The Challenge: Rivals III

The Challenge
Genre	Reality Competition
Created by	Piperjr
Country of Origin	United States
Language(s)	English
Winners	Brian Snyder & Erika Little
No. of Episodes	16 (Reunion and Special Included)
Chronology
Preceded by Bloodlines	Followed by Invasion of the Champions

The Challenge: Rivals III is the twenty-eighth season of The Challenge.

This is the third trilogy in the history of the challenge.

It is a sequel to the twenty-first season, Rivals, and the twenty-fourth season, Rivals II.

Cast

Host: Tyson Kidd

Male contestants Player Original season Finish Brian Snyder RW: Charleston Winner Cheyne Watley AYTO? 3 Runner-Up Patrick Butler RW: Jacksonville Third Place Tyler Harlow Bloodlines Episode 13 Ian Conner Fresh Meat II Episode 12 Pete Blakeley RW: Boulder Episode 11 Joe Patrick RW: Charlotte Episode 10 Brett Reade AYTO? 2 Episode 9 Bert Snyder Bloodlines Episode 8 Levi Fischer RW: Boulder Episode 7 Liam Cassidy RW: Barcelona Episode 6 Leo Madani AYTO? 2 Episode 5 Jay Tasker RW: Back to Cali Episode 4 Jaylen Edge RW: Phoenix Episode 3 Theo Michael AYTO? 3 Episode 2 Cooper Donovan RW: Barcelona Episode 1

Female contestants Player Original season Finish Erika Little RW: Jacksonville Winner Meghan McNulty AYTO? 3 Runner-Up Julie Owens Fresh Meat II Third Place Kelly Warren Bloodlines Episode 13 Lacey Horton RW: Dallas Episode 12 Cece Fox RW: Columbus Episode 11 Tara Bryan RW: Columbus Episode 10 Hannah Stead AYTO? 2 Episode 9 Estelle Lusby RW: Boulder Episode 8 Gwen Randall RW: Jacksonville Episode 7 Hope Landers RW: Phoenix Episode 6 Sydney Leigh AYTO? 2 Episode 5 Carmen Delany RW: Back to Cali Episode 4 Crystal Boland Bloodlines Episode 3 Tiara Heaton AYTO? 3 Episode 2 Angie Bennett RW: Barcelona Episode 1

Teams

Male Partner	Female Partner	Team	Eliminated
Brian Snyder	Erika Little	Brian & Erika	Winners
Cheyne Watley	Meghan McNulty	Cheyne & Meghan	Runner-Up
Patrick Butler	Julie Owens	Patrick & Julie	Third Place
Tyler Harlow	Kelly Warren	Tyler & Kelly	Episode 13
Ian Conner	Lacey Horton	Ian & Lacey	Episode 12
Pete Blakeley	Cece Fox	Pete & Cece	Episode 11
Joe Patrick	Tara Bryan	Joe & Tara	Episode 10
Brett Reade	Hannah Stead	Brett & Hannah	Episode 9
Bert Snyder	Estelle Lusby	Bert & Estelle	Episode 8
Levi Fischer	Gwen Randall	Levi & Gwen	Episode 7
Liam Cassidy	Hope Landers	Liam & Hope	Episode 6
Leo Madani	Sydney Leigh	Leo & Sydney	Episode 5
Jay Tasker	Carmen Delany	Jay & Carmen	Episode 4
Jaylen Edge	Crystal Boland	Jaylen & Crystal	Episode 3
Theo Michael	Tiara Heaton	Theo & Tiara	Episode 2
Cooper Donovan	Angie Bennett	Cooper & Angie	Episode 1

Pre-season rivalry backgrounds

As with the first two Rivals seasons, Rivals III combines individuals who have had acrimonious or at least strained relations or interactions prior to the season. Unlike the first two Rivals seasons, which featured same-gender pairs, this season features male/female pairs. The following lists all the teams on Rivals III and explains why they've been paired and dubbed as "rivals." Each of the teams' history of animosity and/or open expressions of hostility are detailed as follows:

