MTV The Challenge Season 35 Cast: Who Are the 2020 Vets & Rookies?

One of the most exciting reality competition TV shows is back — The Challenge 35: Total Madness is set to premiere on Wednesday, April 1, and with it comes a lot of familiar faces and some new recruits.

This season is like no other. The players must win an elimination round to make it to the finals, which adds an exciting layer to the game. Altogether, there are 28 competitors this season — meet the 21 veterans and seven rookies for Total Madness:

The Veterans on The Challenge 35: Total Madness

There are 21 veterans competing in Total Madness:

Aneesa Ferreira

Aneesa Ferreira from The Challenge: Total Madness

Aneesa is making her return to The Challenge after a four-season hiatus. Total Madness is her 13th season in a Challenge career that has spanned almost two decades. Aneesa’s first season was Battle of the Sexes which aired from late 2002 to early 2003, and 17 years later, Aneesa is still on the hunt for her first-ever Challenge win.

Aneesa is no stranger to eliminations as she has competed in 17 of them, winning eight times and losing nine. She’s made two finals, taking second place in The Gauntlet 2 and third in The Duel II.

She started her MTV career back in 2002 as a cast member on The Real World: Chicago.

Ashley Mitchell

Ashley Mitchell of The Challenge 35: Total Madness

Competing in her sixth season, Ashley is a two-time Challenge champion and has an elimination record of 3-2. She was victorious on Invasion of the Champions and Final Reckoning.

Ashley has won the most prize money in Challenge history, and she earned the majority of it in one of the most dramatic moves the show has ever seen. After winning Final Reckoning with her teammate, Hunter Barfield, Ashley had the choice to share the $1 million dollar prize with him or keep it all to herself — she chose the latter.

Ashley’s original MTV season was 2014’s The Real World: Ex-Plosion, and she joined the Challenge in 2016 on Rivals III.

Johnny ‘Bananas’ Devenanzio

MTVJohnny Bananas of Challenge 35: Total Madness.

The most notorious Challenger in history is back for his 20th season. Bananas is a man who knows how to win, earning a record six championships. However, it’s been almost four years since his last championship, which he earned on Rivals III. That season was also when Bananas shocked the world and backstabbed his teammate, Sarah Rice, and took home the entire first-place check of $275,000.

Bananas joined the MTV family back in 2006 during The Real World: Key West. That same year, he competed in his first season of The Challenge, which was The Duel. 

Stephen Bear

MTVThe Challenge: Total Madness Stephen Bear

The U.K.’s grizzly bear is back for his third season of The Challenge. In his short Challenge career, Bear has yet to see a final. He has competed in five elimination matches and he has won three of them, including a victory over Wes Bergmann.

He first joined The Challenge during last year’s War of the Worlds, when he was partnered with Da’Vonne Rogers. He took part in War of the Worlds 2 as well.

Bear has an extensive history in reality TV, which includes coming in fifth place on Shipwrecked: The Island and winning 2016’s Celebrity Big Brother as well as a few appearances on Ex on the Beach.

Tula ‘Big T’ Fazakerley

MTVBig T Fazakerley of The Challenge 35: Total Madness.

One of the newer veterans on Total Madness, Big T is competing in her second season. She joined The Challenge last season for War of the Worlds 2 and she didn’t make it far — Big T was eliminated in the second episode by Georgia Harrison. But she put up a great fight against Georgia, who was one of the top females in the house.

London’s Big T is previously known for Shipwrecked: Battle of the Islands 2019. 

Cory Wharton

After taking a two-season break, Cory is back and ready to earn his first championship. He joined the cast of The Challenge in 2016’s Battle of the Bloodlines, after appearing on The Real World: Ex-Plosion. Cory made it to the final his first season, earning second place with his cousin Mitch Reid.

Total Madness is Cory’s seventh season, and he has seen elimination eight times, winning five and losing three. His last appearance was on Final Reckoning when he was disqualified for slamming Tony Raines to the ground.

Chris ‘CT’ Tamburello

CT Tamburello of The Challenge 35: Total Madness.

