The Challenge: Rivals III is the 28th season of the MTV reality game show The Challenge. Being the third in the Rivals series, Rivals III marks the show's third trilogy (following The Inferno and The Gauntlet), continuing on from the original Rivals and Rivals II. It was filmed in Huatulco, Mexico, and Mendoza, Argentina, during November and December 2015, with cast members from The Real World, The Challenge, and Are You the One? competing. This season marks the first since season 11 to not feature any original cast members from the Fresh Meat or Fresh Meat II seasons.
Unlike the previous two installments of the Rivals series, which featured same-gender pairs, Rivals III saw a change in format, with male/female pairs that had bitter feuds, fights, or strained relationships in previous seasons of Real World, The Challenge, and Are You the One? (similar to the Battle of the Exes series). Unlike the other Rivals seasons, only the winning team from each week's challenge was allowed to decide which team would face the last-place team in the elimination round. The season premiered with a special 90 minutes episode on May 4, 2016, and concluded its run on August 3, 2016, with the Reunion special.
Lisa Fletcher replaced longtime Challenge producer Justin Booth as executive producer this season. Booth had served as the executive producer since season 15.
Format Each team participates in numerous challenges (sometimes called "missions"), which are followed by an elimination round — "The Jungle." The winning team of each challenge is safe from elimination, while the last-place finisher is automatically sent to The Jungle. The winning team also earns the right of choosing two teams that will face the last-place finisher in The Jungle. Prior to The Jungle, the two teams nominated by the winning team participate in an elimination draw in which all four participants either draw one of three white skulls or one black skull out of a bag (similar to the Free Agents season). If a participant draws a black skull, his/her team will face the last-place finisher in The Jungle.
Unlike the original Rivals and Rivals II seasons, both of which featured same-gender pairs, no money is awarded to a gender-specific first-place finisher after each mission, as this season features male/female pairs. At the end of the season, three teams will compete in the final challenge for a share of a $350,000 prize — the first-place team wins $275,000, second-place wins $50,000 and third-place wins $25,000. However, in episode 13, a twist revealed that one partner has a choice between keeping all the money to themselves, or sharing it with their partner.
Contestants Male contestants Original season FinishThe Real World: Key WestWinnerThe Challenge: Battle of the BloodlinesRunner-upAre You the One? 3Third placeAre You the One? 2Episode 13The Real World: AustinEpisode 12Are You the One? 2Episode 11Real World: Ex-PlosionEpisode 11The Challenge: Battle of the BloodlinesEpisode 9Real World: SkeletonsEpisode 8Are You the One? 3Episode 7Real World: Ex-PlosionEpisode 6The Real World: PortlandEpisode 5Are You the One? 2Episode 4The Real World: Las Vegas (2011)Episode 2 Female contestants Original season FinishThe Real World: BrooklynWinnerReal World: Ex-PlosionRunner-upAre You the One? 3Third placeThe Challenge: Battle of the BloodlinesEpisode 13The Real World: Las Vegas (2011)Episode 12Are You the One? 2Episode 11Real World: Ex-PlosionEpisode 11The Real World: SydneyEpisode 9Spring Break ChallengeEpisode 8Are You the One? 3Episode 7Are You the One? 1Episode 6The Real World: PortlandEpisode 5Are You the One? 2Episode 4The Real World: PortlandEpisode 2
Teams Male partnerFemale partnerTeam Bananas & Sarah Brandon & Briana Cory & Ashley Dario & Nicole Devin & Cheyenne Jamie & KellyAnne Johnny & Jessica Leroy & Averey Nate & Christina Nelson & Amanda Thomas & Simone Tony & Camila Vince & Jenna Wes & Nany
Pre-season rivalry backgrounds Bananas & Sarah: The two entered Battle of the Exes II with a long-running friendship. During that season, however, Sarah played the game to win, and fought to remove her toughest competition from the game, aligning herself with two power teams on opposing sides: Bananas (and Nany) and Wes (and Theresa). After Bananas re-entered from "Ex-ile" after being eliminated, they continued to work together until Sarah nominated him for the final Dome elimination. Bananas and his partner Nany then lost in the Dome and were eliminated. Brandon & Briana: Briana disagreed with the way Brandon was playing the game during their season of Are You the One?, especially with Brandon's unwillingness to separate from Christina. Brandon then called out Briana for doing almost the same with Curtis Hadzicki. Ironically, Brandon and Briana are each other's perfect match. Cory & Ashley: The pair met as roommates during the Real World: Ex-Plosion. They got along until Ashley got drunk and disrespected Cory by telling him she could "buy his family". After that night, they continued to be on bad terms. After Ashley faced disagreements with many housemates, she left the residence and said she would only return if the other roommates wanted her there. Cory was one of the four housemates to vote Ashley out, leading to her voluntary departure. Dario & Nicole: The two got into an argument on Battle of the Bloodlines where Dario tried voting Nicole's cousin Nany into The Pit. Devin & Cheyenne: The two got into multiple fights on the third season of Are You the One?, as a result of Cheyenne taking exception to the way Devin treated women in the house. Jamie & KellyAnne: The two engaged in an argument during Battle of the Bloodlines, after KellyAnne's cousin unsuccessfully tried to throw a challenge ("Too Clingy") in an attempt to save KellyAnne from The Pit. Johnny & Jessica: Jessica never got along with Johnny and Averey Tressler during The Real World: Portland, and got into multiple verbal fights where Johnny made