• Bert & Estelle: Although aligned on Bloodlines, Estelle was repulsed by Bert and his flirting with most of the girls in the house. She was seen visibly avoiding him when they went out to the clubs and advised many of the other girls to stay away from him. Bert said he found Estelle shrill and jealous, since he didn't want her. When Bert and bloodline Brian Snyder were sent home, Estelle was ecstatic that Bert would not be bothering her anymore in the house.
• Brett & Hannah: The two got into a massive shouting match on Are You the One? 2, after Hannah was fed up with Brett's arrogant and misogynistic behavior towards most of the women in the house. During a drunken evening, Hannah got in Brett's face and screamed at him, prompting him to pour his drink on her head, which escalated into many things being thrown. Brett then avoided Hannah at all costs, saying she was psycho.
• Brian & Erika: The two were initially aligned on Battle of the Exes II, working together to eliminate the rookie teams. However, after she saw Brian getting closer to Steve Mason and Ally Dennis, Erika knew she was at the bottom of the alliance. After Erika and partner Mike Robbins won the last daily challenge, she took the opportunity to split up the pair, sending Brian in against them. Brian was stunned by the betrayal, and was eventually sent home with partner Jade Avery. Their feud continued into Free Agents, where Erika voted Brian into an early elimination, which he came back from. Brian then sent Erika into elimination where she subsequently went home.
• Cheyne & Meghan: Meghan grew tired of Cheyne's constant scheming during Are You the One? 3, as she wanted people to try and figure out their perfect match organically, instead of calculating it. After a particularly long strategy session, Meghan snapped at Cheyne saying he was ruining the fun of the experience and should chill out, while Cheyne told her she was too stupid to do anything right and she was going to be the reason they lost the money.
• Cooper & Angie: The two were friends during their original season on The Real World: Barcelona, doing numerous fun activities together. So, when the two were placed on the same team during Sacrifice, Angie was excited to have someone she could trust. However, during the second nominations vote, Cooper was the swing vote and shockingly voted Angie into elimination, stating she was the weakest on the team. Angie was crushed and was subsequently eliminated, while Cooper made it all the way to the final.
• Ian & Lacey: Ian began taunting Lacey during Sacrifice to try and get to Lacey's ally Brian Snyder. Ian told her how bad she is at challenges and that she would never amount to much in life. Lacey retaliated by pouring condiments all over Ian's bed. Eventually, Lacey was blindsided by her team and sent into an elimination that Ian was going into as well. He continued to torment her leading up to the elimination, where he won and sent her home.
• Jay & Carmen: During their original season of The Real World: Back to Cali, Carmen disliked Jay's partying ways and treatment of ladies, as he hooked up with a new girl every night. When Jay began to flirt with roommate Emma Tinsley, Carmen warned Emma to steer clear of Jay because he is trouble. When Jay got word of this, he berated Carmen, saying she was jealous that he didn't have eyes for her and said countless insults to her. Carmen then began to cry, for which Jay had no remorse.
• Jaylen & Crystal: While the two had never been on a Challenge together or even met, they exchanged several heated tweets to each other after Crystal's time on Bloodlines. Jaylen said Crystal talked a big game for someone who can't even jump five feet forward (referring to her performance in on of the challenges). Crystal responded by chastising Jaylen's poor performance on his rookie season and he should "lift some weights to fill out his Sasquatch-like figure".
• Joe & Tara: The two met on Battle of the Exes II and immediately hit it off. They formed a showmance and became a dominant force throughout the season. After his alliance betrayed him, Joe lost to Tara in an elimination. They continued their relationship through Rivals II, where they were targeted for being an alliance. They eventually broke up because, according to Tara, Joe couldn't stop his partying ways and be in a committed relationship.
• Leo & Sydney: During their original season of Are You the One? 2, Leo and Sydney butted heads over numerous things, the most significant being Leo's arrogance and show boating about his relationships with girls. Sydney also stated Leo would be her type if he "wasn't so arrogant and ugly", while Leo said Sydney loved putting other people down and was the most condescending and selfish person he had ever met. Ironically, Leo and Sydney were each other's perfect match.
• Levi & Gwen: As a rookie on Sacrifice, Levi became an outsider from most of the cast and grew tired of his The Real World: Boulder roommate Pete Blakeley's horrible attitude towards him. After a particularly nasty comment at the club, Levi confronted Pete about his homophobia and ignorance. Gwen, Pete's showmance at the time, came to Pete's defense and got into a shouting match with Levi leading to a scuffle involving broken glasses, which had the entire cast removed from the club.
• Liam & Hope: The two had eyes for each other on Free Agents and began a showmance early on. Eventually, being seen as a power duo, Liam and Hope were targeted by the rest of the house, and both voted into elimination. Hope was sent home, while Liam survived. However, Liam never got back into the good graces of the rest of the house and was eventually sent home. Hope said Liam blamed her for his poor performance on the season, and it eventually drove a wedge between their relationship and they ended things.
• Patrick & Julie: The two first clashed on Rivals after Julie and partner Sarah Lucas voted rookies Patrick and partner Nate Hughes into elimination, which they subsequently lost. They rubbed each other the wrong way again on Free Agents, after Julie voted for Patrick during the first nominations. Julie later tried to avoid having Patrick on any of her teams, fearing he would lose it for them because he was the weakest player. Patrick said Julie is annoying and the biggest buzz kill in Challenge history.
• Pete & Cece: The two got into a huge fight during Bloodlines, after Pete campaigned to vote Cece's bloodline, Cassie Fox, into elimination. Cece went on a tirade throughout the house shouting at virtually everyone. Pete stood up to her, which led to the house being destroyed and security getting involved. Pete's campaigning paid off when Cassie was voted into elimination and lost to Marta DeLuca, sending her and Cece home.
• Theo & Tiara: After Theo found out his love interest, Amy Corey, was not his perfect match on Are You the One? 3, he began sulking around the house and not engaging in the activities. Tiara grew tired of his behavior and called him out on it. Tiara told him to stop playing the victim, be a man, and grow up. Angered, Theo began shouting at her and threatened to knock her out, sending Tiara into a drunken meltdown, involving incoherent yelling and a fall into the pool.
• Tyler & Kelly: The two locked horns during Bloodlines, after both coming to the defense of their cousins. After Kelly's bloodlines Lacey Horton received a nomination vote from Tyler's bloodlines Sarah Lucas, Kelly expressed her anger and said the team was threatened by her challenge prowess and was playing a scared game. Tyler called her out saying she hadn't proven anything and she should quit trying to act tough. The two then yelled back and forth for several minutes before the rest of the cast finally calmed them down.

