MTV's The Challenge: Ranking the 40 best players ever

Over the past 35 seasons of MTV’s reality competition series The Challenge, some players have risen to legend status via their athletic performance, impressive elimination record or some just by sheer force of will. Will anyone currently competing on The Challenge: Total Madness earn their spot in EW’s The Challenge Hall of Fame? Scroll through ahead to see the top 40 greatest players of all time.

With elimination wins against many Challenge legends like Evelyn and Veronica, even though KellyAnne hasn’t won a season (yet), she still deserves a spot on this list.

• No. of Seasons: 4
• Seasons Won: 0
• Trips to the Final: 1
• Elimination Wins: 4 of 6
• Total Winnings: $13,300

This relative Challenge newcomer had an impressive rookie season with Free Agents, but bad partners resulted in less-than-stellar follow up seasons on Battle of the Exes II and Rivals III. If he ever does return to the franchise, look out for him to make a splash. 

• No. of Seasons: 3
• Seasons Won: 0
• Trips to the Final: 1
• Elimination Wins: 3 of 5
• Total Winnings: $35,000

Yes, Hunter has won The Challenge. No, Hunter has not walked away with any prize money. That’s all thanks to his partner Ashley Mitchell infamously following in Johnny Bananas’ footsteps and stealing his share of their winnings after he slut-shamed her earlier in the season. But as a total physical performer, Hunter’s performance speaks for itself. His only downfalls? Puzzles, his own temper, and injuries keeping him from making the final in his best season yet on Dirty 30.

• No. of Seasons: 4
• Seasons Won: 1
• Trips to the Final: 2
• Elimination Wins: 4 of 5
• Total Winnings: $0

This longtime Challenge player may have more relationship drama than wins to speak of in her long career, but that doesn’t mean she’s a layup. Nany is a fierce competitor, and her experience may give her the leg up she needs to finally bring home a win in future seasons.

• No. of Seasons: 9
• Seasons Won: 0
• Trips to the Final: 1
• Elimination Wins: 3 of 12
• Total Winnings: $35,000

This longtime Challenge OG has yet to win a season, but her past elimination performances speak for themselves. Injuries have kept her away from the show recently, and her return in Total Madness saw her getting eliminated right before the final again, a brutal trend in her career. Does she have what it takes to finally get her first win?

• No. of Seasons: 13
• Seasons Won: 0
• Trips to the Final: 2
• Elimination Wins: 9 of 19
• Total Winnings: $24,071

Diem’s onscreen battle with cancer led to one of the most iconic moments of Challenge history when she removed her wig to compete in a water challenge. Her strength and determination in the game and in life before her death in 2014 cements her status as best Challenge players of all time. 

• No. of Seasons: 8
• Seasons Won: 0
• Trips to the Final: 2
• Elimination Wins: 1 of 6
• Total Winnings: $53,000

The most underestimated female player has a pretty impressive resume, making it to the final in both seasons she’s competed in and boasting an undefeated elimination record (although she’s only gone into elimination once). She placed third in both finals, but her will to finish and prove herself as an athlete was inspiring to watch. 

• No. of Seasons: 2
• Seasons Won: 0
• Trips to the Final: 2
• Elimination Wins: 1 of 1
• Total Winnings: $25,000

Leroy still hasn’t secured his first win, but that’s not for lack of trying. In his most recent seasons, he’s shown growth by taking up a leadership role with his alliances rather than sitting back and acting as the sidekick to his longtime friend and ally Johnny “Bananas.” His most recent season, War of the Worlds 2, was his best showing yet, but he was just barely inched out of completing the final with Team U.S. due to a puzzle purge. His best may be yet to come.

• No. of Seasons: 11
• Seasons Won: 0
• Trips to the Final: 4
• Elimination Wins: 8 of 13
• Total Winnings: $36,500

Frank the Tank is a Challenge champion and currently undefeated in eliminations. The only reason he was eliminated from Free Agents, aka the only season he didn’t make it to the final, is because he was diagnosed with a contagious viral infection and had to be removed from the game. 

