There were two seasons of The Challenge this year, and though the rookie players on Double Agents disappointed fans, there were a few rookies on Spies, Lies & Allies who gave an impressive performance. Rookies are always in a precarious position every season, but these contenders for Rookie of the Year are a cut above and have a bright Challenge future ahead of them if they want it.
Many qualities are necessary to become a Challenge champion, and not all rookies have what it takes to keep up with the veterans. On Double Agents and Spies, Lies & Allies, the vets dominated the competition, but there were still some standout rookies.
Double Agents was a wash when it came to quality rookies, but on Spies, Lies & Allies, there were a handful of the male rookies who made an impact on fans. These are the Challenge newcomers who stood out from the rest and have fans hoping to see them again.
Emanuel Neagu
Rookie player Emanuel was a bit of a dark horse contestant who flew under the radar for most of the season and has so far avoided getting sent into elimination. However, he’s been a solid performer all season and is a valued member of the Emerald Cell which is currently dominating the competition. Because he’s still in the game, Emanuel is a rookie with a shot at winning his freshman season.
Logan Sampedro
Though fans were worried that an injury partway through the season would sideline Logan, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Logan kept a low profile in the first half of the season, but he has survived two eliminations, and one of them was against veteran cast member Corey Wharton. Now Logan seems like a lock for the final, which is an impressive feat for the first-time competitor.
Gábor 'Gabo' Szabó
Although Gabo didn’t make it as far in the competition as Emanuel or Logan, he showed some promise and was extremely entertaining. Gabo reportedly didn’t realize The Challenge was a competition show and instead thought he’d be on a party show for several weeks, so if he actually prepared for another season, who knows what he could accomplish?
Overall, this year’s crop of rookies was a bit of a disappointment to Challenge fans, but there were still some who managed to impress viewers with their skill and strategy. There are still two rookies left on Spies, Lies & Allies, which is impressive given how new players were dropping like flies throughout most of the season. Even if none of these rookies win their first final, they’ve made a reputation for themselves as strong competitors worthy of a return.