The Challenge: Ride or Dies brought back several fan-favorite OGs to compete on MTV, including Johnny Bananas, Laurel Stucky, Darrell Taylor, and Veronica Portillo.
While Bananas has seven championships alone, Darrell and Veronica have a combined seven wins between them and vast experience from multiple Challenge seasons.
Veronica, 45, was back on the show after last competing in MTV’s Final Reckoning and Paramount Plus’ All Stars 3, where she suffered an injury ending her season.
She recently revealed that she was also dealing with an injury during Ride or Dies, which probably made the daily challenges and other events more difficult.
Additionally, Veronica explained that she chose not to get checked out by doctors for her latest injury, waiting until she returned home before she had it checked.
This report will feature spoilers for The Challenge: Ride or Dies season.
Veronica reveals Ride or Dies injury
Taking to Twitter this past Saturday, Challenge OG Veronica Portillo replied to fan questions after a super fan said she had an injury during Ride or Does. That got other fans asking questions, with one saying Veronica must have kept the injury secret and “didn’t limp or anything” during the footage.
In a tweet reply, Veronica revealed a brutal injury, indicating that she ruptured her plantar fascia, adding it hurt to even stand on that foot.
“Going up the elimination and using my foot on the plexiglass to push myself up the levels was a killer,” she shared.
After the fan said they had no idea about Veronica getting hurt, the OG mentioned the new injury was related to one she suffered on All Stars 3.
“It was the exact same foot that clearly did not heal correctly,” she revealed.
The Challenge OGs competed in elimination event
Veronica and Darrell arrived as a surprise team for Ride or Dies, but their late arrival gave castmates a reason to try to send them into elimination at The Zone multiple times. In addition, they’ve got that experience of participating in many seasons and winning a combined seven.
Veronica and Darrell were chosen among potential elimination teams during Ride or Dies Episode 7. While they avoided the elimination in previous episodes, this time, they had to compete due to the way The Draw worked out. They went up against Amber Borzotra and her boyfriend, Chancey Palmer, in an event involving a large tower and having to climb through webs to get to the ground level and back to the top.
It proved difficult for Veronica due to her body shape, but she still gave it her all as she pulled herself up through the webs to get puzzle pieces to the top.
“The hard part is not going down. The hard part is going up with the puzzle piece. I’m short, and I can’t really pull myself up and get my a** through the straps,” she explained in a confessional shown during the elimination.
“This is actually a lot harder than it looks. This is challenging and actually quite tiring,” Veronica said.
Veronica’s injury wasn’t presented during the episode, though. Basically, she gritted through the event in an effort for her and Darrell to try to win the elimination and remain in the game. Ultimately, it came down to Amber and Chauncey solving their puzzle at the top of the tower quicker, but Veronica and Darrell were right there.
Veronica shares why she didn’t reveal injury
In another series of tweets interacting with a fan, Veronica shared that she chose not to “make it a thing” with her injury “bc what’s the point?”
She said they tend to “misdiagnose” her injuries, and other countries don’t give the best splints or wraps.
“I filled out an injury report & went straight to my PODIATRIST once home,” Veronica said.
Veronica also mentioned that the show’s insurance for the cast members while filming allows them to take “great care of us that are injured.”
It’s unknown whether Veronica will return for another MTV season or spinoff. However, competing while injured on Ride or Dies and not making it “a thing” may show why she’s one of the all-time greats and among the toughest OGs in the game.
The Challenge: Ride or Dies airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on MTV.
Episodes of The Challenge are now streaming on Paramount+. Try it FREE!
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