To be considered aChallengelegend, the players not only have to be strong at the game but also understand what it takes to get under people’s skins to get into the mental aspect of the game. Players of the show have constantly been doing this task since its beginning asRoad Rules,and it has created many iconic players who have gone down in history as the best. With female players, it can sometimes be harder to be considered strong as the physical aspect may not be as similar as the men’s.Still, many female contestants have stepped up and proven why women in reality competition shows can be strong and considered a threat.As one of the most remembered female players,Rachel Robinsonis returning to herChallengeroots and returning for the show’s 40th season.
Rachel hasn’t been on the main franchise since her elimination with her partnerAneesa FerreirainThe Challenge: Battle of the Exes. It was the last time she appeared, and it wasn’t her best performance, as it is known when someone is partnered with Aneesa, they will run a course of being eliminated, since she is not the best at the game.Still, seeing her on the flagship show and competing with her brought viewers' attention and showed why she is strong.She is one of the originalChallengeplayers as she appeared in the show’s earlier years and became a standout because of her strength and ability to get under people’s skins. This isn’t her first time returning to the show, though, as she was included inThe Challenge: All Stars 4,in which she proved exactly why she has been one of the most feared female competitors besidesCara Maria Sorbello. Having her back on the flagship show brought viewers a sense of nostalgia since she was such an iconic player during her time. While stepping up for her era, she proves how she continued her training to become stronger after all the years she has been away from the franchise. Besides being strong, viewers are excited to see how the OG mean girl will use the mental side of the game to her advantage.
The Challenge
Features 24 strong competitors competing for the title as they face the ultimate willpower test with unusual forms and shocking twists.
Rachel Was The OG Mean Girl
It’s been a long time coming, but after almost thirteen years, Rachel Robinson decided to make a comeback toThe Challenge,and her presence will bring back old viewers of the show to watch the newest seasons. Rachel has been considered one of the strongest female competitors, but after being away for so long, she has decided it’s time to show why she has been one of the most feared competitors. During the earlier years ofRoad Rules, Rachel was always a player who would mix herself with strong players and those who understood the game’s mental side. It’s important to note how a reality competition show likeThe Challengealso includes its mental factor, since these people are constantly living with each other and will understand the ins and outs of the game.This strategy helped Rachel in her earlierChallengeyears as she aligned herself withTina Barta andVeronica Portillo. The group has been known since their earlier years as the OG mean girls of the show because of the many antics they played to be able to make it to finals. These antics may not be seen now as great strategies, but being in a reality show will make everyone change and reveal their true selves and what they will do to be crowned champions.
During her time onRoad Rules, Rachel was always aligned with people who would be able to benefit her game, and the two people who she would always stick by, no matter what, were Tina and Veronica.The trio was a powerhouse during the earlier years of the show, and even though Veronica and Tina may not be as strong as Rachel physically, they complemented each other well on the mental side.One of the most iconic moments the trio did was back in the day whencontestantTonya Cooleywas only seen as someone who was in the show to have fun, and after an altercation withBeth Stolarczyck, the “mean girls” decided it would be a good idea to continue to use her performance on the show as a shield for eliminations. After the altercation with Tonya, the trio was not seen together on the show for a long time. Still, they impacted future mean girls for the show, as was seen on the premiere episode of Season 40, in which Rachel and Tina praisedAmanda Garciafor her role as one of the newest mean girls in the franchise.
The Challenge 40: Battle of the Eras Is Rachel’s Time To Shine
Even though it has been a while since Rachel has appeared on the flagship show, she has still managed to keep her presence alive withThe ChallengeWorld asthe host of the franchise’s official workout channel. She has kept herself busy and is constantly building up her physical side as she is improving for her comeback on the show. When she came back toAll Stars 4, it was something nobody expected, and she was one of the female competitors that was targeted the most since she was so strong.There haven’t been many competitors that have caused as much fear as she has, but forChallengefans to witness her and Cara Maria Sorbello’s comeback would be something nobody would want to miss.
This time on this season, she will have an opportunity for viewers to get to know her on a more personal level, since it is a game in which there will only be a sole female winner. She mentioned toEntertainment Weeklyhow it felt right to come back to this world now, “One of the reasons why I wanted to come back is because I wanted to show and prove to myself that I am still at the top of my game.This is an important statement for women in their 40s because I was an amazing competitor in my 20s, but I firmly believe I’m actually a better competitor now.” At her age, many other competitors would have hung up the towel and never looked back, but Rachel empowers women to never give up on their dreams and that anything is possible to do at any age. She continuously proves why she is the backbone of the show, since she is such an inspiration to manyChallengefans and wants to keep empowering women as she has a mission for her return, “My mission now is to make sure that women get their credit when it comes toThe Challenge,because the truth is that on our backs, the ratings have soared.”
The Challenge 40: Battle of the Eraspremieres August 14 on MTV.
