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In the new The Challenge All Stars: Rivals, Dario Medrano was paired with his ex, Ashley Kelsey, whom he had not spoken to in six years. Despite the initial awkwardness, Medrano described their pairing as functional during his March 22, 2025, interview with Parade.
"Overall, she's a good partner. She's athletic. She is younger than most of the other women on that season. So it was a good situation," he stated.
The two were able to address past issues while competing, though their time on The Challenge All Stars: Rivals was cut short in episode 8.
Dario Medrano talks about partnering with ex Ashley Kelsey on The Challenge All Stars: Rivals
Reconnecting with Ashley after six years
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Medrano and Kelsey first met during The Challenge season 29 and were in a relationship for several years before separating. Their reunion in All Stars: Rivals forced them to work together despite their past. Medrano noted that he was not overly concerned about their pairing, explaining,
"Ashley’s not really a confrontational person. She's very nice. And while we hadn't talked in six years, I knew that, within a couple of minutes, we could discuss whatever we needed to discuss, if there was anything to discuss, and move forward."
He reflected on their past breakup, admitting he could have communicated better. He explained that at 25, he was still figuring things out. He emphasized there was no major conflict and that The Challenge gave them a chance to have a much-needed conversation.
Game strategy and conflict with Leroy Garrett
While Medrano was repairing his relationship with Kelsey, another conflict emerged with Leroy Garrett. When Garrett's name was mentioned for The Challenge All Stars: Rivals elimination, Medrano did not intervene, believing it was in his best interest to remain quiet.
"There was a train coming down the tracks. Whether Leroy liked it, it didn't matter. It was going to happen," he explained.
Garrett saw Medrano's silence as a betrayal, and tensions escalated when Garrett's partner, Devin Walker, confronted Medrano. Medrano described the situation, stating,
"I got made the scapegoat, and it was easy to just blame me. I didn't sit there with a whiteboard and put this all together."
The Challenge All Stars: Rivals star added that he did not initiate the plan but understood why Garrett was upset.
Elimination and reflections on the season
Despite the challenges, Medrano and Kelsey advanced through one elimination before being defeated by Turbo and Nany Gonzalez. Their strategic positioning left them isolated in the game, which Medrano recognized.
"Ashley and I just didn't have deep allies. And the allies we had, we kind of didn't really use them to the best of our ability," he stated.
Looking back on the season, Medrano expressed that he valued the experience, particularly his opportunity to reconnect with Kelsey.
"I'm glad I had the opportunity to talk to her. Because there were times when I could have reached out, but because I was in another relationship, out of respect for her, I didn't think it was appropriate," he said.
Watch the latest episodes of The Challenge All Stars: Rivals every Wednesday at 8 PM on MTV.
