Former MTV Star Thomas Buell Said ‘The Challenge’ Is ‘Where Relationships Go to Die — Go On That Show Single’

The Challenge: Total Madness is here, and we’re already seeing major drama unfold. This season, Jenna Compono is competing for the $1 million prize while her fiancé, Zach Nichols, stays at home. But there seems to be trouble in paradise. Compono reached out to Nichols to touch base, and he was avoiding her calls. It was then revealed to Compono that Nichols found old direct messages from years ago when they were broken up — and it showed Compono getting flirty with other men.

Compono and Nichols’ relationship is far from the first to feel the pressure due to The Challenge. Fans likely remember when contestant Thomas Buell hooked up with Cara Maria Sorbello while Sorbello was still dating Abram Boise. Now, Buell is speaking out about what it’s really like on the show — and he gave his thoughts on relationships in the house as well.

Thomas Buell was involved in a cheating scandal with Cara Maria Sorbello on ‘The Challenge’

Sorbello is now happy with her current partner, Paulie Calafiore. But she was dating fellow Challenge contestant Abram Boise for years. Sorbello knew her relationship with Boise wasn’t working out, though — and this ultimately led her to cheat on Boise with Buell during Battle of the Bloodlines.

Sorbello claims she and Buell did nothing more than kiss — but fellow Challenge veteran Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio says that’s certainly not all that went down, according to International Business Times. Even so, Sorbello took to Instagram to clear her name when it all went down.

“Bottom line: Tom and I only made out twice and it all happened in one very drunken day off,” she wrote. “MTV is stretching something that happened a week later and putting it into this episode.”

Devenanzio still stands by his statement, though. “There was a lot footage that went on between Cara Maria and Tom that did not make the air,” he told IBT.

Buell touched on the current drama with Jenna Compono and Zach Nichols

Compono and Nichols have been together for years, and they even met during an earlier season of The Challenge. But Nichols’ behavior toward Compono has always been questionable. On Total Madness, he accused Compono of cheating. And when she denied the allegations, he reprimanded her for her tone, which was completely uncalled for and unjustified. The two have since reconciled, but the relationship has still worried fans.

Buell discussed Compono and Nichols’ relationship while speaking to podcast creator Mike Lewis. Buell said his only notable interaction with Nichols was on Exes 2, and it was when Nichols got mad at him for talking to Compono. Aside from that, Buell said he’s “heard things” about Nichols, and Nichols’ current actions reek of insecurity.

“Zach’s a little bit insecure,” Buell noted. “They say people think you’re cheating when you’re the one yourself cheating or you’ve done it before … I don’t know him personally, but I think that shows a little bit of insecurity.”

He warned that ‘The Challenge’ ‘is where relationships go to die’

Nichols and Compono aside, Buell also called out a few other competitors he knew were unfaithful on the show. According to Buell, Wes Bergmann is the only one he can think of who stayed in a committed relationship while on The Challenge.

“Bananas dated that girl for a long time, cheated. Cory and everything. Nany …,” Buell noted. And the subject of Stephen Bear and Kailah Casillas was also brought up, as Casillas cheated on her boyfriend with Bear.

“I’m telling you … a group of good-looking people all with a lot of testosterone and estrogen running through them … and alcohol,” Buell added. “And here’s the other thing people forget is you’re only interacting with those people 24 hours a day. … “I think you go to The Challenge, that’s where relationships go to die. And I hate saying it, but it’s the truth. Go on that show single for sure.”

We’re anxious to see how the relationships pan out on Total Madness.

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