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These queens had to sashay away right after winning maxi challenge!
Logo TV; Paramount+
Winning a maxi challenge on RuPaul’s Drag Race is extremely important. This is the best way for a frontrunner to keep establishing their track record, for a queen who was just in the bottom to bounce back in the competition, or for a contestant who was flying under the radar to show up to the judges.
Unfortunately, though, winning a maxi challenge doesn’t always come with the guarantee that you’ll do well for the rest of the competition. In fact, there have been quite a few queens who literally won a maxi challenge one week and were subsequently sent home in the very next episode.
Even though this is more of a rare occurrence, it’s happened to quite a few queens over the years. So, before further ado, let’s take a look at the queens who fell victim to this very bizarre fate!
Scroll through to find out which queens won a challenge and were eliminated right after on RuPaul’s Drag Race, which is available for streaming on Paramount+.
Ongina (Season 1)
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Ongina won the commercials challenge in the fourth episode of Drag Race season one, but then landed in the bottom two against BeBe Zahara Benet in the fifth episode (the first-ever makeover challenge). She ultimately lost that lip sync and was asked to sashay away.
Jessica Wild (Season 2)
Logo TV
Jessica Wild made it to the top six of Drag Race season two after winning the singing challenge of episode six. Unfortunately, she fell in the bottom on the very next episode – which featured a commercials challenge – and was eliminated from the show.
Stacy Layne Matthews (Season 3)
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After winning none other than the Snatch Game in season three of Drag Race, Stacy Layne Matthews had to lip sync for her life during the very next episode (design challenge). That lip sync culminated in Stacy getting sent home.
Laganja Estranja (Season 6)
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On episode seven of Drag Race season six, Laganja Estranja won the commercials challenge alongside Adore Delano. On episode eight, however, Laganja bombed at the stand-up comedy challenge and ended up being eliminated.
Katya (Season 7)
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Katya was told to sashay away on episode 11 of Drag Race season seven, which featured the ball challenge. She had just won a dancing maxi challenge the week before along with Violet Chachki.
Derrick Barry (Season 8)
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In the eighth season of Drag Race, Derrick Barry and Bob the Drag Queen won the commercials challenge together. The following week, both Derrick and Bob landed in the bottom two and had to lip sync for their lives. Ultimately, Derrick was asked to sashay away from the competition.
Miz Cracker (Season 10)
VH1
It took Miz Cracker 10 episodes to finally win herself a maxi challenge on Drag Race season 10... but during the following episode, Cracker under-performed in the runway challenge and ended up being sent home.
Nina West (Season 11)
VH1
Nina West won episode 10 (stand-up challenge) on Drag Race season 11, but had to lip sync for her life for the first time in episode 11 against Silky Nutmeg Ganache. Even though RuPaul felt like both queens failed at the lip sync, Nina was chosen to go home.
Aura Mayari (Season 15)
MTV
The 15th season of Drag Race featured another one of these situations, with Aura Mayari winning episode 6 (the girl groups challenge) and being eliminated in episode 7 (acting challenge).
Tatianna (All Stars 2)
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Now entering the All Stars realm! Tatianna had a very strong start on All Stars 2 after winning the grand premiere’s talent show. But with the Snatch Game coming in episode two, Tatianna was chosen to go home.
Alyssa Edwards (All Stars 2)
Logo TV
Winning a challenge and then being sent home happened again on All Stars 2 with Alyssa Edwards. She won episode three (the Rusical) and was eliminated in episode four (acting challenge).
Phi Phi O’Hara (All Stars 2)
Logo TV
All Stars 2 featured yet another one of these cases when Phi Phi O’Hara won episode four (acting challenge) and was sent home in the dramatic fifth episode of the season (stand-up comedy challenge).
LaLa Ri (All Stars 8)
Paramount+
It took several years for this bizarre trend to happen again on All Stars. After happening several times in season two, the ghost of going home after winning a challenge made a comeback on All Stars 8. First it happened to LaLa Ri, who won episode seven (improv challenge) and was eliminated in episode eight (design challenge).
Alexis Michelle (All Stars 8)
Paramount+
This happened yet again on All Stars 8 with Alexis Michelle. First she won episode eight (design challenge), then was told to sashay away in episode nine (roast challenge).
| 09/21/23
