MTV’s ‘The Challenge‘ is an unstoppable reality TV show where contestants team up, go through tough challenges, and compete for a cash prize of a million dollars. Johnny Bananas, the seven-time winner, and Moriah Jadea, the rookie, garnered everyone’s attention in season 38, titled ‘The Challenge: Ride or Dies.’ Fans ship them and can’t get enough of their favorite couple. There seemed to be something romantic brewing between the two, and they kept teasing their fans without giving any concrete answers. So, let’s take a detailed look at the couple’s trajectory and see where they might be headed!
Johnny and Moriah’s The Challenge Journey
Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio is an established reality TV star, most known for having a record-breaking streak on ‘The Challenge.’ On the contrary, Moriah is a social media influencer and a successful model who entered the show as a rookie. She was paired with Faysal Shawn Shafaat AKA Fessy, while Johnny’s partner was Olivia Kaiser. So, even though the two weren’t competing as a team, they managed to be the talk of the town with their chemistry on the show. Most of their moments are behind the scenes because ‘The Challenge’ is competitive, and gameshow romance is rare.
Moriah previously admitted that Johnny wasn’t her type, and she did not reciprocate his initial advances because having a surface-level relationship was not her cup of tea. However, he won her over with his loving actions, such as making her coffee and breakfast. Johnny raised the bar even more when he wrote romantic poetries and love letters and crafted gifts for her.
*Hey Siri can you take me to Hoboken 👍 @moriahjadea #TheChallengeRideorDies #TheChallenge38 pic.twitter.com/zYMaKc6WLA
— Johnny Bananas (@johnnybananas) November 24, 2022
As per the other contestants, Johnny treated her quite differently than his previous flings on the show. When they were not performing stunts, Johnny played guitar to impress Moriah, but she held her ground and did not engage in anything too soon, with respect to her morals and values. Sadly, Moriah’s journey on the show ended before Johnny. Now the fans are eager to know whether the duo took their partnership to the next level or called it quits like many reality show couples.
Are Johnny and Moriah Still Together?
Yes, Johnny and Moriah are still together. However, it is natural for many to be conflicted about their status because the two did not make official statements or express their feelings via obvious posts on their social media profiles. In December 2022, Moriah was the guest on an episode of the ‘Death, Taxes, and Bananas’ podcast, hosted by none other than Mr. Bananas, wherein they discussed the show extensively, but for a brief moment, the two also brushed over their relationship dynamics.
Moreover, we made an interesting observation! Whenever Johnny has a guest over on his podcast, there is a split-screen, and the other person is visibly in a different room (most likely their own). When Moriah was on the podcast, there was a split-screen, but it seemed like she was in the same room! During the podcast, Johnny introduced the rookie and talked about having a “connection” and finding someone he “clicks with.” He jokingly said that their “showmance” had no screen time and addressed their partnership as a “full-blown Challenge relationship.”
Johnny took the opportunity to question her why she felt like he wasn’t his type, to which she promptly replied, “Listen, I will say that in The Challenge house, you get to know people on a different level than on a surface level, do you think me and you would have a long conversation, it would probably be on a surface level.” After that, he compared themselves to Romeo and Juliet and added, “Not to foreshadow people, but that may or may not be how this fairytale comes to a conclusion.”
After the jokes, the two briefly engaged in a serious conversation about how their relationship started a bit rocky. Moriah explained that she is not a “fast person” and how people have a wholly disconnected view of reality show couples. She also recalled an instance when Johnny tried to kiss her while she was drinking tea, but she denied it, and according to her, this helped him understand that he should not jump into it head first and aim for a surface-level relationship. Overall, Moriah and Johnny seemed happy with how things unfolded and the pace of their romance.
After her exit, she posted a reel on Instagram with a lengthy caption about her journey on the show. Johnny was quick to add a witty remark. He commented, “Sorry to see you go, love to watch you leave.” They follow each other on social media but haven’t posted pictures that seal their romantic connection yet. Johnny dated Morgan Willet in the past, but things didn’t work out between them. However, we truly hope that Johnny and Moriah’s relationship blossoms into something more beautiful and that we see more of the duo just being themselves, going on dates, and having a lovely time with each other.
Read More: Is The Challenge Real Or Scripted?
