MTV 'Challenge' Star Cara Maria Sorbello Talks 'Final Reckoning' Drama, Defending Her Title

Cara Maria Sorbello made “Challenge” history last season on the hit MTV show. She finished in first place on “Vendettas,” taking home a grand prize of $378,750 and becoming the only solo winner in the show’s 31 seasons. Now, she’s back to defend her crown in what could be the wildest season yet.

“It’s insane. I hope they actually do two episodes a week to show everything that happened,” Cara Maria said in an interview with International Business Times.

“The Challenge: Final Reckoning” premieres Tuesday night at 9 p.m. EDT on MTV. It’s being described as the end of a trilogy that started with “XXX: Dirty 30,” for which Cara Maria was one of two runners-up, and continued with “Vendettas.”

“Vendettas” marked the second “Challenge” victory for Cara Maria. It moved her into second place all-time in terms of total money earned behind only Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio. With six trips to the finals and a dominant record in eliminations, Cara Maria might have the best resume of any female competitor that’s ever appeared on the show.

All of Cara Maria’s recent success gave her even more motivation when filming “Final Reckoning.”

“It’s never about the money, ever, to me because the money’s not real until you get that paycheck. What’s real is the feeling of winning, so for me, it’s just never good enough,” Cara Maria told IBT. “I come in with the crown and I come in with a bigger target on my back because people want my spot. They want what I have, and I get it. So I know that I’m gonna have to fight a little harder. I know that I can’t just hide in the corner.

“I’m gonna have my work cut out for me, and I’m here to win. That’s the only reason I ever come on these things—because I want that feeling of winning. I need it.”

Unlike last season, Cara Maria won’t be able to win “The Challenge” on her own. Each contestant on “Final Reckoning” is paired with a partner with whom they’ve recently developed some bad blood. That resulted in Cara Maria being put on a team with Marie Roda.

Marie hasn’t had nearly the same “Challenge” success as Cara Maria. She’s never reached a final in her four seasons, losing four of her five eliminations. Marie was the sixth female eliminated on both “XXX: Dirty 30” and “Vendettas,” and she’s largely known for the drama that she gets involved in outside of the competitions.

“Some of us are there for the party and the TV show like my partner Marie,” Cara Maria said.

It was Cara Maria, however, that made headlines after the upcoming season was filmed because of what happened inside “The Challenge” house. Last month, “Final Reckoning” contestant Paulie Calafiore—known for starring on “Big Brother” and “Ex on the Beach”—confirmed that he cheated on then-girlfriend Danielle Maltby with Cara Maria during the upcoming “Challenge” season.

Cara Maria was forced to address the issue when rumors of the hookup began to spread.

“It’s crazy because the voices of the few that squeal the loudest are the ones that get the most attention,” Cara Maria said when asked about responding to the backlash she received. “If I don’t say anything, then what they say, people perceive as reality. And then if I defend myself, people are like, ‘Look at her, she’s got Twitter fingers’ or ‘she’s playing the victim.’”

Of course, that’s just part of the drama that will unfold on “Final Reckoning.” MTV.com lists 14 teams of two for the upcoming season. That doesn’t include Bananas, who will be on the show with an unknown partner.

“In terms of actual drama, this is the most insane season I’ve ever been on,” Cara Maria said. “Because you’ve got multiple relationships and hookups and breaking up of relationships, and so much is going on. I don’t even know how they’re possibly gonna edit it.”

Bananas experienced an early exit from “Vendettas” when contestants looking to win their first “Challenge” championship targeted the most-decorated player in the show’s history. Because of her prowess in competitions, Cara Maria could face a similar uphill battle in trying to repeat.

Cara Maria has won two of the last three seasons in which she’s competed. She’s reached the finals in three of her last five seasons, coming a long way from her “Challenge” debut. As a rookie on “Fresh Meat II” in 2010, Cara Maria and teammate Darrell Taylor didn’t make it past that first episode.

“I still see the girl that’s scared of every challenge, but I have to fake it until I make it,” Cara Maria said. “I just take it day by day and do the best I can possibly do. I don’t care who I’m going against or what I’m doing or what elimination it is. I never underestimate anybody. It could be anybody’s day, anybody’s game.

“But obviously my record speaks for itself, and I’m proud of it.”