Bachelor spoilers revealing the ending of Matt James' The Bachelor season for 2021 and what led up to Matt's final decision have continued to emerge -- including spoilers about The Bachelor star's Final 4 and Final 3 bachelorettes, Matt's runner-up, and who Matt picked as his winner and ended up with. Plus, is Matt engaged?

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[Bachelor Spoilers Warning: This report includes spoilers that reveal Matt James' Final 4 and Final 3 bachelorettes, who finished as The Bachelor star's runner-up, and who Matt picked as his winner and ended up with.]

Matt eliminated many women in the latest episode, and he's about to make more drastic cuts in the next broadcast.

RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' SEASON 25 BACHELORETTES: MEET MATT JAMES' LADIES! (PHOTOS)

Matt decided to send home Katie Thurston, a 29-year-old bank marketing manager from Lynnwood, WA; MJ Snyder, a 23-year-old hairstylist from Hudson, OH; Brittany Galvin, a 23-year-old model from Chicago, IL; Ryan Claytor, a 26-year-old dancer and choreographer from Brooklyn, NY; and Magi Tareke, a 32-year-old pharmacist from Adwa, Ethiopia.

Jessenia Cruz, a 27-year-old social media marketer from San Antonio, TX, received a rose from her two-on-one date against MJ.

And Matt also decided to give out roses to Serena Pitt, a 22-year-old publicist from Markham, ON; Michelle Young, a 27-year-old teacher from Edina, MN; Pieper James, a 24-year-old graduate student from Happy Valley, OR; and Bri Springs, a 24-year-old communications manager from Owatonna, MN.

Chelsea Vaughn, a 29-year-old runway model from Marietta, GA, also received a rose at the Rose Ceremony, followed by Serena Chew, a 24-year-old flight attendant from San Bruno, CA.

And Matt handed out roses to four women on dates earlier in the week: Abigail Heringer, a 25-year-old client financial from Salem, OR; Kit Keenan, a 21-year-old fashion entrepreneur from New York, NY; Jessenia, a 27-year-old social media marketer from San Antonio, TX; and Rachael Kirkconnell, a 24-year-old graphic designer from Cumming, GA.

The only woman Matt appears to be falling in love with at this point in his journey is Rachael, or at least she's the only bachelorette whom he's expressed those feelings to.

When Matt's best friend and The Bachelorette alum Tyler Cameron visited The Bachelor resort to check up on Matt's journey to find love, Tyler asked Matt if he could see himself getting down on one knee at the end of the process.

"I do," Matt replied. "Yeah."

But just as Matt thought he was figuring everything out, The Bachelor alum Heather Martin came strolling onto the scene.

Heather previously appeared on Colton Underwood's season of The Bachelor and is good friends with Season 15 The Bachelorette star Hannah Brown.
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Heather walked by a group of girls at the cocktail party and then interrupted Matt's time with Pieper, who appeared furious that a new woman could potentially steal a rose.

"If you're going to let a new girl come in or you're going to give a new girl a rose over some of us who have been here this long, then you better marry that girl -- because the rest of us are going to be pissed," Chelsea said in a confessional.

RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOW: WHOM DID 'THE BACHELORETTE' STARS AND THEIR BACHELOR PICKS ULTIMATELY END UP WITH?! (PHOTOS)  

"If she gets a rose tonight," Serena P. said of Heather, "I am going to be rageful!"

So how long did Heather stick around for on Matt's season and was Rachael the girl who eventually won Matt's heart -- or did one of Matt's other connections blossom and grow into love later in the process? Keep reading for The Bachelor spoilers!


Episode 7 The Bachelor Spoilers

The Bachelor airs its next episode on Monday, February 15 at 8PM ET/PT on ABC.

Matt will be narrowing down his group of bachelorettes with hometown dates looming. The hometown dates, however, will take place at Nemacolin Resort in Pennsylvania due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Matt feels the pressure and must take a serious look at all of his remaining women and determine who he could see a real future with.

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At this turning point in the season, Matt will have "more than a few difficult decisions" to make, according to ABC's press release for the upcoming episode.

The jam-packed episode will feature two one-on-one dates, a group date, and a whopping TWO Rose Ceremonies, according to the network.

According to a December blog post published by Reality Steve spoiler blogger Steve Carbone, Heather gets sent home shortly after she arrives -- within a few hours!

