The Challenge’s Paulie Calafiore defended his decision to call it quits with former flame Cara Maria Sorbello.
“If you think I regret saying anything I said, you’re nuts. I was very respectful and said exactly why I left,” Calafiore, 37, wrote via X on Sunday, March 22. “That’s my right. If you think I care about a few reactions from emotionally immature and self projecting people trauma dumping in a comment section. I don’t. I could have said so much more and I didn’t … maybe one day I will so people really have something to bitch about 🤷🏼♂️.”
During an appearance on Zach Nichols‘ podcast earlier this month, Calafiore confirmed that he and Sorbello, 39, were no longer together.
“I am single. As a Pringle,” Calafiore said. “It’s tough for me to even talk about just because there’s always been a lot of love there. I’ve loved that girl since the day I met her. I gave everything to that girl in the relationship.”
Calafiore and Sorbello first met while competing on 2018’s The Challenge: Final Reckoning. At the time of filming, Calafiore was dating Bachelor Nation’s Danielle Maltby, while Sorbello recently split from Kyle Christie, who was also on the cast. Despite his romance with Maltby, Calafiore hooked up with Sorbello during the show. Calafiore and Maltby broke up in late 2018 and the Big Brother alum started dating Sorbello.
“I did have some hiccups. I did have some mistakes. I’ve taken accountability for that. And I feel like, for the most part, I put my best foot forward,” Calafiore continued. “As a man, that’s all you can really do. And it just — I don’t know. This is a tough one to talk about and kind of let go of because it’s almost like turning the chapter on something. And this person’s been my best friend for seven years.”
Calafiore also reflected on how his relationship with Sorbello impacted his and Christie’s drama during that season.
“[Sorbello] caused it on her own. And this isn’t me throwing her under the bus, but that entire summer leading into War of the Worlds 1, she was all on her press tour because I cheated on her with my girlfriend at the time with my girlfriend from The Bachelor, which was a much bigger show than The Challenge at the time,” he recalled. “And, unbeknownst to me, it’s like, she was playing this little game outside of the game where she was setting me and Kyle up to have s**t right out of the gate, and she didn’t even tell me.”
While Calafiore wishes Sorbello well in her personal life, he confessed that competing against her on The Challenge would be a different story.
“I truly do hope that she gets to a point in her life where she’s able to have that kind of growth and have those kind of breakthroughs that I have had, and I do wish her all the best,” he reflected. “Now, as far as the game goes? Absolutely f**king not. If I ever play the game with her, she’s the first one I’m targeting to send home, 100 percent. Because yes, she’s my best friend, but she is awful for my game. I don’t think I could win, ever, if she’s in there playing with me. Truly. I would feel for her, I would have her back if anybody tried to yell at her, get in her face, be mean to her. I would 100 percent have her back. But as far as playing the game with her, I would not play the game with her.”
