5 rookies from MTV’s The Challenge 37 that deserve to return

MTV has once again brought their A game with their recent 37th season of the reality television version of the Olympic Games, and this year, the rookies on The Challenge: Spies, Lies & Allies came to play!

For the past several seasons of The Challenge, MTV has made an effort to cast a wider net of competitors, turning the series into a new form of an international competitive sport. With cast members from series around the world like Survivor, Big Brother, and Love Island, The Challenge has introduced viewers to a more inclusive space with countless competitors and personalities that deserve a second shot at returning and becoming a “veteran” in the game.

Due to the already impressive lineup and plenty to choose from, we went ahead and picked out the top 5 rookie competitors that we’d like to see for more than one season of The Challenge.

Top 5 rookies from MTV’s The Challenge 37 we want to see

Gabo Szabó

The Hungarian-born competitor Gabo made his debut on Poland’s Warsaw Shore after having taught himself English from his love for Jersey Shore, and his introduction on MTV is nothing short of perfection.

From his first few moments on The Challenge: Spies, Lies & Allies, we learned that underneath the GTL-raised persona of Gabo, there’s a lot of heart. After immediately linking up with Challenge favorite Nany, he showed genuine loyalty to his veteran partner even after being separated by Amber and Hughie’s win, becoming an instant icon. Gabo willing threw his name out as a willing participant for elimination to steal Nany back and essentially making him one of the most kind-hearted men on the season. Aside from his good-natured demeanor, Gabo displayed the athleticism to back up his confidence and openly admitted his weaknesses. Puzzles.

Puzzles served as the downfall of Gabo on his rookie season, which he comedically shared with the group when entering elimination against his fellow reputable rookie Logan. Despite that hiccup, he came pretty close to a win and showed a lot of potential in a competition that brought him out of his comfort zone. From his sincere approach to his castmates to his knowledge of his strengths, Gabo was a solid casting choice that we’d love to see come back for future seasons.

Michele Fitzgerald

Former Survivor US winner Michele entered the 37th season of The Challenge with a major target on her back just from being on the CBS series. Since the blended casting of other platforms, Survivor and Big Brother competitors have always had a difficult time gaining Challenge vets’ trust, but with the broader casting, there’s a sign that times are changing. That being said, being both a Survivor winner and a rookie left Michele vulnerable from the very beginning.

During her time on the season, Michele managed to outlast other Survivor rookies, won her first elimination, and managed to make deliberations interesting on several occasions. Unfortunately for Michele, she was regularly paired with rookies which made her an easy target for the longstanding veteran alliance. If Michele is able to come back having formed a few relationships during her rookie introduction, there’s a good chance that she’ll be able to go a lot farther in the game with the potential to be a Challenge winner too.

Survivor requires athleticism and social awareness, so those skills over the course of a few seasons might be the perfect formula for a strong Michele season one day soon.

Kelz Dyke

There’s not a lot of men on The Challenge that has the potential to make several others nervous, but Kelz was the rookie that made veteran men on the series anxious about eliminations. At the first chance, Kellz was thrown in against another rookie team that ended up being a difficult situational loss more than a personal loss.

The ex-football player, trainer, and reality television personality didn’t exactly get to last long, however in his two-episode presence, there was clear concern developing from the other top-tier athletes on the show. If Kelz is able to make another appearance on the MTV series, perhaps we’ll get to see him take on some of the cockier returning cast members on the series who will remain unnamed.

With all the talks of men going into the hall-brawl elimination, doesn’t he seem like a fair, equal competitor for some of these larger guys?

Emanuel Neagu

As a runner-up on Survivor in Romania, Emanuel lasted a shocking five months on the competition series, enduring some of the most difficult obstacles in reality television.

His stature might be a little smaller in comparison to some of the more feated athletes on The Challenge, but he’s developed precision and discipline through dance that makes him an instant threat to other cast members on Spies, Lies & Allies. After partnering with Big Brother US winner and former Challenge finalist Kaycee, the two have proven to be a well-matched pair that has since been pointed out in challengers’ confessional interviews.

After seeing Michele leave, Emanuel now has the chance to regain his focus on solely winning The Challenge, and at the very least, he’s already proven to be a worthy choice for this group. The 25-year-old dancer feels like he has major darkhorse potential considering everyone has a general lack of awareness regarding his skills, or alternatively, his eccentric attitude towards life gives us some indication that Emanuel has ‘returning cast member’ written all over him.

Berna Canbeldek

Three-time Survivor Turkey competitor and boxing champion Berna came onto The Challenge with a competitive edge, and eagerness to compete that instantly caught the attention of viewers.

Berna has divulged on the show that she was also a circus performer, giving her a different level of skill than we’ve seen on previous Challenge seasons that isn’t your traditional athletic upbringing. During her first elimination, Berna managed to injure her nose but pushed forward while still bleeding which resulted in a promising win. Her dedication to giving The Challenge everything she has competitively is the energy the new era is starting to embrace, but she also adds to the drama for those who need a little chaos in the game.

Having made enemies with The Challenge winners Ashely ‘Millionaire’ Mitchell and Amber B suggest that Berna is both fearless and prepared to make her mark on the competition.

The Challenge: Spies, Lies & Allies airs Wednesdays on MTV!