Cara Maria Sorbello has always been on my screen since I’ve been watching The Challenge (and it’s been years). Now, I’ll admit that when she first started, I didn’t look at her as the strongest competitor. She was considered weak and an easy target. Swimming was her biggest weakness. Cara Maria often cried or complained during the early challenges, which usually turned other players against her. And while endurance used to be a big question mark for the equine lover, she finally buckled down and became the champ we all know she could be.
Since her evolution, Cara Maria has made sure to step up. During her 15 seasons, she has won three times and had ten final appearances. No female contestant has had more elimination wins than her 13-5 record. She also had a streak where she reached six straight finals. So, while she used to be the biggest crybaby, she is now taking all her wins to the bank.
Cara Maria has enemies
You don’t become a champion on The Challenge without making a few foes. Cara Maria’s biggest challenge is keeping Laurel Stucky on her side. With 20 daily challenge wins, an elimination record of 10 wins, three losses, and one final win, she is one of the most decorated Challenge contestants of all time. Now, with The Challenge: Battle of the Eras episodes airing, fans are getting to see the two alpha females reunite and rehash some of their long-standing issues. One of those rivalries has continued throughout the franchise’s history, from MTV’s series to a recent spin-off.
During Paramount+’s The Challenge All Stars 4 season, Laurel and Cara Maira competed for the win, with Laurel coming out on top. The two seemed on good terms until Cara watched the season back and didn’t like what Laurel had been saying behind her back. The two used to be friends, so where did it all go wrong?
Laurel Stucky is not holding back
During a recent podcast on Off the Rails with Morgan Willett, Laurel shared her true feelings on her costar and former friend. Of Cara Maria, the champ noted, “It should be obvious. She wants to beat me, and she can’t.” Laurel went as far as to suggest that Cara was obsessed with beating her, adding it’s “All Cara talks about. ” For Laurel, “It gets complicated when she takes the game into describing someone’s character. I don’t think she has a good grasp on separating the show from real life.”
But Laurel isn’t just a heart of stone. She shared that before The Challenge 40, “some apologies were made. I had asked her if she could apologize for some of the words that she used that really hurt my feelings.” And even though the two might still have some mending to do for Laurel, “At the end of the day, it’s a game. I’m playing a game.”
What’s the beef between Laurel and Cara Maria anyway?
During the podcast, it came to light that Cara Maria believed that her former friend had called her a “fool” for dating Abram Boise. But according to Laurel, those words never left her lips. However, Cara went on a verbal rampage about how Laurel had rekindled her connection with Nicole Zanatta during All Stars 4. Cara refused to apologize, which, in turn, turned Laurel off of mending a friendship. Laurel then joked, “Then we get on the plane, and I’m like, ‘There you are again,’” describing the flight to Vietnam for Season 40. The host then asked who the most underrated player was when it came to The Challenge, to which Laurel answered, “I’ll just say it. Cara.”
I don’t think Cara Maria is a top-five competitor, but she is scrappy. Cara Maria has always been different. The bohemian has openly talked about sex and her love of pain, which made housemates uncomfortable at times. There is no doubt she likes to be different. But her journey from being kicked off first to becoming a real-life contender can’t be disregarded. Even though she can be quite self-absorbed, that personality trait doesn’t take away from her talent and ability to win.
TELL US — DO YOU THINK LAUREL AND CARA MARIA WILL MAKE UP?
