It's officially a summer of love. Which is to say, it's a summer of dating reality shows that we can't stop binge watching. The latest show we've been hooked on? Perfect Match. And now that we've raced through all eight episodes, the question we're asking ourselves is which couples are still together?
In case you need a quick recap, Perfect Match is the Netflix series that gives former reality show stars a second chance at finding love. So, if the faces your screen look familiar, it's probably because you've already seen them on Love is Blind, The Ultimatum and Too Hot to Handle. In fact, this time, we even got to see more reality crossover moments, as series four introduced contestants from Making the Band and Vanderpump Rules. Suffice to say, drama ensued.
The other interesting thing about Perfect Match as opposed to, say, Love Island? It's filmed long before it airs, which means the couples have to give it a shot in the real world before we even get to see them on screen. This season, for example, was filmed last November, leaving months to test their relationship away from the cameras. Which couples have stood the test of time? We're so glad you asked.
DeMari and Marissa
How do we know them? Marissa appeared on Love is Blind, while DeMari won season six of Too Hot To Handle with his now-ex Bri Balram.
Are they still together? No, but that doesn't mean they haven't found love elsewhere since filming.
What went down? The couple paired up early on in the series and smashed the show's compatibility challenges, but ultimately, communication became their downfall. They made it to the show's final, but towards the end, it became pretty clear that they weren't meant to be, with both Marissa and DeMari flirting with other people in the villa. There's no bad blood, though. “We both decided to leave the experience as friends and realised we were better suited that way,” said Marissa in a recent interview. “We spoke briefly afterward, but just left it as a friendship, appreciating the experience we had together.”
The biggest plot twist? Marissa's since got hitched – to someone she dated 13 years ago. “I’m currently married to someone who has been part of my life for a long time,” she said. “Sometimes timing really is everything, and it feels like we finally found ours.” She and her new husband, D. Johnson, eloped in March this year and are now planning a big move to Japan. As for Demari, he's also hoping his next relationship will turn into something more serious. “The next person I date, I want to be my wife,” he said. “I am much more intentional about evaluating partners as such.”
Chris and Kayla
How do we know them? Kayla is Too Hot To Handle alum, while Chris appeared on Age of Attraction.
Are they still together? Um… TBC.
What went down? When Kayla entered the villa as a latecomer, she seemed instantly obsessed with Chris – even though he was dating another contestant, Mackenzie, at the time. The feeling was apparently mutual and he soon jumped ship to be with Kayla. But they didn't make it all the way to the final. First, they were booted off after the rest of the cast voted them to be the least compatible couple. Then, they returned to the villa separately and hooked up with other people – Kayla with Weston, and Chris with Sophie.
But apparently the attraction was still there. During the finale, while sitting next Weston, Kayla confessed that she'd actually rather be there with Chris. “Going through this process would have been an amazing experience with him,” she says. Meanwhile, Chris said he wanted to take Kayla on a date IRL. We've got no confirmation as to whether that actually happened, but fellow cast mate Ally has weighed in on the situation: "Chris was dating Natalie, and now he's dating Kayla again," she said. Most recently, though, Kayla posted on her Instagram stories that she's single. Confused? You're not the only one.
Yamen and Natalie
How do we know them? Yamin was a contestant on Love Island USA and All Stars, while Natalie was on Temptation Island.
Are they still together? Nope. “Just friends,” according to Yemen, at least.
What went down? You know we mentioned that Yamin has been on Love Island: All Stars? Well that was filmed after Perfect Match – which pretty much rules out any possibility of these two still being together. Maybe that's for the best. The couple started out as friends on the series, but decided to explore a romantic connection that got them all the way to the final. So, what went wrong – aside from the minor scheduling conflict that comes with appearing on another dating show?
“Yamen and I don’t talk,” says Natalie. “There’s not necessarily any major bad blood, but we have no relationship.” But that doesn't mean she left the show without any meaningful relationships. Instead, she found a best friend in Nick – in fact, she's even uprooted to Miami where they can all hang out with fellow local castmates Jimmy P. and Hashim. “I was initially drawn to Nick because he seemed very lighthearted, and we were always laughing and having a silly time. We realised our relationship was more platonic than anything else,” she says. “Now, Nick and I are besties and live next to each other in Miami. We hang all the time, and I’m so grateful we met!” All's well that ends well.
Jimmy P. and Ally
How do we know them? Ally made a name for herself on Vanderpump Rules and Jimmy was on Love Is Blind.
Are they still together? No, but not for lack of trying.
What went down? Their time together was tumultuous, to say the least. Despite matching early on, the couple battled with jealousy and feelings for others. When Ally began to explore her feelings for Hashim and Jimmy was forced to leave the villa unmatched, it looked like it was game over. But Perfect Match knows how to deliver a plot twist. The pair rematched just before the finale and ended up leaving the show as a couple.
What's more, they really did try to make it work IRL. The issue? Long distance, with Ally living in LA and Jimmy in Miami. For what it's worth, Jimmy did visit Ally in LA and the couple FaceTimed every night, but in the end, the relationship fell apart. "He had just moved to Miami, and remember, he’s fresh out of the glow up, so he was having fun,” she told Tudum. “I wasn’t ready to really date either. I feel like it was one of those things where we knew, but we didn’t want to admit it, and we did like each other.”
Dave and Sophie
How do we know them? Sophie was on Love Is Blind and Dave was on MAFS: Australia.
Are they still together? Alas, the series' winning couple has split up.
What went down? Sophie and Dave seemed like a match made in heaven – so much so that they won the whole show. But in the real world, their relationship faced one major obstacle. “Unfortunately, there is a whole wide ocean in between us,” Sophie explained to Tudum. “Lack of communication and effort resulted in us having a conversation to just remain friends.”
To be fair, a UK-to-Australia time difference is tricky for anyone to navigate, even when you're head over heels. The good thing is that both Dave and Sophie are still grateful to have met each another. “I feel like the opportunity to do Perfect Match taught me to go with my gut. Take the risk, have fun, and be yourself,” said Dave. And Sophie echoed the same sentiment: “It showed me that when you feel comfortable and safe with a person, your true, authentic self shines and feelings are even more magnified.” Worth it, if you ask us.
Jimmy S. and Alison
How do we know them? Alison was on Building the Band and (curveball!) before Perfect Match, Jimmy hadn't appeared on any reality TV shows. His credentials instead came from his former basketball career and TikTok following.
Are they still together? Apparently they're “figuring things out."
What went down? The pair instantly hit it off on their first date and stayed strong throughout the entire season. “It’s not every day you meet someone who truly sees you and who you share so many values with,” Alison told Tudum. “So once we connected, I knew he was the person I was supposed to meet on the show.” Even once they'd left the villa, it looked like things were going to work out. Jimmy visited Alison in LA, met all her friends and they even celebrated Thanksgiving together.
But things took a turn when Jimmy was hit by a wave of “post-villa depression”, finding life a little overwhelming after his time on the show. “We ended up pausing things for a bit with on-and-off communication, because he had a difficult time adjusting back to real life post-filming,” said Alison. Now, though, the pair are giving it another shot. “We’re good now and still exploring our connection without any pressure, labels, or expectations,” said Jimmy, who's even introduced Alison to his family. So even though they're not officially together, it seems like they're the strongest couple from the season. Only time will tell if they can go the distance.
