Matt & Ashley

Matthew "Matt" Cucolo and Ashley Gordon are a Dating, and later an Engaged, team on The Amazing Race 26.

Matt & Ashley quickly proved to be a mistake-prone team, with their frantic energy leading them to often overlook key details and not think things through. However, this tendency to make mistakes also became an impetus for Matt to propose to Ashley early in the race after he had carelessly left their fanny pack containing their money, passports, and the engagement ring behind. They also bonded with Laura & Tyler throughout the race, with the two teams hatching a U-Turn plan and working together to make it to the final five. However, in the ninth leg, Matt struggled with the Roadblock after again failing to calm down and think things through, leading them to come in last on a Non-Elimination Leg. Their subsequent Speed Bump in the next leg, along with another leg of overlooking important details, the language barrier in Peru, and twice being misled by Laura & Tyler all contributed to their elimination in 5th place.

Profile[]

Retrieved from CBS.com^[1]

Matt[]

Name: Matt Cucolo
Age: 30
Hometown: Scarsdale, N.Y.
Relationship Status: Dating
Length of Relationship: Known for 10 years, dating for 3.
How did you meet? I was dating her best friend at the time.
Current occupation: Master hairstylist.
Describe what you do: I am a hairstylist. I do men and women's cut, color and any hair treatments. I am practically their therapist as well.
3 words to describe you: Hardworking, loving, handsome (Grandma told me when I was 3 years old. LOL!)
Favorite hobbies: Training in the gym, snowboarding and playing baseball.
What is the accomplishment you are most proud of? Being a very successful hairstylist. It's much more than just hair. It's an amazing feeling making people happy.
What famous person reminds you of yourself? Kevin Hart
What famous person reminds you of your teammate? Leslie Mann
What scares you most about traveling? Nothing
What excites you most about traveling? Seeing a new environment, new people and not knowing what to expect.
Biggest challenge you and your teammate will face on The Race together: She always has to be right and doesn't pay attention to me when I speak.
Pet peeve about your teammate: When I ask her something or try to make plans and she doesn't respond or pay attention to me. Sometimes it's like I'm not there.
What country and place would you most like to visit and why? Honestly, I love traveling anywhere but probably Italy, because I've heard the most amazing things about it.
What do you hope to accomplish by running The Race (other than winning one million bucks)? I wanna know that if I'm going to spend the rest of my life with her we can communicate better and agree on life decisions.
How could the Race change the current state of your relationship? It could give us an unbreakable bond and empowering relationship.

Ashley[]

Name: Ashley Gordon
Age: 28
Hometown: Scarsdale, N.Y.
Connection to your teammate: Dating
Length of Relationship: We've known each other for 10 years and been together for 3.
How did you meet? He dated a friend/old roommate of mine. We kept running into each other randomly one summer.
Current occupation: Hairstylist
Describe what you do: Make people look and feel beautiful, not only on the outside but on the inside as well. Semi-therapist that is underpaid.
3 words to describe you: Genuine/loyal, well rounded and emotional/sympathetic.
Favorite hobbies: Going to the beach, eating, working out/being active and getting pampered- massages, pedicures.
What famous person reminds you of yourself? Jennifer Aniston- hopeless romantic…yet silently sexy?
What famous person reminds you of your teammate? Kai Greene. I admire Matt's dedication to whatever endeavor he takes on, as well as his artistry and passion for life, like Kai Greene.
What scares you most about traveling? Fear of a new environment.
What excites you most about traveling? Seeing new cultures, new environments, scenery, being able to almost start fresh when there is something to look forward to and also start fresh when I come back home.
Biggest challenge you and your teammate will face on The Race together: How to handle and accept his opinions and not constantly disagree with one another. We often bicker about irrelevant subject matters.
Pet peeve about your teammate: His poor listening skills and how he will deny something that is a definite fact and laugh about it! That drives me crazy!
What country and place would you most like to visit and why? I would love to visit Greece for the beautiful architecture, Brazil for the booties, and Ibiza for the party scene. Italy is another- I have a ton of family there and I have never been to Europe.
What do you hope to accomplish by running The Race (other than winning one million bucks)? I would love to get back to the core of our relationship before social media (Instagram) and really rekindle that deep love and communication we had when we could literally chat for hours about nothing without looking at our cell phones constantly.
How could the Race change the current state of your relationship? We get engaged and get back to finding the love we had with one another when it is just him and I and no one else around. We have so many friends and family it's like we don't even go out to dinner and converse anymore.

