The Truth About Bachelorette Contestant Brandon Jones
It's official: Michelle Young's season of "The Bachelorette" is in full swing. In the most recently aired episode of the season, the 28-year-old star cut her suitors in half, eliminating four of the eight final contestants (via Variety). The four remaining frontrunners? Nayte Olukoya, Joe Coleman, Rodney Matthews, and Brandon Jones. With hometowns coming up and the Season 18 finale in sight, "Bachelor" nation fans have already begun speculating about which contender will receive Young's final rose. Here's one thing we do know: Young does find Mr. Right. "It's like a fairy tale, which is different, I think ... You guys will understand that word at the end," co-host Tayshia Adams told E!, regarding the conclusion to Young's love story (via Marie Claire).
One lucky contestant who's had a lot of one-on-one time with Young is 26-year-old Jones. In the second half of last week's episode, the two lovebirds went on a simple but adorable date that was dripping with newfound love. The elementary school teacher took Jones to her favorite ice cream place, which was followed by a trip to the bachelorette's childhood home. During the very successful date, Jones was able to ask Young's parents for permission to propose to their daughter, while also admitting that he was falling in love with her. There's no denying that Young and Jones have sparked a budding romance, but does this leading contestant have what it takes to win Young's heart? Let's find out — spoilers ahead!
Brandon Jones has a lot in common with "The Bachelorette"
If there's one thing that we know about Brandon Jones, it's that he's smitten with the confident and outspoken bachelorette. However, there's so much more to the Oregon-native than just his affections for Michelle Young. In fact, Jones has a few things in common with the 28-year-old star. For one, he's very close with his family which includes his sister, brother, and dad, as noted by Cosmopolitan. According to Women's Health, Young has also highlighted the importance of family to her as one of her top priorities, which bodes well for Jones as hometowns loom ahead.
Jones is also a passionate basketball player. While he may not have played Division I College Ball like Young, according to ABC, he's a "self-proclaimed basketball fiend." While Jones may share a lot of similarities with the Minnesota-native, most importantly, both reality TV stars know what they want in a marriage. Jones is looking for someone who can be both his "best friend" and "teammate," while Young is looking for someone she can laugh with, but also help her get through the tough times. Do Jones and Young sound like a match made in heaven to you, too? While the answer may be yes, there is someone who is rumored to just barely beat Jones to the final rose: Nate Olukoya. According to Marie Claire, Jones is able to make it as far as the final two, but he finishes as the runner-up. If this is true, better luck next time, Brandon!