what happened with that relationship, but that's another story. Tori has already gained much respect and new fans as a very likable girl, but what can turn a good rookie into a great one should be coming up.
►THE REDEMPTION HOUSE
● ANEESA: This is Aneesa's 12th Challenge season, and for someone whose first time on MTV was fifteen years ago we perhaps might be seeing the start of her farewell tour, whose next stop will come on Champs vs. Stars on Thanksgiving week. We have seen her moments over the years, but competitively she hasn't historically been one of the best players on this show... the best she's had is a finals appearance on Duel II and then fourth on Rivals II. After two early dailies wins, of course we've seen her being sent two times into Redemption, emerged from the first one and then sent into this latest one. We have seen her spend more time in those quarters than in the house itself and making friends with Cory, Marie and everyone else while waiting for the chance at revenge. The drive of having been so close and not getting that first one should emerge.
● BANANAS: For the man who has won six of these, being in the Redemption House is very familiar to Bananas: remember when he decided to crash Wes' inevitable Exes 2 title? This, of course, is Johnny's 15th time here, and other than for two early wins he has been gliding along in gaining safety and mellowing out until what happened last week. It would've been tough for his fans to see him lose, but being able to lose to a close friend in Derrick made it easier for him to take the loss. Since his fifth title, Bananas has been 1-6 in eliminations, and consider the others who've beaten him: Leroy two times on Exes 2, Cara Maria on Bloodlines, Darrell on Invasion, Wes on Champs vs. Pros and Derrick last week -- the last four being champs. Now with him, Cara, Roylee, CT and Jordan all sharing quarters for now, this might be the toughest situation he's been in since...it'll be a miracle if he comes back. And he doesn't need more to add to his all time status, but #7 would be sweet.
● BRITNI: At first, we might have wondered why she earned her way into this cast, but Britni has been able to hold her own in her rookie campaign and do better than first expected of her. She won dailies early on and then recently, but it's in the Presidio where she has able to accomplish something those who come onto their first Challenge and few succeed: win an elimination they're expected to lose early on, and then go on and win a second one. She beat Briana in the cast's first trip to the bright lights under the night sky, then beat Nicole in the second one when it was Tori who double crossed her. It's likely that given the experience everyone else has attained that she will likely be eliminated tonight, but being able to make it this far and this close to the end is a great achievement for Brit.
● BRITNI: At first, we might have wondered why she earned her way into this cast, but Britni has been able to hold her own in her rookie campaign and do better than first expected of her. She won dailies early on and then recently, but it's in the Presidio where she has able to accomplish something those who come onto their first Challenge and few succeed: win an elimination they're expected to lose early on, and then go on and win a second one. She beat Briana in the cast's first trip to the bright lights under the night sky, then beat Nicole in the second one when it was Tori who double crossed her. It's likely that given the experience everyone else has attained that she will likely be eliminated tonight, but being able to make it this far and this close to the end is a great achievement for Brit.
● CT: For the other one who was sent straight into Redemption last week, this twist saw something none of us expected in CT being sent there along with Cara. He, too, has also won five challenges this season and came here straight off of winning Invasion. That win might not have as impressive as his first one on Rivals II, but it's always that mystique of being the bad@$$ he was once that brought him to the win, along with taking down Darrell to earn his way into the final. Obviously, this is a changed CT after what he's gone through since that first win, and he is one of the handful who is so well-liked that a win -- a back-to-back if he does -- would only add to a legend he's already established for himself. Below in the power rankings that we have, we peg him to be just a slight favorite in what might be the deepest field we'll have all season - finals included. But if he goes back to back and come back from Redemption, that status will no doubt become even more grand.
● DARIO: When we saw him napping in the Redemption House last week, all of us thought to ourselves, "Oh, he is on this cast. We haven't seen him all season long." And in a way, this Dario is someone way different from the one who came in guns blazing on Bloodlines and flamed out. But over time, he has become calm, reserved, funny in those confessionals and otherwise is someone who prefers to just glide along now. Yes, he has been a no factor here save for two early wins, but sometimes the biggest surprises can come when you least expect it: he is last on the totem pole and considering the deep field who will join him on the plane ride home after tonight, it's pretty much game over for Dario... but don't count him out just yet - anything can happen. But at least, he will exit this season mature, more likable, and he will have a golden girlfriend to come home to in Ashley K.● JEMMYE: Someone who also finds herself in that same position of being seemingly on that inevitable ride home is Jemmye. Going into this season, her return was anticipated because of having had enough time of the past three years to grasp onto the untimely passing of her longtime boyfriend Ryan Knight, and her stating at the time that she was done doing these shows after we saw them on Exes 2. Here we are now and she is the only competitor by our count to not win a challenge this season among those who are left in this game. But her being able to pull off the first big time move in the Double Cross proved how that twist has radiated throughout this season. That, unfortunately, is one of the only big moments she's had in this return and it's likely she will be eliminated tonight. But again, it's not over quite yet.
● JORDAN: Another person who returned to this show after a couple years' hiatus is one who won on Exes 2: Jordan. We had last seen him on that Norwegian mountaintop with Sarah celebrating that win, and we all through that we had seen the last of him with modeling and acting awaiting him in his post Challenge life. But in the back of our minds, we had an hint that one day, he would return. That day and season is this moment, and considering how he loves competing, proving that he's better than everyone else and all that we know about him, we have seen Jordan make quite a return. From that rap in the bus to winning the first challenge to being given a taste of his medicine last week, it has been quite a season for him. And of course, there's him drawing the Double Cross in three straight eliminations, which has also seen him become enemies with Hunter. If having to flip all the cards three years ago was something, how about of him trying to earn his way back in this stacked field?
