Kaz Crossley had an impossible decision during the Wednesday, April 26, episode of The Challenge: World Championship: side with her British compatriot Tristan Phipps, alongside whom she won The Challenge: UK earlier this year, or stay loyal to her World Champ partner Jordan Wiseley, who is allied with the Team USA alums.
With two of their strongest alliances recently eliminated from The Challenge: World Championship cast, Tristan and his partner KellyAnne Judd were desperate for support from their fellow teams or else they'd certainly be thrown into elimination yet again. Tristan seeks out Kaz to form an alliance, despite the fact that Jordan is tied to other players, including Kaycee Clark and his ex Tori Deal and would choose the likes of them over Tristan and KellyAnne.
"People just assume that because I'm with Jordan, it's Jordan's decision, but I'm my own person," Kaz promises Tristan.
Things get more complicated, however, when Kaz and Jordan end up winning the challenge, "Highway Highjacking," a high-octane mission inspired by the new movie Transformers: Rise of the Beasts that had one competitor from each team jumping from one semi-truck to another to grab a key, while the other waited in a four-wheel-drive super-buggy within each semi and had to burst through the back and race to the finish line.
"We have got to be safe because if we are not, they're coming for us. We are the strongest team here, I know this without a doubt, and so do they," Jordan said before the challenge, which he and Kaz completed in the fastest heat of the day. "I'm tired of the bridesmaids. It's time to be the bride!" Jordan yelled upon their win.
That meant that Kaz and Jordan had to choose between the two teams nominated by the rest of the house to go against the challenge losers, Kiki and Darrell, in elimination. Jordan's allies played strategically and threw in Tori and Danny as sacrificial lambs, knowing Jordan would never choose them for elimination and would instead select the other nominated team: Tristan and KellyAnne.
"I really hope that Kaz is gonna be able to speak up loud enough to save me in this situation," Tristan worried.
However, despite Kaz's friendship with Tristan, she said the decision was out of her hands. "Nothing I can say or do can convince Jordan to send Tori in," Kaz said. "But it's not about friendships, is it?"
Announcing Tristan and KellyAnne at elimination, Kaz apologized directly to the former: "I'm your friend and I'm so sorry honestly from the bottom of my heart and I feel like sh*t."
Sadly, Tristan and KellyAnne lose in the balance-focused elimination challenge, and on his birthday no less.
Fans react to Kaz Crossley's choice on The Challenge
The Challenge fans weren't happy with Kaz for her decision to not stick up for Tristan.
Said she wasn’t gonna let Jordan run her game and how she has her own voice and then proceeded to do exactly what he wanted anyways #TheChallengeWorldChamp pic.twitter.com/gkRLUrhjRJApril 26, 2023
This seasons been great but imagine how much more fun it would be if kaz had a backbone and fought back like Danny and Sarah have #TheChallengeWorldChampionshipApril 26, 2023
when jordan & kaz finished last in daily kellyanne campaigned to get bananas put in against them. she also sabotaged jordan & kaz in trivia. So why would Kaz wanna protect Tristan. He ain't done 💩to protect Kaz. #TheChallengeWorldChamp pic.twitter.com/hqRetviY6xApril 26, 2023
It’s funny how Jordan, Sarah & Danny think they don’t have to sacrifice their ppl, but Kaz wasn’t given the choice cause J doesn’t think her opinion means anything. I’m rooting for Darrell/Kiki or Kaycee/Troy to win the whole thing. #TheChallengeWorldChampionshipApril 26, 2023
All the positives Jordan has in the game the one BIG negative is his inability to budge and meet his partner half way when it comes to decision making. #TheChallengeWorldChampionshipApril 26, 2023
I hate that KAZ said “it’s a game not about friends” when putting in Tristan BUTTT allowed Jordan to save his ex fiancé 🙄🙄🙄 #TheChallengeWorldChampionshipApril 26, 2023
Kaz saying “it isn’t about friendships” yet it’s the friendship that had her team saving Tori and Danny 🤣🤦🏻♀️ She clearly doesn’t have a voice on her team! Bummed to see @KellyAnneJudd go. #TheChallengeWorldChampionship #thechallengeApril 26, 2023
The dislike for Kaz is really because she’s with Jordan. Same way Justine was called boring this season because she was with Johnny agreeing to everything he wanted. They would do better without those men on their arms. #ChallengeWorldChamp pic.twitter.com/gV2eqA5sYAApril 26, 2023
I don’t ever wanna see Tori, Jordan and Kayzzz in the same season together again. Such a snoozefest. #TheChallengeWorldChampionshipApril 26, 2023
New episodes of The Challenge: World Championship debut on Paramount Plus every Wednesday.
