Love Island USA Season 7 took a dramatic turn in Episode 26, which aired on July 1. For the first time, every girl in the villa had to pick a new partner after Casa Amor.
This unexpected twist resulted in major upheaval and confusion in the villa, which left fans appalled and confused. Two islanders—Olandria Carthen and Nic Vansteenberghe—were sent home after the recoupling.
Olandria was dumped when Zak chose to recouple with newcomer Amaya. Nic also had no partner and was sent home following the girl's decisions.
Just when the audience thought the episode was over, the show dropped the truly shocking moment of Olandria, in a car, picking up Nic out on the street.
Their reunion left fans with a massive cliffhanger and rumors of a possible twist in the coming episode.
Tempers were high during the highly emotional episode. Islanders were seen crying, and one contestant even fainted under the intensity of the episode, which resulted in producers needing to step in. The decisions made in the episode created a ton of intensity which made it one of the craziest episodes of the season.
episode 26 was INSANE, like— !? it's about to be completely silent in the villa for the rest of the time left. #LoveIslandUSA pic.twitter.com/UT6jobNYKH
— m o n a è ᥫᡠ(@thejmonae) July 2, 2025
Fan Reactions and What's Next in the Villa
The aftermath of Episode 26 did not only consist of eliminations. Former player Jeremiah Brown recently called out his fellow island mate Ace Greene in an interview, saying Ace is the "ringleader" to the boys and is able to sway people into the next gameplay by influencing them in the villa.
His comments only added to the concerns of group dynamics and gameplay moves happening off-camera.
At the same time, producers are getting backlash from fans who believe some eliminations were unfair or forced. With this new twist on the show, fans are posting socially about who they are looking to be “successful” with.
The production and host Arianna Madix asked followers to be mindful and demonstrate kindness, while also making them aware of the mental health challenges that realities could have.
According to the show page, there are still a few twists coming up, including a "mailbox" feature that will mail secret letters to the islanders, sharing things that are private which will surely add to the intrigue. Plus the possible return of Nic and Olandria; there is so much more to see and hear in the upcoming episodes!
