Tori Deal Denies 'The Challenge' Finale Was Rigged

Tori Deal, winner of "The Challenge: Cutthroat" Season 42, has refuted claims that the final competition was rigged. In an interview with Page Six, Deal stated that the accusations undermine the significant effort required to complete the demanding 27-mile race.

"Rigged makes me feel like I didn’t have to actually run 27 miles," Deal said. "I would love it to feel like it was rigged and effortless. That was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done."

She explained that the claims detract from the work her team put in to cross the finish line. The controversy arose during the finale when the Orange Team, including Deal, Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio, CT Tamburello, Michele Fitzgerald, and Will Gagnon, did not receive a time penalty after Tamburello required medical attention due to the extreme heat. Tamburello was permitted to rejoin his team at a later checkpoint without a penalty, enabling them to win against the Gray Team.

Fans online speculated that production favored the veteran players on the Orange Team. However, Deal suggested that the unclear rules for the final race, a change from previous seasons that moved to Paramount+, contributed to the confusion. "We don’t really know those things going into the game," she noted.

Deal elaborated that the contestants were aware that a medical disqualification would not impact the team, interpreting the medical evaluation period as a buffer. "It was like the medical evaluation periods still won’t affect because if it goes into medical DQ, well then that was unfair," she said. "But if this person ends up quitting, well then now their team is tanked anyway and they’re done. So I think that medical evaluation piece is what people should be looking at."

The winning Orange Team shared a $550,000 prize. Deal, as team captain, opted to divide the winnings equally among her four teammates, humorously taking a $1 "captain's fee" from each. "I couldn’t have imagined taking all the money for myself," Deal stated.

Addressing comparisons to Johnny Devenanzio's controversial win in "The Challenge: Rivals III," where he stole his partner Sarah Rice's winnings, Deal said, "I wish Sarah had the opportunity to get it back for herself, but like I’m not gonna be the deliverer of somebody else’s karma. I’m working within my own."

Deal also revealed that she had planned the "captain's fee" twist about three weeks in advance. "I just wanted to at least make them shake in their boots a bit," she commented.

Regarding the future of "The Challenge," which has not yet been renewed for Season 43, Deal stated she has not received a call to participate and has heard similar information from other cast members. While hopeful for another season, she remains uncertain until an official offer is extended. Host T.J. Lavin also recently expressed uncertainty about the show's future filming schedule.