Riley Christian hit it off big time with Maurissa Gunn on season 7 of Bachelor in Paradise. Riley arrived on the beach after the first rose ceremony, and even though Maurissa had already spent some time with Connor Brennan, she agreed to go on a date with the newcomer. The pair had instant chemistry, and we able to have deep conversations on their very first time. That same night, things got steamy between them in the “boom boom room,” as well.
Now, as Paradise comes to an end, Maurissa and Riley are admittedly “falling in love” with each other. However, they have a big decision to make during the show’s finale — do they want to get engaged before leaving the show, or are they not ready to take that next step just yet? Ahead of the big night, get to know more about Riley here:
1. What Happened To Riley On ‘The Bachelorette’?
Riley was a contestant on season 16 of The Bachelorette, which starred Clare Crawley and Tayshia Adams. Clare started out the season as the Bachelorette, but left after less than two weeks when she got engaged to Dale Moss. That’s when Tayshia stepped in, and Riley was one of the men who she formed a connection with. Riley made it all the way to week 9 on the show, but was eliminated with three other men the week before hometown dates.
2. What Happened Between Riley & His Dad?
On The Bachelorette, Riley made an emotional confession during a group date with Tayshia. He took a lie detector test on the date, where it was revealed that Riley Christian wasn’t his real name. He eventually opened up about why he changed his name from Dwayne Henderson Jr. to Devon Riley Christian following a falling out with his dad. Riley explained that his father had sole custody of him when he was a child, but eventually, he learned more about his father and said he “didn’t like” who he was.
“My mother, she deserved so much,” Riley told Tayshia. “We missed so much time. We went quite a while without really having a relationship and I resented her…based on what he was saying to me.” The fallout led Riley to legally change his name.
3. What Kind Of Lawyer Is Riley?
Riley went to a small college in Ohio, but then moved to Upstate New York, where he attended law school at Syracuse University. Since his graduation from law school, he has been working as an attorney, with a focus in medical malpractice. He currently resides in Long Island City, New York, according to his ABC bio.
4. Riley Is A Sports Agent
In addition to his career as an attorney, Riley also has a passion for sports, and started his own sports representation firm called Reberth. He works as a baseball agent in New York City where he assists players “in their journey to the Majors,” according to the company’s website.
5. Riley Was A College Athlete
Riley was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 30th round after his high school baseball career. He went on to play collegiate baseball at the Division I, Division II and Junior Collegiate levels.