Here's Why Bachelorette Fans Are Convinced This Contestant Will Win Katie's Season

Season 17 of The Bachelorette just started, but fans are already wondering who — if anyone — snags Katie Thurston’s heart. The Bachelorette is no stranger to onscreen heartbreak (she was eliminated in Week 6 of Matt James’ season), but now’s her chance to finally find the man of her dreams. While a lot could happen between Night One and a potential proposal, first impressions (especially on The Bachelorette) usually mean there’s *something* going on. So, does Greg win Katie’s season? Since he got the First Impression Rose, it’s clear there was an instant connection between the pair.

FWIW: Kate’s not the only one familiar with Bachelor Nation heartbreak. Greg Grippo, a 28-year-old marketing manager from New Jersey, was actually cast on Clare Crawley’s season but ended up not making the cut when it came time to film. That was probably a good thing for Greg in the long run, considering Clare quickly got engaged to her First Impression Rose recipient, Dale Moss.

Despite not making it onscreen for Season 16, Greg was clearly too much of a catch for the producers to let get away, and it looks like Clare’s loss might be Katie’s gain. The duo hit it off from the start, which has fans wondering whether Katie and Greg will go the way of Clare and Dale. It’s def too soon to tell, but the couple looks pretty promising.

Going into the competition, Greg made it clear he was there for Katie. “She’s just a girl I feel like I could really connect with,” he said during his intro package. “Tonight, best-case scenario, she and I hit it off and I find the love of my life.”

That might be exactly what happened. After stepping out of the limo, Greg told Katie he was really choked up and nervous. “I was so happy when I found out you were the Bachelorette,” he told her. “I’m just so happy.” As Greg walked away, Katie said he looked like her ex-boyfriend, which she couldn’t decide was a good thing or a bad thing.

Luckily, the pair got to chat some more at cocktail hour, and that’s when Greg really wowed the Bachelorette. After telling Katie how important his family was to him, Greg gave Katie a handmade pasta necklace made by his niece. Katie was all for it: “There’s something that’s really sticking out about him,” she said after their convo.

While Katie clearly vibed hard with quite a few guys (looking at you, Connor the Cat), she was obviously smitten with Greg. After grabbing the First Impression Rose, she pulled Greg aside and told him that while she knew he was nervous, she was excited to get to know him and then she presented him with the rose. The two sealed their convo with a pretty steamy makeout before she dished out her first round of eliminations.

Whether or not Katie and Greg end up together, only time will tell, but it looks like this could be the start of a “love at first sight” (or at least first rose) situation for Season 17.

Season 17 of The Bachelorette airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.