Horacio Gutierrez showcased his athletic abilities during MTV’s The Challenge: Ride or Dies, some of which came due to his background in soccer.
The rookie competitor reached the final alongside his friend Olivia Kaiser, with the duo suffering unfortunate circumstances during their attempt to win it all.
Due to Olivia’s mishap with a slingshot that shot the ball back into her face, the pair was forced to leave the final due to her medical disqualification.
It was a tough moment for Horacio, who wanted to continue with the final and try to win by himself, but production wouldn’t allow it per the rules.
With that, their stellar rookie season ended in MTV’s 38th season of The Challenge.
While his future on the show is uncertain, it appears he will fill some of his time until another season happens by playing soccer in a star-studded 32-team tournament.
Raleigh Rebels FC welcomes Horacio to the team for the upcoming tournament
In an Instagram post from the Raleigh Rebels football club (FC), they officially welcomed Horacio to their squad. Based on details in the post, Horacio will wear No. 8 on his jersey and will play midfielder for the Rebels in an upcoming tournament.
“Welcome Horacio aka El Lobo… he’s no stranger to the cameras and bright lights, but more importantly, he embodies the relentless Rebel desire to win??,” the Rebels IG post’s caption says.
They’ve included several photos of The Challenge star, including a few from Ride or Dies. One of those has him in action during a daily challenge wearing a harness and preparing to jump between cars.
There’s also a photo of Horacio on his previous competition show, Exatlon Estados Unidos 5, and one of him playing soccer.
An official page for Horacio on TheTournament.com indicates he’s previously played for Grand Canyon University and Mississippi College before taking his talents to the Kingborough Lions United FC and Fayetteville Fury.
Horacio brings his competitive and athletic abilities fresh off an impressive season of MTV’s The Challenge. He and rookie partner Olivia defied difficult odds by surviving eliminations and reaching the final to potentially win $1 million before their unfortunate exit.
Several months after the MTV season’s reunion aired, he’ll now participate in a huge soccer tournament. He’s joined by former Big Brother and Challenge star Paulie Calafiore, who will play for a different squad.
Raleigh Rebels in 32-team field for The Soccer Tournament worth $1 million
Based on the IG post above, the Rebels are tournament champions from The Soccer Tournament (TST). Horacio hopes to help them win the championship in a million-dollar prize tournament set up by the organizers of The Basketball Tournament (TBT).
The tournament includes eight groups labeled with the letters A to H. Each group consists of four teams. Horacio and the Rebels are in Group H, featuring Charlotte FC, NCFC, and the Duke Sevens, a team featuring Duke alums.
The Challenge star took to his Instagram Story on Friday, sharing a slide about his excitement for TST.
“$1 million 32 teams Rebels coming to take over VAMOSSSS!” he wrote at the bottom of his share of the Rebels’ IG post.
According to Goal’s report, other prominent teams are part of the field, including Borussia Dortmund, West Ham, MLS’ Dallas United, and the Hoosiers Army consisting of Indiana alums.
Among the stars featured in the tournament are TikTok star Noah Beck, former NFL receiver Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, and Jiu-Jitsu star Gregor Gracie.
There’s also another Challenge star in addition to Horacio, as two-time finalist Paulie Calafiore (Big Brother) will represent Kingdom FC as a defender.
United States soccer stars, including Mia Hamm, Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan, and DeMarcus Beasley, will also appear as either players or coaches in the huge winner takes all tournament worth a $1 million prize.
TST’s format is described as similar to the World Cup, where each team plays in three games for the group stage over two days. The top two teams from each group move on to the knockout round. Ultimately, one team will emerge as the $1 million-winning squad.
The Soccer Tournament will take place at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina. It officially begins on May 31 with arrivals and concludes with the championship game on June 4.
More details about the teams, rosters, and tickets for the various matchups are available at TheTournament.com.
The Challenge: World Championship episodes arrive Wednesdays on Paramount Plus.