Warning: This story contains spoilers from “Perfect Match” Season Two.
“Perfect Match” Season Two star Tolú Ekundare is sharing why the spark between her and Dom Gabriel instantly burned out — and she’s not mincing words.
In the second season of the Netflix reality dating series, which released its first six episodes June 7, Tolú is among the original group of contestants that move into the Tulum villa and begin their journey to find their ideal match. She initially gravitates toward Izzy Zapata (“Love Is Blind” Season Five) but later develops a connection with Dom Gabriel (“The Mole” and “Perfect Match” Season One) after they go on a blind date.
“Our energy was matching. It was giving rom-com plus Dom,” she says in Episode Two. She opts to pursue the connection with the Season One winner. As a result, Izzy leaves the villa.
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Tolú, who originally appeared on “The Trust: A Game of Greed,” repeatedly gushes about her chemistry with Dom and the two prove their compatibility by winning the “If You Know, You Know” challenge in Episode Four. But when they go on their second date as a reward, the conversation is stilted and they seem to lack any magnetism.
“The Mole” star points out the sudden “tension” in their partnership when they visit The Boardroom to select who will enter the villa next.
Tolú says Dom has changed and she was “played from the jump.” So, she sends herself on a date with Jake Cunningham (“The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On” Season One) and cuts ties with Dom.
What went wrong so quickly? Well, Tolú has some thoughts about their brief romance and tells TODAY.com where she thinks it all went wrong.
“(My) eyes started opening after that first night that we were matched, when he went from, like, you know, funny and charming to doom and gloom,” she shares.
She describes Dom’s energy as “draining” when they were paired together in Episode Four.
“It was really depressing. It made me feel like maybe I was too much. And I had to mute myself down because I genuinely felt, like, I don’t think this dude likes me as a person. Like, it’s obvious he doesn’t like me romantically,” Tolú recalls.
The reality television star remembers their awkward cooking date being another eye-opening experience.
“That was when I said, ‘OK, wait a second. Because you’re supposed to be going on a date with me, right? But literally, the whole cooking date was you just interacting with the cooking instructor.’ This man barely spoke to me, barely looked at me,” she says.
Tolú continues, “And I said, ‘Why do you have personality for her and you have the personality of a wet potato for me?’”
She says her attempts to talk about their fading connection were shut down.
“Every single time I would talk to him he would be like, (ed. note: in Dom’s voice) ‘Ugh, I’m conserving my social battery right now,’” she explains.
Tolú says she felt like she was being blamed for his lack of energy.
As Tolú decides to pursue other options, Dom chooses to focus on contestant Alara Taneri (“Dated and Related”) instead. Tolú tells TODAY.com that she was unaware at the time that he was interested in Alara. She says Dom confirmed he wanted to explore their connection the same night he expressed interest in Alara.
“So at that point, I was like, ‘OK, look, I’m not going to sit around and be played for a goofy. Like, I am here for a reason. You’re obviously here for a season. Oh, Season Two,” she quips.
In Episode Five, Tolú unexpectedly matches with Chris Hahn (“Dated and Related”). Dom appears to be surprised to hear this news and ends the night without a connection, causing him to exit the villa.
“It feels bittersweet leaving because I did come here to find my person, but I made the decision that led me to here. And that’s OK, you know. That’s on me. I’m not trying to throw a pity party for me or anything,” he says in his last interview.
After Dom’s departure, Chris and Tolú’s budding romance, which began as a strong friendship in the previous episodes, heats up. She reciprocates his feelings, but seems slightly skeptical.
“We are literally the most unlikely couple in the house,” she repeats in Episodes Five and Six.
Fans will find out in the next group of episodes, out June 14, if Tolú’s new match will give her the love story she’s been waiting for.
Ariana Brockington
Ariana Brockington is a trending news reporter at TODAY digital. She is based in Los Angeles.
