‘Are You the One?’ Season 9 Reportedly Didn’t Show Fight Between Aqel and Eduardo
Although Are You the One? Season 9 has had its fair share of drama; it recently featured its first fight with CC Cortez and Taylor Kelly butting heads. Another altercation between Aqel Carson and Eduardo Dickson Jr. also reportedly happened, but it didn’t make the edit.
Aqel Carson said he and Eduardo Dickson Jr fought during ‘Are You the One?’ Season 9
Following Are You the One? Season 9 Episode 8, Aqel Carson posted a screenshot of him with an irritated expression and asked his Instagram followers what they thought happened to make him give that look.
Someone commented castmate Eduardo Dickson Jr. and Aqel claimed the show didn’t include an altercation between them. “Wasn’t a good outcome for him,” he added.
Eduardo took it to Twitter by screenshotting the Instagram story and quote-tweeting, “you don’t want it. Please confirm if you’d like to proceed.” Aqel replied to his castmate, insisting Eduardo let him “sit you down in the villa when you were trying to get buck.”
He also claimed the rest of the cast saw the incident, “so don’t play.” Eduardo told Aqel to “stand up straight” when he mentions him, to which Aqel insisted, “You let someone without the full use of his legs get into your face and b**** you in front of everyone.” He also claimed his castmate’s chest would’ve gotten “caved in if we weren’t under contract.”
Aqel and other cast members called out Eduardo for making ableist comments
Eduardo shot back, “you do not have the mental fortitude to engage with me,” and included a GIF of a male falling out of a wheelchair while attempting to grab someone. That tweet crossed the line for Aqel, who called Eduardo “truly scum” for making fun of his disability.
In an earlier episode of AYTO Season 9, he previously opened up about a motorcycle accident that left him temporarily paralyzed. Eduardo responded, “How are you gonna issue a threat and use your disability as a weapon?”
He then questioned if Aqel wanted an altercation or a “pity party.” Castmates supported Aqel, including Will Gagnon, who admitted the two “don’t see eye to eye.” However, he thinks, “it’s about time someone said something” to Eduardo.
Additionally, Aqel took the Twitter beef back to Instagram by uploading a screenshot of Eduardo’s response and tagging several cast members. Clay Carey defended Aqel in his response, referring to Eduardo as a “cowardly spineless joke of a man” and calling him out for making ableist comments. “What a tool,” he added.
Eduardo previously accused castmates of trying to ‘jump’ him in the house
In a series of tweets posted in February 2023, Eduardo accused the producers of “saving the cast” but not airing horrible events he insists he witnessed in the house.
For example, the entrepreneur said others “mistreated” him, teamed up with him, tried to push his buttons, and attempted to “jump” him. The cast member stated he didn’t react out of fear he would receive the “angry Black man” label.
While Eduardo refused to name the culprits in the tweet due to his contract, the reality TV star promised to call out three people for a boxing match at some point after the season.
Taylor Kelly responded to his claims and insisted he made her uncomfortable. She accused her castmate of tripping people, stealing clothes, and refusing to leave the room when she changed, resulting in producers intervening. Are You the One? Season 9 airs on Wednesdays on Paramount+.
