The Challenge All Stars: Rivals features teams made up of partners who have previously had conflict or rivalries with each other. The season features a daily challenge, a nomination process and an elimination round.
Daily Challenge: Teams compete in a challenge where the winners are immune and receive the power to nominate a team for the elimination round.
Nominations: Excluding the winners, all teams vote to nominate a team to compete in the elimination round, where the team that receives the most votes will participate.
Eliminations (The Jungle): At the Jungle, the winning team selects a team to compete in the elimination round against the team nominated by the house. The winners may also volunteer themselves for the elimination round instead. The winners of the elimination remain in the competition while the defeated team is eliminated.
Twists
Stars: To be eligible to compete in the Final Challenge, teams must possess a Star. The Stars were initially awarded to the top four teams of the "Frenemies" challenge. Throughout the season, teams without a Star can obtain one by winning an elimination round and stealing a Star from another team. The winners of daily challenges are immune from having their Star stolen.
Adam & Steve: Adam voted for Steve to compete in the first elimination round of The Challenge: All Stars 4. Later in the season, Adam voted Steve in again, and after winning the "Shish Kestack" Arena that he faced because of this vote, Steve opted to steal Adam's Star as a result of this decision.[3]
Devin & Leroy: After Devin was voted into the elimination round on The Challenge: Double Agents, Leroy selected Devin's ally Wes Bergmann to be his opponent.[4]
Amber & Faysal: Amber and Faysal first clashed in a shaky Big Brother alliance on The Challenge: Double Agents, which culminated in Faysal throwing himself into the season's final elimination round to avoid being partners with Amber for the Final Challenge; Amber subsequently won the season with her new partner Chris "CT" Tamburello. Faysal then blindsided Amber to go into the elimination round on The Challenge: Spies, Lies & Allies.[5][6]
Ashley K. & Dario: The two are exes. They first met on The Challenge: Invasion of the Champions and later started dating. They have not spoken to one another in six years.[1]
Big T & Corey: The two had a falling out after Corey claimed he was using game information from Big T against her, and she became the main target on The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion. She felt their personal relationship was affected by this cold reveal and did not fully accept his apology at the reunion.[7]
Da'Vonne & Shane: Da'Vonne and Shane fought on The Challenge: Final Reckoning after Shane threw the "Don't Push Me Around" challenge, thus causing Da'Vonne and her partner Jozea Flores to be voted into the elimination round, which they ultimately lost. This was preceded by an earlier vote where Shane felt Da'Vonne went against her word and during an argument verbally accosted her.[8]
Nany & Turbo: On The Challenge: War of the Worlds Turbo picked Nany to be his partner. On The Challenge: Ride or Dies, the two had a falling out and Johnny "Bananas" Devenanzio and Nany ultimately selected Turbo and his partner Tamara Alfaro for the elimination round.[10]
Aneesa & Ashley M.: Aneesa talked poorly about Ashley at a Challenge-related fan event.[1][6]
Beth & Jonna: Entering The Challenge: All Stars 3, Beth did not trust Jonna and implied she was cheating on her husband with MJ Garrett. Jonna was eventually voted in elimination and called out Beth as her opponent. However, Beth withdrew midway through the elimination since Jonna was receiving help from MJ.[11]
Katie & Veronica: The two were teammates on both Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Gauntlet and Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Inferno. On both seasons, Katie was perceived as the Road Rules team's weak link. After being selected for The Inferno twice by the opposing team, Veronica won the Aztec Life Saver and sent Katie in to replace her both times. Katie won both elimination rounds and ultimately was part of the winning team alongside Veronica.[12][13]
KellyAnne & Sylvia: On The Challenge: All Stars 3, Sylvia used her first sabotage on KellyAnne. Later in the season, KellyAnne selected Sylvia to go into the elimination which she ultimately lost.[14]
Melissa & Nicole: They hooked up on The Challenge: Vendettas. They remained friends until Melissa became friends with Nicole's ex, Laurel Stucky.[15][1]
Frenemies: Teams race to complete three checkpoints before crossing the finish line. The first four teams to finish become the initial Star holders of the season.
Checkpoint #1 (Mudbath): Teams must use their bodies to transfer mud from a pit to a bucket until they collect enough to reach a marked line.
Checkpoint #2 (Ice Transfer): Teams must use long sticks to transfer ice cubes from a cooler into a cylinder of water until the ball inside rises to a marked line.
Checkpoint #3 (Ball-ance Gurney): Teams must balance four balls on a gurney and carry it across the finish line, collecting three sandbags along the way.
Winners:Adam & Steve, Ashley K. & Dario, Devin & Leroy and Nany & Turbo
Edge of Glory: Teams must solve a math equation. Afterwards, one team member is harnessed on a ledge of the Bitexco Financial Tower, and leans over the edge to attempt to collect four hanging flags while their teammate secures them with a rope. Teams' harnesses are connected in a way that if one team member falls off the edge, their partner falls with them. Teams are disqualified from the challenge if a team member refuses to participate, or time-out after 10 minutes. The team that completes the challenge the fastest wins.[a]
Pole Position: Each team has a tube divided into three sections. For five rounds, teams roll a die, and both teammates must move into the section they rolled to complete the round. However, after every roll, teams must insert poles through the tube (starting with one for the first round and increasing by one each round), making it harder to pass through as the elimination progresses. The first team to complete all five rounds wins.
^Due to adverse weather conditions, Devin & Leroy, Melissa & Nicole and Nany & Turbo were given the choice of attempting the "Edge of Glory" challenge the following day to beat current leaders Amber & Faysal, or not to compete at all. All three teams elected not to compete.
