Season 7 of "Love Island USA" ended with a dramatic twist that left fans both shocked and entertained. Huda Mustafa, 24, and Chris Seeley, 27, the couple who finished third, broke up just hours before the live finale results were announced. Their split was not only unexpected but also marked a first in the show's history, as it was the first time a couple dissolved during the finale itself.
Their relationship, which blossomed late in the season, appeared strong enough to make it all the way to the final four couples. Yet, behind the scenes, tensions had been simmering for days. According to a production insider, Huda and Chris nearly walked out of the villa before the live results ceremony, wanting to quit the show altogether. However, contractual obligations forced them to stay and face the public vote.
One of the most telling moments came during a blowout fight where Huda demanded Chris cuddle with her, counting down from three when he declined. This confrontation pushed Chris to the edge, with a source revealing, "He lost his mind a bit... a lot of emotions were sky high." The tension was so thick that crew members feared it might derail the entire finale, which they had hoped would end on a high note.
Their final date was equally fraught with emotion and awkwardness. Set on a candlelit platform floating on water, the evening was meant to be romantic but instead became a stage for confrontation. Huda expressed feeling unwanted, telling Chris, "I'm having to pull your arms over me. When you don't want to do it, it gives me a sense of rejection, which hurts." Chris responded bluntly, "My mama don't talk to me like that. I'm not going to let someone I'm talking to talk to me like that." This exchange culminated in Huda saying, "I think we should just be friends," to which Chris replied, "OK, cool. No hard feelings. I already knew. I've been waiting for you to say it."
After this, the couple returned to the villa visibly broken up. Chris told the other men, "I don't give a f**K anymore," while Huda declared she was leaving with "a clear mind." The pair refused to share a bed that night, with Chris opting to sleep outside. In a final act of tension, Chris declined to carry Huda over the water to protect her shoes, forcing her to remove her heels and walk back alone. This moment sparked much discussion among viewers, with some finding Chris's behavior unintentionally humorous during the awkward breakup.
Earlier in the week, an accidental pillow fight resulted in Huda, who had recently undergone rhinoplasty, sustaining a bandaged nose after Chris accidentally hit her. This incident added to the mounting stress between them.
In interviews following the finale, Chris and Huda opened up about their breakup, providing more context to the public spectacle. Chris, a professional basketball player, told Us Weekly that he was caught off guard by the public reaction and the memes that followed. He explained that when he returned to their final date after stepping away, he asked Huda why she was crying and said, "OK, I clearly understand where you're coming from, but it was your decision to make." He felt she was presenting him with an ultimatum about whether he would carry her through the water or make her walk, which "rubbed me the wrong way because, of course, I'm a gentleman." He added, "I tried to help her down, but if she wasn't getting carried, then she didn't want to be helped at all. That is why I walked away."
Huda, however, disagreed with Chris's portrayal of events. She stated bluntly, "He did not want to do that. Let's be real here. That man did not want [to carry me or help me]." She also revealed that Chris often wanted her to "shut up," a behavior she found unacceptable and triggering due to past relationships. "I'm not letting a man talk to me like that," she said, emphasizing that this was a significant factor in her decision to end things.
Huda made it clear she had no regrets about the breakup, saying, "Everyone has their opinions. I know exactly how I want it to be treated in a relationship and I'm not going to settle." She also refused to fake happiness for the sake of the finale, stating, "I really didn't care about winning. I really wanted to leave with my person. And if this isn't my person, then I'm not leaving with you. I don't care if it's the finale, I'm not leaving and not being genuine about my connection."
Chris denied pushing Huda to be the one to end the relationship. He acknowledged that he had hoped to work on some issues outside the villa because he did like her. "I didn't think it was gonna go down like that, but she made that decision and we're just gonna live with it," he said. He also referenced the earlier argument where Huda counted down from three after he playfully hit her with a pillow, indicating he knew the breakup was imminent.
The fallout from their split was felt not only by the couple but also by the show's production team. One insider criticized their behavior, calling their attitudes "unacceptable and selfish" and saying, "They ruined part of the finale." Despite the chaos, Huda and Chris secured third place, making their breakup a historic first for "Love Island USA."
Their dramatic exit has sparked widespread conversation among fans and critics alike, highlighting the pressures and emotional complexities of reality TV relationships. As viewers continue to dissect every awkward moment and heated exchange, the story of Huda and Chris serves as a vivid reminder that not all love stories on "Love Island" end with happily ever after.
