Corridor Brawl is again, and it’s claimed its first set of victims on The Problem 40: Battle of the Eras. On Wednesday’s (August 21) episode, nearly half of the contestants throughout all 4 eras had to enter the sector to duke it out for the possibility to remain within the citadel. And whereas there have been three different video games in play — Pole Wrestle, Balls In, and Give Me Shelter — the group to attract probably the most fearsome elimination kind was the one which’s in all probability the least aware of that format: Period 4.
From the youngest technology of vets, Theo Campbell and Nurys Mateo had been routinely despatched into the ring after they every positioned final within the each day problem, and issues bought fairly dramatic when it got here to the vote-in. Whereas Nurys hand-picked her opponent — choosing Olivia Kaiser, with whom she’d had some unhealthy blood coming in — Paulie Calafiore threw his personal proverbial hat into the ring so as to settle an outdated rating with Theo.
After a fairly epic — and nerve-gnashing — pair of showdowns, Paulie and Nurys had been despatched packing.
TV Insider caught up with Paulie and Nurys to learn the way they actually felt about bringing their feuds into the sector and what we didn’t see within the episode.
You guys bought to do Corridor Brawl, which has been lacking for a very long time. What was going by your thoughts whenever you first bought that chance?
Nurys Mateo: I used to be scared. I completely was scared. I at all times instructed myself coming into this present out of all of the hundreds of thousands of eliminations that I may do, I by no means wished to do a Corridor Brawl until I used to be going up in opposition to somebody that was bodily my stature, and that’s not what I bought. So, yeah, I used to be positively terrified, particularly after Theo and Paulie went earlier than us, and we needed to go after them. I used to be terrified watching that carnage.
Paulie Calafiore: Yeah, I imply, often whenever you name out the largest man in the home, you wished to be one thing bodily however not within the Corridor Brawl. So after we picked the Corridor Brawl factor, I used to be like, “Yeah, this may damage whatever the end result.”
Was there anybody that you simply had been hoping you guys would draw?
Paulie: I imply, I wished both a Pole Wrestle or Balls In, so I may truly use any of my soccer expertise, wrestling expertise, jiu-jitsu expertise. I really feel like Give Me Shelter would have simply been [underwhelming] after all the things Theo and I’ve been by. So a type of two I feel would have given the followers what they wished — but additionally saved my head from the concussions.
Nurys: I utterly agree. I feel my endurance is fairly good. I feel a Balls In would have been thrilling for me as a result of I’ve already completed a Pole Wrestle. So I positively wished that or I’ll take the Pole Wrestle as a result of I’ve the expertise of already doing one earlier than. So I feel these ones would have been extra thrilling for me. And naturally, I bought the alternative of what I wished. I blame you, Paulie.
Paulie: I’m sorry for manifesting.
Nurys: They had been standing beside me and Olivia hoping and praying for a Corridor Brawl. Me and Olivia are shaking like, “Please, no, please.”
Paulie: Truthfully, I like I bought nervous when Pole Wrestle went first. I hoped that Give Me Shelter went first or Corridor Brawl went first, and I might have been like, “Sure!” However after all the things, I picked. I used to be like, “All proper, effectively, now we bought a 50/50 shot of both doing Balls In or Corridor Brawl,” And yeah, I positively manifested that. So my unhealthy there.
Final season, Nurys you had been type of an elimination queen. So had been you nervous due to the people who had been in your period this time? As a result of even earlier than you guys drew the Corridor Brawl, you appeared such as you had been telling Horacio you didn’t know when you may win.
Nurys: Properly, I’ll say I type of went into it like I at all times type of go into this stuff: anticipating the worst. So as a result of I had that mindset, I type of instructed myself that there was no means that the challenges weren’t gonna give us something however one thing bodily. I knew that is like the long-lasting Season 40. If I used to be a producer myself, I might wish to begin the season off with a bang. So I simply took each different chance of every other elimination being there, and I simply knew that I simply instructed myself, “It’s gonna be one thing bodily, so put together for that.” So, yeah, I used to be terrified due to my choices for girls as a result of I simply knew it in my coronary heart it was gonna be one thing bodily and I additionally had a sense it was gonna be a Corridor Brawl. I manifested my first-ever Pole Wrestle.
