‘The Bachelorette’ Recap: Sumo Wrestling, Snakes & Sex Ed

The Bachelorette, with Kaitlyn Bristowe as the woman looking for a husband, continued to thrust the eligible bachelors out of their comfort zones Monday night.

The Bachelorette Recap

Since The Bachelorette has started to use the Rose Ceremony as each episode’s cliffhanger, Monday night kicked off back with Kupah having a meltdown after Kaitlyn decided to boot him out of the house during the cocktail hour. When she confronts him as he mouths off to the crew, he pleads with her to let him stick around, but her mind is made up. During the Rose Ceremony, Kaitlyn also sends home Cory and Daniel.

The following day, Joe, J.J., Tony, Chris, Clint and Shawn B. are invited to the first group date, which revolves around sumo wrestling. The men are taught the art by famed sumo wrestlers Yama and Byamba. Outfitted in their skimpy mawashi garments the guys leave little to the imagination as they face-off against the pros one-by-one. Tony decides to give it all he’s got, but then storms out of the ring, leading Kaitlyn to follow him. After first ignoring her, Tony goes off on her about what he sees as another violent date, and how he wants to go on a boat ride. J.J. further riles Tony up before Jonathan and Ian try to calm him down.

Kaitlyn once again went off to find Tony and explained that she saw the date as being something fun to do, rather than violent. Tony tells her he just wants her to get to know the full him, a man who “sees through the eyes of a child, has the heart of a warrior, and soul of a gypsy.” He doesn’t want to return to his more primal self. Kaitlyn tells him that if he’s uncomfortable with the sumo, he doesn’t have to do it and doesn’t have to go to the exhibition later if he doesn’t want to either.

Tony ultimately decides not to go to the sumo exhibition, where Kaitlyn gets into her own mawashi and goes up against one of the sumo wrestlers. For the round robin tournament, Kaitlyn urges the guys to keep it fun and easygoing. However, Clint has a different plan. The former wrestler pulls out his best moves, tossing the guys one-by-one and winning the competition. His ego getting the best of him, Clint decides to play hard-to-get during the drinks part of the date. She calls him out on trying to be too cool, but not before she has some alone time with Shawn, to whom she gives the rose after he admits he’s never fallen so hard so fast.

Instead of choosing her one-on-one date partner herself, Kaitlyn is subjected to a surprise one-on-one by Chris Harrison, who picks Ben Z. for the outing. The Bachelorette host decided to give them a trust and communication date that exposes some of their worst fears – birds for Kaitlyn and snakes for Ben. After finding the final clue in a disgusting bathroom with snakes sliding all over the floor, the two make it out. Over wine and pizza, Ben Z. opens up to Kaitlyn about he hasn’t cried since his mother passed 11 years ago.

Kaitlyn’s unconventional second group date of the week brings Jonathan, Ben H, Joshua, Ryan, Jared and Tanner to a classroom, where they will each teach a sex education topic. Joshua has it the worst trying to explain female puberty to the young kids, but it’s Ryan who makes the most inappropriate gaffes talking about female anatomy. Jared does a passable rap, but it’s Ben H. who stands out with his endearing lesson on reproduction.

Afterwards, Joshua pulls Kaitlyn aside for some time alone in which he confesses that he didn’t have his first kiss until college. Kaitlyn, who’s a bit taken aback, tells the cameras that he needs to “step it up because time is a tickin’.” Ben H. does step it up, kissing and dipping her. Kaitlyn also connects with Jared during their alone time, convincing him that he’ll get the date rose – but is goes to Ben H.

Throughout the episode, the much-hyped bromance between J.J. and Clint played out. The two pals seemed to spend every waking moment together – hot tubs, football, guitar playing, and even showering. Clint admits to the cameras that he’s no longer there for Kaitlyn, but wants to stick around to hang out with J.J., so he finally stops playing hard-to-get and woos her back. Then, the guys decide it’s time to reveal what Clint and J.J. are really like to Kaitlyn. After hearing Clint’s name from a number of sources, Kaitlyn pulls him away for a talking to – that won’t be shown until next week.

The Bachelorette airs Mondays on ABC at 8/7c.