The Challenge: Ride or Dies introduced viewers to a group of promising new rookies, with the most impressive of the bunch easily Horacio Gutierrez and Olivia Kaiser.
In just their first season of MTV’s competition show, they outlasted other teams through multiple eliminations and ultimately earned their spot in the final.
However, misfortune struck when several injuries hit Olivia during the final, one of which cost the rookies their chance to continue competing.
Viewers watched some tough scenes in which Olivia was bloodied up, and her teammate Horacio was visibly upset over not being allowed to continue.
Despite the unfortunate circumstances, Horacio still supported his teammate and praised her for her performance during the season and final.
The Ride or Dies rookie continued that theme by recently sharing a heartfelt message for his teammate after their exit episode aired on MTV.
Horacio shows the love for his rookie partner
Taking to his Instagram Stories, The Challenge Season 38 rookie Horacio shared a fun photo that featured him and rookie teammate Olivia sticking their tongues out at a bathroom door.
“This girl @oliviaankaiser,” Horacio wrote over the photo slide of him and Olivia, adding a heart emoji.
“We ride together, we die together…Immensely proud of you! Beautiful inside & out. That warrior mentality. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH! You made me a better person! Thank you for everything,” Horacio wrote, adding emojis to express his thanks and love.
The rookie duo reached the Ride or Dies final alongside veteran teams that included multi-time champs Johnny Bananas and Jordan Wiseley, as well as former finalists Aneesa Ferreira, Tori Deal, Nany Gonzalez, and Devin Walker.
The tone was set for a difficult run for the rookies in the Ride or Dies final, as Olivia cut open her finger during one checkpoint featuring a bolas toss. She’d suffer a much worse injury later, as a slingshot she attempted to fire backfired, and the golf ball projectile hit her between the eyes.
That resulted in Olivia breaking her face in five places and needing to be transported to the hospital. While she apologized to Horacio for what happened, he expressed gratitude for her as a partner and all she’d done along his side during the season.
Host TJ Lavin would inform Horacio that since his Ride or Dies partner was medically disqualified, they were both out of the final. It was a difficult end for the impressive rookies, who showed love for one another during a confessional scene. As they talked about their great season and disappointing end, Horacio and Olivia hugged one another in their last confessional for the Ride or Dies season.
Johnny Bananas praises Ride or Dies rookies
Following the rookies’ exit from Ride or Dies on MTV, their castmate Bananas also shared a message on Twitter in which he recognized just how well they performed during their Challenge debut.
“Hell of a season Olivia and Horacio, you earned your stripes and then some! Definitely won’t be your last Rodeo,” the seven-time champ tweeted.
Olivia, 30, arrived as a newcomer on The Challenge after winning Love Island USA 3, bringing along Horacio, her close friend. Horacio didn’t necessarily possess any reality TV experience but was a skilled competitor, having participated in the show Exatlón Estados Unidos 5. Much like The Challenge, the competition show features physical and mental tests.
The rookie duo showed they have what it takes to compete with the best on The Challenge. Based on their first campaign on MTV’s show, it seems highly likely that viewers will see this rookie duo competing again and quite possibly winning the final in the future.
The Challenge: Ride or Dies airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on MTV.