One of the heads on The Challenge’s Mount Rushmore, CT is back for his 17th season. In his career, he has won three times, including Rivals II and Invasion of the Champions. CT is coming off a Challenge victory as he won last season’s War of the Worlds 2 with his Team U.K. teammates Dee Nguyen, Rogan O’Connor and Jordan Wiseley.

CT has been known to play a conservative game in recent years, and it has helped keep him out of eliminations. In his tenure, he has only seen elimination nine times and he has a 5-4 record.

His MTV career has spanned close to two decades — CT was a cast member on The Real World: Paris in 2003 and competed in The Challenge for the first time during 2004’s The Inferno.

Dee Nguyen

Dee Nguyen of The Challenge 35: Total Madness.

Total Madness is only Dee’s third season, but she has already put together a solid resume. She competed in both War of the Worlds and War of the Worlds 2 and has an elimination record of 1-1. Dee won five daily challenges in War of the Worlds, but she was eliminated by Da’Vonne Rogers after the season turned into an individual game.

Dee bounced back big time and took home her share of a $1 million grand prize when she won War of the Worlds 2 with Team U.K’s CT Tamburello, Jordan Wiseley and Rogan O’Connor.

Dee is from Sydney, Australia, and she was in the 17th season of Geordie Shore in 2018.

Jenna Compono

MTVJenna Compono of The Challenge 35: Total Madness.

Jenna is back for her eighth Challenge, and she’s still in search of her first championship. She has seen three finals, Battle of the Exes II, Battle of the Bloodlines and Rivals III. She was last seen during 2019’s War of the Worlds, when she was paired up with Floribama Shore’s Gus Smyrnios — they were eliminated midway through the season by Da’Vonne Rogers and Stephen Bear.

She has seen seven elimination rounds and has an impressive record of 5-2. Jenna is engaged to another Challenge veteran, Zach Nichols. She joined MTV in 2014 when she took part in The Real World: Ex-Plosion.

Jenny West

MTVJenny West of The Challenge 35: Total Madness.

Jenny made her first Challenge appearance on last season’s War of the Worlds 2 and was quickly regarded as a powerhouse. As a member of Team U.K., Jenny saw elimination twice, defeating Nicole Bass but losing to Tori Deal near the end of the season.

She was cast on the 2018 British reality TV show Survival of the Fittest and won the show along with three other teammates. Jenny is a personal trainer and bodybuilder, and she will be looking to utilize her physical prowess to earn her first Challenge championship.

Jordan Wiseley

Jordan Wiseley of The Challenge 35: Total Madness.

Jordan has arguably one of the best Challenge records in history, and he’s back for his sixth season, Total Madness, in the hopes of adding another trophy onto his mantel. In five seasons, he has earned three championships and one third-place finish — all three of his Challenge wins have come in his last three appearances, and he has only ever been eliminated once from the show.

He returned to The Challenge last season for War of the Worlds 2 after a three-season hiatus. Jordan competed with his girlfriend Tori, whom he proposed to during the season after winning an elimination round. He then became one of the four Team U.K. players to cross the finish line in first place.

He joined the MTV family as a cast member on 2013’s The Real World: Portland.

Josh Martinez

MTVJosh Martinez of The Challenge 35: Total Madness.

The winner of Big Brother 19, Josh is making his third appearance on The Challenge. He has been on the last two seasons prior to Total Madness, War of the Worlds 2 and War of the Worlds. Josh was a member of Team U.S.A. during War of the Worlds 2, and he performed well during the entire season until he was eliminated by Jordan Wiseley in the 13th episode.

He joined the Challenge cast in 2019 for War of the Worlds and he was paired up with Amanda Garcia. They won one daily challenge but were eliminated in the seventh episode by Kam Williams and Ashley Cain.

Kailah Casillas

Kailah Casillas of The Challenge 35: Total Madness.

Kailah is taking part in her fifth season for Total Madness. She will try and replicate her success on Vendettas by making the final, but Kailah hopes to make it onto the podium this time to hoist her first-ever Challenge championship above her head.

The last time Kailah was on The Challenge was for Final Reckoning, but she was disqualified at the start of the game when she got into a physical altercation with Melissa Reeves.

Kailah has a solid elimination record, competing five times and accumulating a 4-1 record. She started her MTV career on Real World: Go Big or Go Home in 2016.

