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00:00I'm very proud. I think if you told me back at final 10 after Nate got blindsided that me,
00:05Soap and Savannah would go from a 7-3 minority to the majority in the final four, I would have
00:10said you're an idiot, but here we are. And it happened. I was able to represent my family.
00:15I was able to represent my friends, my country of Albania that's never been represented in not
00:20only in Survivor, but in CBS reality TV space period across all the three major network shows.
00:26I was able to showcase my personality, the Riz God, the goofy side. I was able to showcase my
00:31strategic acumen and thank you for the compliment of being an incredible game. I felt like I had
00:35played an incredible game. So it's so wonderful, truthfully. But should you have practiced fire
00:41more? Yeah. You know what it was? It's funny because people sometimes don't realize that fire
00:47really is a crapshoot. I could have practiced all I want, but Savannah literally went into day 25
00:52making zero fires and I had a couple under my belt, but it just really comes down to whose
00:57fire sparks more and hers sparked faster. Yeah. So after you, you know, you're, you get your torch
01:02snuff, you go to Ponderosa. What was the reaction overall from everyone to you? Did they kind of give
01:07you intel about how you would have fared? How do you made it to the final three? I think had I beat
01:12Savannah at final four fire, I would have won the game. I think the votes that Savannah got,
01:16I would have gotten and Savannah would have voted for me. I think it would have been five to one,
01:20very similar to how it ended up. Um, I think it was best for Savannah and I's game to go against
01:25each other and fire because had we were sitting next to each other, I think there's a very good
01:30possibility that the third person sitting next to us would have beaten us. Was that fair? I mean,
01:35that's the jury's decision, but I think the jury was very anti Rizzo and Savannah because whether
01:40they didn't like us or they thought we were running the game, whether they were bitter, whatever.
01:44Um, I think they didn't want to crown us the million. Um, so going into Ponderosa,
01:48I made it my mission to have one of my two allies, Savannah or Soph win. Um, so I was up till five in
01:53the morning coming to Ponderosa and telling them why they should get first or second. And then more
01:57specifically why Savannah should win. Um, so I think had it, had I won against Savannah, I would have
02:03won. Had it was me, Savannah and another person, I don't know. Interesting. Okay. So there were some
02:09anti Rizzo Savannah sentiment going on in that jury. Yeah, I think for sure. Okay. Okay. So you,
02:16you know, you just said that you really campaigned hard for Savannah and Soph, did you get a lot of
02:19pushback when you were doing so? Or did you feel like realistically one of these two girls has taken
02:23this home? So I want to credit Sage because I think Sage played really well. I think it's hard
02:30because a lot of the jury wanted to kind of give credit to Sage for all these flip flopping moves.
02:38And like, they didn't want to credit the trio when in reality it was like, guys, we were in a seven,
02:43three minority. There's three of us in the final four. This wasn't because you guys self imploded
02:49or because Sage did this. It's because we did this. So I think going into jury, I wanted them to see
02:56that. And I think had us three made it to the final three, it would have been a slugfest. Cause
03:00while we had the advantage of being a trio and being so tight knit, we also had a disadvantage that
03:05nobody really knew our game because we were all so like, we didn't have people vouching for us.
03:09Our only ally in the jury was Nate and he left like eight weeks ago. Right. So he didn't really
03:14know what we were doing. So me going there, I was able to put the missing pieces to the puzzle
03:18together and explain why Soph and Savannah should win. And it wasn't to not have Sage win. Like
03:23I said, Sage played great. And I want to give Sage her flower. She deserves it. Uh, but I wanted to
03:28crown the winner as somebody that overcame the odds. And that was Savannah for me, um, or Soph for others.
03:35Yeah. It seemed like Sage kind of got the blame of you three getting by, you know, uh, after being
03:41in a minority. And it seemed like she kind of was like the, the fall person for that because they
03:46felt like she let you guys get away with it. But it also was a testament to the three of you
03:50and the game. Right. Right. And I think that's what I wanted to shift the perception of the jury
03:55because they were so more blaming Sage for their losses when in reality it was our doings that caused
04:00their losses. Yeah. Yeah. So were you surprised ultimately about the five to two to one vote,
04:05how that ultimately shook out? I wasn't honestly, I thought it actually might've been closer because
04:10Soph actually killed it at the final tribal. I thought it might've been a four, three, one
04:14or something like that. Um, but I was, I wasn't surprised that Savannah won. Yeah. What do you think
04:20it was just about the three of you working together that allowed you guys to stick together and just
04:24be such a successful alliance? You know, I think a lot of it kind of comes from us being friends
04:31first. And I know that's crazy to say, but Savannah and I just clicked from day one. I remind Savannah
04:37of her younger brother that's around my age. And I never had an older sibling growing up. And Savannah
04:42was like a big sister to me. And since day one, me and Savannah saw this game eye to eye, we wanted to
04:47be legends in our own right. We love old school survivor. And we just kind of saw that. And I feel
04:51like you saw that throughout the show. We were so confident. We weren't afraid to make moves. We were bold.