"Here's what I know: [Heather] doesn't show up the first night, it's somewhere after filming is already started, and she's literally there only a few hours as Matt sends her home the same day she arrives," Carbone wrote.

Carbone doesn't know why Matt chose to give Heather the boot so early.

"I don't know Matt's reasoning for sending Heather home so quick... But Heather showing up on Matt's season and getting eliminated the same day, well, kinda embarrassing," Carbone wrote.

RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)

Based on the preview for the next episode, it appears Jessenia receives one of the one-on-one dates with Matt and it includes an activity in which the pair ride around in a hot sports car.

The episode will also feature a performance by artist Aloe Blacc.

So what else is going to unfold on Matt's The Bachelor edition? Read on to find out! 


Matt James' exe didn't join The Bachelor despite Carbone's initial claim

Carbone had initially reported that Matt's ex-girlfriend, Madison Nelson, a 27-year-old from Granger, IN, was one of the five bachelorettes that joined Matt's cast before the season's third Rose Ceremony.

"Some tea for you already: Apparently Madison Nelson was dating Matt last summer when Tyler was seeing [Gigi Hadid]," Carbone tweeted in early December.

"Went to one of the fashion shows with him. Here they are together. Heard they were together for at least a couple months."

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Madison had been one of the 43 "potential" bachelorettes ABC had announced for Matt's The Bachelor season in October before the season began filming.

However, Carbone clarified in a January 4 blog post that he was incorrect about Madison's appearance on the show.

RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' COUPLES NOW: WHO DID 'THE BACHELOR' STARS AND THEIR BACHELORETTE PICKS ACTUALLY END UP MARRYING? (PHOTOS)

"I originally thought that Madison Nelson was one of the five, but was told she is not," Carbone wrote.

"Was actually told once they found out she HAD dated Matt last summer, they decided against bringing her on."

According to Carbone, Madison and Matt dated in 2019 and she was hoping to win him back on The Bachelor.


Carbone doesn't know how Matt's Final 10 women are cut to his Final 4 bachelorettes

Carbone has acknowledged his spoiler information is much spottier than prior seasons given Matt's The Bachelor season followed the same format as last year's The Bachelorette season and was filmed at a single resort.

"So kinda like [The Bachelorette] season, I have information about things, but not necessarily full details," Carbone wrote in his blog.

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"Same deal this season as I have things I was told, but without details behind it, you just never know." 

Carbone did release a list of twelve bachelorettes who didn't last very long on Matt's The Bachelor season the day the season premiered on ABC.

According to Carbone's January 4 blog post, all the bachelorettes on his list went home before the third Rose Ceremony or so.

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"There's obviously more that would go home during that time, but these women I know aren't major players at all this season," Carbone wrote, before rattling off his list of rejected bachelorettes.

Seven of the twelve bachelorettes on Carbone's list were among the eight women Matt sent home at the season's first Rose Ceremony.

Four more bachelorettes on Carbone's list were among the five women Matt eliminated at The Bachelor season's second rose ceremony, and the last bachelorette on the list was eliminated at the season's third Rose Ceremony.

Carbone never ended up releasing much information about which bachelorettes were eliminated at any of the subsequent Rose Ceremonies leading up to the season's hometown dates -- including Episode 7's two Rose Ceremonies that will narrow Matt's Final 10 bachelorettes to his Final 4 bachelorettes.


We do know Abigail Heringer finishes in fifth place however

However in a January 21 blog post, Carbone revealed he had recently learned Abigail Heringer finished Matt's The Bachelor season in fifth place.

Carbone didn't release any additional information about Abigail's elimination.

But given she finished fifth and ABC has stated there will be two more Rose Ceremonies before the Final 4 hometown dates, it would seem Abigail was sent home at the Rose Ceremony that immediately proceeded the hometown dates.


Matt's Final 4 bachelorettes and Bri Springs, Michelle Young, Rachael Kirkconnell and Serena Pitt

In his January 4 spoilers blog post, Carbone claimed he only knew three of Matt's Final 4 bachelorettes for certain.

Carbone reported Serena Pitt, a 22-year-old from Markham, ON; Rachael Kirkconnell, a 24-year-old from Cumming, GA; and Michelle Young -- one of the five bachelorettes who joined the show later in the season -- made it to Matt's Final 4.