• No. of Seasons: 3
• Seasons Won: 1
• Trips to the Final: 2
• Elimination Wins: 3 of 3
• Total Winnings: $80,000

Brad is a former Challenge legend who recently returned to the franchise for Vendettas and Final Reckoning, coming off his win in Cutthroat 10 years prior. He didn’t recapture his former glory, but it was still a thrill to see him competing for the title once again, and his past resume can’t be denied.

• No. of Seasons: 10
• Seasons Won: 1
• Trips to the Final: 4
• Elimination Wins: 6 of 12
• Total Winnings: $75,000

Jenna may not have any wins under her belt, but with her elimination record and number of trips to the final, it seems like it's only a matter of time. The time has come for the Barbie Beast to get her first victory.

• No. of Seasons: 8
• Seasons Won: 0
• Trips to the Final: 3
• Elimination Wins: 6 of 9
• Total Winnings: $37,500

Zach has the size and build to be a repeat champion, but significant errors in eliminations – and his abrasive attitude – have cost him dearly.

• No. of Seasons: 9
• Seasons Won: 1
• Trips to the Final: 4
• Elimination Wins: 4 of 9
• Total Winnings: $150,125

Ashley used to be the record holder for the most money won before Bananas reclaimed that title. But she can still boast the title for the most money stolen from a partner after her remorseless move against her Final Reckoning partner Hunter Barfield, taking the full million dollar prize for herself. She’s a proven competitor, but her constant threats of quitting the game (and multiple times following through on those threats) when her temper runs hot means she doesn’t have a winning attitude.

• No. of Seasons: 7
• Seasons Won: 2
• Trips to the Final: 3
• Elimination Wins: 3 of 6
• Total Winnings: $1,121,250

The former pageant queen was more than just a pretty face on the show, winning both The Gauntlet III (on the Rookie team) and Cutthroat alongside then-husband Brad Fiorenza. 

• No. of Seasons: 3
• Seasons Won: 2
• Trips to the Final: 2
• Elimination Wins: 2 of 3
• Total Winnings: $90,000

Paula wasn't always the most standout player, but she certainly held her own on her winning seasons, Rivals and Rivals II, where she was paired with two of the ladies in our top 10 on this list, Evelyn Smith and Emily Schromm, respectively.

• No. of Seasons: 10
• Seasons Won: 2
• Trips to the Final: 5
• Elimination Wins: 4 of 9
• Total Winnings: $126,000

Alton, who was a member of the first Real World: Las Vegas cast, lost with the Good Guys team on The Inferno 3, but he certainly belonged with them.

• No. of Seasons: 4
• Seasons Won: 2
• Trips to the Final: 3
• Elimination Wins: 5 of 6
• Total Winnings: $50,666

Coral may not have begun her Challenge journey as much of a competitor, but she quickly improved... and, thanks also to her sharp tongue, became a fan favorite many still miss today. 

• No. of Seasons: 6
• Seasons Won: 1
• Trips to the Final: 4
• Elimination Wins: 2 of 2
• Total Winnings: $73,000

Tyler successfully translated his past as a competitive swimmer into being quite the competitive Challenge player.

• No. of Seasons: 4
• Seasons Won: 2
• Trips to the Final: 2
• Elimination Wins: 4 of 6
• Total Winnings: $92,000

Jodi worked her way to becoming the first person to take home the grand prize in a season of The Challenge selecting a single male and female winner. 

• No. of Seasons: 3
• Seasons Won: 2
• Trips to the Final: 2
• Elimination Wins: 0 of 1
• Total Winnings: $176,666

Camila won season 30. But her drunken alter ego, The Camilanator, got her disqualified one too many times, and she has been reportedly banned from competing on the show ever since she physically assaulted a crew member from the show. 

• No. of Seasons: 10
• Seasons Won: 2
• Trips to the Final: 4
• Elimination Wins: 9 of 13
• Total Winnings: $561,250

Mark was a member of the first cast of Road Rules in 1995 and went on to compete on The Challenge through 2012. In a 2015 interview, he said he'd be open to coming out of retirement despite his age, so fans can dream...

• No. of Seasons: 6
• Seasons Won: 2
• Trips to the Final: 4
• Elimination Wins: 0 of 1
• Total Winnings: $80,184

A regular competitor back when the series often featured two large teams (as opposed to the frequent smaller team format today), Veronica returned to The Challenge for Dirty 30, the first time she had been on the show since The Ruins in 2009. She was last seen on Final Reckoning. 

