‘The Challenge’: Are Olivia and Horacio the Best Rookie Duo? These 3 Performances Come Close

Newcomers Horacio Gutiérrez and Olivia Kaiser delivered an impressive performance as a rookie-rookie pair in The Challenge: Ride or Dies. He tied the record with elimination wins, and they stood a chance to win had Olivia not suffered a freak accident. Are they the best rookie duo to compete in The Challenge? These three performances also have an argument.

Olivia Kaiser and Horacio Gutiérrez are one of the best rookie duos to compete in ‘The Challenge’

Soccer star and Exatlón Estados Unidos finalist Horacio Gutiérrez and Love Island USA winner Olivia Kaiser debuted on The Challenge: Ride or Dies as replacements for siblings Kaycee and Kenny Clark. They immediately found themselves nominated and got blindsided into elimination when Jay Starrett and Michele Fitzgerald reneged on their agreement to save them at the draw.

However, the house wanted their opponents Turbo Çamkıran and Tamara Alfaro gone and helped the rookies defeat the couple. The same thing happened again in the following episode, and they sent fellow newcomers Johnny Middlebrooks and Ravyn Rochelle home. The two remained safe for a few episodes until her fling Nelson Thomas opted to save ally Fessy Shafaat over her. However, with the help of the house again, they get revenge against Michele and Jay.

When they split into teams, Horacio got picked for Moriah Jadea’s undersized group, and they frequently lost dailies. Considered a threat, the soccer star saw two more eliminations where he sent home Kenny and three-time champ Jordan Wiseley on their way to the final. Olivia ended up suffering a freak accident, resulting in their medical disqualification. However, the rookies might have won if they had stayed.

Winner Devin Walker has admitted that he doesn’t think Horacio would’ve given up the way Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio did at the cinder block puzzle and believes the newcomer might have won. He and teammate Tori Deal recognize that, so they sabotaged the rookie-rookie duo in the first stages. That sabotage forced Olivia to fire another golf ball, which ultimately broke her face, eliminating them. As Horacio has tied the record with the most eliminations won in a season, including a defeat against formidable competitor Jordan, and Olivia put up an impressive performance that nearly gave them the win over Bananas and Nany and Devin and Tori, they’re leading the argument for the best rookie-rookie duo.

Other formidable all-rookie duo performances

Real World: Las Vegas roommates Marlon Williams and Jordan debuted on Rivals 2 shortly after their season aired. As the season consisted of prominent personalities with drama, they remained under the radar for the first several weeks as the veterans targeted each other. However, they got voted into elimination twice, nearly back-to-back, before reaching the finals, placing third and splitting $15,000.

The duo has an argument as one of the best performances due to how well they finished; no all-rookie pair has won a season yet. Battle of the Exes 2 team Jenna Compono and Jay Mitchell,  Rivals 3’s Devin Walker and Cheyenne Floyd, and Rivals Leroy Garrett and Michael Ross have come the closest, all placing third.

Leroy and Michael, the brain and brawn team, also have a case. They unexpectedly united after Adam Royer’s early exit and won a daily mission but no eliminations on their way to the final. However, they had to quit on the second day when Michael could not continue.

Finally, Big Brother stars Jozea Flores and Da’Vonne Rogers were the first sent home in Final Reckoning before winning their way back into the house twice, the only players to do so. Although they barely missed the finals, re-entering the game twice is difficult as it also requires luck. Jenna and Jay don’t make the list because they infamously quit due to his refusal to eat. Additionally, Cheyenne and Devin might not have an argument because they were the first sent home before returning as replacements. The duo then floated to the end without facing an elimination.

Other qualifying all-rookie duos:

Battle of the Exes – Nate Stodghill and Priscilla Mendez

Rivals 2 – Anastasia Miller and Jessica McCain

Battle of the Exes 2 – Adam Kuhn and Brittany Baldassari, John Jacobs and Simone Kelly, and Thomas Buell and Hailey Chivers

Rivals 3 – Nelson Thomas and Amanda Garcia and Brandon Tindel and Briana LaCuesta

Final Reckoning – Angela Babicz and Faith Stowers

Ride or Dies – Analyse Talavera and Tommy Bracco, Colleen Scheider and Kim Tränka, and Johnny Middlebrooks and Ravyn Rochelle