Former WWE NXT Talent To Appear On Season 41 Of MTV's The Challenge

While it's not a vast history, WWE is no stranger to having a connection with some of MTV's most popular reality shows, most notably "The Real World" and "The Challenge." That connection comes from long-time WWE star The Miz, who before his WWE run began gained fame for his appearances on "Real World," "The Challenge," and "Road Rules." And now, another WWE name will follow in his footsteps, although fans may struggle to remember that this performer worked under Shawn Michaels in "WWE NXT."

Earlier today, Deadline and MTV revealed the cast for the upcoming 41st season of "The Challenge," which will begin airing one month from now on July 30. And the name that will catch the eye of any wrestling fans in the no is actor Gabrel Wai, who will be among the "New Threats" added to the competition. Wai listed "Former WWE" as what fans could best know him for.

The only issue is many wrestling fans may not be familiar with Wai. A former college rugby player and army reserve, Wai was signed by WWE in 2022, joining a Performance Center class that consisted of "NXT" stars Fallon Henley and Arianna Grace, and AEW star Cole Karter. No Cagematch record of Wai's exists, and a search on IMDB shows he only made two appearances on "NXT" before he was let go by the promotion. Wai's lack of wrestling exploits since then, as well as his pivot towards "The Challenge," would suggest he has followed in the footsteps of former WWE star Rick Boogs by leaving wrestling altogether once his WWE tenure ended.