Meet 'The Challenge: Battle Of The Bloodline' Cast

MTV's The Challenge usually pulls from the same pool of talented and familiar applicants. And, over the years, the veterans have formed distinctive personas and the ability to absolutely crush the physical stunts, both of which fans look forward to seeing every year. But Season 27 is throwing all of that for a loop with Bloodlines, which will see each member of the cast bring a total stranger from their family along. So meet the cast of The Challenge: Bloodlines — at least half of them should be totally new to you. The season will pit the pairs of family members against one another in competition for a $30,000 prize. Surely we can expect to see familial humiliation, rivalries that have been building up for years, and lots and lots of Draw madness.

But, there are some beloved cast members who will not be a part of Season 27. After the tragic deaths of both Ryan Knight and Diem Brown after Season 26, there's a bit of a dark cloud over the show. But, even though the Challenge family lost two members in 2015, it will be gaining 14 new members. Here's the cast of the upcoming season, according to an MTV press release.

CT & Megan

In a special appearance, CT Tamburello, the on-again, off-again boyfriend of Diem and her partner from Season 26, Exes, will be competing with Megan Brown, Diem's sister. CT & Megan bonded at the end of Diem's life. It's a sentimental choice for the show, and since CT has always pulled off incredible performances over his years on The Challenge, he should make this tribute something to remember.

Nany & Nicole

Nany may have been kicked out before the final Challenge on Season 26, but she's become a serious contender in the past few seasons. The NYC bartender is adding her cousin, Nicole in her attempt to take the prize, and they are identical.

And, with her very good friend Jenna also competing this season, she should have a good position in the house. So long as Nicole helps her keep those emotions in check.

Cara Maria & Jamie

Cara Maria might be one of the smaller members of the Challenge cast, but she has proven to be one of the fiercest physical competitors. She's a trainer who goes camping and horseback riding for fun: She basically lives like The Challenge (hopefully minus the hand fracture).

So, Jamie, her cousin, is a perfect match for her. They're both ready to throw down, and both say everything that jumps into their minds... see his hookup comments in introductory video above for proof.

Leroy & Candice

Leroy isn't the most strategic player in The Challenge history. He's incredibly strong, usually comes across pretty well, and he played one heck of a dead body on Scream , but struggled with being partnered with the explosive-tempered Nia on Exes — hopefully he has more chemistry with his cousin Candice, though MTV describing her as "young and impressionable" doesn't inspire too much confidence.

Bananas & Vince

It's not a season of The Challenge without Johnny Bananas. He's the closest thing this show has to a grizzled elder statesman. Who even knows what Bananas does outside of the show — the only thing you need to know is that he always has some kind of plan, and usually, through a combination of charm and smarminess, that plan will work.

And, this is something of a first for him, bringing along a rookie. It seems like Vince is on the same page as his cousin, but judging from his Instagram, he's way more into hanging out with his cool bulldog than winning The Challenge, so who knows.

Jenna & Brianna

Jenna, a Season 26 rookie, did remarkably well, despite having such a sensitive gag reflex that she could barely do any of the gross-out challenges. If her beginner's luck sticks, she should be able to make it to the finals again. Another fun fact: Jenna is dating fellow Challenge-r Zach Nichols (though he won't be on Bloodlines).

Abram & Michael

These two are rumored to be a replacement pair, though they are not listed among MTV's official cast list. Abram, an artist, filmmaker, and tattoo obsessive, is popular among fellow Challenge alumni, at least judging by his Instagram. He's been trained by Cara Maria, hung out on the countryside with Cohutta...

Michael Boise seems just like his brother, but a musician instead of a visual artist. And, since the brothers live in Montana, the should be able to brave the elements.

Camila & Larissa

Camila, the owner of a Miami health company, is bringing her sister Larissa to compete. And, while Camila has an outdoorsy side, these sisters seem more glam than gladiator. But, Camila did win the original Battle of the Exes, so even though Camila & Lari are selfie queens, that shouldn't stop them from potentially doing well.

Cohutta & Jill

Both Cohutta and his cousin Jill seem to love the same things; hanging out in the wilderness, camping gear, and relationship Instagram photos, I foresee a compatible partnership ahead.

Tony & Shane

A pair of true Challenge rookies: Tony appeared on 2014's The Real World: Skeletons, but I think his brother Shane will also prove to be perfect reality star material.

For brothers, they have a kind of perfect yin & yang thing going on: Shane is a fashion-forward cosmetologist (his words — well, Twitter bio) while Tony is a football-obsessed bro who pretty much only wears a backwards baseball cap.

Aneesa & Rianna

Aneesa has always been a boundary-destroying competitor — she & Rachel Robinson were the only same-sex Battle of the Exes pair, she's on her eleventh season of the show — and Rianna, her cousin, is there by her side. According to MTV's bio of the two, they're both going to experience some romantic drama this season, but according to their social media, they're still close, so perhaps getting involved with people in the house won't derail their Challenge performance.

Thomas & Stephen

With this rookie-packed cast, Thomas' experience on Battle of the Exes II will come in handy when the recent college grad tries to shepherd his twin brother through the competition. Also coming in handy: Their collective experience as Division One tennis players. Athleticism and hand-eye coordination are key, unless you want to be scrambling to rely on alliances to keep out of the Draw. Since these two don't seem to be super close with many of their fellow cast members, they'll need to perform well.

Christina & Emily

While Christina, who competed on Are You the One? is technically bringing her sister Emily along, they're both rookies, so they're pretty much on even ground. Christina is a total hippie (just look at her musical festival, fringe, and desert-filled Instagram), and she will need that laid back attitude, because rookies get hazed very hard on The Challenge.

KellyAnne & Anthony

MTV is trying to push hard that KellyAnne will be an unpredictable wildcard this season, and they're probably right. She's only competed in two Challenge seasons before, and the competition has gotten even more intense since her last appearance in 2009.

However, it's the entire show, not just KellyAnne, that "only has two speeds: 0 and 100." Those party nights get intense, with weeks' worth of drama and pent up energy released in just a few hours. But construction guy Anthony seems solid, even if KellyAnne is a little all over the place.

Cory & Mitch

Cory, a "Fitness Coach" who made himself into an inspirational video, has the Challenge physique down. And, he's smart enough to have made his Instagram private. His cousin, Mitch, just seems excited to be along for the ride. Both of these guys seem fairly private and reserved online, which could mean they're playing their successful run on the show close to the chest, or, that they don't stick around long enough to befriend anyone new.

Dario & Raphy

And, to round out the cast, another pair of twins. Yes, they're rookies, but if these two can't manage to form a cohesive strategy, then Bloodlines is officially a failure. Just watch these two on their video review show, recapping Dario's appearance on AYTO? They might not be the most polished, and they are absolutely not the most polite. But, they've been together since the womb, and chemistry is paramount to beat a Challenge cast that's this crowded.

Image: MTV (3)