⁠The Challenge All Stars: Rivals' Corey Lay reveals behind the scenes conflict with Adam and Steve

In the most recent season of The Challenge All Stars: Rivals, competitors compete for a $300,000 prize while being partnered with individuals with whom they have previously had conflicts. Recently, eliminated contestant Corey Lay has opened up about tensions that viewers didn't fully see on screen.

Paired with Tula "Big T" Fazakerley—whom he had previously betrayed during Season 39—Corey found himself targeted on The Challenge All Stars: Rivals by veteran competitors Adam Larson and Steve Meinke.

Despite performing well in challenges and building a strong alliance network, Corey and Big T were unexpectedly sent into elimination by Adam and Steve, resulting in their departure from The Challenge All Stars: Rivals.

In post-show interviews, Corey has revealed that the conflict with Adam was more extensive than what aired, claiming that Adam's on-screen persona doesn't match his behind-the-scenes behavior. The elimination marked the halfway point of the season, leaving eight rival pairs to continue competing for the grand prize.

Corey Lay and Big T’s elimination from The Challenge All Stars: Rivals and beef with Adam

Corey and Big T's elimination came as a surprise to many viewers, as they had been performing well in challenges and seemed to have built solid alliances. When Adam and Steve won the daily challenge "Playing Dirty," they gained the power to send one team to elimination. Despite Corey's predictions that they would target stronger teams like Turbo and Nany or Faysal and Amber, Adam and Steve chose Corey and Big T.

"I had a little bit of hope that Adam and Steve were not going to put us in," Corey explained in a post-elimination interview.

Adding:

"But I also knew that me and Adam just had a very public deliberation fight the last time around."

This decision followed a chaotic house vote where Corey successfully rallied to send Ashley and Dario into elimination. Unfortunately for Corey and Big T, they couldn't maintain their balance during the "Stack Attack" elimination challenge, ending their journey in the competition.

According to Corey, the conflict with Adam was more significant than what viewers saw on television. He revealed that Adam had previously threatened him and Big T, stating:

"If me and Steve get thrown down, just know you guys are next. We're coming for you."

Corey didn't appreciate this approach, responding bluntly:

"F--- you, Adam. Who are you to give us an ultimatum?"

The tension didn't end when the cameras stopped rolling. Corey claims Adam reached out to him unexpectedly after the show aired, tweeting to him "randomly at 7:00 a.m. in the morning to pick a fight."

In a pointed comment about Adam's portrayal on the show, Corey stated:

"Adam is just very good at portraying himself a certain way that is not necessarily in line with who he actually is."

As one of the newest faces on The Challenge All Stars: Rivals, Corey found himself navigating a complex social landscape. Having debuted on the flagship series less than four years ago, he and Big T were considerably newer to the franchise than veterans like Adam, who competed decades earlier.

Corey shared about his approach to the OG competitors on The Challenge All Stars: Rivals:

"Coming into it, I was like, 'Okay, I know they're never going to work with me. But I hope that they don't become my enemies,'"

This dynamic created what Corey describes as an expectation from veterans that newer players should follow their lead.

"O.G.s expect you to play their game just because they've been on the show for so long," he explained.

Instead of trying to win over the veterans, Corey focused on strengthening his existing relationships—a strategy that served him well until his elimination.

Corey and Big T’s reconciliation on the show

Even though they were eliminated from The Challenge All Stars: Rivals, Corey saw the experience favorably since it gave him the chance to mend his connection with Big T. An essential chat that didn't air marked the beginning of their collaboration.

"The first night, we sat down, and I was like, 'I apologize for hurting you. I know what I did was wrong,'" Corey revealed.

They were able to proceed as friends and partners after this heart-to-heart moment.

Their relationship had dramatically changed by the time their time on The Challenge All Stars: Rivals was over.

"I can proudly say that Big T and I are friends now. I could text her; I can call her; I can FaceTime her," Corey shared.

Emphasizing:

"We went through the trenches together, and we came out on top even stronger."

Though eliminated halfway through the season, Corey remains proud of his performance on The Challenge All Stars: Rivals. He noted that even former champions had been eliminated before him, giving him reason to "hold his head high."

When asked about future appearances, Corey expressed interest in returning to partner with either Michaela Bradshaw or Frank Fox.

As the competition on The Challenge All Stars: Rivals continues with eight pairs remaining, viewers can expect more drama, strategic gameplay, and intense challenges as the remaining rivals fight for their share of the $300,000 prize.

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The next episode of The Challenge All Stars: Rivals is scheduled to air on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on MTV.