Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Duel is the 13th season of the MTV reality game show, The Challenge (at the time known as Real World/Road Rules Challenge). This is the first edition of The Duel series, with The Duel II following in 2009. The Duel took place in Búzios, Brazil, with former cast members from MTV series The Real World and Road Rules competing, along with several cast members from the previous Challenge, Fresh Meat. The season differed from previous Challenge seasons in that no teams were assigned, as it was every man and woman for themselves. The surviving male and female cast member would win $150,000 each. The season was watched by a total of 83 million viewers. The Duel premiered on October 12, 2006, and concluded on January 18, 2007. On December 15, 2020, the season was made available to stream on Netflix in the United States.

Format

Each player participates in numerous challenges (sometimes called "missions"), which are followed by an elimination round — "The Duel". The challenges can involve either members of the same gender competing against each other, or groups of both men and women competing against each other. Each challenge has a male and a female winner, and is alternatively designated as either a male or a female Duel day. The winner of the gender not entering the Duel is awarded a prize, while the winner of the gender designated for the Duel is safe from the possibility of having to enter the Duel. The immunity winner begins the Nomination process by picking a member of the opposite gender, who then selects a member of the original gender. This process continues until there is one person remaining of the selected Duel gender of the day; this remaining person is nominated to compete in the Duel that evening. The selected player then challenges a player of the same gender to go against him/her that night, for the exception of that day's daily challenge winner and randomly selects from one of four cards held by the host T. J. Lavin to determine the Duel game in which the two players will compete. Note that this selection process occurs immediately after the challenge, unlike in other Challenges, where there is a period of deliberation between the end of the challenge and the selection of the contestants for the elimination game. The loser of the Duel is eliminated from the game and is sent home. At the end of the season, four contestants are left — two of each gender. For each gender, the first-place finishers each win $150,000.

Contestants

Gameplay

Challenge games

Duel games

Final challenge

Game summary

Elimination chart

Duel progress

Selection processes

Teams

Episodes

Reunion special

The reunion special, Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Duel Ain't Over 'til the Reunion, aired live after the season finale on January 18, 2007 and was hosted by VJ Susie Castillo.