• No. of Seasons: 11
• Seasons Won: 3
• Trips to the Final: 4
• Elimination Wins: 2 of 4
• Total Winnings: $80,309

Rachel stood at the center of quite a bit of drama — especially when it came to her ex, Aneesa Ferreira — but the fierce competitor often came out on top.

• No. of Seasons: 7
• Seasons Won: 2
• Trips to the Final: 3
• Elimination Wins: 1 of 2
• Total Winnings: $135,555

Abram's high-energy, wild personality makes him rather terrifying, especially in an elimination.

• No. of Seasons: 9
• Seasons Won: 2
• Trips to the Final: 4
• Elimination Wins: 2 of 4
• Total Winnings: $103,500

Cara Maria may have been eliminated in the first round during her inaugural season, Fresh Meat 2, but she became a mainstay after hooking up with Abram Boise on Cutthroat and becoming a CrossFit enthusiast, making it to the final in her five most recent seasons.

• No. of Seasons: 14
• Seasons Won: 2
• Trips to the Final: 9
• Elimination Wins: 13 of 19
• Total Winnings: $602,250

Evan became fast friends with Kenny Santucci — and thus fast enemies with Wes Bergmann — during Fresh Meat and the pair went on to dominate for many, many seasons.

• No. of Seasons: 6
• Seasons Won: 2
• Trips to the Final: 3
• Elimination Wins: 4 of 6
• Total Winnings: $151,293

Derrick, a former Road Rules player, made his Challenge return in Dirty Thirty after a seven-year hiatus, and made it to the final — proving that he’s still got one of the biggest hearts of any Challenge player.

• No. of Seasons: 10
• Seasons Won: 3
• Trips to the Final: 5
• Elimination Wins: 8 of 12
• Total Winnings: $210,970

Susie is a sweet but subtle badass. No longer participating in The Challenge, she and Sarah Rice now host the Brain Candy Podcast and frequently discuss their reality show pasts.

• No. of Seasons: 4
• Seasons Won: 2
• Trips to the Final: 3
• Elimination Wins: 4 of 4
• Total Winnings: $100,173

You wouldn't want to cross small and mighty Evelyn in or out of the house.

• No. of Seasons: 7
• Seasons Won: 3
• Trips to the Final: 4
• Elimination Wins: 4 of 7
• Total Winnings: $167,000

Relentlessly cocky, Wes is the guy everyone loves to hate... and we just love to love. His manipulative political game can’t be denied, but it’s gotten him into more trouble than wins as of late, leading to him finally putting aside his rivalry with Johnny “Bananas” for a secret “unholy alliance” along with his decision to play “possum” in Total Madness. It worked… for Bananas, who ended up winning the season. And even though Bananas sent Wes home in an elimination, their shaky alliance turned into a real friendship that became instantly iconic.

• No. of Seasons: 13
• Seasons Won: 2
• Trips to the Final: 5
• Elimination Wins: 14 of 22
• Total Winnings: $298,000

The puzzle queen's winnings would be significantly higher were it not for her Rivals III partner Johnny "Bananas," who famously opted not to split the grand prize with her. She has not returned to the show since.

• No. of Seasons: 9
• Seasons Won: 2
• Trips to the Final: 5
• Elimination Wins: 6 of 8
• Total Winnings: $173,700

The Real World: Philadelphia alum was quite the athlete in high school and college, and his skills — along with his affable demeanor — translated well during his time on The Challenge.

• No. of Seasons: 4
• Seasons Won: 3
• Trips to the Final: 3
• Elimination Wins: 5 of 6
• Total Winnings: $184,166

Hell hath no fury like Laurel in a head-to-head elimination. She all but ripped her (now former) BFF Cara Maria Sorbello's head off in The Fortress on Invasion of the Champions. But her cocky attitude can be her downfall — just look at her premature celebration against Ninja Natalie during War of the Worlds 2 that resulted in her early elimination. 

• No. of Seasons: 6
• Seasons Won: 1
• Trips to the Final: 4
• Elimination Wins: 9 of 11
• Total Winnings: $201,000