Castmates Cory Wharton and Nelson Thomas formed a strong bond during multiple seasons of The Challenge, which has continued outside MTV’s competition series.
Nelson likely would’ve participated in Season 40, which featured 40 cast members from various show eras.
While Cory appeared in the epic Battle of the Eras season, his friend didn’t participate, as Nelson continues to adjust to his life as an amputee.
However, viewers saw a cameo appearance from Nelson during an episode as Cory consulted with him for advice during the show.
In Episode 16, which recently aired, Cory’s time on the latest MTV season ended. He was eliminated right before a final.
Following the airing of his elimination, he spoke in an exit interview and shared his thoughts on Nelson.
Cory said Nelson made ‘mistakes’ and is ‘trying to become better’
During an interview for Golden Derby, Cory indicated that “Nelson’s doing great” and much better than he would be under those circumstances.
“I’ll tell you that. That man has been through it. I’m just happy for him,” Cory shared, adding, “One thing, everyone makes mistakes. I don’t think he’s shying away from that, and I think he’s paying the ultimate price.”
“At the end of the day, he’s turning that page and trying to become better,” he told Golden Derby.
Cory also said that Nelson is “working his butt off,” and he hoped to see The Challenge “give him that chance” to “show what he can do.”
“I just know how much the show meant to him and how bad he wanted to be there for 40. He would’ve been a crucial part to my game,” he said.
Nelson last appeared in The Challenge: World Championship spinoff, where he and teammate Sofia “Jujuy” Jimenez got eliminated early in the season.
What happened to Nelson from The Challenge?
Monsters and Critics first reported about Nelson getting rescued from a fiery car crash in March of last year after his car hit a median in Austin, Texas, and became engulfed in flames. He suffered multiple injuries, including severe injuries to his leg.
That required numerous surgeries, hospital stays, and rehabilitation attempts. Despite pursuing various treatments, things did not improve for his leg. Nelson ultimately chose to have part of his leg amputated, and successful surgery occurred in March 2024.
While details about Nelson’s crash were initially scarce, information came out later suggesting he was charged with driving while intoxicated. That caused backlash from many individuals who had donated money to a GoFundMe that a friend set up to help Nelson financially amid his hospitalizations and surgeries.
His initial arrest occurred at the hospital after his crash, but authorities released him from custody due to the treatment of his injuries taking substantial time. He was later arrested six months after his crash.
According to InTouch, the DWI charge against Nelson was dismissed in October 2024 after he completed DWI PTD (pre-trial diversion).
While he hasn’t appeared on The Challenge since his crash and amputation beyond the Season 40 video call with Cory, Nelson continues to share social media updates following his successful amputation surgery, rehabilitation, and efforts to inspire others.
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!
The link above is an affiliate link. This means that for any qualifying purchase you make, we may earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you.