Game summary

Challenge games

• Rung Out: Teams must advance from one end of a platform to another that is suspended high above water. Each player has to maneuver through a series of rings that are hanging from the base of the platform. A team is disqualified if one or both players falls into the water. The team that advances to the end of the platform in the fastest time wins, while the team with the slowest time or who falls off the earliest is automatically sent to the Jungle.
  • Winners: Bert & Estelle

• Ups and Downs: Teams must pull a giant, heavy rope down in a seesaw motion to push number tiles up a tower and onto the ground. Once a team collects all four of their number tiles, they must race to the lock box and use the numbers to solve the combination. Then, teams must grab the flag inside and raise it to the top of the flag pole to stop their time. The team with the fastest time wins, while the team with the slowest time is automatically sent to the Jungle.
  • Winners: Tyler & Kelly

• Wall Flower: Teams begin on a treadmill suspended above the water. When the challenge begins, the treadmill will begin moving and giant walls will begin moving towards the teams. Players must work together to stay on the treadmill and maneuver over the walls in order to stay on the treadmill. As the challenge progresses, the walls will get taller. Once a team reaches the end of the treadmill, they will fall into the water and are eliminated. The team with the most walls cleared wins, while the team with the fewest walls cleared is automatically sent to the Jungle.
  • Winners: Joe & Tara

• Lucky 13: Players must race to solve a riddle with clues revolving around the number 13. They must then memorize the riddle and put it to use on a spinning conveyor belt, where they must use the riddle to find a box containing a ball. They must continue this process to retrieve four balls. The first team to get all four balls in their basket wins, while the last place team is automatically sent to the Jungle.
  • Winners: Ian & Lacey

• Elbow Grease: Players begin in a narrow box covered in dirt. When the challenge begins, players must scrape the dirt off of the walls using only their elbows to reveal six numbers. Once they have the numbers, they must use them to open a locked chest containing puzzle pieces. Players must then solve the puzzle to stop their time. The team with the fastest time wins, while the last place team is automatically sent to the Jungle.
  • Winners: Brian & Erika

• Sphere Factor: Teams must work together to cross a series of five spheres that spin as one steps on it. On each sphere, a team must maneuver their way through a maze. If a player falls off of a sphere, they will be eliminated. The team that advances the furthest in the shortest amount of time wins, while the last-place team is automatically sent to the Jungle.
  • Winners: Brian & Erika

• Chandelier: Players must jump from a platform to grab onto a giant chandelier suspended over the water. Players must hold on to get further down the course towards the water. Then, players must swim around a buoy to the finish flag to stop their time. The team with the fastest time wins, while the team with the slowest time is automatically sent to the Jungle.
  • Winners: Joe & Tara

• Pent House: Players must race through five different section of a giant pentagon to complete a mini task to receive a token. Once a team receives all five tokens, players must connect the tokens to create a throwing star, which they must use to break three plates. The first team to break their plates wins, while the last-place team is automatically sent to the Jungle.
  • Winners: Brett & Hannah
  • Disqualified: Pete & Cece

