The internet can sometimes be a pretty strange place. Because everyone has pretty much equal access, which trends go viral can be a democratic process - and what people choose to consume isn't always what's expected. Nowhere is this more true than in the realm of the online "challenge," iterations of which we've seen blow up over the past few years.

Some of the most well-trained fighters on the internet have been sharing one very peculiar skill on social media - and a lot of famous faces have gotten involved.


The internet has really taken over the world. Trying to imagine life before we had such constant online access seems almost impossible now. And because we’re now all so intrinsically connected, the internet can offer some us something pretty unique. Advertisement

Which can lead us down some pretty weird paths. The fact is, basically anything goes online. It’s a place that’s both incredibly individualistic, but also gives us a sense of belonging and community – which sometimes leads to pretty strange results. Advertisement

Humanity has an intrinsically competitive nature. And when you have a space wherein literally millions of us can interact, that means there’s also a space wherein literally millions of us can compete. Advertisement

This has led to a certain internet phenomenon. That of the “online challenge.” Basically, someone comes up with a bizarre concept, dares others to try it, and it spirals out of control for a number of weeks … or until the next challenge comes along. Advertisement

Over the years, we've seen some pretty weird ones. Perhaps the first online challenge, the cinnamon challenge peaked in popularity in early 2012. In this challenge, users had to hold a spoonful of the painful, powdery spice in their mouths for sixty seconds – a feat which proved near impossible. Advertisement

Others had more of a purpose. In the summer of 2014, a popular social media trend involved dumping an entire bucket of ice water over one’s head. Rather than just being an unpleasant experience, it was supposed to raise awareness of ALS, too. Advertisement

But some challenges were truly stupid. At the end of 2017, teens around the world decided to give into their basest instincts and start consuming Tide laundry pods. This challenge was actually incredibly dangerous and resulted in six deaths. Advertisement

So you can see why online challenges have a bit of a dubious reputation. In some ways, they seem to appeal to our most unattractive qualities as humans – the desire to show off, the desire to fit in, and, of course, the desire to get attention. Advertisement

But, once in a while, something different comes along. And the latest challenge that has taken the internet by storm is surprisingly skillful – and actually interesting to watch. Advertisement

It started with skilled MMA fighters. These athletes are incredibly disciplined and hardworking – so it’s not exactly surprising that they can perform feats that most mere mortals can only dream of. Advertisement

The challenge in question? Well, it involves an expertly executed spin kick. This means it’s not just about raw power, but precision, balance, and skill, too. Advertisement

And how do they test that? These perfect spin kicks are being used to do something decidedly fiddly – removing the screwed on cap from a bottle. Don’t believe us? Read on. Advertisement

The challenge appears to have been started by MMA fighter, Max Holloway. On June 28th, the star posted a video of him spinning a bottle cap off using only his swiftly moving foot, tagging pal, John Mayer, to do the same. Advertisement

The original post quickly garnered lots of responses. While Holloway had tagged celebrities, many “normal people” got in on the action, eager to see if they could pull of the trick – with impressive results. Advertisement

Others took a different approach. Some of the joke responses to Holloway’s incredible skill were absolutely hilarious. Advertisement

Some people even recorded spoof videos. Although, honestly, we can’t imagine that we’d fare much better if we attempted this seemingly impossible challenge. Advertisement

Then the internet noticed something exciting. On Instagram, John Mayer commented and seemed to accept his duty to attempt the bottle cap challenge – to much anticipation. Advertisement

Unbelievably, Mayer delivered. He posted his challenge on Instagram. It’s pretty impressive stuff – especially when you consider that he’s better known for singing love songs than for kicking ass. Advertisement

Mayer wasn't the only celeb participant. Many MMA fighters and other athletes were quick to post their responses online. Other celebs got in on the action, too, including this clean attempt by actor, Akshay Kumar. Advertisement

Some of the attempts are absolutely incredible. This bottle cap challenge with a breakdancing twist may be our favorite – and perhaps the most skillful we’ve seen… Advertisement

Although not everyone was quite on point. The bottle cap challenge has also spawned a whole new genre of fail videos. We hope that no one feels too bad, though – because this challenge looks basically impossible to us! Advertisement

Some attempts were just plain hilarious. This one, by American professional wrestler, Christopher Daniels, seems more within our skillset. Advertisement

There were some pretty unlikely participants. For example, international DJ, Diplo. He captioned his flawless performance with “since no one requested me to do this and also since no one thinks I’m good at anything except pushing button on stage .. here is evidence that I also do karate. I challenge Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Kevin Durant and Obama.” Now that, we’d love to see. Advertisement

And two of pop culture's most legendary badasses got a lot of attention. Conor McGregor posted a vid on Twitter of his perfect execution, nominating Floyd Mayweather to step up to the plate. Advertisement

But perhaps the most impressive example of all? Actor, Jason Statham, pulled off a beautiful performance, proving that he’s every inch the skilled fighter that he usually plays on screen. Advertisement

But it's the latest iteration of the challenge that has got everyone on the internet talking. And (as with any internet controversy) who else would it involve than a member of the internet’s most divisive family. Advertisement

The sister in question? Kendall Jenner. At first glance, you may think that her bottle cap challenge was a little over-the-top – but that’s nothing that you wouldn’t expect from this extravagant family. Advertisement