Old wounds reopen as Rachel and Clayton cross paths on Perfect Match season 3

Perfect Match season 3 premiered on August 1, 2025, and brought back popular faces from Netflix reality shows and other dating series.

One of the biggest surprises this season is the arrival of Rachel Recchia and Clayton Echard from The Bachelor, who share a difficult past.

Their unexpected meeting in the villa quickly becomes a major moment, as it marks the first time Perfect Match has included cast members from The Bachelor.

Back in season 26 of The Bachelor, Clayton broke up with Rachel and another finalist at the same time in a group conversation. This breakup became one of the most talked-about moments in the show’s history. At the time, Rachel said the decision would “haunt” him.

Now, both are back in the dating world, and Rachel’s arrival at the Perfect Match villa surprises Clayton.

Season 3 also brings in contestants from Love Island, Siesta Key, Too Hot to Handle, and more, all looking to find a strong match.

Perfect Match brings back a breakup that changed the Bachelor franchise

 

 

 

 

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Rachel and Clayton’s time on The Bachelor season 26 ended with an emotional and widely discussed breakup.

The situation got worse when Clayton told his final three: Rachel, Gabby, and Susie, that he loved all of them and had been intimate with two.

Susie chose to leave the show upon hearing this, which led Clayton to hold a rose ceremony with only Rachel and Gabby present.

Rachel accepted his rose, but things changed again when Clayton asked Gabby to stay. Both women then met his family, but soon after, Clayton said he was still thinking about Susie.

He later broke up with Rachel and Gabby at the same time, making it the first group breakup in Bachelor history.

At the live finale, Rachel confronted Clayton and said,

“I became collateral damage in your journey for love that was the most completely selfish journey.”

She questioned whether he had told her “I love you” just to sleep with her, to which Clayton replied no, but Rachel made it clear she did not believe him.

Her remarks at the finale reflected the long-lasting impact of that experience.

“You just completely disrespected me not only as someone you love but as a human,” she said.

Back in the villa: Tension, history, and unfinished stories

In Perfect Match season 3, Rachel’s entrance into the villa surprises Clayton and sets off speculation among the other cast members.

The show, which typically focuses on building new relationships through compatibility challenges, now also becomes a space for unresolved issues.

Rachel and Clayton’s reunion marks the first time the Netflix series has drawn directly from The Bachelor franchise.

Their shared past includes not just the group breakup on The Bachelor, but also separate post-show journeys.

Rachel became a co-lead on The Bachelorette season 19, where she got engaged to Tino Franco before the relationship ended due to infidelity.

Clayton, meanwhile, rekindled things with Susie after the show, but they broke up again after nine months, citing the difficulty of healing while in the public eye.

Rachel has also appeared on Bachelor in Paradise season 9, where she explored connections with Sean, Brayden, Tanner, and Jordan. She addressed dating rumors with fellow alum Blake by saying,

“We’re still not a couple. We’re friends.”

The return of both Rachel and Clayton raises questions within the Perfect Match villa.

As they participate in mixers and challenges alongside contestants from shows like Too Hot to Handle, Love Is Blind, and The Circle, their dynamic stands apart.

Rachel once said that Clayton’s actions “would haunt” him. Now that they are both back under the same roof, those words linger in the background of every interaction.

Whether their history leads to new beginnings or more tension, their presence adds another layer to the already complex structure of Perfect Match season 3.

Stay tuned for more updates.