● VERONICA: Last but not least, the Queen... Veronica returned to our screens earlier this summer on Champs vs. Pros, but it's here on Dirty 30 where she has been able to prove why she has those three titles on her resume. She was inspired by seeing fellow Road Rules veteran Shane L. return earlier this year on Invasion, and the hunch of competing got to her again - first briefly in Cali and now here in Colombia. She has won four challenges this season and was part of the first double cross of this season. But it's what we saw in Week 12 where she got to turn back the clock: dominating an elimination and then her younger teammates who were in kindergarten when she was on that cruise around the world relying on her experience to win the following challenge. And afterwards, she got to say Leroy's name in deliberations which ultimately saw him lose in the Presidio. She has been holding up all season long in her return... now comes having to step it up come tonight.
Having written all of that, here's our first power rankings...
POWER RANKINGS
MAIN HOUSE - GUYS
1. DERRICK
2. HUNTER
3. TONY
MAIN HOUSE - GIRLS
1. CAMILA
2. JENNA
3. KAILAH
4. TORI
REDEMPTION - GUYS
1. CT
2. BANANAS
3. LEROY
4. JORDAN
5. DARIO
REDEMPTION - GIRLS
1. CARA MARIA
2. VERONICA
3. ANEESA
4. BRITNI
5. JEMMYE
5. JEMMYE
GUYS OVERALL
1. DERRICK
2. CT
3. BANANAS
4. LEROY
5. JORDAN
6. HUNTER
7. TONY
8. DARIO
2. CT
3. BANANAS
4. LEROY
5. JORDAN
6. HUNTER
7. TONY
8. DARIO
GIRLS OVERALL
1. CARA MARIA
2. CAMILA
3. JENNA
4. KAILAH
5. VERONICA
6. TORI
7. ANEESA
8. BRITNI
9. JEMMYE
2. CAMILA
3. JENNA
4. KAILAH
5. VERONICA
6. TORI
7. ANEESA
8. BRITNI
9. JEMMYE
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#DCExtraTime
CONGRATS MIZ AND DARRELL
Finally, this past weekend saw two life-changing moments for two veterans of Team MTV. Along with Real World D.C. alum Mike Manning who was united with his fiance and partner this past weekend, two past Challenge champs had their moment of becoming a dad again, and another of getting married.
First, the man who hosted last season's Invasion reunion, will have a role in the Dirty 30 reunion coming up next month and then will host Champs vs. Stars - Mike "The Miz" hosted not only a belated 37th birthday party but also a gender reveal party for he and his wife. The Canadian songstress Avril Lavigne and Ashlee Simpson's one-time boyfriend Ryan Cabrera were in attendance along with other special guests as the couple, dressed up as a Prince and Princess got to reveal athe gender of their new baby. The results of those are below.
The #ItBaby is a GIRL! If she gets half the brains, beauty, and strength of her mother @marysemizanin then she’s gonna be a powerful woman. pic.twitter.com/giLrj2ha5o— The Miz (@mikethemiz) October 21, 2017
And down in Cabo, another old school veteran who also made his MTV return this year, four-time champ and winner of Champs vs. Pros, Darrell, tied the knot with his fiance. He captioned on Instagram below, "Can't express how fortunate I am to be surrounded by so much love from family & friends. I appreciate you all!❤️". Louise Hazel commented, "Awesome news congratulation D!! ✊🏽✊🏽✊🏽", and others echoed their sentiment. Our congrats go out to Darrell and The Miz.
- @mtv_amanda: "Congrats you two!!!!! 💕"
- @derrickmtv: "YYYYYEAH BOYYYYYY!!!!"
- @missarissa: "Yay! OMG CONGRATULATIONS! 🍾🍾🍾🍾🥂"
- @dario.medrano: "Congratulations my brotha!!!! Nothing but a bright future for y'all 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🕺🏽🕺🏽🕺🏽🙌🏽"
- @kellyannejudd: "❤️"
- @jennacompono: "Yay congrats you two! Such a beautiful couple! 💕"
▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪
And on those two notes, we will wrap it up for this week's posts following a week that saw two surprise eliminations, a veteran turning back the clock, fireworks in all three houses where these seasons of The Challenge and Are You The One?, and a lingerie party too.
Just a reminder to follow DCNOW at @DC408DxNow for tonight's live tweets of not just The Challenge XXX, but also Game 1 of the 2017 World Series as the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros face off from Chavez Ravine... that begins in just a few short hours over there. Are You The One? is tomorrow as the parents coming strolling into the house by the Bayou, and make sure to join the conversation on Twitter at #DCChallenge and #DCNOW.
And after we give everyone the chance to watch and catch up on the episodes, we'll return on Friday afternoon with all the 'Pulse play-by-play, episode analysis and ExtraTime stories. And remember to share my DCBLOG links on your social media platforms so my site can help reach more of your fellow fans and to let a wider fanbase experience & enjoy my insightful, acclaimed posts with episode coverage, Pulse reaction and stories no one else offers.
That is how we look at it Inside the MTV Trifecta... thank you for checking us out, and see you later.
- I AM DC
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