Welp, Another 'Bachelor' Fan-Favorite Was Officially Eliminated
The final few episodes of The Bachelor brings about not only the coveted Fantasy Suite dates, but also some of the most heartbreaking goodbyes of the season. Despite their obvious chemistry and initial connection, the March 8 episode of the The Bachelor saw Matt James' elimination of Bri Springs. And TBH, the reason he sent the frontrunner home is still baffling to fans. So, let's run down what brought her to this point:
To recap, Bri was the contestant to beat from the very start of Season 25. Despite having hesitations about entering the competition (she almost didn't join the cast due to her secret, high-profile tech job), Bri quickly formed a bond with Matt and scored the first 1-on-1 date of the season. From there, the two connected; they seemed to have a strong physical chemistry as well as a shared experience of growing up in a single-parent household.
During the Feb. 22 hometowns episode, Matt finally got to meet Bri's mom, Lauren, who encouraged Bri to follow her heart and be honest with herself. It was after this pep talk that Bri told Matt she was falling in love with him. Although Matt didn't verbally reciprocate her sentiments, he did give her — as well as Rachael Kirkconnell and Michelle Young — a rose at the post-hometowns rose ceremony, thus setting them up for Fantasy Suites in the March 8 episode.
However, considering Serena Pitt self-eliminated after her hometown, fans theorized Matt was originally going to send Bri home prior to Fantasy Suites, which could explain her elimination after spending the night with Matt.
Speculations aside, Bri was clearly very into Matt during Fantasy Suites. At the start of the March 8 episode, she admitted she wanted to be with Matt for the long haul. “I can envision myself being engaged at the end of this,” she said.
For the daytime portion of their date, the couple met up in the woods for a camping excursion, and after hiking through the forest, they built a fire and pitched a tent. Once Matt told her they weren't actually going to be spending the night in the tent (praise be), Bri opened up and admitted how hard it was to compartmentalize the entire process. When they met up for the evening portion of the date, she went on to tell Matt: "I'm just wanting to know you feel about an engagement coming up. I just want to know where your head is at and see if you're there." After Matt said his conversation with his father helped him feel ready for an engagement (to someone), Bri assured him she was in that headspace as well.
Despite appearing on the same page, when it came time for Matt to hand out roses during the ceremony, Bri went home empty-handed.
“It would have been easy if I could point to one thing and say ‘that’s why,’” Matt said to Bri after walking her out. “It’s just a feeling you have when you’re with somebody, and it has nothing to do with you and who you are and how incredible you are.”
Bri handled the elimination with composure, although she was clearly upset. "I wish I was standing up there still," she said as her car pulled away. And while she admitted the hardest part of being eliminated was knowing Matt would be "moving on to someone else," fans are already speculating whether or not they'll see Bri again in a future franchise season such as The Bachelorette or Bachelor in Paradise. Here's hoping she gets the chance to find love either onscreen or off.
Season 25 of The Bachelor concludes on Monday, March 15, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
