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The Challenge star Horacio Gutiérrez had a flirtmance with champ Laurel Stucky before she cut it off after discovering he planned to make someone his girlfriend. However, castmates Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio and Devin Walker recently claimed the rookie made it up.

Horacio Gutiérrez believed to have lied about having a girlfriend back home

During The Challenge: Ride or Dies, rookie Horacio Gutiérrez and former champ Laurel Stucky hit it off and spent a lot of time together.

She found herself catching feelings but pulled back after realizing he planned to begin dating someone back home after filming wrapped.

Following episode 7, Devin Walker appeared on the Death, Taxes, and Bananas podcast alongside host Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio. The two claimed Horacio didn’t actually have a girlfriend back home but lied about it to curb their constant cuddling.

Bananas called Horacio the “most eligible bachelor” on the show and claimed several female players flirted with him. The seven-time champ claimed the soccer player had so many competitors fawning for him that he had to fake a relationship to “repel” them. It’s worth noting that Horacio acknowledged someone back home he wanted to make his girlfriend but never said they were dating.

Johnny ‘Bananas’ Devenanzio admits he’s intimidated by Horacio’s skill set

The Texas-based rookie partnered with Love Island USA 3 winner Olivia Kaiser for Ride or Dies, and the two started the season at the bottom of the competition.

As newcomers with no allies, they were nominated for elimination three times in a row, saving themselves once. While the pair haven’t won a daily mission, they’ve proved themselves tough competitors and have since worked their way into an alliance that’s currently in power.

After episode 2, Bananas appeared on the MTV’s Official Challenge Podcast, where he explained that “bulky” competitors don’t intimidate him as he’s noticed there aren’t many challenges where they can solely rely on their strength.

Instead, “wire” and “shifty” competitors similar to Horacio scare him as he believes they seem to have the agility of those who participate in parkour sports. He used the “Tarzan-like way” Horacio jumped into the water during a mission as an example and pointed out that other players didn’t finish it because they tried to dismount the same way he did.

Horacio and teammate Olivia Kaiser made reality TV debuts in the same year

Born in Mexico, Horacio fell in love with sports, namely soccer, at a young age.

His family later relocated to El Paso, Texas, and his talent earned him a scholarship to play midfield at Mississippi College, where he also studied kinesiology.

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Horacio became a professional mixed martial arts fighter, known by the nickname The Punisher, before making his reality TV debut in 2021 on the competition series Exalton Estados Unidos. Olivia debuted in the same year on Love Island USA Season 3.

After a couple of flings and spending time single, she realized she had feelings for Korey Gandy, who she initially viewed as a good friend. The two went on to win the show and briefly dated after filming wrapped. The Challenge 38 airs Wednesdays on MTV.

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