‘The Challenge: World Championship’: Here Are All the Starting Pairs
The Challenge: World Championship combines Global MVPs and Challenge legends to compete for their shot at $500,000. Here are all the starting teams.
Nathan Henry disqualified from ‘The Challenge: World Championship’ during the premiere episode
The Challenge: World Championship kicked off with 16 “Global MVPs,” or players representing The Challenge: USA, Argentina, Australia, and UK competing against each other in an extensive qualifier.
The male and female contestants who finished last, UK winner Tristan Phipps and Argentina’s Claudia Albertario, were immediately sent into elimination.
UK runner-up Nathan Henry’s medical disqualification prevented Tristan from entering the Arena, so the winners (Australia’s Grant Crapp and UK’s Zara Zoffany) had to choose between nominees Kiki Morris (Australia) or Kaz Crossley (UK). Not wanting to throw anyone from their original shows into elimination, they came to a stalemate, but Zara got to break the tie as the female winner.
Therefore, Kiki ended up in a Pole Wrestle elimination against Claudia, where she sent the model home first. Following her exit and Nathan’s disqualification, the remaining 14 Global MVPs picked Challenge legends as partners in a draft based on when they completed the qualifier.
All the starting pairs in the ‘World Championship’
Love Island: Australia winner Grant picked back-to-back All Stars champ Jonna (Mannion) Stephens first, shocking her and many of her castmates. However, the two believe they can complement each other’s weaknesses. Zara went next and chose three-time champ Wes Bergmann followed by Survivor winner and USA finalist Ben Driebergen who chose Kaycee Clark due to her impressive social game.
UK champ Kaz picked Jordan Wiseley, and USA winner Danny McCray followed his wife’s advice and selected Tori Deal as his teammate. Love Island winner Justine Ndiba chose Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio as she considers him one of the top competitors, and Argentina’s Benja Alfonso selected OG Jodi Weatherton, who didn’t want to attach herself to the shrinking team.
Kiki teamed up with four-time winner Darrell Taylor, celebrity chef Rodrigo Cascón picked veteran Nia Moore, Australian Olympic gold medalist Emily Seebohm picked Yes Duffy, Australian champ Troy Cullen went with Double Agents winner Amber Borzotra, and Survivor champ and USA winner Sarah Lacina selected former runner-up Theo Campbell.
Challenge legends Nelson Thomas and KellyAnne Judd were last picked and automatically paired with Argentina’s Jujuy Jiménez and Tristan.
‘The Challenge: World Championship’ airs Wednesdays on Paramount+
For their first challenge together, the pairs had to solve a puzzle in which they had to solve a puzzle by looping a heavy chain around poles to match a diagram.
Jonna and Grant edged out Jordan and Kaz to prove themselves as the team to beat and give them the power to vote a duo into elimination. During the nomination ceremony, the group agreed on Jodi and Benja and KellyAnne and Tristan.
Already feeling betrayed by ex-boyfriend Wes who didn’t hesitate to say her name, KellyAnne hopes her pre-existing friendship with Jonna will save her.
However, during an interview with MTV’s Official Challenge Podcast, the two-time champ admitted she had a better working relationship with Jodi from their time on All Stars together. The two-episode premiere ended on a cliffhanger as KellyAnne confronted Jonna about her upcoming decision. The Challenge: World Championship airs Wednesdays on Paramount+.