• Siamese Showdown: Teams must face off against another team by knocking them off of a platform suspended above the water. The team who knocks their opponents off the platform and into the water wins the round and advances to the next round. This process continues until one pair remains, who will be declared the winners. The losing teams from the first round will then compete in a loser's bracket where the team that finishes in last is automatically sent to the Jungle.
  • Winners: Patrick & Julie

• Boxers: One member of each team was separated from their partners, and secretly asked a series of questions. Then, host Tyson Kidd asks the other teammate a series of trivia questions, and the goal for them is to match the answers of their partners. A correct answer allows them to move forward and closer to retrieving their partner out from their box. If the answer is wrong, they stay put. Once they reach the seventh step, they must use a sledgehammer to get to their partner and ring the bell. The first team to ring the bell wins, while the last-place team is automatically sent to the Jungle.
  • Winners: Tyler & Kelly

• Beam Bag: Players begin on a beam suspended above the water. To begin, players must work together with their partner to distribute their weight in order to lower the beam down to retrieve a bean bag. Then, players must deposit the bean bag in their basket at the other end. This process continues until each player deposits five bean bags (10 total), and rings the bell to stop their time. The team with the fastest time wins, while the last-place team is automatically sent to the Jungle.
  • Winners: Cheyne & Meghan

• Lunch Rush: This challenge is played in two phases. In phase one, players must eat as many plates of Mexican delicacies as possible in the 30-minute time limit. The number of plates eaten corresponds to the starting line that a team must start on. In phase two, players must sprint as fast as they can to the finish line. The team that crossest the finish line first wins, while the last-place team is automatically sent to the Jungle.
  • Winners: Brian & Erika

Jungle games

• Fork It Over: Players battle one-on-one against each other, trying to wrestle a pitchfork from their opponent's hands. Played in same-gendered heats, the first team to two points wins. In the event of a tie, a coin-flip will determine the gender that would go against each other in one sudden death round.
  • Played by: Brett & Hannah vs. Cooper & Angie, Bert & Estelle vs. Leo & Sydney, Pete & Cece vs. Joe & Tara

• Joystick: One player must pull open a giant metal hatch in order to raise their partner into the air next to the puzzle board. Then, the player must use a joystick to get their partner to reach the proper position to place the pieces. The first team to complete their puzzle correctly wins.
  • Played by: Levi & Gwen vs. Theo & Tiara, Ian & Lacey vs. Liam & Hope, Patrick & Julie vs. Pete & Cece

• Scale Back: Players begin on a scale attached to their partner's scale. Players must work together with their partner jumping up and down trying to move the scale so they can reach their flags. The first team to collect all 10 flags and ring the bell wins.
  • Played by: Pete & Cece vs. Jaylen & Crystal, Brett & Hannah vs. Levi & Gwen, Tyler & Kelly vs. Ian & Lacey

• Gyration: Players stand on a platform, across from their partner, and have to jump over and duck under swinging bars. If a player falls off, they are eliminated. The last player standing wins for their team.
  • Played by: Liam & Hope vs. Jay & Carmen, Ian & Lacey vs. Brett & Hannah, Brian & Erika vs. Tyler & Kelly

