‘Now It’s Real’: TJ Lavin Formally Welcomes The Challenge: USA Cast

A new season of The Challenge cannot officially begin without the cast getting a warm welcome from host TJ Lavin. And the brand-new CBS series The Challenge: USA is no different from previous MTV seasons. Yes — “now it’s real!”

So how does the longtime host greet everyone? “Buenas noches,” a grinning TJ states in the sneak peek above.

The excitement among the 28 players is palpable (heck, Kyland is feeling “giddy like a kid”), but the greeting quickly shifts to the competition. The niceties can only last so long in this environment.

“Looking around, I see a lot of people who really know how to play games,” TJ tells the Survior, Big Brother, Amazing Race and Love Island veterans. “Maybe you were isolated on an island, or you raced across the world, or you had big brother watching you 24/7. Or if you fell in love, only to get your heart broken at the end, I mean what?”

What will it take for the players to qualify for the final? And pivoting away from the rules for a second: What is the relationship status of former Season 3 Islanders Cash and Cinco? Watch the clip, and do not miss the premiere of The Challenge: USA tomorrow at 9:30/8:30c on CBS.