by Gina Scarpa

After 17 years of avoiding elimination rounds, Mark Long finally had to face the music this week on The Challenge: Battle of the Exes and go up against friend and ally Johnny Bananas in The Dome. Mark and Robin fought hard in the X Battle against Johnny and Camila but couldn't pull off a win, and were eliminated right before the final challenge. Today, we talked to the MTV vet and fan favorite in an exclusive interview about everything from his partner's emotions to rumors he's retiring!

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: So tell me, was it awkward to be paired with Robin as your ex, especially considering you have a girlfriend now?
A. Mark: I mean, I speak to Robin on very few occasions. We haven't been in that type of relationship in YEARS, probably in six or seven years. I've seen her a lot in between that as friends so it wasn't really weird. She was down there to do a job and try to make money and I was down there to enjoy the experience. It was perfect timing for me. I thought it would be a great time to go back and I was in shape at the time. There was no weirdness because I told my girlfriend before I went and she gave me the green light. She knew I wasn't gonna be a maniac.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: I think you guys are right and Robin really did break a record for the most tears shed on a Challenge. What was all of the emotion about?!
A. Mark: Yeah! I don't know her home life and the stress that she has at home because I'm just not that close with her. I think that Paula said it the best when we were talking: Unless you're having fun on these challenges, you shouldn't come back. Yeah, we're there to do cool stuff and win money but it's not life changing money. We're not competing for one million dollars. The stakes are not that intense. Paula said, "If you're not having fun, then why come?" You wanna have the experience and look back and think, "That was great!" but I don't know. I don't wanna speak for her. Maybe being a mother makes her emotional. I wish I had a better answer for you.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Tell me more about your friendship with Johnny. Is it really a friendship outside of the game?
A. Mark: Johnny and I have been friends for years. He's done a couple of charity events I did in Florida. He's been to my hometown, he's met my family, partied with my friends - Johnny and I actually have hung out a lot of times outside of The Challenge. We've done appearances at colleges. We had a formula to protect each other in the game and it lasted for a while. We had a good run at it.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: That final Dome, the X Battle, just seemed so brutal and exhausting. What went wrong for you guys?
A. Mark: Well, Robin kind of like lost her fight, even the day we were going in. She was like, "I don't care..." but for me, I got so beat up in that jet challenge the day before. We didn't get home until late at night and I knew I was kind of going in and I didn't wanna be a party pooper and not go out. We went out pretty late, I got no rest, and the next day came around so fast. I wish I had a couple more days to regroup but it was a weird thing. You're not wrestling, you're not fighting, you're just trying to get in the best position. It's awkward. Don't get me wrong. And you can print this. Outside of this show, if I meet Johnny Bananas in an alley, he's getting his ass whooped up and down. I gotta practice my X Battle. Maybe I'll set one up on the beach for us and film it for YouTube.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Please do! So I read on Twitter (@themarklong) that you'll address retiring from The Challenge on the reunion. Can you tell us anything or are we just going to have to wait to see what you have to say about it?
A. Mark: The big reunion is April 4th. At the reunion, hosted by The Miz, he addresses my retirement and I give him an honest opinion of how I'm feeling. I don't wanna really show my cards but it's definitely going to be some shocking information.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Fair enough. Okay, you have to be at least a LITTLE bit glad that you didn't have to do the final challenge. I think Robin would've curled up in the fetal position on a glacier.
A. Mark: Well, it's funny you said that because nowadays, if you don't finish, you don't even get paid. You have to finish the final challenge. Wait til you see the second half of it. It's completely crazy! It was kind of relieving to know I didn't have to deal with the tears or maybe the emotion of, "Why am I here with someone whose mind isn't in it?" I would've done my best, I'm sure she would've too, but it definitely would've been a chore. At the reunion, the showed us the final and Robin was like, "Oh my god! I hate cold weather. I would've been horrible at that!" And maybe it was the right decision to come home 10 days early. Would I have loved to do the final? Absolutely. Would I have had to yell at her a few times? That's probably what would've happened. You never know what's going to happen with her.

Check out Mark's interview for RealityWanted with the casting directors of TNT's The Great Escape!

Don't miss the finale of The Challenge: Battle of the Exes, Wednesday at 10/9c on MTV.

(Image courtesy of MTV)


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