"I do not know who the 4th girl is," Carbone admitted, but added he had heard Bri Springs, a 24-year-old from Owatonna, MN, may have been the fourth member of Matt's Final 4 women.

"I haven't gotten the confirmation I needed... If/When I get solid confirmation, I'll let you know if Bri is in fact the 4th girl," Carbone wrote in his blog.

RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOW: WHOM DID 'THE BACHELORETTE' STARS AND THEIR BACHELOR PICKS ULTIMATELY END UP WITH?! (PHOTOS)  

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Carbone also clarified that he wasn't sure that would have meant Bri was eliminated from Matt's The Bachelor season in fourth place.

"I'm just trying to give you the 4 girls that got hometown dates. Serena P., Rachael, and Michelle definitely did," Carbone reported.

However, in a subsequent blog post on January 21, Carbone announced he had now confirmed Bri, Michelle, Rachael, and Serena were in fact Matt's Final 4 bachelorettes.


Bri Springs, Michelle Young and Rachael Kirkconnell are Matt's Final 3 bachelorettes

Given the pandemic, Matt's The Bachelor season used the same format as The Bachelorette's 2020 season and held its "hometown dates" at the Pennsylvania resort in which the rest of the season was also filmed.

"Their families came to Nemacolin just like on Tayshia's season where their families traveled to the location of filming due to COVID," Carbone wrote.

In his January 21 post, Carbone also revealed he had discovered Serena Pitt was eliminated after the hometown dates and finished in fourth place.

Serena's ouster therefore left Bri, Michelle and Rachael as Matt's Final 3 bachelorettes.


Matt's Final 2 bachelorettes are Michelle Young and Rachael Kirkconnell

According to Carbone, Michelle Young and Rachael Kirkconnell finished as Matt's Final 2 bachelorettes.

"I was told 'Michelle and Rachael were final 2,'" Carbone wrote in his January 4 blog, explaining he was still unsure who had been Matt's third-place finisher.

But in his subsequent January 21 blog, Carbone revealed he had now learned Bri was eliminated after Matt's overnight dates with his Final 3 bachelorettes.

"Bri gets eliminated after overnights," he wrote.

RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)

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Matt's BFF Tyler visited The Bachelor star on-location while the season was filming and revealed in an early December video log that Matt seemed "extremely happy."

"He loves his girls... He spoke so highly of them," Tyler shared. "He's really pushing himself to be vulnerable and put himself out there, and I think you're got to get a great season and a great Matt."

Tyler predicted, "I'm excited to see how all of this ends here, because Matt seems genuinely happy. I think we're going to get the ending we all want and have been missing for a while." 


Matt's dad also shows appears on The Bachelor season

According to Carbone, Matt also receives a surprise visit from his seemingly-estranged father, whom Matt has told multiple women about in conversations this season.

Matt revealed his father wasn't around much when he was growing up and his mother raised his brother and himself. Matt also gravitated towards friends with big families to fill that void and said his parents didn't set a good example of what a marriage should be.

"Just like last season where I reported [producers] were trying to get [Kelsey Weier]'s dad to show up for her hometown date, I guess they succeeded with Matt's," Carbone wrote in a January 26 blog post.

"I don't know the outcome. If it was contentious, if Matt got closure, if it's a touching moment, etc. Not sure."

In a preview The Bachelor has aired multiple times, Matt is shown sitting down outside on a curb as host Chris Harrison asks if he's okay. Matt replies, "No, I'm not."

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Carbone now believes this scene had to do with the appearance of Matt's father.

"Either he'd just met him or was just told his dad is there to speak with him," Carbone reasoned.

"I know immediately people will think this is a low blow by the show because clearly they didn't consult Matt beforehand. Which is why I think that this meeting between Matt and his dad probably ends cordially at least."

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Carbone doesn't think Matt's conversation with his father ended badly or else the show would look bad for not asking for Matt's consent first.

Regardless of the outcome, Matt's chat with his dad was likely a tough one and probably very emotional.

"But when it's over, Matt probably feels better," Carbone predicted. "I can't imagine for the life of me that Matt calls it a disaster/walks off set/f-bombs production for bringing him on, etc."

Carbone, however, clarified how he does not know the end result of Matt and his father's conversation.


So did Matt James end up picking Michelle Young or Rachael Kirkconnell as his The Bachelor winner?