Paulie: I manifested that, too.
Nurys: I instructed the women, I used to be like, “Tonight, I’m doing a Pole Wrestle.” After we bought there, there was a Pole Wrestle. So I type of simply instructed myself that’s what I used to be gonna do, and I used to be not enthusiastic about it in any means, form, or kind as a result of I additionally went into the season a bit smaller. I used to be about 110 kilos. I’m like 123 in the meanwhile. So I used to be additionally so much smaller than what I’m now. So I additionally was nervous for myself for that.
Paulie: We had been on that Vietnam food plan.
Nurys: Properly, the meals I’ll say out of the three international locations I’ve been to now, I’ll say Vietnam was in all probability one of many higher meals that I’ve bought.
Paulie: No, I liked the meals. I’m speaking about like simply the skin. You may sit exterior and never work out and it was a sauna and also you had been gonna drop some pounds.
Nurys: Yeah, 100%.
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So Paulie, you stated you’ve watched it again now. I keep in mind whenever you had been doing all of your exit speech, you stated you had been dreading watching it. What was your response? And was that crunch actually that loud in actual life?
Paulie: I don’t know, Nurys, Did it sound that loud in actual life?
Nurys: I feel it did. It did. Do you see when it pans over to me and Olivia’s faces, we’re terrified. Like, we’re truly like, you see the phobia in my face the place I’m like, “I’ve to go now.” I simply keep in mind clearly after which I used to be Paulie after the very fact. So possibly the crunch didn’t sound as unhealthy in actual life, but additionally simply being with you and seeing how upset and damage you had been…
Paulie: I feel that additionally provides a special aspect to watching it again and seeing all the things. I’m like, “Possibly it was that unhealthy.” I don’t know. I’m gonna be trustworthy, I don’t actually keep in mind a lot as a result of I bought two concussions back-to-back in, in each of my issues and whenever you’re within the second, you don’t hear something. It’s simply adrenaline, carnage, all that stuff.
So I feel just like the helmets that we had had no face safety, proper? So, you’re nearly getting in and like turning so as to keep away from like a knee to the face or something to the face that might completely bust up your nostril, your cheekbone, your eye socket. So I didn’t count on Theo to get that low. However the truth that he bought low, the second that my imaginative and prescient went white, I knew that he bought low sufficient to go face to face and I used to be like, “Rattling, that was actually the one factor that I didn’t wish to occur. I wanted to have the ability to hit him within the waist so as to cease his measurement and energy.” However yeah, if he bought as little as I did, I knew it was type of lights out.
For each of you, on this elimination, you each confronted off in opposition to individuals that you simply had a whole lot of historical past with and a whole lot of built-in type of animosity. How does that change the calculus whenever you come into the season with a rival like that?
Nurys: I imply, I suppose that is my first time getting in with somebody that I had drama with, however I feel I didn’t get to expertise it I suppose the way in which that your regular rivalry may as a result of we had been on the identical group. So the second we get there, and the second that we discover out that that is my period. That is somebody that I’m gonna must work with. I didn’t count on to go house so early. I used to be anticipating to make it to the tip. So for that sake, and for the sake of my very own psychological well being, I knew I didn’t wish to proceed the rivalry. I wished to let bygones be bygones, and I wished to only settle for her apology and transfer ahead as a result of I wished the perfect factor for our period.
I wished to, particularly after being on Season 39 the place everybody known as us losers, I wished to show to the fandom and all people else that was there that we should be right here simply as a lot as you guys. And I refused to let mine and Olivia’s drama be the downfall of our period to not show to you guys that we’re the perfect and we’re gonna do a terrific job of transferring ahead and being the faces of this present. So I wasn’t gonna proceed the drama in any respect. I wished to only let it go and kick some ass.
Paulie: Yeah, I feel on my finish, I feel we wished to maintain the group robust and Theo and I had some conversations of like, “When are we going to do that? We all know it’s coming.” And I feel what riled me up was we had been making an attempt to maintain our group the strongest, and I really feel like there have been different choices on the desk apart from me that will have stored the group the strongest. So after I heard that he was asking for me, it insulted me.
