Mark Estes gushes over Sommer Ray after Cavallari split as Special Forces Season 4 debuts

Mark Estes is publicly praising his new girlfriend Sommer Ray as he promotes Season 4 of Fox's Special Forces: World's Toughest Test. In an exclusive interview with Page Six's Virtual Reali-Tea, the former Montana State football player, 25, said their relationship is going awesome and that they're on the same page about most things as they navigate a high-profile romance.

He said they connected via DMs on social media. He described their dynamic: We click very well. She can tell how I’m feeling or how she’s feeling and we don't really need to talk about it. Ray, 29, is a fitness influencer with more than 26 million Instagram followers and her own activewear line; she’s been linked to various celebrities in the past, including Machine Gun Kelly. Estes emphasized the depth of their bond beyond a public romance.

Estes’s first public romance since breaking up with Cavallari last year. Cavallari, 38, later addressed their split on her Let’s Be Honest podcast, saying the pair were in different places in life. She noted there were no hard feelings and wished Estes the best.

As Estes looks ahead to the Morocco desert competition, Fox's Special Forces Season 4 lineup is star-studded: Teresa Giudice, Eva Marcille, Brianna LaPaglia, Kody Brown, and Jussie Smollett, among others. The show pushes celebrities through physical and mental challenges under the supervision of ex-special forces operators. Season 4 premieres Thursday, Sept. 25, at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.

The interview underscores how Ray could be a natural fit for the grueling demands; Estes said he believes she would make it through the experience and that she’s tough enough to handle the course.

As Estes begins this new chapter personally, he remains focused on this Morocco shoot and the broader arc of Special Forces for Season 4, illustrating how a high-profile relationship can unfold alongside one of television’s toughest competitions.