MTV’s ‘The Challenge’ Set To Return For Season 30
America’s sixth major sport is coming back for a 30th season. Deadline reports that MTV plans to premiere The Challenge XXX: Dirty 30 on Tuesday, July 18. BMX Legend TJ Lavin will return to host his 19th challenge. Lavin has also hosted MTV’s Spring Break Challenge in 2010. Currently, the meaning behind the title is unknown, beyond the fact that this is Season 30 of the show formerly known as the MTV Real World/Road Rules Challenge. This marks the third consecutive season airing back to back to back. Typically, the layoff period between Challenges lasts the span of a few months. This may have to do with the lack of original programming currently airing on Viacom, as well as the surge of ratings behind this MTV staple.
Currently airing on MTV is The Challenge: Champs VS Pros. This is an atypical challenge setup in that it takes place in Los Angeles, California, and pits professional athletes against our challenge champions. Veterans such as Weston Bergmann, Camila Nakagawa, and Darrell Taylor are pitted against professional athletes such as Olympian Lolo Jones, Former WWE/current UFC fighter CM Punk, and former NFL player Kamerion Wimbley. The winnings from this season go to a donation of the respective players choice. This cast is set to be one of the most stacked yet. According to a report, the cast has been leaked.
Warning: There are cast spoilers below!
The rumored returning cast is listed as follows.
Amanda Garcia
Aneesa Ferreira
Ashley Mitchell
Briana LaCuesta
Britni Thornton
Camila Nakagawa
Cara Maria Sorbello
Chris Tamburello
Christopher Ammon
Cory Wharton
Dario Medrano
Darrell Taylor
Derrick Henry
Derrick Kosinski
Devin Walker
Hunter Barfield
Jemmye Carroll
Jenna Compono
Johnny Devenanzio
Jordan Wiseley
Kailah Casillas
LaToya Jackson
Leroy Garrett
Marie Roda
Nelson Thomas
Nicole Ramos
Shane Raines
Simone Kelly
Tony Raines
Tori Deal
Veronica Portillo
This information is from Vevmo and Challenge Wiki, as well as from MTV’s website.
Putting it lightly, this Challenge cast looks stacked with many familiar faces. Players returning from Invasion include Johnny Bananas, Darrell Taylor, Amanda Garcia, Nelson Thomas, Cory Wharton, Jenna Compono, Tony Raines, Marie Roda, LaToya Jackson, Cara Maria Sorbello, Camila Nakagawa, and reigning champions CT Tamburello and Ashley Mitchell.
As we see from the current Challenge: Champs VS Pros, some old-school players are set to make their official returns. Veronica Portillo was the first female champ eliminated on Champs VS Pros, but she looks poised to come back and make some noise on Dirty 30. Also returning for the first time since 2010 is Derrick Kosinski. Derrick’s first appearance on MTV was in 2004 on Road Rules: Xtreme. Kosinski’s last appearance on Challenge was in 2010’s Cutthroat.
There are also a few rookies mixed in this season; Christopher Ammon, Britni Thornton, Tori Deal, and Derrick Henry are all making their debut appearance on the long-running franchise.
One huge player coming back that is an expected workhorse is LeRoy Garrett. He has taken off the past season due to presumably not fitting the theme, but the former garbage man is back to play with his fellow veterans and his best friend Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio. Johnny Bananas, of course, is a legend of the game, with a franchise-leading six victories. His most recent win was in Rivals 3, where he notoriously stole all of the winnings from his partner, Sarah Rice.
Also making their return are last year’s fellow finalists, Cory Wharton and Nelson Thomas. The male competitors this season seem to be well balanced and physically fit.
On the female side, mainstays Cara Maria and Camila always bring the drama and know how to get confrontational. One player last season who shocked everyone was Amanda Garcia. Garcia was not afraid of confrontation and fighting, and she did not back down from “The Camilanator.”
This season is expected to have the biggest prize pool yet; over $1 million dollars will be rewarded to the finalists. Plus, any show hosted by this guy cannot fail.
The format is yet to be known in full. The trailer for this season can be viewed below.
#TheChallengeXXX TRAILER is out! Premieres July 18th! @MTVBananas @mtvrrdarrell @DerrickMTV2 @v_cakes @JustJem24 ??? pic.twitter.com/n8g22Kf8Ql
— The Challenge MTV (@TheChallengeMTV) June 12, 2017
The Inquisitr will be following up with a full cast and theme breakdown, as well as episode-by-episode recaps! Follow along this season!
[Featured Image by MTV]