“WOTW2 was 5 years ago”: Paulie Calafiore chimes in on Tori Deal and Cara Maria’s The Challenge season 39 reunion rift

The Challenge season 39 aired part 1 of its reunion special on Wednesday, February 28, 2024. During the segment, the Battle for a New Champion cast gathered to discuss the events of the season. Accompanying them were several veterans who appeared as mercenaries on the show.

While discussing several social strategies that played out during the season, host Maria Menounos asked the MTV veterans to chime in about the same. When Laurel Stucky told them to play exactly like they did, Cara Maria pointed out that nothing was real in the franchise and that they only had themselves.

Tori Deal brought up the last season she and Cara were on together, War of the Worlds season 2. She noted that during the season, which aired five years ago, Cara Maria didn't have to "touch an elimination" due to her alliance.

After the episode aired, Cara's boyfriend Paulie Calafiore, who was also a contestant on WOTW2 took to social media to chime in on the debate. He tweeted:

"1. WOTW2 was 5 years ago. 2. The other side started the war, we were just smarter."

The Challenge season 39 will return next week with part 2 of the reunion special on Wednesday on MTV.

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Paulie Calafiore calls Tori Deal's The Challenge: War of the Worlds season 2 comment "weird"

The Challenge season 39, Battle for a New Champion aired its part 1 of the reunion special on Wednesday, February 28, 2024. Along with the current contestants, several veterans who appeared as mercenaries were also in attendance. This included Devin Walker, Tori Deal, Laurel Stucky, Cara Maria, and Darrell Taylor.

At one point, host Maria Menounos asked the vets if they had any advice for the new set of MTV recruits. Cara Maria's advice to them was:

"Protect yourself, that's all I'm going to say. Just protect yourself because you've got no one."

The comment didn't sit well with Tori Deal, who won season 38. She brought up a previous season the two competed in, War of the Worlds season 2, and recalled Cara Maria never having been in an elimination due to her alliance.

While The Challenge alum noted she didn't want to get into it, she responded to Tori Deal by stating that she and her friends were against her from the beginning of the season without her knowing.

"I thought we were friends but then we weren't because you went behind my back the entire time. You and Jordon tried getting rid of us because you didn't want another "power couple" at the end," Cara Maria said.

Tori Deal denied the allegations and Cara Maria stated that everything got "twisted." After Wednesday's episode, Paulie Calafiore, Cara Maria's boyfriend and fellow The Challenge: War of the Worlds season 2 alum took to social media to express his views on the same.

He tweeted in response to what Tori Deal said, writing:

"3. Our Playbook from that season has been copied every season since with the same group of friends. 4. We're all friends now so this comment is weird. 5. Me dying in the final didn't help."

The Challenge season 39 will air part 2 of the reunion special next week on Wednesday on MTV.