In his January 4 blog, Carbone had insisted he was "positive" Serena Pitt and Michelle Young did not ultimately win Matt's heart.

Carbone reported in his January 4 blog post that he believed Rachael received Matt's final rose of the season.

"I was told, 'Michelle and Rachael were final 2, and Rachael wins,'" Carbone revealed.

RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' SEASON 25 BACHELORETTES: MEET ALL OF MATT JAMES' LADIES! (PHOTOS)

The spoiler blogger, however, wasn't totally confident in the knowledge he had about the winner.

"If you believe everything coming out of the small town of Cumming, GA, then it's Rachael Kirkconnell [who won]," Carbone explained.

"Because for the last month, all I keep being told out of Cumming is that Rachael won, and all her friends and family know and they're telling everyone."

But Carbone noted he heard similar information about Madison Prewett during Peter Weber's The Bachelor season -- and that information ultimately turned out to be incorrect.

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(Peter got engaged to Hannah Ann Sluss at the Final Rose Ceremony after Madison quit the show in second place. After Peter and Hannah Ann split, Peter briefly reunited with Madison but the pair never really got their relationship off the ground and broke up within a few days).

"I never ran with it because I was never convinced it was that easy. And it ended up being wrong anyway," Carbone explained.

"Maybe Rachael did win. All I'm saying is that if she did, she, her family, and her friends are doing an awful job of keeping it secret."
 
Carbone therefore questioned if Rachael's alleged victory was another situation in which someone started a false rumor about her winning and it then spread like wildfire.

"I'm not 100 percent sold on it yet, but, I'm just telling you that's the one I've heard most," Carbone wrote.

The spoiler blogger said he expected to hear more details as Matt's season unfolded on TV, "but that's what I got for you right now." 

RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOW: WHOM DID 'THE BACHELORETTE' STARS AND THEIR BACHELOR PICKS ULTIMATELY END UP WITH?! (PHOTOS)  

However, in his January 21 blog Carbone announced he had now gotten full confirmation that Rachael had in fact received Matt's final rose.

"Tuesday night into yesterday, I got the confirmation I needed about this seasons spoiler: Matt chose Rachael and is still with her," he wrote.

"I know it's been out there, but I don't base my spoilers on what anyone else reports. Never have, and never will. Been hearing it was her for a while but never felt fully secure saying with certainty he chose her."


Matt eliminated Michelle Young before the final Rose Ceremony

In his January 26 blog post, Carbone reported he had also now learned that Matt did not follow The Bachelor's usual format and dump Michelle at the Final Rose Ceremony before choosing Rachael.

Instead, according to Carbone, Matt decided to send Michelle home early instead of embarrassing her and breaking her heart at the Final Rose Ceremony.

"Matt actually lets Michelle go before the final rose ceremony," Carbone wrote in his blog post.

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It's rare viewers have seen The Bachelor star let a bachelorette go prior to the Final Rose Ceremony-dumping.

RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' COUPLES NOW: WHO DID 'THE BACHELOR' STARS AND THEIR BACHELORETTE PICKS ACTUALLY END UP MARRYING? (PHOTOS)

In Season, 23 The Bachelor star Colton Underwood had a similar outcome in which he decided to dump Tayshia Adams and Hannah Godwin during the overnight Fantasy Suite dates in order to pursue a relationship with only Cassie Randolph.

"Well, apparently it happens again and Matt eliminates Michelle before the final rose ceremony," Carbone wrote.


Rachael Kirkconnell and Matt James didn't get engaged

While Carbone stated Matt and Rachael are still together as a couple in his January 21 blog post, he clarified he wasn't sure they got engaged at The Bachelor season's final Rose Ceremony or if the couple may have gotten engaged since.

"I do not know if they're engaged or not," he wrote.

However on February 2, Carbone reported he had now confirmed Matt and Rachael did not get engaged at The Bachelor season's final Rose Ceremony.

"Matt did not propose to Rachael. They are still together today though," he wrote in a blog post.

"Everyone will basically say this relationship has zero chance because it doesn't have that 'label' of engagement, even though that's never mattered in the past since so many don't make it any way," he added.

"But I can already tell you him not proposing will immediately have people giving the hot take that these two won't make it. I mean, I don't think they will either, but not because he didn't propose."

"I don't think they'll make it because I don't think for a second Matt is ready for a serious relationship, and never was." 

RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)

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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.