04:56We were fearless, not fearful. And I think that's why people wanted to target us. And then seeing
05:01self go through this traumatic experience, being one of the two people left, we wanted to pick her
05:05up and bring her a part of the family and us three just bonded so closely. And that bond personally
05:12allowed us to be so strategically in sync. It's actually kind of funny watching it back because
05:16me and Savannah, we're not privy to how much soap was willing to flip on us. And we're like, wow,
05:21like we were never going to flip on you. So, so it's funny. And granted, listen, she did what she had to do
05:25for the million. So we're not angry. We're all literally best friends to this day, but it was
05:29just, we just had that relationship where we never doubted each other. And there was fractures in the
05:34majority. We were rock solid and it got us to the end. Savannah was the muscle. I was the strategic
05:39social maneuvering guy with my idol and soap was the spy for us. So we were just a great trio. Honestly,
05:46I want to say one of the best trios in survivor history.
05:48You can say that confidently Rizzo, 100% one of the best. And I think that's what,
05:52no disrespect to everyone else. I think it will be remembered for what the three of you
05:56were able to pull off. Um, I thought you handled everything with the idol masterfully week by week
06:02by week, but did the jury members feel otherwise? I feel like I've heard that they were a little bit
06:06put off by some of the antics. What was it? So if the roles were reversed, I would have loved this.
06:13My favorite players in survivor are Ferris from Australian survivor and Tony Blakos from
06:16who are infamously known for idol theatrics. Because for me, my game was so behind the scenes,
06:23right? Like I was conducting blind sides. I was convincing people who to get out. The jury doesn't
06:27see this. The only thing the jury sees is my number one ally Savannah winning immunity after
06:31immunity after immunity. I needed to differentiate myself in the game. And the only way I could do that
06:35is at tribal with my idol. So I think they were more off put for the fact that how is Rizzo keep on
06:42getting away with this each and every time? Cause there's three people on that jury, but mostly to
06:47Alex and MC had idols that they played for no reason. And I had a public idol that people wanted
06:53to flush time and time again. Yet I still skated by. I literally had a God idol that you will had
06:58back on survivor cook islands without the luxury of being able to play it after the votes. I was able
07:03to be innovative. And I think in the moment they were upset, but had I made FTC and been able to pitch
07:10my case, I think they would have been receptive. Do you think the way you played your idol is going
07:14to impact season 51 and on and the way that people handle that? I do think so. And honestly,
07:20I'm very proud knowing because my first season of survivor was survivor token jeans. I saw JT the
07:24next season after that was Russell Hans and Samoa. So I grew up in a time in survivor where idols were
07:30game changing. They literally dictated what happened. I grew up seeing Wentworth does not count to then now
07:36being a new era fan where people are so afraid to go home with an idol. They either go home
07:40with it or they just burn it for no reason. I always told myself if I go on survivor, I'm bringing
07:44the power back to the idol. I'm playing like Tony. I'm playing, I'm not playing like Russell Hans,
07:48but I'm using the idol like Russell Hans. You know what I mean? And I think for seasons to come,
07:52people are going to be like, that person has an idol. They got to flush it. We can't let them do
07:56what Rizzo did. And I take a lot of precedent and pride in that Riz God wanted to leave a legacy.
08:02And I think I did that with the idol this season.
08:04And I actually, I do think Russell Hans deserves a shadow because he revolutionized how you use idols,
08:09even though people hated them, but he changed the way that that format, that part of the game
08:14works, you know, I mean, it was something I've done before. So kudos to you for kind of doing,
08:19you know, something a little bit similar. Yeah. Is, was there anyone on the jury that you
08:25wish you had a stronger bond with that you ultimately didn't?
