"I think I left gracefully:" Love Island Australia star Mick reveals he was planning to steal the money

Love Island Australia wrapped up its season 7 finale on Monday, December 15, 2025, at 8:30 pm AEDT on 9Now, with Yana and Kye winning the dating competition along with the prize of $30,000.

The reduction of $20,000 from the original prize pool of $50,000 was a result of an even more dramatic and surprising turn of events in the Mallorca villa. Dylan Towolawi shook everyone during the fire pit as he chose money over love and left the villa along with his connection, Kodi.

Now, eliminated Islander Mick Maio spoke to 9Entertainment, revealing that he was also planning to choose the money over love in Love Island Australia, but changed his decision at the last moment.

The 27-year-old creative director from Melbourne further explained the reasons, saying that Dylan was too quick in his decision, standing up instantly without giving him any moment to rethink, further adding:

"I think I left gracefully, and I'm happy for Dylan. He probably needed the money more than I did."

Here's what Mick said regarding the Love Island Australia twist that shook the villa

Mick has revealed he came very close to pulling off one of the biggest twists in Love Island Australia Season 7, admitting he fully planned to take the $20,000 cash offer before Dylan beat him to it.

In an exclusive interview, the eliminated Islander opened up about the moment that nearly changed everything, and why he ultimately feels at peace with how it all played out.

According to Mick, the idea to take the money wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment thought. In fact, he and his partner Emma had already talked it through earlier that day as the 27-year-old explained:

“Me and [his Love Island partner] Emma almost had a bit of an agreement we made earlier that day that I was going to get up there and we’d split the cash.” 

When host Sophie Monk presented the infamous “cash or love” offer at the firepit, Mick could feel the tension instantly. As Sophie held up the $20,000 and warned the Islanders of the consequences, Mick said he felt Emma “squeezing [his] hand really tight.”

Mick admitted he knew it was always going to come down to him or Dylan, adding further:

"I knew it was between me and Dylan doing it. I was building suspense, but that guy [Dylan] has got no sense of occasion, so I think up he stood up a bit early,” he joked. The speed of Dylan’s decision caught everyone off guard. “I don’t think anyone expected him to stand up that quickly,” Mick added.

While Mick initially felt disappointed about missing his chance to grab the cash and make one final dramatic exit, those feelings fade away over time. Looking back now, he’s surprisingly pleased with how things ended, expressing,

“I think I left gracefully, and I’m happy for Dylan. He probably needed the money more than I did,” Mick said with a laugh, showing no bitterness over the situation.

Mick also shared an update on where things stand with Emma since leaving the villa. Although they exited hand-in-hand, their connection did not continue for long after Love Island Australia.

“I reached out after the show briefly, but we kind of went our separate ways from there. I’m in Melbourne, and she’s in the Gold Coast,” he explained.

Despite the split, Mick spoke warmly about Emma and the bond they shared, adding lastly:

“Out of all the girls I met in the Villa, she was the one who really stood out for me. We had a genuine thing. I was able to open up more with and be vulnerable with her in comparison to the other girls.”

Stay tuned for more updates.