“My safest bet”- The Challenge 40 star Nurys explains why she chose to compete against Olivia in the latest elimination challenge

MTV's The Challenge 40: Battle of the Eras aired its second episode The Era Invitational: Part 2 on August 21, 2024. Episode 2 picked up where 8 contestants from each era were put into an elimination round. The winner from each era had to choose the challengers with whom they would compete in episode 2, to secure their spot in the game.

Nurys Mateo from Era 4 was put against Olivia Kaiser from Era 4 to compete in the Arena. The Era 4 challengers were pitted against each other in the "Hall Brawl" challenge.

Nurys and Olivia were former competitors in season 39 of the show, where Nurys sent Olivia home. But during this challenge, Olivia made it even by defeating Nurys by 2-0 in "Hall Brawl" and sending her home.

During the deliberations in episode 1, Nurys was more convinced to go against Olivia for the elimination challenge. In season 39, they shared a bittersweet relationship, and after Nurys's demand to be pitted against Olivia in The Challenge 40, the anticipation of their feud getting some fire aired.

However, in an interview with The Parade on August 22, 2024, Nurys explained that her choice was more based on strategic deliberation rather than any feud sprawling between them. She said:

"So it did suck to have to choose Olivia, someone [where] the drama is already over with. But I had to choose her because that was going to be my best bet, my safest bet."

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Nurys Mateo explained her decision to battle out Olivia Kaiser in The Challenge 40

In the latest elimination of The Challenge 40, 8 challengers faced elimination, and one of them was season 39 star Nurys Mateo. Nurys was among the 8 contestants that did not make it to the winner's list. Nurys has been a former challenger from season 39, where she participated with Horacio Gutierrez. She won the challenge as well in the female category.

Nurys and Olivia shared history in season 39, where Olivia betrayed Nurys by not choosing her as her partner during a task in the show.

In week 2 of elimination on The Challenge 40, Nurys and Olivia were put into the Arena against each other, in which Olivia emerged victorious. In an interview with The Parade on August 22, 2024, she explained that all the previous hatches of season 39 had been burned between the two. She said:

"Also, I had already beat her on 39. So I'm thinking, "Okay, I've already beated her one. So if she beats me this time, at least it's even now. It's 1-1, or at best, it's going to be 2-0."

Nurys also explained that she thought that the other competitors would be more physically challenging for her as she had a feeling the task was going to be something physical. She explained during the interview:

"Everything in my heart told me it was going to be something physical, and there's no way I'm going to choose Kaycee, who knows she plays professional football against guys. She knows how to rock somebody; she knows how to tackle somebody. There's no way I'm going to choose her."

She further added:

"Seeing Jenny, you guys haven't gotten to meet her. But like she looks jacked on Instagram; she looks more jacked in real life. And there was no way that I was going to choose her."

Nurys also clarified in the interview that both of them were far more nervous than they looked during the task in The Challenge 40 elimination round. She said the match was so intense, that both were terrified of getting hurt.

Nurys was eliminated in week 2 of The Challenge 40 by a 2-0 score against Olivia.

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The next episode of The Challenge 40 will air on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, at 8 pm ET/PT on MTV.