Bachelor in Paradise: Jordan Kimball Says His Brawl with Christian Estrada Was 'Self-Defense'
When Jordan Kimball approached Christian Estrada on the beach in Paradise, he says he had no idea it would end with both of them getting kicked off the show.
Kimball addressed his ousting on the latest episode of The Betchelor podcast, admitting that the situation escalated faster than he expected.
“Things happened between Christian and I much quicker than I thought they were going to,” he said. “I had no intentions of making a physical altercation, I stated that with [host] Chris Harrison right after the fight.”
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The first half of the altercation aired on last Tuesday’s episode of Bachelor in Paradise after Kimball attempted to rip down a piñata Estrada had set up for Nicole Lopez-Alvar because his friend, Clay Harbor, was also wooing her. After a scuffle, Kimball slammed Estrada to the ground, and on Monday’s episode, both contestants were sent home per the show’s zero-tolerance policy toward violence.
Despite their history, Kimball, 27, insists that he “didn’t go over there because I have beef with Christian.” (The two previously got into it during the Men Tell All episode of Becca Kufrin‘s season of The Bachelorette.)
“I went over there because Clay and I are actually friends,” he said. “I didn’t go over there and grab Christian. I didn’t go over there and call him any names or anything. He went a couple of times and tried to strike me.”
“So I tossed him,” he continued. “That was the number one self-defense move of all time. He went down pretty hard and fast. I feel really bad, but I was defending myself. I didn’t pop him in the mouth, I didn’t go after him, it was over. I did what I did to protect myself.”
Kimball said while he understood that he had to leave, he “wasn’t ready [to go home].”
“I was having a ton of fun and it just went south,” he said.
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He was also worried about how fans would react once they saw the fight play out on TV.
“I went home, and I was a little concerned that people were going to come for me,” he said. “I called my dad and some people that are close to me and I was like, ‘It is what it is.’
Ultimately, Kimball stands by his actions.
“I tried to act as maturely as possible,” he said. “But I know there’s a percentage of people who don’t agree with what I did — you’re there for love, and I get that.”
Bachelor in Paradise airs Mondays and Tuesdays (8 p.m. ET) on ABC.
