In season 3 ofPerfect Match, Clayton Echard reunited with his ex Rachel Recchia but ended things with her just 24 hours later Speaking to PEOPLE about the dramatic ordeal, Clayton explains how he came to that decision and why he stands by it today Rachel and Clayton previously dated when they were onThe Bachelorseason 26 together Warning: This story contains spoilers from the first six episodes of Netflix'sPerfect Matchseason 3. Clayton Echardknows his journey onPerfect Matchseason 3didn't go quite to plan, but he's standing by his actions. In episode 3 of the new season, Clayton's exRachel Recchiaentered the villa, sparking some curiosity and heightened emotions for the two after they first attempted to find love onThe Bachelor. After deciding to match up for the night — a decision that was initially met by some hesitance by Rachel — Clayton ultimately ended things hours later, claiming his "intuition was telling me that this is not going to work between us." In an interview with PEOPLE, Clayton, 32, clarifies why he ended things and reiterates that his intuition was a massive factor in his decision. "I'm glad they showed that... I was hoping they were going to," he says of speaking about his intuition. "I don't really think there's a specific answer other than it was a feeling." "When I woke up, my heart dropped, and I felt this pit in my stomach and I realized, 'That wasn't the right decision,'" he explains. "At that point, I gave it the day, made sure that that was the correct feeling and that it didn't go away. And it didn't. And so at that point I thought, 'This is hard, but it's only going to be worse if I try to drag it and take more time.'" The reality star adds that he "was very decisive" and knew he had to act quickly. "I just had to end it," he says. "I never had any intention of hurting her. Unfortunately, in dating shows, there's emotions attached, so it's hard to get out unscathed." Netflix "I think it's going to be a split," he says. "I think there's going to be half people that understand, there's going to be a large swathe of people that are going to attack me for it. But truthfully, I did what I thought was best, and I stand by that." "So the negativity that comes my way, if that's how people feel, that's fine," he adds. "ButI did what I thought was best. And so I stand by that." He's also not ruling out the potential for finding love on reality TV down the line, despite his lucky turns onThe Bachelorette,The BachelorandPerfect Match. "I'm open to anything. I don't know if dating shows are maybe my forte, but maybe if the right one comes around, I'll give it a shot," he says. Craig Sjodin/Getty After Rachel's entrance and their matching up in episode 3, things took a turn in episode 4. Clayton sat Rachel, 29, down and explained that he needed to talk to her so he didn't "drag something out." Rachel immediately connected the dots and grew emotional as she told her ex, "I can't do it again." But Clayton insisted his intentions were pure. "My intuition was telling me that this is not going to work between us, and I don't want to hurt you," he said. "That's why I'm having this conversation as soon as possible." He later added: "My intuition kicked in today and I'm like, I can't do this." Rachel broke down in tears as she asked him, "Why would you even put me in this position?" She then ran off, only to be consoled by her fellow female costars. "He literally did it again. This is the third time he's done this to me," she said. "He does not give a s--- about me." Brenda Islas/NETFLIX (2) As fans know, Rachel and Clayton initially tried to find love onThe Bachelor. At the time, Clayton was the leading man of season 26, and declared that he was in love with his three finalists — Rachel,Gabby WindeyandSusie Evans. He then decided to send Susie home, but later realized he wanted to pursue things with her — andbroke upwith Rachel and Gabby. Clayton went on to date Susie afterwards, but theyannounced their splitin a jointInstagram statementin September 2022. https://people-app.onelink.me/HNIa/kz7l4cuf Speaking to PEOPLE about their short reunion onPerfect Match, Rachel says she's not sure "if I ever really felt comfortable" about giving Clayton another chance. "I was doubting myself the whole time, but I think I never really got a full answer leavingThe Bachelor. And there's always been this 'what if?'" she shares. "Even for the audience, everyone still wonders 'what if?' And I think I knew that no matter what, I was going to get my answer. And I did." After Clayton ended things with Rachel, he decided to leave the villa after realizing there were no other potential matches for him to explore. He exited, content that he was able to finally get closure with Rachel, while Rachel went on to match withLove Island USAalum Scott van-der-Sluis. Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The first six episodes ofPerfect Matchseason 3 are now streaming on Netflix. Additional episodes will drop weekly through the finale on Aug. 15. Read the original article onPeople
