DC ExtraTime: AYTO Meets The Bachelor

Following are excerpts from DCBLOG posts during Are You The One? Second Chances earlier this year, reposted in the interest of readers and fans of The Bachelor following events that happened with our subject during Bachelor in Paradise this past summer.

BY DC CUEVA                     

■ @DC408Dxtr  @ TW / IG / YT

ORIGINAL POST: Following Week 3 of Second Chances

WORLDS COLLIDE: AYTO MEETS THE BACHELOR

And from a group of AYTO originals to a group of AYTO losers -- of course, we're talking about the Season 5 cast, and two of them meeting one of those Bachelors... if you know someone who also loves watching The Bachelor and The Bachelorette like my mom, then it's likely they know about Robby Hayes, who came on last summer's installment of The Bachelorette as one of those 24 guys who went to Thailand for a chance to land the woman of their dreams: former Bachelor contestant JoJo Fletcher.
   The former competitive swimmer described himself in his cast bio as a hopeless romantic like Ryan from season 1 because, as he added, "...there is nothing more satisfying than a genuine, big smile from the girl you would give the world to." Robby made it all the way to the end and to the final two last summer before JoJo chose Packer quarterback Aaron Rodgers' brother Jordan Rodgers to not only be the last one standing, but also shortly after get engaged and currently have wedding dates planned.
   The runner-up hasn't found love just yet, but he did get to hang out with Season 5's Kathryn and Tyler down in Miami over the weekend. And here's something that links Tyler with the Bachelor, The Challenge and a hip-hop heavyweight: last week, Robby signed with modeling firm Wilhelmina Models, which comes on the heels of Nicki Minaj adding a modeling deal to her broad resume alongside being in the headlines of late in having a public beef with rival rapper Remy Ma. Tyler does modeling work for Wilhelmina, as does CJ from Real World Cancun and two Challenges.

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FOLLOW-UP: During Week 5 of AYTO Second Chances

IS THAT BACHELOR GUY DATING THAT AYTO BLONDE?

A week or so ago, we told you about the night at a club in Miami where two members of the Are You The One? Season 5 cast got to hang out with the man who finished runner-up on The Bachelorette last summer. Well for one of them, this has turned not only from just them hanging out in South Beach into something a little bit more.
   Rumors have been circulating that in the wake of the loss that rocked the MTV Trifecta (at least until Laurel lost this past week's Challenge elimination to Camila), that Kathryn from the most recent AYTO cast has been seeing Robby Hayes from my mom's favorite show. And last weekend, the two posted Instagram pictures from when they went to a zoo in Jacksonville, and sparked some additional talk when in an additional photo with Robby, Kathryn captioned, "They say Florida State has the best looking students.... I agree," referencing to them being fellow Seminoles.
   Kathryn & Robby can thank their parents for bringing them together as as her mom is friends with an acquaintance who knows his sister, who no doubt enjoyed watching them on romantic reality TV. But, Kathryn clarified to E! News that this relationship is, for right now, nothing more than a good friendship:

"We've been talking a little bit over Instagram and then he got my number and then we chatted a little. We went out. He invited me to his event in Fort Lauderdale so we hung out then. We had a great time. We were at the zoo, but we're not taking things too seriously right now because Bachelor in Paradise is an option [for him] so we're just sitting back and seeing what happens. Right now, he's a really great guy and I enjoy hanging out with him. We had a lot of fun."

As for Robby, he talked to US Weekly about this latest romance and echoed Kathryn's word that they're just friends and that he's still on the market, just as he is on the shortlist to be on this summer's Bachelor in Paradise:

"We enjoy getting to know each other and have fun hanging out. She's a super sweet girl, but there’s nothing too serious going on. We’re definitely not dating. We have a mutual knowledge of reality TV, so it’s fun to talk to her about that and share our experiences. We're Florida born and raised, so we have a lot in common."

But, there might be something out there for Robby & Kathryn some 3,000 miles away along I-10: recently he and best friend (and fellow Bachelor contestant) Chase McNary moved in with fellow Bachelor alum Jef Holm out in Venice Beach, and she may make the ride too. Robby adds, "She wants to move out to L.A. and that was something she wanted to do before I met her. She wants to get a house out here with Shannon and Carolina from her show, which I encouraged. I’d love to hang out with her here. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t."
   Whatever the case, once again this small world of reality TV again has produced another crossover romance - this time with a show I love and a show my mom loves. And with a lot in common, Kathryn may have found her true perfect match in Robby. We'll see how this one ends up.

- I AM DC