Known for his showmance with Haleigh Broucher and being strategically clueless, Faysal was a member of the crumbling FOUTTE alliance, was blindsided and left out of nearly every vote, and never knew what was going on. Throughout the season, he was attracted to Haleigh, and while Haleigh initially rejected his advances she eventually accepted and the two became a couple. He was often manipulated by his close ally JC Mounduix. After becoming the HoH in week 8, he was manipulated by JC into targeting his ally Scottie Salton. Scottie was evicted under his HoH. However, this was fatal as the following week both he and Haleigh were betrayed and nominated, and he was evicted in a 4-1 vote. He came in 9th place and became the third member of the jury.
Faysal's infamous decision to nominate Scottie is often considered one of the worst moves in Big Brother history.
Age: 26 Hometown: Orlando, FL Current city: Orlando, FL Occupation: Substitute teacher Three adjectives that describe you: Joker, hilarious, and confident. Favorite activities: Music, food, and working out or playing sports. What do you think will be the most difficult part about living inside the Big Brother house?
I guess missing and not having communication with family. Which past Big Brother cast member did you like most? Victor Arroyo! He played every challenge like it was his last and won his way back in multiple times. Do you have a strategy for winning the game?
Finding a loyal person or two. Use my social game and let my physical gameplay show at the end more than beginning. Don't let the other Houseguests know I'm a powerhouse from Day 1. My life's motto is...
Everybody dies but not everybody lives. Live every day like it's your last. What would you take into the house and why?
iPod.
My dog, Cooper.
Stuffed-crust cheese pizza.
Fun facts about yourself:
I wet the bed until the age of 10, which helped me be skilled at laundry at an early age.
I secretly love Taylor Swift. I'll listen to her while I work out and my favorite line is, "It's a love story, baby just say yessss."
I have a blue-nose pitbull who's my world and I treat him like my child.[3]
Faysal's Promo Photo for SlamBall Summer: Series 6
On January 5th, 2019, Fessy and Swaggy C participated in a one-on-one charity basketball game hosted by The Hive in order to gain money to help season 19'sKevin Schlehuber with his recovery after being diagnosed with prostate cancer.[4] You can watch game highlights here.
He appeared alongside Haleigh on WESH News, hosted by season 3'sJason Guy, on the day before the game in order to discuss it.[5] He appeared on a variety of other news channels as well, including Orlando's own News 6.[6]
In July and August 2023, Faysal competed in the SlamBall Summer: Series 6 tournament, playing for the Lava team. His team ultimately was eliminated during the semifinals by a score of 49-36.[7][8]
Faysal appeared as a Gladiator on Amazon Prime's revival of American Gladiators, alongside Jessie Godderz.
MTV
Faysal's Cast Photo for The Challenge All Stars: Rivals
Fessy competed on The Challenge: Double Agents alongside Josh, Kaycee, Amber, Celebrity Big Brother 2 (US) contestant Lolo Jones and Celebrity Big Brother 22 (UK) contestant Gabby Allen.[11] After they both won the Opening Challenge, Aneesa Ferreira did better and got to choose any guy to be her partner, ultimately deciding on Fessy. In Episode 4, after winning his Elimination, Fessy chose to separate himself from Aneesa and Infiltrate Kaycee and Leroy Garrett's partnership, stealing Kaycee from Leroy and making her his new partner. In Episode 5, Aneesa won her Elimination and proceeded to steal Fessy back, pairing them up once again, while Kaycee went back to Leroy. In Episode 13, Nany González won her Elimination and Infiltrated Aneesa and Fessy's partnership, stealing Fessy from Aneesa. In return, Aneesa got to immediately choose a new partner from the male Rogue Agents, and chose Nany's former partner Kyle Christie. In Episode 16, Amber won her Elimination and Infiltrated Nany and Fessy's partnership, stealing Fessy from Nany, as she returned to Kyle. In Episode 17, Fessy won the Final Elimination and once again chose to Infiltrate Kaycee and Leroy, pairing himself up with Kaycee again before the Final Challenge, while Amber ended up with CT Tamburello. After they were warned that the team that finishes last on Day One would be eliminated without finishing the Final, Fessy pushed them harder in an effort to maintain an early lead. Unfortunately, Kaycee ended up popping her knee running down a steep and rocky mountain, and Fessy felt there was no point in doing the eating portion if they were doing to be medically disqualified anyways. Kaycee was never disqualified, but by the time Fessy had started eating, the other teams had all left, and eventually it was impossible for them to catch up, officially eliminating them in fourth place out of the final four teams, putting Fessy at two fourth place finishes in a row.
Fessy competed on The Challenge: Spies, Lies & Allies alongside Kaycee, Josh, Amber, Big Brother Nigeria 4 contestants Esther Agunbiade and Symply Tacha, and Big Brother 17 (UK) runner-up Hughie Maughan.[12] He was chosen by Global Agent Esther to be her American partner. He and Josh ended up getting into an argument in Episode 6, and when Josh got in his face, Fessy pushed him away with his hand, while Josh threw a glass that wound up cutting Fessy's chin. That physical altercation led to only Fessy getting ejected from the game in Episode 7, marking to his first time not making it to the Final and also making him the first Big Brother player to be ejected from The Challenge.
Now choosing to participate using his full name, Faysal competed on The Challenge: Ride or Dies alongside Kaycee, Amber, Analyse, Tommy and Promi Big Brother 8 contestant Emmy Russ. His "Ride or Die" partner for the season was his friend Moriah Jadea. In Episode 9, Faysal and Moriah won a challenge that allowed them to split the pairs up into teams, leading Faysal to became the captain of his own team. Moriah ended up getting eliminated in Episode 13, but due to the theme of the season, Faysal remained in the game as her "lifeline". She returned to the game in Episode 14 and reunited with Faysal as the teams were dissolved, and they won the first round of the Elimination to stay alive. They ended up getting permanently eliminated just one round before the Final in Episode 16, Faysal's first time losing an Elimination in his career.
Faysal competed on The Challenge: USA 2 alongside Paulie and Josh representing the flagship MTV series, as well as Alyssa Lopez and Tiffany Mitchell returning from The Challenge: USA 1, and Alyssa Snider, Ameerah Jones, Monte Taylor and fellow BB20 houseguest Tyler representing Big Brother as rookies. He was placed on the Blue Team. After the teams were disbanded at the end of Episode 7, Faysal ended up as the last Big Brother player standing overall after winning an Elimination against Josh in the penultimate episode, marking his third appearance in a Final. He ultimately ended up running down a shortcut path that he didn't earn, so he had to backtrack to make up the skipped time. Because of that mistake, he was the last person to arrive to the second checkpoint and was eliminated, finishing in 4th place for a third Final in a row.
Faysal was a standby alternate for The Challenge 40: Battle of the Eras. Had he competed, he would have played alongside Paulie, Josh, Kaycee and Kyland, representing "Era IV" of The Challenge.
Faysal competed on The Challenge All Stars: Rivals alongside Amber and Da'Vonne. He was partnered with Amber as his Rival for the season, following their feud during Double Agents and Spies, Lies & Allies. They ended up getting eliminated in Episode 7.
Fessy's Cast Photo for The Challenge: Total Madness
Fessy's Cast Photo for The Challenge: Double Agents
Fessy's Cast Photo for The Challenge: Spies, Lies & Allies
Faysal's Cast Photo for The Challenge: Ride or Dies
Faysal's Cast Photo for The Challenge: USA 2
Trivia
Faysal and Rachel Swindler were casting alternates for Big Brother 19 (US). Specifically, Faysal claimed to be an alternate for eventual winner and fellow Challenge competitor Josh Martinez.