MAFS Unmatchables Ashli

A Married At First Sight spinoff show is giving a $6 sweatpants-allergic dater the tools she needs to find her fairytale.

Source: LaJoy Photography / Kinetic Content

As previously reported Married at First Sight: Unmatchables premieres TONIGHT Wednesday, April 21 at 10 pm ET/PT and there are lots of laughs to come. The show follows #MAFS experts Pastor Calvin Roberson and Dr. Viviana Coles in the peach state as they polish up some MAFS hopefuls that aren’t quite ready to be matched at the altar—YET.

Source: LaJoy Photography / LaJoy Cox

After sifting through 65,000 applicants, the experts landed on 16 people including Xavius, a 26-year-old, perfume-pressed, funeral director in training that prefers the company of dead people over his dates.

Source: LaJoy Photography / Kinetic Content

BOSSIP recently spoke with Xavius about Pastor Cal and Dr. Viviana challenging him to loosen up and lean into the living rather than the deceased.

Not only that, but BOSSIP spoke with Ashli, Xavius’ date during tonight’s premiere episode.

Source: LaJoy Photography / Kinetic Content

Ashli, 32, is a Pastor’s daughter who wants love and marriage despite detesting swapping spit so much, that she’s kept her lips on lock for 11 whole years. The experts want her to not only unlock her lips but also her full dating potential by addressing her “codependency” with her roommate. Will Ashli make room for romance or will her date with Xavius fall flat?

We chatted with Ashli about #MAFS: Unmatchables, those codependency claims, and a $6 sweatpant disaster date that perfectly sums up the dating scene in ATL.

What made you apply to be a part of this experience?

We were in the middle of quarantine so that complicated the dating pool a little bit. I don’t have a lot of dating experience and you know, I have my best friends who are also seen on the show and they can tell you certain things from their perspective but there’s always room for growth and outside advice on what you could be doing better in the dating field. So I thought this would be this would be a fun way to do that.

Prior to Unmatchables what was the ATL dating pool like for you?

The dating pool in Atlanta is more like a cesspool, we both know. My dating experience was really like nonexistent and so when I did go out on dates…(sighs) I was on a dating app, and I went out with this guy. And he wore like $6 Walmart sweatpants on the first date.

How did you know they were $6?!

They weren’t the nice like athleisure, kind of fitted tapered [sweatpants] they were just loose, wide leg, no elastic on the on the bottom hem. It was terrible. It was like he was literally about to go to the gym, we met at a bar and he was about to go to the gym. I was ashamed to be with him. That’s just an example of what it’s like, it’s not what’s poppin’.

On Unmatchables Pastor Cal and Dr. Viviana are trying to get you over your “codependency” issues with your roommate Nakeisha. Do YOU think you’re codependent or are you two just besties?

We’re besties! I don’t think we’re codependent. I think we complement each other in a lot of ways. We’ve known each other for over 15 years now, we live together, we’ve lived together for over 10 years. We complement each other, I’m sure there are some things that we can branch out and be more independent about but I like to use the word complement, not codependent.

So if your complementary best friend/roommate did not like a guy that you were dating. Would you still date him?

I think I would definitely consider why she doesn’t like him. If it was for some frivolous reason which Nakeisha, wouldn’t do, then yes [I would still date him]. But if there was some concrete reason as to why she didn’t like him, I would consider [not dating him]. Absolutely, of course.

What is it about kissing that turns you off? Is it how intimate it is? Is it the swapping of spit? What about it do you not love? 

So there are two parts. The first part is like the actual logistics of kissing, the mouth, swapping spit. You know? There’s that part. And there’s also like you’ll see on the show, I don’t know what the hell I’m doing. There’s a little level of uncomfortability there for me too that I think also contributes to me being kissing averse.

What is the best dating advice that you have gotten from the experts on Married At First Sight: Unmatchables?

I think one of the pieces that came out of my visit with Dr. Viviana– another quirk that I had was that I felt like one thing could lead to another too quickly.

One thing that she said to me was, ‘Hust because you kiss someone doesn’t mean that you’re gonna end up in bed with them immediately.’ As simple and as straightforward as that sounds, I think I needed to hear that from someone else for it to register for me. So that was a really good piece of advice for me.

Now that you have these new tools for dating are you trying to date now? Are you back on apps? 

I can’t say. You’re gonna have to tune in Wednesday to find out.

When was the last time you talked to your date Xavius? 

I talked to him recently, I can say that. Very recently.

What are your requirements for a good first date? 

I think drinks for sure, drinks help loosen folks up and then something fun, something out of the ordinary, you know, going to a museum. You don’t hear about people going on first dates to the museum. Or even like our [Ashli and Xavius’] date, dancing. That was cute and people don’t go dancing anymore. Something fun like that or a picnic in the park, it doesn’t have to be over-thought too much. I think sometimes people overthink it. Just do something cute and artsy, that’s it for me. That’s what makes the first date great.

Source: LaJoy Photography / Kinetic Content

What do you want people to learn about you after watching Married At First Sight: Unmatchables? 

I hope people relate to my story because I feel like it’s unique but at the same time, it’s relatable. I was in the comments [of a MAFS: Unmatchables] post and someone said that they don’t know how to kiss either. I was like, ‘Oh, I’m not the only grown a** person who doesn’t know how to kiss!’ I just hope people can relate to me and know that they’re not weirdos and they’re completely normal, they’re fine. You’re on your path, whatever your path is. Whatever you decide to do, that is your choice. Just be bold and stand firm in whatever your choices are in dating and in love.

Want more Ashli? Tune in to Married at First Sight: Unmatchables airing tonight Wednesday, April 21 at 10 pm ET/PT on Lifetime.