‘The Challenge All Stars: Rivals’ recap: Season premiere shows 26 competitors pair up with their greatest enemy

On the heels of the legendary 4oth season of The Challenge, the hit reality competition franchise brings its fan-favorite rivals twist to The Challenge All Stars. In a series first, the new season pairs up memorable power players and redemption seekers with their biggest rivals. The Challenge All Stars: Rivals premiere episode titled “A Star Studded Ar-Rival” aired Jan. 29 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on MTV.

This season, 26 All Star competitors return. As bad blood resurfaces for some, the Rivals quickly learn that to win their share of the $300,000 grand prize, they must be able to work together to survive. TJ Lavin hosts.

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Here are the Challengers still in contention for the All Stars Season 5 championship: Adam Larson & Steve Meinke, Amber Borzota & Faysal Shafaat, Aneesa Ferreira & Ashley Mitchell, Ashley Kelsey & Dario Medrano, Big T & Corey Lay, Beth Stolarczyk & Jonna Mannion, Da’Vonne Rogers & Shane Landrum, Devin Walker & Leroy Garrett, Frank Fox & Sam McGinn, Katie Cooley & Veronica Portillo, KellyAnne Judd & Sylvia Elsrode, Melissa Reeves & Nicole Zanatta, Nany Gonzalez & Turbo 

The Challengers

Twenty-six All Stars enter an arena in hopes of winning the title and part of the $300,000 prize pot. Many of them have bad blood — like Turbo, who pledges to send Nany home first after she destroyed his game in Ride or Dies. TJ announces this season’s Rivals twist, which is new to the All Stars spinoff. It throws many of the players’ game plans out the window. Instead of targeting Nany, Turbo is now forced to be her teammate. After TJ pairs everyone up, the Challengers head to their new house to sort out their differences. Jonna is already in tears by the thought of working with Beth. In their last season together, Beth started a rumor that Jonna was cheating on her husband, forcing Jonna to endure months of marriage counseling. Beth apologizes and takes responsibility, but Jonna doesn’t believe a word of it.

The Daily Challenge

Like the last All Stars season, Challengers will have to earn stars to make TJ’s final. Today, the top four teams will earn stars. In “Frenemies,” Challengers will race to complete three checkpoints: Mudbath, Ice Transfer, and Ball-Ance Gurney. After using their bodies to transfer mud to a bucket and filling it up to the required line, Amber & Faysal move on to checkpoint two in first place. At the ice transfer, Adam & Steve take over top position while Beth & Jonna and Frank & Sam struggle in last place. In the end, Adam & Steve hold their lead all the way to the finish line as others race for the final three stars.

The Big Winners

The following teams took the four top spots and earned gold stars:

1. Adam & Steve
2. Devin & Leroy
3. Ashley K. & Dario
4. Nany & Turbo

The Big Losers

Nine teams will be in danger of facing the arena, but we’ll have to wait for next week to see who that is. Will the star holders nominate teams to compete? What are the rules of elimination? It’s all coming up next week on The Challenge All Stars: Rivals.

Launch Gallery: 'The Challenge All Stars' Season 5 cast: 26 Challengers competing in 'Rivals'

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