"Masterful elimination performance"— The Challenge fans react to Derek eliminating Cory

The Challenge: Battle of the Eras aired episode 16 this week on Wednesday, December 11, 2024. After the previous episode, Cory, Derek, and Jordon were targeted, and while Jordon won the task, the other two found themselves in the elimination arena.

During the elimination task, titled Closing Time, Derek and Cory had to race from one end of the playing field to the other with cinder blocks and build a puzzle. Derek emerged victorious and chose his targets for the upcoming week. He named Cara Maria, Jenny, and Rachel.

Fans of the reality show commented on Derek's elimination win against Cory and praised his performance.

"Derek played that elimination perfectly. Every block he took was deliberate and he made sure to organize it in a way where Cory couldn't even copy off him. It was a masterful elimination performance and the biggest win of Derek's Challenge career," one person wrote on X.

"I'm over here crying with Derek right now. Your sister would be so proud of you," a fan commented.

"He did it, @d_e_r_e_kc congratulations! Textbook David vs Goliath elimination. Also really gutting for Cory, he needs to polish up those puzzles even more if he wants to win," a tweet read.

Fans of The Challenge: Battle of the Eras said they were proud of the season Cory had.

"Cory he should've been in that finale I'm hurt this was supposed to be ur season good job this season man proud of u. Congratulations Derek u proved a lot of us wrong," a person wrote.

"Cory killed it in eliminations this season. He was a beast. I wish he would've made it to the final he fought so hard," a fan commented.

"It s*cks to see Cory get eliminated on a puzzle because he has genuinely shown improvement in puzzles this season. Compared to Cory I saw on Invasion, this guy's cardio, swimming, and puzzle ability are all 100-500% better. He's grown into such a good competitor, and yet, Derek got the better of him here. Maybe one day it will happen for Cory, maybe not, but I respect that he's shown actual growth & improvement in his weak areas. Shoutout to Derek and shoutout to Cory for a very strong season," a tweet read.

Fans of The Challenge: Battle of the Eras further said:

"Production so stupid with the edit and the way they basically saying it a puzzle knowing d*mn well Corey not good at them smh so mad he didn’t pull thru ugh," a person wrote.

"NAHHH CORY GOT RIGGED OUT," a fan commented.

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"I was a hot mess"— Cory chimes in on competing against Derek in an elimination task in The Challenge season 40

After his elimination from The Challenge season 40, Cory Wharton spoke to Entertainment Weekly about his last task of Battle of the Eras. The contestant stated that it was his fourth elimination of the season, and he was happy because he was one of the few people who had gone into an elimination task four times in one season.

The cast member stated that people who believed puzzles were his weakness were not wrong. The Challenge season 40 cast member said that his elimination task against Derek was an opportunity to show people he wasn't as bad as he seemed. Cory was asked about his strategy during the task and he said that he didn't think he had a strategy in place.

"I was a hot mess. I need to watch the episode to even know, because I'm going to be honest with you, I don't really think I had a strategy," he added.

He praised Derek and said that he had a plan, executed it well, and deserved a spot in the finale.

Fans reacted to Derek eliminating Cory online and praised both The Challenge season 40 contestants.

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The Challenge season 40 airs new episodes weekly on Wednesdays on MTV.