‘The Challenge’: Many Fans Are Calling This Elimination Win the ‘Most Awkward’ Performance in History
[SPOILER ALERT: This article contains spoilers from The Challenge 36.]
Former Big Brother winner Josh Martinez has competed in three straight seasons of The Challenge and failed to win an elimination. When he won his first in Double Agents, the other competitors and host T.J. Lavin couldn’t help but laugh at his performance, which is why many viewers are calling it one of the “most awkward” they’ve seen in franchise history.
Josh Martinez hadn’t won an elimination in three seasons
Big Brother 19 winner Josh Martinez debuted on The Challenge two years following his win for the 33rd season, War of the Worlds. Although he initially failed to make it into the house because he placed last in the first challenge game, Josh returned as Amanda Garcia’s partner as a replacement.
The pair won their first mission together but ended up in elimination a few weeks later, where they were eliminated. He returned for the following season, War of the Worlds 2, and made it reasonably far because Team USA won most of the missions.
Before the finals, multi-season champ Jordan Wiseley eliminated him. Without missing a season, the BB winner competed in Total Madness and won three missions throughout the season.
However, UK veteran Kyle Christie sent him home shortly before the finals. Josh returned for Double Agents, determined to prove himself.
Josh won his first elimination during ‘The Challenge 36’
Initially paired up with Kam Wiliams, the returning player thought he had a chance to make it far this season. However, Kyle stole his partner following his win during the first male elimination.
Nonetheless, he ended up paired with friend and ally Nany González. After barely avoiding getting thrown into a Hall Brawl elimination, the four-time competitor wanted to compete for the final men’s gold skull a few weeks later.
Therefore, he asked then-double agents Kyle and Kam to help him out by encouraging the house to select a team he considered a layup, rookies Mechie Harris and Amber Martinez.
The BB champ received his wish and went against the undersized Ex on the Beach star for his ticket to the finals.
Why fans are calling his win the ‘most awkward’ performance
The players had to solve a puzzle before pushing over a crate containing heavy balls for the elimination. The contestants then had to throw the balls to break the panels consistent with the previously solved puzzle.
Josh got off to a fast start but repeatedly threw the balls at panels that weren’t meant to be broken. The other competitors, and host T.J. Lavin, couldn’t help but laugh at Josh as he kept hitting the board in between the panels or ones that weren’t supposed to break.
Finally, he realized his mistake and began knocking out the proper ones. Luckily for him, Mechie couldn’t figure out the puzzle, and Josh pulled out his first win. Because everyone laughed at the four-time competitor, many fans began calling it one of the “most awkward elimination performances and wins” in the history of the franchise behind Nelson Thomas and Cory Wharton in Vendetta’s “Ball of Fire.”
Several viewers also made fun of his reaction and felt he shouldn’t have been as proud. Other fans have given Josh the respect anyways as his elimination record improves to 1-3. The Challenge 36 airs Wednesdays at 8/7 Central on MTV.
