The Challenge stars Horacio Gutierrez Jr. and Olivia Kaiser are ride-or-dies no longer.
The two first competed as a team in Season 38 of ‘The Challenge’ and reunited in Season 39’s Battle for a New Champion. However, they didn’t come as a pair of besties and, instead, played their own game.
Fans watched as Olivia spiraled this season, thinking Horacio didn’t have her back anymore, especially now that he was coupled up with Nurys Mateo. The three friends made amends, which is why it was so shocking when Olivia failed to save Nurys during the elimination process in Episode 16, which resulted in Horacio and Kyland Young also getting thrown into the sand.
As fans know, during the Conquest portion of the season, the winner picked a person to save, who would then choose another, and they went down the line until three players remained. The ones not picked would then go into elimination and battle it out against each other.
When it was Olivia’s turn, Nurys figured her friend would save her and she’d get to say Horacio’s name but Olivia saved Moriah Jadea instead.
“The word that I feel like is the perfect term to describe it is just ‘heartbroken,’” Horacio told Distractify after getting sent home. “This was the perfect opportunity for [Olivia] to show that she was with us.”
“It was very, very, hard. Very heartbreaking because I know that if she had picked Nurys, we would not be having this conversation right now. The game would have played out so differently,” he said.
During the elimination process in the prior episode, Nurys was given the choice to save either Olivia, Horacio, Kyland or Zara Zoffany. Horacio begged Nurys to save one of the girls and she said her then-BFF Olivia’s name.
Olivia did not return the favor the next time and Nurys, Horacio, and Kyland were pitted against each other in the elimination. In a stunning sweep, Nurys managed to beat Horacio and Kyland, who were considered to be the strongest male players this season.
“There’s a phrase that says, ‘It’s not the stab in the back that hurts but it’s when you turn around and see who did it,” Horacio told ‘The Challenge’ blogger Allan Aguirre.
Horacio referred to the beginning of the episode when Olivia was crying about feeling bad for doubting her ride-or-die and he told her he would always have her back.
“A day later, for her to go to what she claims ‘survivor mode’ … that was very, very, very heartbreaking, not just for me but for Nurys as well,” he said.
He shared that he had only spoken to Olivia once since filming ‘Battle for a New Champion’ and things still remain shaky between them.
Following the episode, Nurys retweeted a post by ‘Challenge’ Twitter fan account @GamerVev.
“‘If you have friends like Olivia, you don’t need enemies in your life’ now why’d Colleen eat that one little thing! #TheChallenge39.”
Fans also had much to say about Olivia’s betrayal.
“The 180 of Olivia being a fallen hero last season to rat snake of this season is just wild,” one tweeted.
“This was season 39. The Challenge fans and competitors have a looong memory. If you’re prepared to throw your so called bestie under the bus, no one can or should ever trust you. A person’s word matters in this game, and she now has ZERO credibility. Karma will catch up to her…” another wrote.
New episodes of ‘The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion’ air Wednesdays on MTV.
(Photos: MTV; Instagram)
When Olivia was whining and crying a few episodes about Horacio not having her back- she wasn’t even on the chopping block for elimination. She was making up fake drama to star in. I was also initially excited to see Olivia compete again this season. She has been a do-nothing disappointment and a backstabber. Horacio and Kyland were the only two deserving to run a final.
#teamnurys all the way.
Olivia can go f**k herself with that decision.
This has been by far the most boring season of any Challenge franchise. Before the season started I was excited for Olivia to be able to play again after that devastating injury the first time around. She has been very disappointing. She has spent more time sun bathing and kissing the asses of Moriah, Jay and Michelle than playing the game. I like Horacio and I loved Kyland. I wished that those two would end up in the final. Not crazy about Nurys but for the first time of the season I am excited to watch next week because Nurys is going to turn the house upside down because of what they did. As far as who wins? Meh. I know that I don’t want Michelle or Jay to win. I don’t care about anyone else enough to hope they win.
Taking the veterans and champs out of the game messed things up. Hopefully they will be back next season to take back over this mess Jay and Michelle have created. Also, what’s happened to Olivia’s face? She looks different.