And that introduced up all the things from Battle of the Worlds, too, as a result of going into Battle of the Worlds 2 was the identical factor. It was like, “Yeah, hey man, hear, you labored with Cara final season. We are able to actually experience this out and be robust.” After which he sided with the opposite facet, concentrating on us — as a lot as he needs to play the sufferer about that — and it simply introduced up all these wounds. To me, I had an opportunity in earlier seasons to throw myself down in opposition to rivals of mine, and I didn’t as a result of it was the neatest strategic factor to do. And I regretted these choices as a result of I wished these moments. And after I heard he was speaking sh** the Jersey got here out of me, and I used to be like, “All proper, this motherf***er is speaking sh**. I’m not gonna let it slide.” And as a lot as I like went into that deliberation pondering, “Ought to I be diplomatic and political?” after I regarded throughout the desk and I simply noticed him sitting there together with his f***ing face, I simply was like, “You realize what? I wanna punch this man within the face.”
Nurys: You do not forget that I actually checked out you earlier than as a result of earlier than we even went in there, my thought course of was, “Completely, we aren’t throwing Paulie. We’re not throwing Paulie in, we’re throwing Josh [Martinez] in, and that’s simply what this must be. And I say “we” as a result of it’s Horacio’s [Gutierrez Jr.] choice, however meaning it’s additionally mine. I used to be like, “Completely not. Paulie’s to not go in” at one level. Paulie is like — I see him from throughout the desk, he’s fuming. You may see that he was simply prepared to only say what he wanted to say. And I checked out him and I used to be like, “Don’t throw your self in. Don’t do it.” Actually simply him like, “Don’t do it.” After which the second Theo begins to speak all of that went out the window. I stated, “Dang it. Now, there’s nothing I can do about this.” As a result of yeah, type of like CT [Tamburello] stated, when you’re gonna inform somebody “It’s OK to throw me in,” I imply, that’s gonna be the best factor for any person to do is to only type of, I suppose provide you with what you need.
Paulie: Yeah, indubitably. And actually, I don’t remorse something. So far as Theo and I are involved, like, you don’t beat me in a fashion like that and count on it to only be over and simply rainbows and butterflies subsequent time. On my facet of issues, it’s like, I take pleasure in having opponents like Theo like Jordan in the home as a result of it offers me one thing to coach for — individuals like Orazio, proper? They’re good, within the sense the place I like competing in opposition to individuals which might be good. I can’t see me and Horacio ever having beef as a result of he’s simply such a pleasant man. And plus he’s with Nurys and Nurys is my woman. However I’d somewhat have Theo and Jordan there than different people who I’m identical to, “What am I even doing right here? There’s no person that I even care to go at.” And after a loss like that, it’s like we are able to preserve a cordial on social media, however each time I step into the subsequent season, if he’s there, you waited 5 years to try to get revenge on me, effectively, now you unlocked the demon and now I’ll come for you each season.
Nury: Simply don’t do it at first. In case you’re gonna go for him, go for him on the finish, please.
Paulie: No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. As a result of if we’re not on a group, all bets are off. We’re not on a group, all bets are off. You realize what I imply? That’s it. It’s what it’s.
Nurys, Olivia has been complaining on social media that you simply guys’ conversations didn’t get aired to indicate a few of the progress that you simply made in your friendship. Are you able to discuss what we didn’t see?
Nurys: Yeah. We truly — in all probability one of many first few days that we bought into the home, we lastly had a dialog. As a result of I might say for myself, I wished to verify to do this in entrance of the cameras. As a result of I refused to let the “he stated, she stated” stuff grow to be a factor once more. So we positively talked.
We positively talked in all probability one of many first few days we bought there, and it truly was a extremely good dialog. I feel a whole lot of stuff was like put on the market. We positively had been crying. We positively even argued a bit, nevertheless it ended up in decision. We got here to type of to love a center floor of type of understanding on the finish of the day, we — me, her, Michele [Fitzgerald], Kyland [Young], Horacio, all of us come from season 38 and 39 collectively. And we knew that it doesn’t matter what we’re additionally in an period… there’s additionally an alliance inside our period, there’s additionally different alliances. So we knew that we needed to type of stick collectively. She apologized for all the things that she did. And to me, I felt like for the primary time that apology appeared very real. So I did — I accepted the apology. I type of let issues go.
