The Challenge OG Mark Long will have some backup when he faces Matt Cardona in a Boca Raton Championship Wrestling (BRCW) match.
Based on recent tweets, several of Long’s Challenge friends will be at the event, one of whom seems ready to take out anyone trying to interfere in the match.
That’s none other than Tina Barta, Long’s castmate from multiple Challenge seasons and the recent All Stars 3 spinoff.
Barta confirmed her attendance at the show via social media. In addition, Derrick Kosinski will be at the event alongside his Challenge Mania podcast co-host Scott Yager, and there may be other Challengers.
Long, 51, is getting into the ring with Cardona in early May as he’ll be part of BRCW’s Challenge Accepted show featuring notable wrestling stars Jimmy Hart, Brutus the Barber Beefcake, Harley Cameron, and Deonna Purrazzo.
Cardona wrestled as Zack Ryder for nearly 15 years with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), winning multiple championships there. Since being released by WWE several years ago, he’s moved on to other wrestling promotions and championships.
Long’s match against the longtime wrestler developed after an in-ring segment several weeks ago as Long was receiving a special championship belt, but the presentation was interrupted by Cardona.
The above segment set up their big match for BRCW’s Challenge Accepted event in early May, which takes place in Boca Raton, Florida.
The Challenge’s Tina Barta says she’ll be at Mark Long’s BRCW match, teases getting in the ring
At Long’s BRCW match, his opponent will have pro wrestler Steph De Lander at ringside, so it only makes sense that The Godfather would have some ringside help.
Tina says she’s ready to rumble, even giving herself a wrestling name ahead of Long’s big match versus Cardona. The 41-year-old reality TV star announced she’d be there for Long’s match at the BRCW Florida event.
“It is so ON!!!!! Divina Tina is coming b***hes!” she wrote in sharing a tweet to promote her appearance.
“@TheMarkLong WON’T be alone as he goes against THE INDY GOD-Matt Cardona!” another part of the tweet read.
Tina, originally a cast member on Road Rules: South Pacific, achieved additional fame through MTV’s The Challenge.
She appeared in five seasons, reaching the final twice with her Fresh Meat and The Inferno II seasons. She recently returned for The Challenge: All Stars 2 spinoff and again for All Stars 3 on Paramount Plus.
Her most infamous moment in Challenge history lives on, as she is known for punching castmate Beth Stolarczyk in the face, resulting in her disqualification from The Duel season in 2006.
“Wait… are we gonna see Tina in the ring!?” a fan asked on Tina’s tweet.
“Maybe…maybe not. I will be there tho! In what capacity, you will have to go to find out,” she replied, teasing her possible involvement.
Mark will have other Challenger OGs with him for the event
The tweet also reveals a “1st ever Challenge Mania Field Trip” for the event. Challenge Mania, a podcast co-hosted by Challenge OG Derrick and Scott Yager, often has meetups with various stars from the MTV show.
However, this meetup will include a field trip to support The Godfather Mark Long in his match. Based on comments from Long, other Challenge stars will be there.
The Challenge OG was on Challenge Mania’s podcast episode earlier this week when he spoke about his foray into wrestling and the upcoming match against Cardona.
“I reached out to the Tinas. To the Cara Marias. To the Rachels. I’ve reached out to all of them. Just to see if I could count on them having my back if I needed it,” Long teased during the podcast.
It’s now known that Tina will be there. Could two-time champions Cara Maria Sorbello and Rachel Robinson also be at ringside? Based on a recent Instagram post, they will, as it features Cara, Rachel, Tina, Derrick, and Big Brother alum Nicole Layog.
The BRCW Florida event takes place Sunday, May 7, in Boca Raton, Florida. As of this report, tickets were still available for the BRCW Challenge Accepted show, with a last-call announcement from Challenge Mania for their field trip.
See the Challenge Mania website for details on how to attend their first-ever field trip, including a special package with brunch before the wrestling show and a VIP after-party following the event.
The Challenge: World Championship episodes arrive Wednesdays on Paramount Plus.