The 90 Day Fiancé franchise seems to be a beacon for mama’s boys, as there have been hordes of them on the show and its spinoffs. Did franchise producers put a description in the casting calls, specifically asking for mama’s boys? Sometimes, it seems like it. Fans of the show are familiar with many male cast members who seemed to side with their mothers rather than their partners. While some women were able to change the relationships that the men had with their mothers, other ladies had to walk away alone, leaving their overbearing mothers-in-law and partners behind.
The mama’s boys are a mix of foreigners and Americans, but regardless of nationality, a mama’s boy is a mama’s boy. Although sons who are very close to their moms are "ratings gold" for producers, intense mother-son relationships usually negatively impact the mens' romantic relationships. The hit reality TV show has introduced fans to a plethora of cast member types, from the gold digger to the trophy wife to the possible schemer. However, none has been as concerning and consistent as the mama’s boy. Here is a ranking of the show's biggest mama's boys, from bottom to top.
Russ Mayfield
At the bottom of the ranking, in the sixth position, we have Russ Mayfield, and his mother was not that bad when she appeared on the show. However, Russ caused trouble when he sided with his mom on more than one occasion... especially when it came to the clothing that Pao chose to wear while the couple lived with his parents. His mother disapproved of Pao's free-spirited ways and often chastised her, and Russ did not do much to defend his wife against his mother. This was especially true when it came to her modeling.
Their cultural differences caused Russ and Paola, who have been featured on 90 Day Fiancé: Pillow Talk, to clash. However, Russ began supporting his wife and focusing on their growing family. Russ Mayfield isn't the franchise's biggest mama’s boy, but he does have a close relationship with his mother. Sometimes, it comes off as too close. Fortunately, it seems like Paola is getting along better with her mother-in-law these days, as she's said they buried the hatchet.
Pedro Jimeno
In fifth place, there is Pedro Jimeno. Pedro’s mother and his partner Chantel did not get along at all, and their drama was one reason why Pedro and Chantel got their spin-off show, The Family Chantel. Pedro and his mother are very close, and this caused tension in his marriage with Chantel Jimeno (née Everett). The Dominican native Pedro would send his mom more money than the pair could afford to send, which became a serious issue. The final straw was when Chantel realized that the apartment that Pedro was paying for, which his mother and sister lived in, was nicer than the one that she and Pedro rented.
Pedro, who's on a serious fitness kick lately, did have a saving grace, as he slowly began to understand where Chantel was coming from. He stopped listening to his mother as much as he used to. Instead, he focused on his wife. For that, Pedro gets bonus points.
Brandon Gibbs
Brandon Gibbs is in fourth place and he has stirred up a lot of controversies this season. His parents forced him and his soon-to-be wife Julia Trubkina to sleep in separate rooms. Then, they made Julia do farm work when she definitely did not want to. The manipulation tactics that Brandon’s mother employed when Brandon told her he wanted to move out were notable. Throughout his wedding preparations, Brandon allowed his mother Betty Gibbs to take over, despite Julia telling him that she wanted him to be more involved.
Fans suspect that the only reason that Brandon from Dinwiddie, Virginia, listens to his mom is because of his debt. The 27-year-old cannot do much while he is living under Betty and Ron's roof, which may explain why he defers to his mother. Brandon has also come under fire for throwing Julia under the bus multiple times during this season. Viewers agree that he acts like a teenager with a girlfriend, rather than an adult with a fiancée. This is probably because his mother enables him.
Paul Staehle
The number three pick is Paul Staehle. His mama’s boy tendencies made him too dependent on his mother Edna and her pocketbook. Paul needed his mother's money because he did not have a stable source of income, which made it tough to support his wife Karine and his child. He and Karine now have two children.
Paul has struggled to support his family. When he brought Karine and the baby to America, their lifestyle was much worse than he'd promised. His mother urged him to get a job but his criminal record made that a real challenge. Despite his mother telling him she would cut him off, she was always there for him. His father had already cut him off, as Paul’s mother mentioned in the show. Paul is now in Brazil with Karine, and the family seems to be ok.
Asuelu Pulaa
In second place is the young Samoan Asuelu Pulaa, who would have been ranked the worst mama’s boy in franchise history if he hadn't gotten his act together. Kalani constantly told him that they did not have money to spare. He refused to listen and continued sending money to his mother. He and Kalani were living with her parents and struggling to make ends meet with two young sons, but for a long time, Asuelu did not seem to care about that.
Asuelu went as far as to call Kalani a “b*tch” in front of her mom after she told him he could not send money to his family. Even when his mother was attacking Kalani, he did nothing. When his mother said she did not care about his children, he also did nothing. When he had a chance to defend Kalani, he would not. It was not until recently that he finally broke free, and now Asuelu and Kalani are doing better.
Colt Johnson
The infamous Colt Johnson is the number one biggest mama's boy of the franchise. He is the blueprint for a mama’s boy, and Colt is the only mama’s boy whose wife ended up leaving him because of his relationship with his mother. This earns him the top spot, fair and square. Colt and Debbie’s relationship is odd, and he rarely does anything without getting her approval first.
Even when he was dating Jess Caroline, he flew his mom Debbie Johnson to Brazil when she was not supposed to come along on that trip. With Debbie and Colt, it is a package deal, and this deal is something that only Colt's rumored fiancée Vanessa Guerra can handle. Vanessa is the only woman Debbie has approved of. Colt is the ultimate mama’s boy of 90 Day Fiancé franchise history, and Larissa Lima would surely agree with this number one ranking.