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Cara Maria Sorbello and Tori Deal buried the hatchet on season 40 of The Challenge, but viewers didn’t get to see them end their years-long feud. In an exclusive interview with In Touch, Cara reveals how the women finally mended fences.
“Me and Tori did have plenty of conversations oncamera where we dove into our past,” Cara, 38, exclusively tells In Touch. “We each have our own version of our story of where it went wrong and where we were hurt from the other person. We talked about it, we went through it, and then we came to a new understanding. We’re basically just a yin and a yang. We’re the same, but different.”
She also praised Tori, 31, for her “incredible season” on Battle of the Eras. The women faced off in an elimination during the Wednesday, December 18, episode, and Cara was sent home after not being able to tread water for as long as her opponent. It was the final female elimination before the final challenge.
“Me and Tori just really came to a good, good place with each other,” Cara says. “I think she did incredible.”
Tori and Cara’s feud began on War of the Worlds 2 in 2019. They were playing in opposing alliances, with Cara and boyfriend Paulie Calafiore on one side, and Tori and then-fiancé Jordan Wiseley on the other side. The tension returned when they showed up as guests on the reunion show for season 39, Battle for a New Champion, and rehashed some of their past issues.
When Cara suggested to the newer Challenge competitors that they should rely on themselves, rather than alliances, in the game, Tori called out her then-nemesis for making the WOTW 2 final because she had a strong alliance backing her at the time. Meanwhile, Cara accused Tori and Jordan of targeting her and Paulie so they could become the “power couple” of the show.
Things were left unresolved at that reunion, so it wasn’t until Cara and Tori reunited on season 40 that they were actually able to sort things out.
One relationship that Cara didn’t mend on Battle of the Eras was with Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio, who was aligned with her longtime frenemy Laurel Stucky. However, fans noticed that Cara recently spent time with Johnny, 42, at his gym in Florida, which she credits to her ability to separate the game from real life.
“Johnny’s always going to do Johnny. Anytime I’m up, he’s going to vote for me,” she admits. “He’s always going to come after me. The only time we worked together was on one or two seasons where we were alone on our own little island and we found ourselves staring at each other, like, ‘Well, I guess it’s just us.’ But I’m the type of person now, after my time off [from The Challenge], that I can separate. I’m thankful to be on The Challenge and compete and I can separate what people do to me in the competition from real life.”
The Massachusetts native says Paulie is “the one who’s friends with Johnny” and suggested attending the gym event. “I’m not gonna be a d–k,” she says. “I went and we had fun. It is what it is. But we’ll always be butting heads.”
More of our interview with Cara below:
Did you think there was any chance Jordan wouldn’t throw you into that elimination against Tori? Did you know about his deal with Rachel [Robinson]? It was my birthday! I was like, ‘Come on, it’s my birthday!’ I came in second place [in the daily challenge]. Me and Jordan totally buried the hatchet. I genuinely had so much fun with [him and Tori]. I was rooting for them. I had no idea that Rachel had made that deal. She is really sneaky good because I never even saw her leaving era 1’s room unless she had to go to the gym. She would always talk about how much she hated Jordan and be annoyed every time Jordan talked.
How did you feel when Jordan ended up voting for you? I was like, ‘You know what, I know we’ve made friends this season, but I also know we have a past. I wouldn’t put it past you.’ I didn’t know about the deal, but at the same time, I was like, ‘Look, if you want to put me in to, like, wash hands of the past, I’m just happy about where we are now. I’ll do my best and what will be will be.’ I was pretty chill about the whole thing. I just believed in myself.
Tori said it was the hardest elimination she’s ever done – would you agree? The hardest elimination I’ve ever done in my life, I still have to throw back to Free Agents against Nia [Moore] for 90 minutes. Dragging [in the sand]. Having that harness ripping into my shoulders. Finishing that elimination with no feeling in my body and digging that out against someone who, arguably, should have beaten me size-wise. The one against Tori was mentally the hardest. Obviously I’m not the best swimmer. … But three hours in there, I’m just very stubborn. It doesn’t matter what it is or if I’m good at it. I will give it my best. But Tori literally never gave me a hope spot. She was so relaxed and focused and nothing seemed to bother or scare her. I was trying to, like, crack jokes and just kept being like, ‘TJ, I’m not quitting.’ I wanted to get in her head.
Paulie was eliminated at the very beginning of the season. Did that affect your game at all? I did All Stars [season 4] by myself, so I just do my own thing. I just compete the best I can and that’s it. I actually think I compete a little bit better when I don’t have anybody to rely on. Without my safety there I’m kind of able to be like … I don’t get comfortable. You don’t have anybody protecting you. I did amazing on All Stars and that was just a continuation of that for this season.
Would you return in the future if asked? I’m very thankful to be back. I feel like I’ve earned my place. I’ve had an incredible two seasons back. I’m proud of how I’ve done in everything. I really would love to continue to play. I love All Stars. I really do. I like the more laid back, fun, silly atmosphere, back when it was that. I don’t think it’s OG and silly anymore. It’s basically just another Challenge at this point. But I just want to compete as long as I’m physically able to. I would love to keep coming back. I’m thankful to be back in any capacity.
English (US) ·