The Challenge 38 Cast: Teams Sound Off on 'Messy' Upcoming Season

Paramount 'The Challenge: Ride or Dies'

More than a year after the 37th season of “The Challenge” premiered in August 2021, MTV announced last week the return of the popular competition series for its 38th season, “The Challenge: Ride or Dies.” The season will premiere on Wednesday, October 12th at 8 p.m. Eastern and Pacific times.

The first look at the season was shared on “The Challenge” Instagram page, and a few cast members have also hinted at what might go down on the season as well as pairings that were in the works but fell through.

The full cast consists of 34 competitors split in 17 male/female teams. As the show’s press release described, “players and viewers will see if the seemingly unbreakable bonds between friends, family and partners survive the competition, chaos and conniving of The Challenge.” It added:

For the first time ever, the critically-acclaimed competition franchise will pair cast members with their ‘Ride or Die,’ featuring a cast of best friends, exes, and couples as they navigate the weekly mental and physical warfare together for their share of one million dollars.

These relationships will be put to the ultimate test as their teamwork, loyalty, and trust will be challenged every step of the way.

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There Are 17 Teams, Including Siblings, Couples & Exes

Amber Borzotra, 34, and Chauncey Palmer, 23

ParamountAmber Borzotra

Original show: “Big Brother 16”
Challenges: 2 (Double Agents, Spies Lies and Allies)
Daily wins: 1
Eliminations: 4 (3 wins, 1 loss)
Finals: 1 (1 win)

ParamountChauncey Palmer

Original show: N/A
Model and personal trainer

Aneesa Ferreira, 41, and Jordan Wiseley, 33

ParamountAneesa Ferreira

Original show: “The Real World: Chicago”
Challenges: 15 (Battle of the Sexes, Battle of the Sexes 2, The Gauntlet 2, The Duel, The Inferno 3, The Duel II, Rivals, Battle of the Exes, Rivals II, Free Agents, Battle of the Bloodlines, XXX: Dirty 30, Total Madness, Double Agents, Spies Lies and Allies)
Daily wins: 30
Eliminations: 21 (10 wins, 11 losses)
Finals: 2

ParamountJordan Wiseley

Original show: “The Real World: Portland”
Challenges: 6 (Rivals II, Free Agents, Battle of the Exes II, XXX: Dirty 30, War of the Worlds 2, Total Madness)
Daily wins: 21
Eliminations: 9 (7 wins, 2 losses)
Finals: 4 (3 wins)

Kailah Casillas, 29, and Sam Bird, 29

ParamountKailah Casillas

Original show: “Real World: Go Big or Go Home”
Challenges: 5 (Invasion of the Champions, XXX: Dirty 30, Vendettas, Final Reckoning, Total Madness)
Daily wins: 7
Eliminations: 6 (4 wins, 2 losses)
Finals: 1

ParamountSam Bird

Original show: “Love Island U.K.” season 4
Appeared on “Ex on the Beach: Peak of Love”

Kaycee Clark, 34, and Kenneth “Kenny” Clark, 33

ParamountKaycee Clark

Original show: “Big Brother 20”
Challenges: 3 (Total Madness, Double Agents, Spies Lies and Allies)
Daily wins: 14
Eliminations: 3 (3 wins)
Finals: 3 (1 win)

ParamountKenny Clark

Original show: N/A

Laurel Stucky, 37, and Jakk Maddox, 26

ParamountLaurel Stucky

Original show: “Fresh Meat II”
Challenges: 6 (Fresh Meat II, Cutthroat, Rivals, Free Agents, Invasion of the Champions, War of the Worlds 2)
Daily wins: 20
Eliminations: 11 (9 wins, 2 losses)
Finals: 4 (1 win)

ParamountJakk Maddox

Original show: “Ex on the Beach: Peak of Love”
Appeared on the same season of “Ex on the Beach” as Laurel Stucky and Sam Bird

Michele Fitzgerald, 32, and Jay Starrett, 33

ParamountMichele Fitzgerald

Original show: “Survivor: Kaôh Rōng”
Challenges: 1 (Spies Lies and Allies)
Daily wins: 0
Eliminations: 2 (1 win, 1 loss)
Finals: 0

ParamountJay Starrett

Original show: “Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X”
Challenges: 2 (Total Madness, Double Agents)
Daily wins: 1
Eliminations: 4 (2 wins, 2 losses)
Finals: 0

Tori Deal, 29, and Devin Walker, 33

ParamountTori Deal

Original show: “Are You the One? 4”
Challenges: 6 (XXX: Dirty 30, Final Reckoning, War of the Worlds 2, Total Madness, Double Agents, Spies Lies and Allies)
Daily wins: 19
Eliminations: 7 (4 wins, 3 losses)
Finals: 3

ParamountDevin Walker

Original show: “Are You the One? 3”
Challenges: 6 (Rivals III, XXX: Dirty 30, Vendettas, Final Reckoning, Double Agents, Spies Lies and Allies)
Daily wins: 9
Eliminations: 7 (5 wins, 2 losses)
Finals: 2

Analyse Talavera, 25, and Tommy Bracco, 32

ParamountAnalyse Talavera

Original show: “Big Brother 21”
Placed 9th overall

ParamountTommy Bracco

Original show: “Big Brother 21”
Placed 5th overall

Colleen Schneider, 27, and Kim Tränka, 32

ParamountColleen Schneider

Original show: “The Mole Germany”

ParamountKim Traenka

Original show: “Prince Charming Germany” season 3
The show is a reality TV show similar to “The Bachelor” and Kim was the Prince — the Bachelor — of the season