Elimination chart

Episode		Winners		Jungle contestants								Jungle game	Jungle outcome
#	Challenge			Last-place		Winners' pick		White Skull pick		Black Skull pick			Winners		Losers
1	Rung Out		Bert & Estelle		Cooper & Angie		Brett & Hannah		Cheyne & Meghan		Brett & Hannah	Fork It Over		Brett & Hannah		Cooper & Angie
							Cheyne & Meghan
2	Ups and Downs		Tyler & Kelly		Levi & Gwen		Theo & Tiara		Leo & Sydney		Theo & Tiara	Joystick		Levi & Gwen		Theo & Tiara
							Leo & Sydney
3	Wall Flower		Joe & Tara		Pete & Cece		Brett & Hannah		Brett & Hannah		Jaylen & Crystal	Scale Back		Pete & Cece		Jaylen & Crystal
							Jaylen & Crystal
4	Lucky 13		Ian & Lacey		Jay & Carmen		Patrick & Julie		Patrick & Julie		Liam & Hope	Gyration		Liam & Hope		Jay & Carmen
							Liam & Hope
5	Elbow Grease		Brian & Erika		Bert & Estelle		Leo & Sydney		Cheyne & Meghan		Leo & Sydney	Fork It Over		Bert & Estelle		Leo & Sydney
							Cheyne & Meghan
6	Sphere Factor		Brian & Erika		Liam & Hope		Ian & Lacey		Cheyne & Meghan		Ian & Lacey	Joystick		Ian & Lacey		Liam & Hope
							Cheyne & Meghan
7	Chandelier		Joe & Tara		Levi & Gwen		Brett & Hannah		Cheyne & Meghan		Brett & Hannah	Scale Back		Brett & Hannah		Levi & Gwen
							Cheyne & Meghan
8	Pent House		Brett & Hannah		Pete & Cece		Joe & Tara		Joe & Tara	N/A
							Bert & Estelle
9	Siamese Showdown		Patrick & Julie		Brett & Hannah		Ian & Lacey		Cheyne & Meghan		Ian & Lacey	Gyration		Ian & Lacey		Brett & Hannah
							Cheyne & Meghan
10	Boxers		Tyler & Kelly		Pete & Cece		Joe & Tara		Cheyne & Meghan		Joe & Tara	Fork It Over		Pete & Cece		Joe & Tara
							Cheyne & Meghan
11	Beam Bag		Cheyne & Meghan		Pete & Cece		Brian & Erika		Brian & Erika		Patrick & Julie	Joystick		Patrick & Julie		Pete & Cece
							Patrick & Julie
12	Lunch Rush		Brian & Erika		Tyler & Kelly		Ian & Lacey		Cheyne & Meghan		Ian & Lacey	Scale Back		Tyler & Kelly		Ian & Lacey
							Cheyne & Meghan
13	N/A								Cheyne & Meghan		Brian & Erika	Gyration		Brian & Erika		Tyler & Kelly
									Patrick & Julie		Tyler & Kelly
13/14	Final Challenge		Brian & Erika	2nd place: Cheyne & Meghan; 3rd place: Patrick & Julie

Jungle progress

Teams		Episode
		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	Finale
	Brian & Erika	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	WIN	WIN	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	WIN	JUNGLE	WINNERS
	Cheyne & Meghan	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	WIN	SAFE	SAFE	SECOND
	Patrick & Julie	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	WIN	SAFE	JUNGLE	SAFE	SAFE	THIRD
	Tyler & Kelly	SAFE	WIN	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	WIN	SAFE	JUNGLE	OUT
	Ian & Lacey	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	WIN	SAFE	JUNGLE	SAFE	SAFE	JUNGLE	SAFE	SAFE	OUT
	Pete & Cece	SAFE	SAFE	JUNGLE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	JUNGLE	SAFE	JUNGLE	OUT
	Joe & Tara	SAFE	SAFE	WIN	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	WIN	SAFE	SAFE	OUT
	Brett & Hannah	JUNGLE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	JUNGLE	WIN	OUT
	Bert & Estelle	WIN	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	JUNGLE	SAFE	SAFE	DQ
	Levi & Gwen	SAFE	JUNGLE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	OUT
	Liam & Hope	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	JUNGLE	SAFE	OUT
	Leo & Sydney	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	OUT
	Jay & Carmen	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	OUT
	Jaylen & Crystal	SAFE	SAFE	OUT
	Theo & Tiara	SAFE	OUT
	Cooper & Angie	OUT

Competition

     The team won the final challenge.

     The team lost the final challenge.

     The team won the challenge and was safe from the Jungle.

     The team was not selected for the Jungle.

     The team was selected for the Jungle, but pulled a white skull and was safe.

     The team was selected for the Jungle, but did not have to compete.

     The team won in the Jungle.

     The team lost in the Jungle.

     A contestant was disqualified from the competition due to violent behavior, so his/her partner was also eliminated.

Notes

• ^1 : Tyler & Kelly finished last in the "Pent House" challenge in episode 8 after losing one of their tokens. At the end of the challenge, Tyler & Kelly asked if any one of the teams had taken their token by accident, but no one said they had it. However, at the nomination ceremony, Tyson Kidd then explained that Pete & Cece sabotaged Tyler & Kelly by grabbing one of their tokens. Though Pete & Cece did it by accident, they were automatically sent into the Jungle instead of Tyler & Kelly.
• ^2 : Bert & Estelle were nominated for the Jungle in episode 8. However, due to a physical altercation with Pete, Bert was removed from the game, and Estelle was sent home as a result of being his partner. Tyson Kidd then explained that a Jungle would still happen if Joe & Tara drew a black skull. As the result of Joe & Tara both drawing white skulls, no Jungle was held in Episode 8.
• ^3 : No challenge was held prior to the Final Skull selections, and no team had immunity from the final Skull draws. Cheyne & Meghan and Patrick & Julie each drew white skulls out of a bag, and secured their spots in the final challenge, while Brian & Erika and Tyler & Kelly each drew black skulls, and participated in the last Jungle.