Schmergen Brawl

Schmergen Brawl is a recurring challenge, first appearing in and later in , and also showing up in La Isla: El Reality. It was infamously known for being a brutally physically-punishing version of basketball, and leaving several injuries among players. It is also the first recurring challenge to be officially banned from reuse.
==Rules==
In a walled-surrounded arena, three members of each tribe would battle for control of three balls. Once a castaway gets control of a ball, they would pass the ball to three other tribe members standing on an elevated platform who would then attempt to throw the ball through the opposing tribe's basket, situated at the opposite end of the arena. One point would be scored when a ball is made in the basket. After every point, the tribes would change who was in the arena and on the platform. The first tribe to score the required number of points, would win the challenge. In , three points were needed, in , two points were required, and in , it was first to fifteen points.
==History==
===United States===
In , the challenge was infamously known (Jeff Probst himself declared the challenge as a "classic") for its dramatic conclusion: one contestant, Ben Browning was disqualified due to kicking Russell Swan in the leg, and another, Mike Borassi was evacuated from the game shortly after due to a severely weakened condition. Both Ben and Mike were members of the Foa Foa tribe, who eventually lost the challenge over the Galu tribe.
The challenge was reused in , where it continued its long line of injuries. James Clement, one of the series' most physically strong competitors incurred a knee injury which continued to endure until the Heroes vs. Villains Reunion Show, where he was still seen limping. The Villains ended up winning the challenge.
===Mexico (Unofficial)===
Much like its US counterpart, when it debuted in , it was also notable for hurting the contestants, more specifically, Daniel Elbittar. He already had a bad knee coming into the season, but this challenge exacerbated the injury. The knee got swollen, to the point where he had to be taken out of the competition and had to be replaced by Ricardo Casares, who was originally sitting out. Daniel ended up needing surgery on his knee due to all the damage. To add more misfortune to the tribe, their tribe lost 15 to 3 to the tribe.
==Winners==
<tabber>
United States=
Episode	Challenge Type 	Winner
 	Tribal Reward/Immunity	
 	Tribal Reward 	
|-|Mexico (Unofficial)=
Episode 	Challenge Type 	Winner
Cycle 6, Episodes 22 and 23	Tribal Immunity	
</tabber>
==Gallery==
survivor.s19e02.hdtv.xvid-fqm 171.jpg|The challenge in .
Hvv_schmergen_brawl.jpg|The castaways compete in .
survivor-heroes-villains-schmergen-brawl.jpg|Tyson scores for the Villains (Heroes vs. Villains).
==Trivia==
* Due to the very physical nature, and the long history of injuries it caused to contestants, CBS deemed the challenge too dangerous to reuse again.
* Schmergen Brawl is the second challenge in which a contestant was disqualified for violating the rules (following Pilfering Pirates in ).
* Russell Hantz is the only castaway to compete in this challenge twice. He lost the first time, and won the second time.
* Both times this challenge was used, a player was removed giving a tribe one less player in the challenge.
** The tribe that lost a player went on to lose the challenge.
** One player was removed for breaking the rules of the challenge while the other was removed due to an injury received during the challenge.
*** Both players were men and would be voted out in the next episode after this challenge was used.
* Both times the challenge was used, the tribe that scored the first point lost the challenge.
==References==
Category:Challenges
Category:Recurring Challenges
Category:Survivor (U.S.)
Category:La Isla: El Reality (Mexico)
Category:Survivor: Samoa
Category:Samoa Challenges
Category:Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains
Category:Heroes vs. Villains Challenges
Category:La Isla 2012: El Reality
Category:La Isla (2012) Challenges