“I think I’m going to force myself into taking a break,” Martinez tells EW.
“Definitely taking seasons in between is good for me.”
Warning: This article contains spoilers forThe Challenge: USAepisode 13, “The Treason For the Season.”
Josh Martinez on ‘The Challenge: USA’.Jonne Roriz/Paramount
Unfortunately for Martinez, karma came quick and the hopper randomly selected him to go into the elimination instead.
Martinez ultimately lost the Hall Brawl/puzzle battle and was the last player sent home before the final began.
JOSH MARTINEZ:This one is definitely tough.
Cory Wharton, Tori Deal, Chanelle Howell, Cassidy Clark, Michaela Bradshaw, Chris Underwood, Desi Williams, Faysal Shafaat, Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio, and Josh Martinez.
To leave right before, it’s really, really hard.
But I played the best game that I possibly could.
But this one stings.
Tell me more about those mistakes what were they and what did you learn from them?
It was a few things.
I can’t regret it because …
I don’t know.
There’s a lot to unpack there.
And still even reliving it sucks.
It was really hard to re-watch the episode.
What people don’t know is that inSpies, Lies & Allies, I crossed Cory.
I didn’t vote in Logan, and he went into elimination against Logan and went home.
I felt like I had to stick to that.
But then I had to choose between Fess and Johnny, and that’s what it felt like.
I was being pulled in every direction.
I wish I wouldn’t have sworn on my family.
How I’ve always played the past five seasons that I’ve done, I’ve never done that.
To lose myself at the end game, that’s what’s really hard to sit with.
[Laughs] I know that it’ll come my way.
The move with Wes, I thought it was a good move.
I had conversations with a lot of the vets and everybody was game to target Wes.
I was like, “If we’re going to do it, it’s the perfect time.”
I have nothing against Wes.
He does get a lot of s— but I think he’s such a good dude.
Does he have a big ego?
Yeah, but we all do.
It’s just that the guy is really good.
Will I have to deal with him in the future?
He’s saying that he’s retired, but I don’t know if I believe that entirely.
The Johnny thing, I know it’s going to come my way.
I’m ready, let’s just say that.
Do you regret betraying either of them?
It was the talk around the house, but everybody was so scared to make that move.
I just did what everybody else wanted but didn’t.
I just made the move that people didn’t commit to.
So in reality, am I going to get heat from those two?
But from everybody else, no.
I mean, they’re the two champs.
How can you be mad at me making a move like that?
With the Johnny situation, I had given him my word, so I felt really bad about that.
I was in a state of shock.
Obviously that’s not what I wanted to happen at all.
I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason.
If I had to lose to anybody, I’m glad it was him.
If I would’ve lost to somebody else, I probably would’ve been pissed off.
But it was just really unfortunate.
What was it like competing in the Hall Brawl with a puzzle?
Now that you’ve seen your whole season play out, do you still feel that way?
And that was the best thing that could have happened for me.
Disconnecting from the competition and just taking a mental break, it was so good for me.
Definitely taking seasons in between is good for me.
You want to be part of something like that because it’s just going to be epic.
But to be honest, I love MTV, but I like the CBS version better.
It’s shorter, it’s the people, it’s different, it feels way more lighter.
It’s just a whole different energy.
They spoiled me with the CBS doingUSA.
We were all saying that.
We were like, “We’re never going back!”
[Laughs] But I don’t know.
I don’t know if I can say no to 40.
I guess we’ll see.
I’ll probably take a break after that one.
This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
The Challenge: USAseason 2 finale airs Thursday at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.
