Welcome To The Challenge: The 13 Best Players In The History Of MTV's 'The Challenge'

One of the longest lasting shows in MTV history, The Challenge, continues to have a following after 38 seasons. Originally starting as a spin-off for the show Road Rules, the concept invited cast members from The Real World and debuted as The Real World/Road Rules Challenge in 1998. The show has always featured a cash prize for winning the "final challenge" and comes with all of the backstabbing drama that comes along with a competition show.

The Challenge has started welcoming players from other MTV/Viacom shows such as Are You the One?, Ex on the Beach, Geordie Island, The Amazing Race, and Survivor, as well as bringing in "fresh meat" contestants who were brand new to reality TV. As you can imagine, 38 seasons has delivered viewers some memorable characters and moments, along with a lot of Challenge regulars who appeared on (and dominated) multiple seasons.

With this list, let's look at some of the best players to ever appear on The Challenge. Whether it's number of appearances, dominating number of wins, the amount of prize money taken home, or just the sheer will to compete, this list narrows it down to 13 of the show's top competitors. It's impossible to name everyone, of course, so comment which players were your favorites!

Also, don't expect to see players like Evan Starkman and Kenny Santucci on here. If you've been banned from MTV due to behavior that landed you in court, you don't belong on the list. You also won't see Camila Nakagawa on this list for similar reasons.

13. Tina Barta

Original season: Road Rules: South Pacific

Kicking off this list is the big baddie herself. Known for her brutal honesty and ruthless behavior, Tina is one of those competitors that players and viewers loved to hate. With six appearances and two trips to the final, she played the politics to bring home $25,000 in prize money. And who can forget when she was sent home for "the punch heard 'round the world" at the beginning of The Duel.

12. Alton Williams

Original season: The Real World: Las Vegas

Aside from being a total nice guy, Alton's speed and agility elevated him to the top of the pack every single time. With just five appearances on The Challenge, he made the final four times and won once. He also won 6 of the 7 eliminations he faced and took home over $50,000 in prize money.

11. Leroy Garrett

Original season: The Real World: Back to Las Vegas

Leroy suffered the consequences of being nothing but a nice guy. Over 12 seasons and five trips to the final, he never was victorious and won just 5 of 14 eliminations. With just $36,500 in prize money, what Leroy always had going for him was the fact that he played the game fairly and he was a great teammate to have.

10. Brad Fiorenza

Original season: The Real World: San Diego

Brad took a decade break from The Challenge, but he's one of the most iconic competitors to play the games. With just one final victory in 11 seasons, Brad brought home $75,000 in prize money and even met his ex-wife, Tori, on The Challenge. He didn't really live up to the hype upon his return to MTV, but it was still nice to see him come back for some more challenges.

9. Susie Meister

Original season: Road Rules: Down Under

Susie was a strong presence on MTV for a number of years and has since retired from reality TV, but her reputation on The Challenge remains. With just four appearances, Susie made it to the final three times and was victorious twice. She took home over $100,000 in prize money and went undefeated in four elimination rounds. She now co-hosts a podcast with fellow Challenge alum Sarah Rice, but we'd love to see her back if she ever wants to lace up her shoes once more.

8. Aneesa Ferreira

Original season: The Real World: Chicago

If Aneesa has anything to offer, it's her dedication and her heart. She is yet another seasoned veteran who never has won a final challenge, despite appearing on 16 seasons and making it to three finals. She's been unlucky with teammates, injuries, and eliminations, but she returns time after time again determined to win a final. Hopefully she's rewarded with more than the $24,000 she's taken home already because she deserves it.

7. Cara Maria Sorbello

Original season: The Challenge: Fresh Meat 2

Cara Maria had a rough introduction to The Challenge, but over 14 seasons she worked to earn the status of being the only woman to win a final challenge alone. With nine total trips to a final challenge, Cara Maria has also won 13 of 19 eliminations and brought home over $600,000 in prize money. She's always ruffled some feathers with other players, but you can't deny her dedication and her physical prowess.

6. Diem Brown

Original season: The Challenge: Fresh Meat

Diem was not just a Challenge competitor, but she was a champion for cancer awareness and strength. Her onscreen battle with ovarian cancer led to some of the most inspirational moments ever captured on the show, and she didn't allow her strength to be overshadowed by her on and off relationship with fellow player, CT. She was never victorious in a final challenge, she did see two finals and brought home $53,000 before her passing in 2014. Rest peacefully, Diem.

5. Johnny "Bananas" Devenanzio

Original season: The Real World: Key West

If you want to talk about The Challenge, you can't not bring up Johnny Bananas. He holds the record for the most Challenge appearances and the most final wins. Bananas has managed to politic and manipulate his way into seven total final wins, over $1.1 million in prize money, and 11 of 25 elimination wins. He also holds one of the most controversial wins in Challenge history when he won the final with his partner, Sarah Rice, and decided to take all of the prize money for himself.

4. Wes Bergmann

Original season: The Real World: Austin

Easily the most gifted Challenge politician, Wes is one of the most hated players to ever grace the game - that is, by other players. Over 14 seasons, Wes has won just two finals, but he's made five trips to the final challenge. He also quickly became the cocky "elimination king" and has won 14 of 23 eliminations, including surviving five total eliminations during Fresh Meat alone. He's made plenty of enemies along the way, but the manipulation paid off in over $300,000 of prize money.

3. Darrell Taylor

Original season: Road Rules: Campus Crawl

This former Golden Gloves boxer is one of the most fierce and winningest competitors in the history of The Challenge. Darrell set a record for the most consecutive wins with four and has won 4 of the 5 finals he's appeared in, and has won just shy of $250,000 in prize money. He's also proven he's not bad at eliminations either, winning 6 of 9 eliminations. Bottom line is if Darrell is on your team, you're more than likely going to see the final.

2. Laurel Stucky

Original season: The Challenge: Fresh Meat 2

Over six seasons, Laurel managed to make it to four final challenges and win 9 of 11 eliminations. Despite only winning one final, she's taken home over $200,000 in prize money and made her fair share of enemies. She's always been a powerhouse and the girls do not like to be pitted against her.

1. Chris "CT" Tamburello

Original season: The Real World: Paris

CT is basically royalty on The Challenge and is easily one of the most feared (and successful) competitors that has ever been on the show. Over 19 seasons and 10 trips to the final, CT has been victorious in 9 finals. He also managed to win 6 of 11 eliminations and won over $1.3 million in prize money. What's even more impressive is CT managed to do all of that after being kicked off The Challenge multiple times for assaulting other players.

Honorable Mentions:

Derrick Kosinski (Road Rules: X-Treme), Jordan Wiseley (The Real World: Portland), Cory Wharton (The Real World: Ex-Plosion), Sarah Rice (The Real World: Brooklyn), Jodi Weatherton (Road Rules: X-Treme), and Evelyn Smith (The Challenge: Fresh Meat).