‘The Challenge’: Melissa Talks ‘Difficult’ Experience, Claims About Kyland Romance

Melissa Reeves’ time on The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion was nothing short of dramatic. Between being targeted by the house alongside her friend Tula “Big T” Fazakerley and having tiffs with multiple cast members, Melissa surely left her mark on this season. During an interview with PopCulture.com about her experience on The Challenge, the reality star shared where she stands with her fellow cast members and dispelled a major rumor related to her showmance with Kyland Young. 

In the episode prior, Melissa’s friend and ally, Big T, was eliminated by mercenary Kaycee Clark. Both of their eliminations came after weeks of being targeted and, apparently, weeks of isolation while in the house. Melissa called the experience “difficult” especially in comparison to other seasons that she’s done.

“After [Big T] left, I felt like there was something missing from the house, and I did find myself roaming the corridors alone and just feeling very… I felt empty,” Melissa said. “And it was hard, and I didn’t really have many friends in there. And it wasn’t a great experience. Even while she was there, it was hard for both of us, but at least we had each other. But then after she left, it was even harder again. So, part of me thinks maybe mentally was that an aspect of why I was kind of mentally, not done, but not as positive and as determined.”

Melissa explained that the last time she was on The Challenge, Total Madness, she was stuck in a bunker with the rest of the cast, and that was a more enjoyable experience for her than her most recent turn on the reality series. “I enjoyed sitting in an underground bunker more with no windows or oxygen because the people that we had were so much better to be around,” she said. “And it shows you that it’s not always the environment that you’re in, it is the people that you’re with. So we did really miss the vets there, and not only just in a friendly way, but in a fun and entertaining way.”

Despite her experience on Battle for a New Champion not being the best, Melissa still spiced things up. Like the true, dynamic reality TV personality that she is, she had dramatic moments with several contenders including Nurys Mateo, Ravyn Rochelle, Berna Canbeldek, and Asaf Goren. Now that the season is over, and the reunion is fast approaching, is Melissa planning on making amends with anyone?

“I couldn’t care enough to reconcile with them. They’re just irrelevant to me now,” she said. “It’s just the whole experience, they put such a negative spin on that entire experience. And then after leaving the show, we’ve all spoken and kind of made up, not really spoke about how things were, but just being [on] TV. And then [they went] back to just being mean again when it’s come out.

The drama surrounding Melissa’s time on The Challenge wasn’t exclusive to the screen. She was also involved in some social media drama, including one situation with an ex who claimed that she cheated on him with Kyland while she was competing on the season. He also alleged that he was taking care of her daughter, Vienna, while all of this was supposedly going down. Melissa set the record straight and said that her parents were watching her daughter and that her ex only saw her a couple of times while filming was underway. She added, “We had broken up before the show. Now, it came out, and he’s seen us with Kyland … He doesn’t like watching something, which is fair enough. It’s not nice to see. But it was done before the show, and it’s still done now.” Melissa also said that her ex apologized to her after tweeting negative things about the matter. 

With that dilemma cleared up, the only question is where things stand with Melissa and Kyland. According to Melissa, they’re not pursuing a romantic relationship, largely in part due to living in two separate parts of the world. However, there’s no bad blood there, as she said, “I mean, he’s a nice guy, and we’ll always be friends.”

The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion airs on Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. ET on MTV. Stay tuned to PopCulture.com for Challenge coverage all throughout Season 39.