The Challenge 40 episode 15 recap: Another challenger departs as Tight Quarters sparks intense competition

The Challenge season 40 episode 15 premiered on December 4, 2024, at 8 pm ET/PT on MTV and Paramount+, following a one-week hiatus due to Thanksgiving. This episode featured the contestants facing off in two intense battles, fighting for survival and a chance to reach the finale to win the $1 million grand prize.

TJ Lavin returned to host the long-running reality show. In the previous episode, Derek emerged victorious in the "Nother Trucker" challenge. Rachel sent Josh to compete against Cory in the "Coming From Behind" arena, where Cory dominated. Cory sought revenge against Michele, who had targeted him the previous week.

In the latest episode, the remaining 11 contestants participated in the Tight Quarters challenge, navigating the historic Cu Chi Tunnels. Later, Jenny and Aviv faced off in The Iron Triangle, with one of them ultimately being eliminated by the end of the episode.

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What happened in The Challenge 40 episode 15?

Following his arena win in last week's episode of The Challenge 40, Cory identified Michele, Jenny, and Aviv as his next targets. Desperate to form a strong alliance, Cory aimed to position himself as a loyal partner to Tori, potentially replacing Josh. He also attempted to ingratiate himself with Cara Maria, seemingly with success.

Meanwhile, Bananas sensed a shift in Cara Maria's power dynamics and expressed his concerns to his allies. Rachel, on the other hand, had been playing a strategic game, having lost her initial allies. She formed a close bond with Bananas, while also cultivating relationships with Jordan and Kyland, who have dominated the daily challenges.

This week's Daily Challenge, Tight Quarters, pushed contestants to their limits. They navigated a vast network of forest tunnels, crawling through narrow, dark spaces inhabited by bats, rats, spiders, and fire ants. After a lengthy tunnel trek, they solved a slider puzzle, collected a bag of blocks, and sprinted to a second tunnel.

In The Challenge 40, contestants emerged from a tunnel to complete a block puzzle. The winner earned immunity, while the losing female contestant faced elimination. Aviv, with a two-minute penalty from last week, got disqualified for breaking a barrier in the tunnel and running the wrong way.

She directly entered the elimination round. Bananas and Rachel failed to solve the puzzle, with Bananas incurring a penalty for the next challenge. Tori and Kyland excelled, earning praise from host TJ Lavin.

Jenny and Michele found themselves in a precarious position, forced to appeal to Kyland for their safety. The decision rested with Kyland, who would choose which of the two would face Aviv in the arena. Given Kyland's history of targeting Jenny throughout the season and his close relationship with Michele, it was more likely that Jenny would again be targeted and compete against Aviv.

The elimination challenge, Iron Triangle, pitted Jenny against Aviv in a physically demanding contest. Locked in a cage, they attempted to toss a 10-pound ball over the enclosure, aiming to land it within a designated circle. The first to score two points would emerge victorious.

Although Jenny held a physical advantage, Aviv proved to be a formidable opponent, putting up a fierce fight. Ultimately, Jenny's strength prevailed, securing a 2-0 win.

Aviv hadn't competed since season 12 of The Challenge, which she won. She was eliminated and had to pack her bags and leave the competition. As the winner of the elimination round, Jenny identified Cory, Derek, and Jordan as her targets for next week.