‘The Challenge: Ride or Dies’ Cast: Johnny Middlebrooks and Ravyn Rochelle May Just Be the Team to Beat
The Challenge: Ride or Dies premiere featured an impressive showing from rookies Johnny Middlebrooks and Ravyn Rochelle. The Love Island alum and his good friend beat out seasoned vets and former champions to win their very first challenge. And they weren’t afraid to use their new power to target vets and send them into elimination. Did Johnny and Ravyn just prove they are the team to beat in season 38?
Who are Johnny Middlebrooks and Ravyn Rochelle on ‘The Challenge: Ride or Dies’?
Johnny is a 24-year-old from Chesapeake, Virginia, who made his reality TV debut in the second season of Love Island USA on CBS. He and Cely Vasquez were the runners-up that season, and they did form a relationship. However, they are no longer together. After Love Island, Johnny appeared in All Star Shore on Paramount+.
The former college athlete is competing on his very first season of The Challenge in Ride or Dies, and the partner he chose is actress and social media star, Ravyn Rochelle. She’s not just a newbie to The Challenge, but to reality TV in general. This lack of experience, though, didn’t stop the duo in this season’s first challenge — “Bolas for Blood.”
Johnny Middlebrooks and Ravyn Rochelle just proved they could be the team to beat
In the first challenge of the season, teams had to answer three questions together about their specific partnership. For example — “what’s your cumulative age?”
Then, the teams had to search through a giant mud pit to find the bolas with the correct numbers painted on them and attach all three bolas on their station. The first team to answer all of their questions correctly and then run all of the proper bolas to the final station wins the challenge.
Because Nelson Thomas forgot his own age — which caused one of his answers with his partner/ex Nurys Mateo to be wrong — Johnny and Ravyn were able to pull out in front and finish first.
After their big win, the rookies put together a veteran hit list and chose one team to go into elimination. They interrogated Tori Deal and Devin Walker, newlyweds Kailah and Sam Bird, Laurel Stucky, and Jakk Maddox.
Not everything is going perfectly for the rookies on ‘The Challenge: Ride or Dies’
To make it look like they weren’t exclusively targeting vets, they also interrogated rookies Colleen Schneider and Kim Tränka. But, they had no intention of sending a fellow rookie team into elimination. They eventually settled on Kailah and Sam.
The duo’s strong game play continued by making deals with everyone during their interrogation. And, they joined a rookie alliance that includes season 36 champ, Amber Borzotra, and vet Jay Starrett. However, there were a couple of notable moments in the premiere that indicated not everything was perfect for Johnny and Ravyn.
The first hookup of the season was between Johnny and Nurys, and it occurred on the plane enroute to Argentina. They apparently got drunk and made out in front of everyone. But, that’s not the only drama. It’s also clear that Johnny is into Ravyn, and she’s not happy about it. She’s attempting to play it off and act like it’s not bothering her, but weren’t not buying it.
To see how far Ravyn and Johnny make it in their first season, catch new episodes of The Challenge: Ride or Dies Wednesdays on MTV.