Kyle Christie

Kyle Christie of The Challenge 35: Total Madness.

Total Madness is Kyle’s fifth Challenge, and he’s hoping to do something that he’s never done before: win a championship. Kyle first appeared on The Challenge for 2018’s Vendettas with his rival Rogan O’Connor, and Kyle made it all the way to the finals, finishing in third place behind Cara Maria Sorbello and Zach Nichols.

That was the first and only final that Kyle has seen. He’s been a part of every season since then, Final Reckoning, War of the Worlds and War of the Worlds 2, but he has been eliminated each time.

Mattie Lynn Breaux

Mattie Breaux of The Challenge 35: Total Madness.

Competing in her second Challenge season, Mattie is locked in and looking to make another final. She joined the MTV family as a cast member on Floribama Shore, and she competed on The Challenge: War of the Worlds. She had an impressive season, winning an elimination match against Julia Nolan and Natalie Negrotti with her teammate Kyle Christie, as well as three daily challenges throughout the season.

Mattie made it all the way to the final, but she dropped out during the first leg and placed seventh overall in the show. Mattie took War of the Worlds 2 off to film Floribama Shore but she’s back for Total Madness.

Melissa Reeves

MTVMelissa Reeves of The Challenge 35: Total Madness.

Ex on the Beach U.K. season two alumni DJ Melissa Reeves is making her third appearance on The Challenge.

Her first season was on Vendettas — she took out Are You The One? season five’s Alicia Wright, but Melissa was eliminated by Sylvia Elsrode in the next episode. Melissa hasn’t been seen on The Challenge since she was booted off the show at the start of Final Reckoning for getting into a physical altercation with Kailah Casillas.

Nany Gonzalez

Nany Gonzalez of The Challenge 35: Total Madness.

One of the longest-serving Challenge veterans is back for her third season in a row. Nany first appeared on The Challenge: Battle of the Seasons in 2012, after she filmed The Real World: Las Vegas in 2011. Total Madness will be her ninth Challenge season, and she is hoping to win her first-ever championship.

Nany has seen 11 eliminations and has garnered a 3-8 record. She has made it to one final, and that was on Free Agents when she finished second place behind Laurel Stucky.

She came back to The Challenge in 2019 after taking three years off — she competed on War of the Worlds and War of the Worlds 2.

Nelson Thomas

Nelson Thomas of The Challenge 35: Total Madness.

One man who has his eyes on gold is Nelson. Total Madness will be his sixth season of The Challenge, and although he has an impressive elimination record of 8-2 with one draw, he has yet to secure a championship. He has only made one final, and that was on Invasion of the Champions when he placed second place behind CT Tamburello.

Nelson first joined MTV when he took part in Are You The One? 3, and he made his first Challenge appearance during Rivals III when he was brought in as a replacement with Amanda Garcia. Leroy Garrett was disqualified from the show for medical reasons, along with his partner Averey Tressler.

Rogan O’Connor

MTVRogan O’Connor of The Challenge 35: Total Madness

Another Challenge champion is walking into the house, and it’s after his successful comeback tour last season. Rogan is originally from Ex on the Beach U.K., and Total Madness will be his third Challenge season.

In his first season, he was the first male eliminated in Vendettas because of his poor performance during the Rock of Gibraltar challenge. But he came back three seasons later for War of the Worlds 2, and he had a completely different experience. 

Rogan held his own and excelled in many daily challenges, he never saw an elimination round and he was last Brit standing on Team U.K. Ultimately, he was one of the four winners of the season and earned himself a $250,000 check.

Tori Deal

Tori Deal of The Challenge 35: Total Madness.

After her time on last season’s War of the Worlds 2 ended abruptly right before the finish line, Tori is back in the hopes of earning her first Challenge championship.

She joined the Challenge roster on Dirty 30 after appearing in Are You The One? 4. She made it to the finals and finished in third place. She came back two seasons later for Final Reckoning, but she was eliminated early in the season along with her teammate and ex Derrick Henry.

Her third season was War of the Worlds 2, and during the show, she took out Georgia Harrison and Jenny West. She made it to the final with Team U.K. and her fiance Jordan Wiseley, but she was eliminated by a puzzle right before the last leg.

