"Don't think anyone's going to surpass them"- Cory Wharton shares The Challenge Mount Rushmore of best players ever

The Challenge star Cory Wharton recently disclosed his Mount Rushmore of the greatest players in the franchise, naming those he believes are truly unbeatable.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, published on December 11, Cory was asked if he considered himself the best player on the franchise and if he saw himself on The Challenge Mount Rushmore with all-time bests.

Cory felt it would be "a little too far" if he considered himself the best ever. However, he added that he could be the best contestant who had never won the show.

"With my stats and my performances, Challengers know that if I'm in that final with you, it's going to be a tight race. All of them know physically that I'm no layup, and I just wanted to prove that I deserve to be with the best of the best. I know I'm not the best because I don't have any wins yet," he continued.

Cory went on to name his Mount Rushmore of The Challenge legends and listed Jordan Wiseley, Johnny"Bananas, CT Tamburello, and either Darrell Taylor or Wes Bergmann.

"The Mount Rushmore has got to be Jordan, Bananas, CT, and either Darrell or Wes — their legacy is basically cemented in. I don't think anyone's going to surpass them, but I'm hoping to change that as soon as possible," he said.

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"This was one of my best individual seasons"- Cory Wharton reflects on her The Challenge 40 journey

Cory Wharton made his return to The Challenge franchise with season 40. He was part of Era III and managed to reach the till episode 16.

During the episode, which premiered on December 11, 2024, Cory was picked to compete in The Final Elimination arena game, Closing Time, against Derek Chavez. After a gruesome puzzle elimination challenge, Derek emerged victorious, and Cory had to leave the show.

After his elimination, in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Cory reflected on The Challenge 40 journey and called it one of his best individual seasons. He said that he got to prove a lot "down in the sand" and was able to show that he was "pretty good" at physical elimination challenges.

However, he faced a puzzle during his fourth elimination challenge, which led to his exit from the show.

"I'm very proud of the way that I performed this season and the way that I played the game. I didn't have to backstab anybody, I was true to myself. But then again, I only have a small limited amount on my Challenge bucket list, and getting a win is the one thing I haven't checked off yet," he added.

The interview noted that Cory was now ranked in the top five male competitors for most elimination wins. Reacting to the stat, The Challenge season 40 contestant said that he'd "rather be in the top five for Challenge wins."

Regardless, Cory admitted that he was happy to celebrate any win he could achieve. He described the stat as "cool" and added that if he couldn’t secure an overall season victory, he was determined to leave his mark on the franchise and build a lasting legacy in other meaningful ways.

Cory also opened up about his relationship with Josh Martinez, which had its rough patches during the recent season. He shared that they are on good terms now, emphasizing that he doesn’t hold grudges against anyone.

"As me and Josh goes, there's no bad blood there, but I'm not going out of my way to tell the guy happy birthday, you know what I mean? It's on the rocks," he added.

Concluding the interview, Cory urged the viewers to watch the reunion. He shared that a lot of the drama happens at the reunion that isn't shown during the season.

"You get a lot more Laurel and hear where she's coming from and her perspective on things. We have some surprise guests come in and shake some things up. The devil makes an appearance. It's good. You're going to want to tune in," he continued.

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The Challenge season 40 episodes are released every Wednesday on MTV.