A controversial elimination on The Challenge: Battle of the Eras outraged viewers, as Horacio Gutierrez went home early.
Episode 4 presented a confusing situation with the elimination outcome, and even castmates appeared as if they didn’t know whether Horacio won or his opponent, Derrick Kosinski.
Their elimination event, called Pick It Up, required placing 40 pegs or jacks into a gameboard on the other end of a tall structure featuring a long tube.
Competitors needed to throw a ball on one end of that structure and let it roll toward the other. From there, they collected pegs from the sand and had to catch the ball on the other end as it dropped out before putting the pegs into slots on their gameboard.
It was a close race at the end, with footage showing Horacio walking over to his board to place his final peg. Meanwhile, the footage didn’t clearly present Derrick’s finish or gameboard.
Afterward, Derrick’s board was missing its 40th peg while Horacio’s had all 40 in place, but TJ announced that Derrick won.
Following the episode, Horacio’s girlfriend, Nurys Mateo, immediately blasted and called out production, claiming they gave Derrick the win even though Horacio won.
Horacio recently gave his story, indicating disappointment in a decision he still doesn’t “accept.”
Horacio said he still believes he won Season 40 elimination despite the presented outcome
In Season 40, Episode 4, Jenny West defeated Aneesa Ferreira in an impressive battle before castmates and viewers saw the men’s elimination also go down to the wire.
While Horacio said the elimination was “definitely close,” he’s refusing to believe he lost.
“I still think I won,” he told Entertainment Weekly, adding, “but it is what it is.”
Based on Horacio’s remarks, a lot occurred in the elimination that viewers never saw on the episode. He said that while everyone had a “version of the story,” his castmates at The Arena saw what happened.
Horacio indicated that host TJ Lavin was having issues with the airhorn, so it wasn’t working when he tried to blow it at one point. Instead, he yelled at Horacio to stop, and Horacio said he did so for “a solid five to 10 seconds” while “Derrick [was] still running.”
In addition, Horacio said that the “pegs were not stable” and would fall off their boards, requiring the competitors to pick them up and put them back in. However, Horacio claims that Derrick had “someone [from production]” who assisted him in putting his fallen pegs back on the board.
“I know that when I finished my 40th peg and when I called for the check, the first thing I do is look over to see where Derrick is at, and I vividly remember he was missing the top right corner [peg],” Horacio told EW.
Many viewers noticed that in the episode footage, although it was never fully explained during the final results.
Horacio said he’s ‘extremely disappointed and angry’ after controversial elimination
He indicated that production took “a solid 45 minutes to an hour” to check elimination footage and decide the results, and then TJ announced Derrick as the winner. Horacio said that afterward, he asked TJ to explain why Derrick won.
“I asked TJ, ‘Can you please tell me why he won? And can you also tell me why production was helping him? Somebody from production was putting in his pegs. I didn’t get that.’ And he just said, ‘He put the 40 pegs in before you did.’ And that’s it,” Horacio claimed.
He said he didn’t want to argue with TJ or ask production to show him footage because he didn’t “want to make a scene,” and it’s not who he is.
However, Horacio claims teammate Jenny West thought he’d won the event and that several castmates, Jordan Wiseley and Devin Walker, have spoken up about what happened at The Arena.
While speaking with EW, Horacio said he was still upset about how the elimination results played out and still refused to accept that production said he lost.
“I am still extremely disappointed and angry, but it is what it is. If there was any season to win, it had to be this one,” he said.
Horacio addressed Season 40 exit and if he’s retiring from The Challenge
After his elimination aired on MTV, Horacio took to Instagram and shared a black-and-white photo of himself with a disappointed look from The Challenge: Battle of the Eras.
“Too many factors out of my control,” he wrote in his IG caption.
“I had this immense pressure of proving myself as a challenger, but not anymore.
I’m sorry.. but THANK YOU,” he said.
Monsters and Critics reported before Season 40 premiered that Horacio hinted at retiring from MTV’s The Challenge after three seasons.
However, he seemingly left the door open to compete another season, telling EW that he would be “taking a step back, finally, after months” so he could “analyze what’s the next move.”
“I truly don’t know what’s next for me. I love The Challenge. I went back-to-back-to-back for three seasons, and it was an amazing experience and I absolutely loved every second, even the bad seconds. Right now, I don’t know where I’m going, not even just with The Challenge, but in life in general,” he said.
Horacio also mentioned leaving The Challenge behind would be difficult since he’s such a competitor and has heavy fan support.
“Yeah, believe me, a lot of people have sending plenty of messages and support. It would always be hard to just step away, but yeah, I mean, my emotions are kind of everywhere and only time will tell,” he said.
The Challenge: Battle of the Eras airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on MTV.
Episodes of The Challenge are now streaming on Paramount+. Try it FREE!
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On Vendettas there was a draw on a challenge between Nelson and Darrell. Nelson was allowed to remain in the game but without acquiring a “grenade”. This was fair. Why was this not done for Horacio when there was so much controversy over the win. I wouldn’t blame Horacio if he never wanted any more to do with the Challenge. Actually I am about done with it too. The game is certainly not what it once was. It’s turned into little more than who can get the most in their ” gang” so they don’t have to ever face competition.