Clayton Echard and Rachel Recchia’s brief reunion on Netflix’s Perfect Match sparked notable drama that extended beyond what viewers saw on camera. The pair, who previously met on The Bachelor in 2022, attempted to rekindle their relationship during the reality dating show.However, the emotional intensity surprised Echard, who told Parade magazine in an exclusive interview on August 8, 2025, “I just assumed it would be a little bit more subdued, which was an incorrect assumption, but that’s what I thought would happen.”Their breakup led to a private conversation and apology not shown in the episodes, highlighting family concerns and personal feelings that influenced their dynamic.What Clayton Echard shared about Rachel Recchia’s reaction after their split on Perfect Match season 3The breakup and apology behind the scenesBLK CHILD. @reaady2loveLINKi'm watching perfect match for my bachelor nation babes and no one has been a good enough match in my eyes for rachel recchia. that clayton plotline was nuts, glad that's over.During the Perfect Match filming, Rachel Recchia arrived in Tulum, Mexico, and after a date with Freddie Powell, she encountered Clayton Echard. Echard immediately ended things with Juliette Porter to pursue Recchia. However, the match ended within 24 hours. Echard explained to Parade, “What people saw the night of the breakup was pretty close to what happened. There wasn’t really a lot of other context around it.”He further revealed that the next day involved a private talk where both exchanged apologies. He explained that they sat and talked, and he apologized to her. She apologized to him as well, mentioning that her strong upset was because she felt "embarrassed" to go back to him after her family advised against it. Echard added,“She basically said what she said on camera... She was embarrassed."According to Clayton, Rachel was essentially embarrassed because her family and friends would question her "choice," and people online would question why she returned after all the pain he caused her, which she found embarrassing.Clayton’s perspective on Rachel’s reaction View this post on Instagram Instagram PostClayton Echard acknowledged the intensity of Recchia’s reaction, noting it differed from what he expected. He explained that he understood her feelings and told her she did not need to apologize. However, he admitted he was somewhat surprised by how strong her emotional response was, as he did not anticipate that level of intensity from her.He also compared their breakup on Perfect Match to their previous relationship on The Bachelor. “It felt like it was the same emotional response that I got when we were on The Bachelor. And again, just my perception, I was like, ‘This feels like they’re the exact same response.’ But, we had a month together on a show when we first met. It’s [now] been three years.”Echard’s statement reflects his assumption about the emotional state of their interaction, which he later identified as “an incorrect assumption.” The difference in expected and actual reactions stemmed from the unresolved feelings and external pressures influencing their behavior.Events after the breakup in season 3Rachel from Perfect Match season 3 (Image via Instagram/@pilot.rachel)Following their breakup and mutual apologies, Echard decided Recchia should go on a date with a new contestant, Scott Van-der-Sluis. Their match led to Echard’s elimination from the competition.The second set of Perfect Match season 3 episodes began releasing on August 8, 2025, with the finale scheduled for August 15. These episodes continue to show the developments among the contestants, including the aftermath of Echard and Recchia’s brief reunion.Season 3 of Perfect Match is available to stream anytime on Netflix.