denigrating remarks regarding Jessica's weight, and Jessica made fun of Johnny's penis size. Jessica also sided with Nia Moore during a tense night out between Nia and Averey. Johnny disapproved of Jessica's refusal to condemn Nia's behavior in the house, including refusing to vote Nia out of the house. Their rivalry continued on Free Agents, where Jessica voted for Johnny to go into the elimination round. Leroy & Averey: Leroy & Nia Moore eliminated Averey & Johnny Reilly on Battle of the Exes II. On an episode of the aftershow, Leroy stated that he believed Johnny's side of the story regarding Johnny and Averey's breakup. Nate & Christina: The two began to grow close on their season of Are You The One?, with both feeling that they could be a perfect match. However, when it was discovered that they were not, the ease with which Christina decided to go back to Brandon Tindel infuriated Nate, causing him to belittle her and claim her feelings for him were never real. Christina, in turn, started an actual relationship with Brandon. Nelson & Amanda: During Are You The One? 3, Nelson was repulsed by Amanda's loud and obnoxious behavior. He also had taken the side of another housemate who had gotten aggressive with Amanda due to her behavior and refusal to leave the other person alone. Thomas & Simone: The pair engaged in a verbal altercation during Battle of the Exes II, which featured Simone splashing drinks in Thomas' face. This fight had gone unaired on the actual season, but was partially shown in the trailer. Tony & Camila: The two got into a verbal argument on Battle of the Bloodlines after Camila was informed that Tony called her sister Larissa "short, weak, and that she would be the first person eliminated from the game." Tony defended himself by calling it lies, but later he confessed that he was being sarcastic. The fight escalated when Nicole Ramos stepped in the defense of the Nakagawa sisters, and Nany González came in the defense of her bloodline Nicole. The fight was stopped with Tony walking away and Camila crying because she didn't want her sister to be bullied by anyone. Vince & Jenna: Jenna was annoyed by Vince during Battle of the Bloodlines. Vince (and his bloodline Bananas) also threw Jenna (and her bloodline Brianna Julig) into every elimination possible, but Jenna always came back and made it further in the game than Vince. Wes & Nany: The two were rarely aligned on The Challenge: on The Challenge: Battle of the Seasons, Nany's team was part of an alliance that worked to eliminate Wes and his team early in the game; on The Challenge: Rivals II, Wes and CT Tamburello voted Nany and Jonna Mannion into elimination where they lost; most notably, they were on rival teams on Battle of the Exes II, where Wes and Theresa sent Nany and Bananas into the Dome versus their allies Leroy Garrett and Nia Moore. Nany and Bananas were eliminated, but later re-entered the game via the "Battle of the Ex-iled" twist. Later in the game, Wes and Theresa were sent into an elimination against Leroy and Nia. During the "Hall Brawl" elimination, Wes was injured after being run into by Leroy, to which Nany laughed and taunted Wes as payback for their earlier animosity in the game.
Gameplay Challenge games Give Me Some Slack: A platform is suspended 400 feet above the ocean. A series of five skulls is dangling from the platform. The girls are positioned outward at one plank, facing the dangling skulls, while their male partners are positioned on the other side of the platform, holding a rope that is attached to the backs of their female partners. The goal is for each girl to lean forward and retrieve as many skulls as possible, or in the fastest time, and deposit the skulls into their team bucket. Each successive skull becomes more difficult for each girl to reach, and a team is disqualified if the female partner falls off the plank. The team to retrieve the most skulls wins, while the last-place finisher is automatically sent to The Jungle. Winners: Vince & Jenna Dirty Laundry: Teams are positioned on a pole within a giant tub. The pole is coated with a bar of soap. Each team must use friction with their bodies (in a suggestive manner) in order to erode the soap and reveal four numbers on the wheel. Each team then runs toward a "clothesline" and a bucket full of T-shirts with numbers on them, and must dig through the bucket, then find the four T-shirts with the correct numbers, then hang the T-shirts on a clothesline. Winners: N/A Out On A Limb: A structure, with four platforms, is suspended 30 feet above the water. Each team must advance in unison from platform to platform by using a swinging bar, and ring the bell at the end of the last platform. Each successive platform becomes farther and more difficult for each team to reach. The team to advance the farthest or ring the bell in the fastest time wins, while the last-place team is automatically sent to The Jungle. Winners: Cory & Ashley Laps of Judgement: Just like a game of "Would You Rather...", teams have two options at five checkpoints. After each checkpoint is completed, each team grabs a token and runs up a hill and has to scale up a wall. After they put their token on their designated team rack, they have to race down the hill and repeat the process. The first team to obtain all five tokens wins the challenge. Round 1: Would You Rather... Eat Brains? or Eat Balls? Teams have to pick between eating cow brains or bull testicles. Round 2: Would You Rather... Reel It In? or Rock It Out? Teams must choose between lassoing and pulling in a 150 lb. drum, or tossing and landing five rocks on top of a drum. Round 3: Would You Rather... Be Sleepy? or Be Tired? Teams must choose between carrying a queen size mattress up the hill, or carrying five tires up the hill. Round 4: Would You Rather... Build a Bridge? or Build a House? Teams must choose between completing a bridge or a house out of tangram puzzle pieces.