Additionally, going into this home, you’re type of strolling into this home with people who have years of historical past, years of friendships. And I’m strolling in with like not solely a goal on my again as a result of I did so effectively in 39. However as a result of I’m additionally in a relationship… Individuals, for some motive, they didn’t take pleasure in watching me Horacio being collectively. Lots of people complained they usually wished us to be, I don’t know, they anticipated me to be like drunk and kissing ass on a regular basis. And since I didn’t have that, I used to be constantly being instructed, “You’re not being part of the sport.” And it was moreso additionally not feeling snug inside these older friendships that folks have. So for me, naturally, I felt extra snug with people who I already knew: Michelle, Olivia, Paulie, Cara [Maria Sorbello]. These had been the people who I might somewhat gravitate in the direction of.
And likewise, I suppose accepting her apology helped me really feel extra snug for myself and having the ability to discover any person to speak to, to hang around with even when it was only for a couple of minutes, even whenever you’re like sitting there ready to go get meals or going into the kitchen. My comfortability ranges had been extra there together with her and Michelle than it was with people who I had simply met. So for my very own sake, too, it was good, simply let it go and have any person there.
Paulie, you stated you’re gonna be coming after Theo in future seasons. Are you additionally gonna be coming after Johnny Bananas for what he did to Cara?
Paulie: I feel mine and Johnny’s historical past has resolved itself. One of many issues that Cara and I made a degree of coming into this season, was like, “Hey, hear, such as you’ve mended your issues with All Stars. I’ve mended my issues with Problem USA. I’m gonna are available in, I’m gonna have your again on all the things, however I’m not gonna make your issues my issues like I’ve completed previously as a result of it’s allowed me to not see the sport the way in which that it must be seen.”
On Battle of the Worlds 1, there have been some strategic performs that I may have made, however I used to be combating her battles on Battle of the Worlds 2. There have been some strategic performs that I may have made, however I used to be combating her battles. So I used to be like, “If there comes a time the place I may kill two birds with one stone, the place the technique traces up, and it’s combating your battle, I’ll do it.” However so far as Johnny goes, it’s like, I’ve little interest in having beefs with people who find themselves [a bit] older than me. Johnny is type of chilling. He’s nonetheless gonna be Johnny, however he’s chilling… He performs the guitar on Saturdays. You realize what I imply?
Do I do know that there’ll at all times come a degree in a sport the place he’s gonna take a shot at me? Positive. Is he excessive up on my listing? No. There’s a ton of different individuals which might be excessive up on my listing. Like the holiday alliance, I really feel like Michele’s choice was already being made as a result of each time I talked to Michele to try to discuss to her logically in regards to the choice and all the things, as quickly as I would go away her, I might see somebody like Laurel [Stucky] proper up on her ass. I might see different individuals like Devin [Walker] — who now I do know that they had been hooking up, and I like their relationship, and I want all of them the perfect, and I like seeing Devin all skinny and searching like a freaking golf course dad… However I might see all the individuals like Tori [Deal] would have a dialog, and it might simply be in unison and even like with Horacio, I really feel like our period, our winners had been getting approached by all people else from each different group, and I used to be coming into the season being like, “I’m simply gonna see the place the playing cards fall.” I do know I bought Nurys, I do know I bought Cara. By means of having Nurys, I’ve Horacio, however the truth that all people was so obsessive about numbers. And that’s simply the sport of phone of life….
To me it’s like, “Okay, effectively, now you’re all f***ed as a result of now you woke me up, you woke me up early. I went house early. So that you didn’t must play an entire season with me. If I might have got here again into that home, the entire home was getting f***ing flipped on its head. And I’m not letting go of that. So all people that had a hand in — together with myself, I’ll say I had a hand in placing myself in that elimination — however anyone who had a dialog or felt like they had been entitled to a dialog with the winners of our group type of pisses me off as a result of we’re the brand new period and we’re f***ing serving and we’re good opponents. However I really feel like a whole lot of these individuals, they relaxation on their resumes they usually relaxation on their numbers and I’m right here to blow up that sh**.
The Problem 40: Battle of the Eras, Wednesdays, 8/7c, MTV
