The Challenge power couple of Cara Maria Sorbello and Paulie Calafiore has been absent from the MTV competition series for several seasons now, with many fans wishing they’d return.
However, they haven’t stopped talking about the show whenever they get the chance and have recently met up with some of the show’s newer cast members.
That includes Double Agents winner Amber Borzotra, who Paulie recently bumped into at an event. After sharing a photo of himself with the Spies, Lies & Allies cast member, Cara Maria reacted to the photo and fan comments.
Paulie hangs out with Amber Borzotra, other Challenge stars
Within the past week, Monsters & Critics shared fans’ reactions to a Paulie Calafiore and Johnny Bananas photo showing the two castmates side by side, all smiles. It was a major surprise for many people to see them seemingly on good terms following their drama on previous seasons of The Challenge.
That photo came from a huge birthday bash for The Challenge OGs Syrus Yarbrough and Ruthie Alcaide, which also included other cast members from the show. In addition to Bananas and Paulie being there, so were Spies, Lies & Allies stars Corey Lay and Amber Borzotra, among others.
Amber and Paulie got to see each other again, as the two are former Big Brother stars. Amber was a competitor on Big Brother 16, while Paulie appeared on BB 18. Many BB stars know one another and have met up at other events, creating friendships outside of reality TV.
Paulie shared several photos of himself with Amber from the birthday bash held in Los Angeles, California, with the IG caption: “Was good hanging with this one. Been way too long! Head up champ ??❤️.”
Cara Maria reacts to Instagram photo & comments
The Instagram photo share received many comments from fans and other Challenge cast members, including Corey, Tacha Akide, Turbo Turabi, and Lauren Coogan.
However, Paulie’s girlfriend, two-time Challenge winner Cara Maria Sorbello, also dropped by the comments with her reaction to the photo in which she brought up Amber as “the new Cara Maria.”
While some fans reacted to Cara’s comment with questions about whether or not she and Paulie are still together, it appears Cara was making a joke based on comments she’s received in her absence from the show.
“I keep getting tagged in comments from Challenge fans saying ‘so and so is the next Cara Maria’!” she shared in her follow-up comment (screenshot below), adding, “I think you just miss me. Me. The original.”
She went on to say fans watched her grow quite a bit in her 10 years on The Challenge. She commented that she was a “sad little victim” at first, but eventually was able to “find her voice, pick up her sword, and forge her way.”
“For someone to ‘be the new Cara’ and walk in these shoes, they better be prepared to take em off my dead body. There’s only one me. There will only ever be one me. And I ain’t that easy to kill anymore,” she closed her comment with.
Most likely, Cara was receiving comments from Challenge viewers who may have compared Amber’s time on the show so far to hers. In earlier seasons, Cara was picked on by some castmates and generally underestimated. She still became a two-time champion.
Amber also became Challenge champion despite doubters
Amber debuted on The Challenge Season 36, Double Agents, where she was the newest Big Brother star to join the show. While she thought the Big Brother alliance had her back, she found herself low in their priority to protect castmates.
Despite that, she was able to survive the entire season, winning two eliminations. When Fessy Shafaat discredited her as being able to run the final with him, Amber teamed up with veteran Chris “CT” Tamburello. The duo won the Double Agents final.
Her return for Spies, Lies & Allies came in Episode 2 when she arrived as a replacement for Josh Martinez’s “deactivated” teammate. That immediately put a target on Amber’s back, and as viewers have seen in the episodes, several castmates have been saying things about her in confessionals.
Amber’s only appeared in two seasons but has already established herself as a champion and serious threat in any season she appears on. She’s also started to find her voice, similar to what Cara commented she did. Amber also seems to be standing up for herself and confronting her rivals more than before.
Still, it seems likely that Amber wants to be known as the current Amber Borzotra, just as Cara wants to be known as the only Cara Maria based on them being such different people.
The Challenge: Spies, Lies & Allies airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on MTV.
Episodes of The Challenge are now streaming on Paramount+. Try it FREE!
The link above is an affiliate link. This means that for any qualifying purchase you make, we may earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you.