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The Challenge veteran Aneesa Ferreira initially planned to compete in season 38’s Ride or Dies alongside her friend, James Simon. However, he was primarily edited out of the episodes, and she teamed up with Jordan Wiseley. The three-time finalist recently addressed her friend’s short-lived appearance.

Aneesa Ferreira’s original ‘The Challenge: Ride or Dies’ teammate James Simon edited out

Aneesa Ferreira and her friend James Simon barely appeared in The Challenge: Ride or Dies premiere as the cast moved into the house.

She then re-entered the competition at the end of episode 2 alongside three-time champ Jordan Wiseley. Many viewers were confused by the switch and wondered why Aneesa didn’t compete alongside her intended teammate.

She recently addressed his short-lived appearance in a February 2023 episode of the podcast Death, Taxes, and Bananas, hosted by co-star and seven-time champ Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio.

Describing James as a “beautiful, gay, Jewish man,” Aneesa explained the two met at CrossFit when he shared her importance to him growing up. The veteran claimed they then attended a happy hour together and became great friends. According to the Real World star, a producer noticed him in the background during one of their virtual reunions and enjoyed his personality.

Aneesa on how she ended up partnered with Jordan Wiseley

Therefore, she considered it “their chance” when she heard of the Ride or Dies theme. Unfortunately, several season 38 castmates contracted COVID-19 after moving into the Challenge house, including Aneesa.

She admitted she was concerned about her friend due to the isolation period, and they had no contact, preventing her from telling James what happened. The veteran noted that alum Nia Moore, who planned to team up with Jordan, wasn’t medically cleared to compete.

Additionally, she claimed the producers wanted the three-time champ in the house, presumably due to his ex-fianceé Tori Deal’s presence, and cut her friend, who hadn’t caught COVID, to make it happen.

Aneesa admitted she felt bad for James because he halted job opportunities for the show and wanted to compete. She also pointed out how much she looked forward to performing alongside her friend, only for it to “get taken away.”

Nia Moore was supposed to compete alongside Jordan in ‘The Challenge 38’

After last competing in 2015’s Battle of the Exes 2, during which she got disqualified shortly before the finals for inappropriately touching the three-time winner, Nia returned for spinoff All Stars 3 in 2022. She and Jordan, rivals from their Real World days, buried the hatchet, and one episode caught the two hooking up.

Following their reunion, the two were tapped to compete as teammates in Ride or Dies, but Nia couldn’t compete. During a January 2023 Instagram Live, she revealed she suffered a “near death” experience due to increased vaping. As a result, the veteran must take blood thinners for six months and couldn’t participate in the current season.

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Therefore, Jordan entered the house and teamed up with Aneesa. Their relationship was a little hard to pinpoint for the viewers as the two haven’t appeared to have much interaction throughout the several seasons they competed with each other.

It becomes more apparent as the two attempt to work together in the finals. Within the first few minutes, Aneesa rolled her ankle when he instructed them to run off-course. Throughout the legs, he hasn’t encouraged her much and has lacked compassion, causing the teammates to get into heated arguments. Regardless, they finished Day 3 in second place. The Challenge airs Wednesdays on MTV.

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