Click here to read Heavy’s exclusive interview with Tori about Total Madness.

Wes Bergmann

Wes Bergmann of The Challenge 35: Total Madness.

Wes is a staple of The Challenge, and he’s back to take part in Total Madness. After a three-year hiatus, Wes returned to the show in 2019 for War of the Worlds. It was one of his best seasons to date with six daily challenge wins and one elimination victory. He ultimately finished the season in third place.

He came back last season for War of the Worlds 2, but his time was short-lived — Wes was the second male eliminated from the game and it was courtesy of Stephen Bear.

In 11 seasons, Wes has seen elimination as much as anyone, and he has garnered a solid 14-7 record. He has two Challenge wins, The Duel and Rivals II.

The Rookies on The Challenge 35: Total Madness

There are seven rookies competing this season:

Asaf Goren

Asaf Goren of The Challenge 35: Total Madness.

Born in Petah Tikva, Israel, Asaf grew up practicing judo before transitioning into break dancing. Asaf has a lot of experience in reality TV, appearing on Are You The One? 4, Are You The One? Second Chances and Celebrity Big Brother Israel 3. He won his season of Big Brother.

Asaf was briefly linked to another The Challenge 35: Total Madness competitor, Tori Deal, during Are You The One? 4.

Bayleigh Dayton

MTVBayleigh Dayton of The Challenge 35: Total Madness.

There are four cast members from 2018’s Big Brother 20 competing on Total Madness, and one of them is Bayleigh. She was eliminated sixth, but she ended up meeting her future husband in the house, Swaggy C.

She won two competitions during her season, including one Head of Household. Besides Swaggy C, she was also very close to another Total Madness competitor, Fessy.

Faysal ‘Fessy’ Shafaat

MTVFessy Shafaat of The Challenge 35: Total Madness.

One of four Big Brother 20 cast members appearing on Total Madness, Fessy is the most physically intimidating out of the bunch. He is a former University of Tennessee football player — Fessy was a four-year starter who played for the Chattanooga Mocs. He was a two-time All-American tight end.

Fessy was the eighth house guest evicted during 2018’s Big Brother 20. He had a tight alliance with Swaggy C and Bayleigh Dayton, both of whom are competing in Total Madness. He won three competitions during his season, two vetoes and one Head of Household.

He also made an appearance on American Ninja Warrior.

Jay Starrett

MTVJay Starrett of The Challenge 35: Total Madness.

Jay was a fan favorite player on Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X, showing off both physicality by winning two individual immunity competitions and strong strategic play by orchestrating a sensational blindside. However, it wasn’t enough to win the game, and he ended up with a sixth-place finish.

He also appeared on a season of Ex on the Beach 2 as the ex of Morgan Willett, who has also appeared on The Challenge and is currently dating Johnny Bananas.

Jenn Lee

MTVJenn Lee of The Challenge 35: Total Madness.

Jenn is a professional model and she was a contestant on The Amazing Race 29. She was eliminated in the first episode of the season, along with her teammate Kevin Ng. Even though Jenn and Kevin didn’t argue, they got lost multiple times in the first stretch, which was in Panama City.

They got to the finish line before one other team, but because they had a two-hour penalty, the other team, Liz Espey and Michael Rado, caught up and sent them home. Jenn and Kevin’s team hashtag was “LongHairDon’tCare.”

She enjoys the outdoors, including swimming and hiking.

Kaycee Clark

MTVKaycee Clark of The Challenge 35: Total Madness.

Kaycee was also on Big Brother 20, but she had a much different experience than the other three rookies. Kaycee was in a powerful alliance called Level Six, and after winning multiple competitions in the second half of the season, she won the entire show.

She has a solid athletic background as she is a pro football player, and her time on Big Brother proved that she is a strategic threat.

Chris ‘Swaggy C’ Williams

MTVSwaggy C Williams of The Challenge 35: Total Madness.

Swaggy C may have been eliminated early on Big Brother 20, but he was still a winner — he met his future wife on the show, Bayleigh. He started his Big Brother season off with a bang, winning the first two out of three competitions.

However, his competition prowess and fearlessness painted a big target on his back and he was the second player evicted. Besides Bayleigh, he also had a close connection with Fessy in the house.

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