Who went home on Week 2 of ‘The Challenge’? Eight veterans booted in Season 40's first big elimination

The eight losers of 'The Challenge' Season 40 are told to stay behind with T J Lavin while the safe players are told to leave the arena first
Pairs of opponents play head-to-head, with eight players eliminated in 'The Challenge' Season 40 first round (X/@thechallenge)
Pairs of opponents play head-to-head, with eight players eliminated in 'The Challenge' Season 40 first round (X/@thechallenge)

HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM: After leaving us hanging in the debut last week, this week's 'The Challenge' Season 40 episode on August 21 doesn't waste any time in giving fans what they came for, classic headbangers. The episode kicks off with the elimination round, which intriguingly lacks the usual Challenge name drawn from a random selection.

Sometimes the only way to settle old scores is to go head-to-head! Exciting elimination rounds pitted two opposing teams from period four against one another took place on Wednesday's episode of 'The Challenge: Battle of the Eras'.

'The Challenge' Season 40 star Paulie Calafiore (Instagram/paulcalafiore_)
'The Challenge' Season 40 star Paulie Calafiore has been eliminated (Instagram/@paulcalafiore_)

Two men and two women from each of the four periods competed in the most famous eliminations from the show's history after the first task of the season.

The Challengers arrive in the Arena this week on 'The Challenge 40: Battle of the Eras' to find horrific, iconic eliminations from each period waiting for them. Only eight of the sixteen fighters on the sand will survive.

The losers find that they'll be leaving with a karma gift for the other contestants.

Following the first day of play, Paulie Calafiore, Nurys Mateo, Amanda Garcia, Leroy Garrett, KellyAnne Judd, Brandon Nelson, Mark Long, and Katie Cooley were the eight players eliminated. Before being returned home, they each had one more opportunity to exert their influence.

'The Challenge' Season 40 star Katie Cooley (Instagram/katiecooley26)
'The Challenge' Season 40 star Katie Cooley has been eliminated (Instagram/@katiecooley26)

T J Lavin introduces a new twist to 'The Challenge' Season 40

Every player who was removed was given a "karma vote" by TJ Lavin, who asked them to score the remaining contestants from one to five, with five being the highest. He did not, however, elaborate on how the votes would impact the outcome of the game.

TJ Lavin to host 'The Challenge' Season 40 (YouTube/TheChallenge)
TJ Lavin is the host 'The Challenge' Season 40 (YouTube/@thechallenge)

What does 'The Challenge' Season 40 winner get?

For season forty, the network has a really unique project in mind. This time, forty previous participants are returning to take on brand-new tasks in an attempt to win a $1 million reward.

The Challenge
'The Challenge' Season 40 winner to get $1 million (@mtv)

How to watch 'The Challenge' Season 40?

Since 'The Challenge 40: Battle of the Eras' is exclusive to MTV, viewers without cable will need to watch 'The Challenge 40' via a live TV streaming provider that carries the channel. Our top picks are Hulu + Live TV, fubo, Philo, and DirecTV Stream; all of these have free trials.

'The Challenge' Season 40 is set in Vietnam (YouTube/TheChallenge)
'The Challenge' Season 40 is set in Vietnam (YouTube/@thechallenge)

'The Challenge 40: Battle of the Eras' streams on Wednesdays on MTV at 8 pm ET.

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