08:30Um, honestly, I'm very happy with all the relationship. I think the reason why I was able
08:36to socially maneuver well with everybody is I was friends with everyone. Like I had a good
08:41relationship. People didn't dislike me. They just didn't like how I was playing the game,
08:45which is fine. That's two different things, but I was great. I got, I felt great with everyone.
08:49The only person I didn't really have a good relationship with in the game. And now we have
08:52a great relationship outside of it is Christina. I think Christina Savannah and I just were on two
08:58different sides of the beach. We never got along on the show. Uh, but after the show, it's been great.
09:03So if I had to say somebody probably would be Christina, but I'm very happy. Like I'm friends
09:07with, I think I would say everybody on the cast more closely with Savannah. So, uh, but I love
09:12everyone. Listen, cats out of the bag about, well, it's kind of been out of the bag already,
09:16but you and Savannah being on 50, um, I imagine the moment you get asked is like a moment you'll
09:22never forget. And what was that moment like for you just as a, as a human? And it was unreal
09:29because as a survivor fan, like a true student of the game, only less than 10 people have ever done
09:34what I'm, when I, what I'm going to do, right. Go back to back. And the fact that I got back to
09:39back, not only for fans versus favorites, like I got back for survivor 50, arguably what's going
09:46to be the biggest season of all time. They saw potential in me was game changing. So it was the
09:51next day, Ponderosa productions like Rizzo, we need to talk to you or whatever. I walk into a room,
09:55there's a computer. I'm like, Oh my God, it's my first time seeing a computer. And Jeff Probst is on it.
09:59And he's like, looking at me. So I'm like, Oh my God, Jeff, I thought he just did this with
10:03everybody in the finale. I was like, so good to see you. Just call me Riz God. It's like,
10:06we're best friends. I've seen you for 25 days at this point. And then Jeff very seriously goes
10:10into this monologue Rizzo survivor 50, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And like, in my mind,
10:14I'm like, is he about to ask me, am I going to be on survivor 50? And then he asks me and I lose my
10:19marbles. I go ballistic. I start crying. I'm like, absolutely. Yes. Signed, sealed, delivered. Don't even
10:24have to worry. I don't even have to leave Fiji. Just keep me here, whatever. Um, so I'd even
10:29talk to my parents, nothing. It was an automatic. Yes. I go home. I see my family. They're so excited
10:34to see me. And I'm like, guys, please stop crying. Don't make me cry. Cause I'm leaving next week to
10:37go on Fiji again. And it was unreal. It was crazy. And I got to play with legends that I grew up
10:42idolizing. And at what point in that process, did you know Savannah was going back?
10:46Um, can I pull the curtain a little bit reduction? I'm sorry. Don't hate me, but it was very funny
10:52because the way that they did it, they pulled both in Savannah and I together like at different
10:58intervals. So at Ponderosa, like as we were going home, flying back home, Savannah goes,
11:05congratulations. And I'm like, why? She's like, I know. And I was like, what? Cause like they,
11:13they swore me to secrecy. You know what I mean? It's like, absolutely. I'm not saying anything.
11:16She's like, they asked me too. And I was like, what are you talking about? She's like,
11:19Bristol survivor 50. I was like, what the fuck? They asked you, you just won. And it was really
11:24funny on the plane. Uh, she deduced it. Cause she went in the same room I went in. So it was crazy.
11:29I was so happy. I was like, oh my God, we just ran this game together in 49. Now we get to run the
11:33tables back on 50. So I was super excited because no one's ever had their number one, like Zeke and
11:39Michaela came back, but they weren't aligned. I literally have my number one ally that nobody knew about.
11:43on survivor 50. So it was awesome. Yeah. Yeah. Um, when I talked to her,
11:46she gave me a guy and a girl that she was just most excited to be out there with for her. It was
11:51coach and D obviously no spoilers, but who were those? Who was that guy? And who was that girl for
11:55you? God, there's so many people, man. Uh, it's so hard. I I'm I'll do one of each for new era,
12:01old era, new era, definitely Q and Genevieve and then old era, Suri and coach.
12:09You had to say Suri and coach. I feel like that's like, no disrespect to everyone else,
12:12but I was thinking as a fan as well. I was like, I know Rizzo is going to say Suri and
12:16coach. Yeah. Like even the 50 monologue where coach is opening it. I'm like, holy,
12:21like, I get goosebumps.
12:22Like I get goosebumps.
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