You know something is super popular when there’s suddenly a lookalike competition about it, and that just happened for Heated Rivalry.
Remember last year when there were loads of somewhat jarring celebrity lookalike competitions? It actually started in 2024, with a Timothée Chalamet lookalike competition being held in New York City. It spiralled from there, covering celebrities like Paul Mescal, Harry Styles, Jeremy Allen White, Zayn Malik, and Drake. There’s now a dedicated Wikipedia page for the contests, which is how you know things got serious.
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It’s hard to call the trend a passing fad because, two years later, there are new lookalike competitions popping up. The Heated Rivalry competition was held in Mercer Playground in New York City over the weekend, and the lads really put the heat in Heated Rivalry with makeout contests and shirtless posing. Connor and Hudson would be so proud.
Hudson’s Heated Rivalry lookalike was Ryan Heffernan
the winners of the heated rivalry lookalike contest btw!!!!!! https://t.co/sppIb7ytQC pic.twitter.com/mL83XMXVs4
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(@fourgivendays) February 1, 2026
25-year-old Ryan Heffernan was crowned Hudson Williams‘ lookalike, pocketing $50 of the prize money after taking his shirt off, kissing some of the Illya’s and doing his best Shane Hollander impression. It was a momentous occasion, but Ryan was fully expecting it.
“Random people were taking pictures of me. I was very confident,” he told the New York Post. “I came here alone because I knew I was going to win.”
Ryan isn’t super active on Instagram, but he did post numerous stories from the day. There are lots of pictures with friends on his page, and I honestly had to do a double-take. If you squint, he really could be Hudson Williams.
Credit: Instagram
Tyler Gaul IS Connor Storrie
Every Shane needs his Illya, and for Ryan, that was 28-year-old Tyler Gaul, who entered the competition at the behest of his Heated Rivalry-obsessed girlfriend.
He told the publication: “She told me I looked exactly like Ilya, and then most people in my life and her life started to say the same exact thing.”
@newyorkbucketlist Many of Ilya Rozanov + Shane Hollander lookalikes showed up, only two were crowned
Winners took home $50 cash and bragging rights! Who do you think should have won? #NYbucketlist #nyc #heatedrivalry
Tyler watched the Canadian show with his girlfriend, and while he liked it, he was surprised by how popular it’s become.
“It’s obviously very provocative, but that’s great,” he added. “I was just impressed that a show kind of that provocative and intense is getting as popular as it is. It’s great to have the representation and just being able to see, like love and sex portrayed on TV that’s not normally shown.”
Outside of looking eerily similar to Connor Storrie, Tyler has a super vibey Instagram where he promotes his own music.
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Featured image credit: HBO/Twitter