Emmy Russ, 23, and Nam Vo, 30

ParamountEmmy Russ

Original show: “Beauty and the Nerd Germany”
Also appeared on other reality shows like “Secret Story” in Spain and “Celebrity Big Brother” in Germany

ParamountNam Vo

Original show: “Ultimate Beastmaster 1”
Challenges: 2 (Double Agents, Spies Lies and Allies)
Daily wins: 0
Eliminations: 0
Finals: 0

Moriah Jadea, 26, and Faysal “Fessy” Shafaat, 30

ParamountMoriah Jadea

Original show: N/A
Instagram influencer from Florida

ParamountFessy Shafaat

Original show: “Big Brother 20”
Challenges: 3 (Total Madness, Double Agents, Spies Lies and Allies)
Daily wins: 6
Eliminations: 3 (3 wins)
Finals: 2

Nany Gonzalez, 33, and Johnny ‘Bananas’ Devenanzio, 40

ParamountNany Gonzalez

Original show: “The Real World: Las Vegas (2011)”
Challenges: 11 (Battle of the Seasons (2012), Rivals II, Free Agents, Battle of the Exes II, Battle of the Bloodlines, Rivals III, War of the Worlds, War of the Worlds 2, Total Madness, Double Agents, Spies, Lies & Allies)
Daily wins: 30
Eliminations: 14 (4 wins, 10 losses)
Finals: 3

ParamountJohnny Bananas Devenanzio

Original show: “The Real World: Key West”
Challenges: 20 (The Duel, The Inferno 3, The Gauntlet III, The Island, The Ruins, Cutthroat, Rivals, Battle of the Exes, Rivals II, Free Agents, Battle of the Exes II, Battle of the Bloodlines, Rivals III, Invasion of the Champions, XXX: Dirty 30, Vendettas, Final Reckoning, War of the Worlds, War of the Worlds 2, Total Madness)
Daily wins: 62
Eliminations: 25 (11 wins, 14 losses)
Finals: 9 (7 wins)

Nurys Mateo, 27, and Nelson Thomas, 33

ParamountNurys Mateo

Original show: Are You The One? 6
Also appeared on “Ex on the Beach” season 2

ParamountNelson Thomas

Original show: “Are You the One? 3”
Challenges: 8 (Rivals III, Invasion of the Champions, XXX: Dirty 30, Vendettas, Final Reckoning, Total Madness, Double Agents, Spies Lies and Allies)
Daily wins: 8
Eliminations: 15 (9 wins, 5 losses, 1 draw)
Finals: 2

Olivia Kaiser, 30, and Horacio “Guti” Gutierrez, 25

ParamountOlivia Kaiser

Original show: “Love Island U.S.” season 3
Won “Love Island” with her partner Korey Gandy but they broke up a few months later

ParamountHoracio Gutierrez

Original show: “Exatlon United States”
Kinesiologist and soccer player from Texas

Ravyn Rochelle, 25, and Johnny Middlebrooks, 24

ParamountRavyn Rochelle

Original show: N/A
Instagram influencer and actress from Los Angeles

ParamountJohnny Middlebrooks

Original show: “Love Island U.S.” season 2
Finished in second place on “Love Island U.S.”

Tamara Alfaro, and Turabi “Turbo” Çamkıran, 34

ParamountTamara Alfaro

Original show: N/A

ParamountTurabi “Turbo” Çamkıran

Original show: “Survivor Turkey 8”
Challenges: 2 (War of the Worlds, War of the Worlds 2)
Daily wins: 13
Eliminations: 0
Finals: 1 (1 win)

Veronica Portillo, 44, and Darrell Taylor, 42

ParamountVeronica Portillo

Original season: “Road Rules: Semester at Sea”
Challenges: 2 (Challenge 2000, Battle of the Seasons, Battle of the Sexes, The Gauntlet, The Inferno, Battle of the Sexes 2, The Inferno II, The Ruins, XXX: Dirty 30, Vendettas, Final Reckoning)
Daily wins: 48
Eliminations: 4 (2 wins, 2 losses)
Finals: 4 (3 wins)

ParamountDarrell Taylor

Original season: “Road Rules: Campus Crawl”
Challenges: 9 (The Gauntlet, The Inferno, The Inferno II, Fresh Meat, The Ruins, Fresh Meat II, Invasion of the Champions, XXX: Dirty 30, Double Agents)
Daily wins: 38
Eliminations: 9 (6 wins, 3 losses)
Finals: 4 (4 wins)

Some Cast Members Have Addressed Pairings That Were Supposed to Happen

Soon after the cast for season 38 was announced, Janelle Casanave shared that she was being considered as Johnny Bananas’ partner but had to decline. She tweeted, “Saying no to season 38 was hard. I would have loved to #rideordie with @johnnybananas but I’m excited to see #teamNannyandBananas.” She later added, “The reason I said no to 38 was the time commitment and compensation. If I had no real obligations I def would have said yes. Ride or die us a dope format.”

“The Real World: Cancun” star Derek Chavez also hinted that he was being considered along with “All Stars” champ Jonna Mannion but tweeted, “I wish the @jonnamtv and me #RideOrDie partnership woulda worked out.”

“The Challenge” Instagram account released a preview video of Nurys and Nelson discussing their partnership and Nurys said the two are ride or dies because “we’ve gone through so many obstacles.” She said they went from “dating to not talking to being friends” to exploring a possible relationship and shared that they’re now “great friends.”

Returning “Survivor” star Jay Starrett shared on Instagram, “Heard this season might get a little messy…. But there is no other person I’d rather get down and dirty with than my Ride or Die @mich_fitz by my side!”

The Challenge 38 Cast: Teams Sound Off on ‘Messy’ Upcoming Season