‘The Challenge’: Johnny ‘Bananas’ Devenanzio Once Said He Felt Bad for Cara Maria Sorbello After Paulie Calafiore’s Cheating Scandal

With each new season of The Challenge, MTV brings on fresh players who’ve never tried their hand at the game. But there are also plenty of veterans who’ve been on season after season — and every returning player has at least one other player they’d rather never see again.

Cara Maria Sorbello has played on The Challenge for years. And she has a complicated relationship with contestant Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio. While the two didn’t get along at first, they later formed a sibling-like bond — but Devenanzio hates Sorbello’s relationship with Paulie Calafiore.

Back when Calafiore’s cheating scandal reached the media, Devenanzio stated he felt bad for Sorbello. Here’s what he said.

Johnny ‘Bananas’ Devenanzio said Cara Maria Sorbello changed over the years

Devenanzio and Sorbello have been playing The Challenge together for about a decade. They didn’t get along at first, as fans know Devenanzio always saw Sorbello as too strange and quirky to succeed in creating lasting alliances on the show. But their relationship changed over the years. While it seemed to take a turn for the better a few years back, everything crumbled during Season 34, War of the Worlds 2, in 2019.

People notes tension arose during Season 34 when Sorbello would always align herself with Calafiore and turn her backs on those she’s been playing with for years.

“We put all our differences aside. We had this amazing experience on one of the Challenges where we actually became really close and really good friends. Because of recent events in her life with new relationships, that’s completely changed,” Devenanzio told People. “Our relationships changed and there really is a darkness that’s come over her recently that I think has changed our relationship.”

Devenanzio initially felt bad for Sorbello during the cheating scandal with Calafiore

While Devenanzio stated his relationship with Sorbello feels totally different now, he was originally on her side when drama hit the media during the beginning of her relationship with Calafiore.

Calafiore and Sorbello’s friendship turned romantic during Final Reckoning. Unfortunately, Calafiore still had a girlfriend at home at the time — Danielle Maltby.

“He had FaceTimed me one night while he was there, saying, ‘I love you. I miss you. I can’t wait to get home to you. I bought you an engagement ring,'” Maltby told Us Weekly at the end of 2018.

Sorbello allegedly had no idea Calafiore and Maltby still maintained a relationship at the time, either. “That whole time, he was sleeping with me in Africa and I had no idea,” she claimed.

As for Devenanzio, he felt bad for Sorbello during this time. “Cara Maria found herself in an unfortunate position with a very sociopathic, narcissistic human being, and I feel bad for her,” Devananzio told HollywoodLife. “I just hope one of these days she comes to her senses and realizes that everything this guy is doing is self-centered and trying to capitalize off her notoriety and her fame.”

Now, there’s an ongoing feud with Devenanzio and Calafiore

It seems Devenanzio and Calafiore still aren’t finished with their feud, either. According to Inquisitr, Calafiore claims Devenanzio tried to get him banned from future Challenge seasons.

Calafiore took to his Instagram comments to tell a follower that Devenanzio claimed he made other contestants “uncomfortable” in the house. And Calafiore also alleged that when he ran into Devenanzio in New York, Devenanzio threatened to end his show career if he didn’t show respect.

Calafiore also allegedly believes Devenanzio tried to get him kicked off of The Challenge after the cheating scandal with Sorbello broke.

Challenge vet Jemmye Carroll is on Devenanzio’s side, however.

“Y’all. Cast members don’t have the power to get other cast members banned from a show… Don’t believe the lies…,” she tweeted. She went on to explain that Calafiore doesn’t appear on Season 35 of the show due to “unstable behavior,” and it really has nothing to do with any feuds.

We’re not sure if Calafiore and Sorbello will last, if Sorbello and Devenanzio will ever repair their broken friendship, or if Sorbello and Calafiore will return to the show after so much hate. But we’re anxious to hear more about Season 35 as it approaches!

Check out Showbiz Cheat Sheet on Facebook!