‘The Challenge’: Devin Walker Opened up About the Mental Toll Season 37 Loss Took on Him
The Challenge veteran Devin Walker placed in the finals twice before taking home the win in season 38’s Ride or Dies. He recently opened up about how losing season 37 prompted his intense training.
Devin Walker on the mental toll ‘The Challenge 37’ loss took on him
After placing third during his rookie season, Devin Walker didn’t see another final until last season of The Challenge, season 37’s Spies, Lies, and Allies. However, he and Emy Alupei came up just short. The loss motivated Devin for season 38’s Ride or Dies, which he hadn’t discussed since a February 2023 interview with the MTV’s Official Challenge Podcast, which aired immediately following his first victory.
According to the Massachusetts native, he went through a “mental beating” after the Spies, Lies, and Allies loss that propelled him to train hard in the off-season.
Devin recalled having the lead for the first portion of the final and thought everything was going right for him until his inability to get up a hill cost him the victory. It caused the Are You the One? star to confront himself for talking “a lot of s***” and insisting he wants the win without putting the work in his body, calling it a “hard realization.”
The Challenge star also noted that he refused to feel that loss again and did a lot of running in his training, even though he hated it. He continued and pointed out that he and teammate Tori Deal separate themselves from competitors by their willingness to address their weaknesses, noting that some players “live in self-delusion.”
Devin originally appeared in ‘Are You the One?’
After making an impression as a villain in the reality TV dating competition series, Are You the One?, Devin went on to win spinoff Second Chances with perfect match Rashida Beach.
He then made his debut on Rivals 3 alongside nemesis Cheyenne Floyd, who took exception to how he talked about some of the women in AYTO.
They were sent home during one of the first eliminations but returned a few episodes later as replacements.
The rookies remained safe for the rest of the competition and made it to the finals, where they placed third. Following a quick exit from Dirty 30, he returned for Vendettas, where he got his first elimination win, against eventual rival Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio. However, Devin didn’t make the finals.
Devin secured his first win in ‘The Challenge: Ride or Dies’
He had his next best chance in Final Reckoning and teamed up with Cory Wharton when the duo won two eliminations to get back into the house. Unfortunately, his partner violently slammed Tony Raines to the ground over a plate of pasta, resulting in their disqualification.
The MTV alum returned for Double Agents, where he eliminated Wes Bergmann reasonably early but fell to Darrell Taylor before the finals. In season 37’s Spies, Lies, and Allies, his Emerald Cell won nearly every mission headed into the endgame, and he had a formidable teammate in rookie Emy.
However, he placed third again. Devin returned for Ride or Dies alongside Tori Deal, who also lost last season in the finals, where his deals and their key wins kept them safe until the end.
They ended up pulling out the win over Nany González and Bananas, earning their first victory. The Challenge is available to watch on MTV and Paramount+.
