This article contains spoilers for The Challenge: USA season 2 episode 13, which first aired on Oct. 12.
Seven-time Challenge champion John “Johnny Bananas” Devenanzio is no stranger to lying and backstabbing, but during the most recent episode of The Challenge: USA season 2, he was shocked to find his ally and friend – Big Brother 19 winner Josh Martinez – betrayed him.
However, karma sided with the 41-year-old legend, and Josh was eliminated at the end of episode 13, but what happened?
Knowing the Final Challenge was right around the corner, the remaining 10 players battled it out in the episode’s Daily Challenge, which involved climbing a ladder up to a hot air balloon and then traversing a balance beam high above their competitors.
Once everyone completed the thrilling athletic feat, Survivor: Edge of Extinction winner Chris Underwood and two-time Survivor castaway Michaela Bradshaw punched their ticket to the finale. Unfortunately, for the four other men — Bananas, Josh, Big Brother 20’s Faysal Shafaat, and Challenge vet Cory Wharton — their elimination scapegoat had saved himself for the second time in a row.
The four had been working together for most of the game. But, because host TJ Lavin revealed before the Daily Challenge that the Arena would host a double elimination, they knew one of them would fall. Chris and Michaela later voted Faysal and Survivor 43’s Cassidy Clark directly into elimination.
Faysal then told Cory and Josh to vote Bananas in, making the point that Bananas had won seven championships and that he’d have an easier time beating him in a physical loser-go-home match, something he predicted the next Arena to be.
Josh struggled with the idea of voting in Bananas, someone he considered a good friend and ally. But, after swearing on the life of a family member to Bananas that he wouldn’t choose his Hopper ball, he did. He believed he’d have an easier time winning the Final Challenge without Bananas running it, so it was best to feed him to Fessy.
Josh later came clean to the visibly upset Challenge legend.
At the Arena, Bananas had five balls placed into the Hopper, whereas Josh had two and Cory had one (Bananas voted for Cory). And as history has it, Josh’s name was called instead of Bananas.
Faysal’s assumption that the final Arena would be “Hall Brawl” was correct. But, instead of tackling his 10-year elder, Faysal was forced to duel his buddy, Josh. They ran at each other at full steam through a narrow hallway, and once they emerged, they were met with a puzzle. After the dust settled, Faysal emerged victorious and sent Josh home right before TJ announced that they had all made it to the Final Challenge. Cassidy also departed after losing to Survivor 43’s Chanelle Howell.
Bananas said he’d feel ‘a little more upset’ if he was sent packing in the final elimination
Entertainment Weekly spoke with Bananas in an interview published right after the episode aired Thursday night. And his reaction to Josh’s betrayal was what we expected.
“Karma is a b****. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised. I mean, I’ve seen the way that Josh moves in the past.”
Earlier in USA 2, Josh backstabbed another Challenge icon, Wes Bergmann, by picking his Hopper ball when they were closely working together. Bananas was also aligned with Wes and Josh, but after his former enemy was sent out later that episode, he said in a confessional that Josh would never betray him — the ultimate foreshadowing.
Bananas also pinned his early demise on War of the Worlds 2 — MTV’s 34th flagship season — on Josh.
“This isn’t the first time he did it to me. Back on World of Worlds 2, the reason I got sent in was because he basically ended up putting his trust in Paulie [Calafiore], somebody that I knew was going to end up burning me. Josh is just very easily swayed. He’s not one that really can make a deal and stick to it.”
Johnny went on to say that Josh was persuaded by Faysal and Cory even though they were only looking out for their games, not Josh’s. But, considering that move wasn’t his swansong, Bananas isn’t too upset about it all, especially because he avoided meeting the much larger Faysal in Hall Brawl.
“How do I feel about it now? I don’t bring my work home with me, generally. I think I’d be a little more upset if things didn’t go the way that they did. And I’ll tell you what, that Hopper could be your best friend and your worst enemy, all at the same time. Thankfully, it was on my side and not his that night. I don’t want to do a Hall Brawl with my grandmother, let alone Fessy, who’s just a monster in that thing. I love my ability to walk, my ability to not have a broken neck, my ability to not be crippled, and I don’t want to give any of that up for an elimination on The Challenge. So we’ll let somebody else take care of that.
Josh continues his unfortunate Challenge streak
Although Josh burst onto the reality competition scene during Big Brother 19 in 2017, and he earned the $500,00 grand prize that season, he’s spent more time competing in The Challenge universe. He’s appeared on five additions of MTV’s mainline series, as well as this season’s Challenge: USA – a CBS spin-off series. His franchise debut came in season 33’s War of the Worlds in 2019.
But, sadly for Josh, he hasn’t captured the same sort of success he had on his first reality show. In fact, Josh has never made it to the Final Challenge, let alone earn the illustrious Challenge champion accolade. He was eliminated before the finale on War of the Worlds, War of the Worlds 2, Total Madness, Double Agents, and Spies, Lies & Allies.
His loss to Faysal this past episode added another blemish to his elimination record — a spread with only one win and six losses.
Josh used his desire to make a Final and bolster his Challenge resume as fuel during USA 2, and reasoning to betray Johnny and Wes. But, Bananas took a shot at Josh for once again falling short of his goal.
“It shouldn’t come up as a shock to anyone that Josh hasn’t ever finished the drill and made it all the way to the Final,” Bananas said. “He’s got a good but very messy social game, and the guy does a little too much.”
Well, Josh was one episode shy of closing out the show. The Challenge: USA season 2 officially wraps next Thursday when one man and one woman beat out the rest to claim $250,000 apiece.
