Many fans of The Challenge welcomed the big return of one of the show’s all-time greats, Cara Maria Sorbello, as she arrived for an episode of Season 39.
Cara hadn’t appeared since Season 34, aka War of the Worlds 2, and came to The Arena on Battle For a New Champion to participate in a women’s elimination event.
It came with some welcomed chaos as Cara shook things up during her appearance with the cast of competitors.
Cara’s brief return was also significant in her Challenge career, indicating that she’ll be back for additional seasons of the competition series.
Before her appearance on the show, MTV shared a video clip in which Cara addressed her future with The Challenge.
She also mentioned those lingering questions about her relationship with fellow Challenger, Paulie Calafiore, whom she’s dated since they appeared on the show together.
Cara talks about future seasons of The Challenge
“I just get to go straight to elimination. Go to work. This is what I do,” Cara Maria said at the start of a promo clip for The Challenge Season 39.
“I have not set foot on these grounds since Season 34,” she also shares, adding, “I am so happy. So thankful. So excited to be here. I just can’t wait to play.”
Cara said there’s no way to prepare for The Challenge, let alone her return. However, she said staying in good physical shape and keeping your brain ready are keys to being prepared for whatever is thrown your way. She also indicated you “hope for a little bit of good luck.”
In the clip, Cara brought up her boyfriend Paulie Calafiore, whom she met during the Final Reckoning season of MTV’s competition show.
The couple began dating after filming together and have continued to do so. They last appeared together on MTV’s show for War of the Worlds 2 as part of a powerful Team USA alliance. Paulie returned to a version of The Challenge first, appearing on CBS’ USA 2 spin-off.
However, with him and Cara now together for five years, many wonder if they’ll tie the knot.
“Me and Paulie are doing awesome. We’re still here,” she shared during the clip.
“I think we have a few Challenges in us. I think there’s a lot more we want to put out there. There’s a lot more we want to do, but we definitely are talking about that next chapter,” Cara revealed.
“When is he gonna pop the question? I’m not supposed to know that. I guess you’ll find out what I do,” she said with a shrug as the clip closed.
Cara thanks supporters and addresses her elimination moment
Following her appearance in Season 39, Episode 12, Cara shared a carousel post of photos from her time at The Arena. Most show her by herself in her Challenge gear, but the final slide shows her flashing a bright smile at host TJ Lavin.
“Finally. I’m HOME,” she wrote in her caption, adding, “To all of you who never stopped asking @thechallenge for my return for all these years…. I am here because of YOU. Thank you.”
Cara also posted an interesting comment involving what went down during her elimination. In a spoiler alert, she would face one of the nominated women, Ravyn Rochelle or Colleen Schneider, or a woman of her choice if she drew the Chaos weapon at The Draw.
Cara addressed the cast in the stands after it was revealed that none of the women up there had been nominated for elimination yet during the season. In particular, she called out Michele Fitzgerald as “Orange Shirt.”
She then pulled the Chaos weapon at The Draw and told Michele to come down and face her. Luckily for the former Survivor winner, it was a puzzle involving large blocks they had to push across the sand to a platform and arrange in the correct order.
Michele excelled at it despite showing exhaustion as she used all her strength to move the large blocks. As Cara struggled to figure out the puzzle, Michele arranged the blocks on her platform in the correct pattern and won the event.
“Fyi purple shirt and orange shirt gods honest truth NOT planned or talked about beforehand. Thats why i was so gagged when i watched the elimination clip with darrell. Cant explain that kind of rival esp,” Cara wrote in a comment on her post.
During Cara’s confessional interview comments, she said Paulie told her that Michele was a bit of a “snake” during his season with her, referring to The Challenge: USA 2 spin-off.
Michele’s Season 39 win allowed her to rejoin her castmates and save $10,000 of their prize purse for the final. It also gave her a win over Cara, who was in a mercenary role on the show. Michele became the fourth individual to defeat one of the champs at The Arena.
In the episode before Cara’s return, her longtime rival Laurel Stucky arrived at The Arena and already had a feud with Michele from the previous season they did together.
Laurel referred to Michele as “Purple Jacket” when telling TJ she’d pick her if she drew the Chaos weapon. Michele was shaken up, but luckily (for her), Laurel drew Ravyn, who defeated her.
In Season 39, Challenge champs Darrell Taylor and Kaz Crossley were defeated by main cast members Kyland Young and Tula “Big T” Fazakerley in earlier eliminations.
The Challenge: Battle For a New Champion airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on MTV.