On the subject of winning, there's no great equalizer like the arena itself. Be it mutts or an environmental feature. The skills and sustenance given to the Careers do still help. But a random skillset in some backwater district tribute can make a difference.
Not to mention from an in-universe perspective: obvious skills winning all the time is repetitive. Repetitive is boring. And thec last thing you want a bored Capitol.
oh yeah no for sure
give any victor a different arena and it could go another way, which is (let's get capitol for a second here) a BIG part of what makes it so fascinating -- and terrifying for the mentors. plus the most challenger could get Gamemaker waylaid if an outlier's narrative is the one that seizes the nation this year
so if someone does want to try out a Victor vs. Victor prime v. prime matchup and see it go either way, try it on different terrains or scenarios and see how it shakes out!
(personally when I write the D2 victors pairing off at the annual barbecue or whatever, the most fun isn't the physical prowess part, it's the character interactions -- like Ronan being tricksy, or most people underestimating Petra and going easy on her, not realizing that she 1) is an excellent liar when she needs to and 2) actually DOES fight dirty thanks to a decade of scrapping with Selene)
