Leonardo “Leo” Dionicio and Nelson Thomas are breaking their silence after one of the strangest exits in The Challenge’s 42-season history.
On the latest episode of The Challenge: Cutthroat, host TJ Lavin gave viewers only a few seconds of explanation for the sudden disappearance of three competitors.
“Leo, Nelson and Josh all broke the code of conduct here on The Challenge, so they’re all gone,” Lavin told the cast.
Related: The Real Reason Why Josh, Nelson and Leo Got Kicked Off ‘The Challenge’
The show never revealed what happened, but Nelson has now taken responsibility for the actions that led to his disqualification while also alleging that Josh Goldstein used the N-word. Meanwhile, Leo opened up about his own removal during an appearance on Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio’s Death, Taxes, and Bananas podcast.
Why Were Nelson, Leo and Josh Kicked Off ‘The Challenge’?
Longtime Challenge spoiler account GamerVev previously reported that the incident began when Leo used the N-word during a game with Nelson and Josh later repeated it.
According to GamerVev, Nelson confronted Josh over the language, walked away and later returned to the kitchen, where items were broken. The account reported that no physical fight occurred.
Production allegedly removed Nelson to a hotel before disqualifying him for the property damage, while Leo and Josh were also disqualified in connection with the language used.
While The Challenge has not publicly confirmed those specifics, Nelson’s new comments corroborate significant portions of the account.
Related: Who Wins ‘The Challenge: Cutthroat’? Season 42 Spoilers, Eliminations, Disqualifications and Finalists
What Did Nelson Say About Getting Kicked Off ‘The Challenge’?
Nelson took responsibility for his own behavior in a post on X following the episode.
“I let my emotions take over, broke dishes, destroyed kitchen and violated the code of conduct,” he wrote. “That’s on me. I’m learning and growing, and I’m grateful my The Challenge family sees the good and the bad.”
But Nelson also addressed the racial slur at the center of the reported incident and revealed that he received a private apology.
“I received his DM apology, and I’m giving him space to take ownership publicly,” Nelson wrote. “The fans and The Challenge family deserve that too.”
Nelson did not name Josh in that particular statement, but continued, “Saying you have Black friends doesn’t give you a pass to use the N-word. This goes beyond TV. We need accountability, understanding, and growth.”
He also asked fans not to attack anyone involved, adding, “Support me without tearing others down.”
Related: How Old Are Johnny Bananas, CT Tamburello, Cara Maria and Brad Fiorenza From ‘The Challenge’?
What Did Leo Say About Getting Kicked Off ‘The Challenge’?
Leo initially acknowledged his departure on Instagram Stories, writing, “Getting DQ’d was not the way I wanted to go out but a time was had!”
He promised to share more about the situation, but he also discussed the DQ at length with Bananas.
Before the conversation began, Bananas made clear that they were restricted in what they could reveal.
Related: Two-Time ‘Challenge’ Champion Dies at 44
“We’re not allowed to get into specifics,” Bananas said, explaining that the directive was “coming down from the top.” Instead, he asked Leo about his reaction to the incident and whether he believed it had been handled fairly.
Leo didn’t mince words about his own punishment.
“What was said was super ignorant,” he said. However, Leo added that he “thought the hand I was dealt was pretty messed up considering I didn’t really do s–t wrong.”
Leo said he initially believed he should have remained in the game, while one of the other people involved should have received a fine and another should have been sent home.
Leo Says He Broke Down Crying After His DQ
Whatever viewers make of the decision, Leo’s reaction to learning his game was over was intense.
The 26-year-old said he “literally dropped to my knees and just started crying,” something he couldn’t remember doing since his grandfather died. His sadness quickly turned to anger, and Leo recalled screaming and wanting to throw things before stopping himself because it wouldn’t improve the situation.
Part of the devastation came from how well Leo believed his season had been going.
“I was cooking the entire season,” he told Bananas, saying he was convinced he would make the final before the DQ abruptly ended his run. After being sent to a hotel, Leo decided not to immediately fly home and ultimately remained in Thailand for nearly three months.
Related: Where Was ‘The Challenge’ Season 42 Filmed? Here’s Every Location Featured in ‘Cutthroat’
Does Leo Think His ‘Challenge’ DQ Was Fair?
With some distance from the incident, Leo’s position is more nuanced.
He acknowledged that every competitor signed the same contract and said he eventually realized that he wasn’t “bigger than the program.” Although he still doesn’t believe the decision made sense from his perspective, he said he can understand why it made sense from production’s point of view.
As for the other two competitors involved, Leo again declined to name names but said he believes one deserved the punishment while the other probably should have received a fine.
Leo also indicated the DQ hasn’t permanently damaged his relationship with the franchise, saying he’s in “good standing with production” and referencing the possibility of returning for another season.
What Have Other ‘Challenge’ Stars Said About the Disqualifications?
The reported circumstances surrounding the three removals have generated considerable debate among former competitors and fans.
Big Brother and Challenge alum Kyland Young questioned the outcome in the comments of GamerVev’s post, writing, “So a white person says the N-word and they DQ 2 Black people?”
Former Challenge champion Laurel Stucky was also sharply critical of production’s handling of the situation, arguing in the comments that the show has removed people who didn’t deserve it while competitors have witnessed “far worse” behavior over the years.
GamerVev agreed with Stucky’s criticism.
Some fans also drew comparisons to one of the franchise’s most infamous controversies: Camila Nakagawa’s racist tirade against Leroy Garrett during The Challenge XXX: Dirty 30. Camila was not removed from the competition following the incident and ultimately won the season.
The contrast has fueled questions among viewers about how The Challenge applies its code of conduct and why the circumstances behind the season 42 removals were not shown.
Why Didn’t ‘The Challenge’ Show the Triple DQ?
That remains one of the biggest questions surrounding the controversy.
The Challenge has aired plenty of ugly altercations over the years, including incidents that resulted in contestants being removed from the competition. This time, viewers saw nothing.
Bananas offered his own explanation on the podcast, stressing that he was discussing how he understands the show’s approach rather than revealing the prohibited details of the incident.
He compared the decision to sports broadcasters declining to show people who run onto the field, suggesting the show doesn’t want to give objectionable behavior additional airtime or encourage it by turning the incident into a television spectacle.
The result was an extraordinarily abrupt ending for three competitors. Cory Wharton had already left the game because of a family emergency, meaning four men disappeared from Cutthroat in a remarkably short span.
As Leo put it, “One person’s gone, [then suddenly] four people are gone.”
Has Josh Addressed Getting Kicked Off ‘The Challenge’?
As of publication, Josh has not publicly addressed his disqualification or Nelson’s statement about receiving a private apology.
Nelson, however, appears willing to give him the opportunity to do so.
“I’m giving him space to take ownership publicly,” Nelson wrote.
The Challenge: Cutthroat season 42 drops new episodes on Wednesdays at 3 a.m. ET/midnight PT on Paramount+.
Related: Who Wins ‘The Challenge: Cutthroat’? Season 42 Spoilers, Eliminations, Disqualifications and Finalists
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