The Amazing Race 26[]

Race History[]

Matt & Ashley's Race History
Episode	Leg	Destination(s)	Detour Choice (underlined)	Roadblock Performer	Placement	Notes
1	1	United States → Japan	Syncing Steps / Samurai Sake	No Roadblock	9 of 11
2	2	Japan	Share / Chair	Ashley	7 of 10
3	3	Japan → Thailand	Ski / Tree	No Roadblock	6 of 9♥	^[1]
4	4	Thailand	Wheel / Water	Matt	8 of 9
5	5	Thailand → Germany	Stein / Stack	Ashley	2 of 8
6	6	Germany → France → Monaco → France	Win By a Nose / Don't Slack Off	Matt	4 of 7
7	7	France → Namibia	Track / Pack	Matt	1 of 6
8	8	Namibia	Work / Play	Ashley	2 of 6⊂
9	9	Namibia → Netherlands	Soak / Shuffle	Matt	5 of 5
10	10	Netherlands → Peru	Mamas / Papas	Matt	5 of 5
				Average	4.90
Legend: The team finished in first place The team finished in last place and was eliminated from the race The team finished in last place in a non-elimination leg The team that won The Amazing Race The team that crossed the Finish Line second The team that crossed the Finish Line third ϵ The team used the Express Pass somewhere during the leg ⊂ The team used the U-Turn ⊃ Recipient of the U-Turn ⋐ The team that used the second slot of the "Double U-Turn" ⋑ Recipient of a second U-Turn due to the "Double U-Turn" twist ♥ The team that found and won the Date Night ticket
Notes: 1: Matt & Ashley were given the Date Night ticket at the Pit Stop by Bergen & Kurt, who originally found it, upon witnessing their engagement.

Post-Race[]

Matt & Ashley got married on February 6, 2016.^[2]

Trivia[]

Upon their engagement at the Pit Stop in Leg 3, Matt & Ashley became the fifth team to evolve their relationship during the show, particularly to engagement (after Hayden & Aaron, Chad & Stephanie, Alain & Audrey, and Sally & Tyson, and followed by Lucas & Brittany, Will & James and Amber & Vinny).
First team to retrieve the Date Night ticket from another team.

External links[]

Interviews[]

Sierra Marquina at UsMagazine.com (03/06/2015): "The Amazing Race Hairstylists Matt and Ashley Dish Behind-the-Scenes Details on Their Finish Line Engagement"
Joyce Eng at TV Guide Online (05/04/2015): "Who Do Matt and Ashley Blame for Their Elimination?"
Rob Cesternino at RHAP (05/04/2015): "Amazing Race 2015: Talking with the Latest Team Eliminated from TAR 26"
Elimination Interviews at CBS.com (05/04/2015): "After Their Elimination, Matt & Ashley Talk Endurance, Fanny Packs & Proposals: That's the way the cookie crumbles"
Elizabeth Kwiatkowski at Reality TV World (05/05/2015): "Exclusive: 'The Amazing Race' engaged couple Matt Cucolo and Ashley Gordon talk" (Parts 1 & 2)
Mike and Rochelle on On the Block Network (09/25/2015): "Amazing Race 27 Episode 2 LIVE Recap | The Pit Stop | Guests Matt & Ashley (TAR 26)"