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Wisconsin native, 'Bachelor' star Nick Viall fought disgraced 'Vanderpump Rules' star Tom Sandoval on 'Special Forces'

Hannah Kirby
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Warning: Spoilers from Season 2 Episode 4 of "Special Forces: World's Toughest Test" ahead.

Waukesha native and "Bachelor" star Nick Viall did something that many "Team Ariana" fans may have wanted to do earlier this year: Fight Tom Sandoval.

On Monday night's episode of Fox's "Special Forces" Season 2, the celebrity recruits faced their first combat test of the show.

On the show, celebrities take on "grueling challenges from the playbook of the actual Special Forces selection process" while battling the harsh elements of winter in New Zealand, according to Fox. The Directing Staff, made up of an elite team of ex-Special Forces operatives, lead the recruits through the course's demanding training exercises.

The season started with 14 recruits. Half remained by the end of Episode 4.

Toward the end of Day 4, the Directing Staff commanded the recruits to run from camp to a secluded quarry. The DS pulled two at a time to go up against each other in "milling," or hand-to-hand combat.

"There's two commands: Fight and stop," said Billy Billingham, formerly of the British Army's Special Air Service.

The recruits were given headgear and boxing gloves to wear for protection.

"Milling is really testing your character," chief instructor Rudy Reyes, a former recon marine, said on the show. "Skill is thrown out the window and you go forward. We don't care if you get knocked to the ground. We don't care if we bust your nose or you lose your teeth. What we're looking for is the fight inside of you. Will you keep getting up?"

Viall, referred to as No. 12 by the DS, was pitted against No. 4, Sandoval, who wrestled in high school.

"I definitely have a fighter in me," Viall said. "It just hasn't come out in the form of like a physical altercation. ... I hope my competitive nature will kick in."

Earlier this year, "Scandoval" took the Reality TV world — and beyond — by storm. Sandoval, a "Vanderpump Rules" cast member, cheated on his longtime girlfriend, Ariana Madix, for months with one of her best friends, fellow castmate Rachel "Raquel" Leviss.

Before the scandal, people would recognize Sandoval from "Vanderpump" and think he was "so cool," he said on Monday's episode of "Special Forces."

"Now, people think I'm a complete narcissist, creeper vibes," he said. "I'm definitely not here to run away. I want to punish myself. I think I deserve it."

Viall came out swinging and even briefly brought Sandoval to his knees. But Sandoval got back up and connected multiple hits.

When DS shouted "Stop!" Sandoval kept at it. "No. 4! Get a grip of yourself," Billingham scolded.

Despite his lack of self control, Sandoval was declared the winner.

Since there was an odd number of recruits, Sandoval was picked to fight again — this time, against Jack Osbourne, who would end up giving Sandoval a bloody nose and win the fight.

These were the other matchups:

  • Olympic alpine skiing champion Bode Miller vs. TV personality Tyler Cameron (Cameron won).
  • Olympic speed-skating champion Erin Jackson vs. recording artist and entrepreneur JoJo Siwa (Siwa won).

Viall was on the winning team for Day 4's other challenge

On the morning of Day 4, Olympians Miller and Jackson were chosen by the DS to be team leaders.

Miller's team, Team Alpha, was assigned Viall, Siwa and Osbourne. Jackson's team, Team Bravo, included Cameron, Sandoval and TV personality Kelly Rizzo, who would end up deciding to leave the show partway through this challenge.

The mission was a race. Each team had to carry a 220-pound boat to a lake, lifting it over wire fences along the way.

As Team Alpha powered ahead, Team Bravo struggled hard — especially Rizzo. Whenever motivation or direction fell short on Team Bravo, Cameron stepped up and encouraged his teammates.

After Team Alpha made it to the lake, the DS directed Team Bravo to take a quicker river route to the lake.

For the next part of the mission, the teams had to pack their boats with heavy equipment and race to the other side of the lake.

Despite support from her teammates and them pleading with her to stay, Rizzo withdrew from the competition in tears.

On the show, there are no votes or eliminations — just survival, according to a Fox news release. The only way for the celebrity recruits to leave the show is to "give up on their own accord." That could be through failure, potential injury or by the agents' force.

It wasn't long before Team Alpha took the lead again. Short a teammate, Team Bravo continued to struggle.

Upon reaching land, the teams had to stow the equipment under tree cover, then race to the top of a peninsula.

Team Alpha ended up winning and was given a ride back to camp.

After Team Bravo's loss — and Cameron pulling more than his weight — he blew chunks. The team's punishment for losing: Running back to camp instead of getting a ride back.

Did Nick Viall make it through Day 4?

Viall was one of the seven recruits left at the end of Day 4.