On Wednesday, December 17, 25-year-old tech salesman Rizo Velovic will enter the finale of “Survivor 49” with a one-in-five shot of becoming the next “Sole Survivor.”
CBSWith an Immunity Idol in his pocket, this season’s youngest castaway is all-but guaranteed a spot in the Final Four, but will Rizo – a.k.a “the man, the myth, the legend, RIZGOD, baby!” – find himself at Final Tribal, pleading his case to the jury as to why he, and not his competitors, should walk away with the $1 million grand prize?
For now, only time will tell. Until then, here’s five fast facts you need to know about “Survivor 49” finalist Rizo Velovic.
1. Rizo Velovic Is the 1st ‘Survivor’ Player of Albanian Descent
In addition to being the last man standing this season, Rizo Velovic also made “Survivor” history as the first castaway of Albanian descent to join the hit CBS reality competition series.
Born in November 1999, Rizo is the eldest son of two Albanian immigrants. As a kid living on the outskirts of New York City, Velovic’s parents worked double time to ensure that he and his younger brother, Almir, could live out their dreams as adults.
“My entire upbringing has prepared me for [‘Survivor’],” Velovic told Entertainment Weekly in a pre-season press interview. “Being the oldest of two in an Albanian immigrant household, my parents were working 2 jobs to put food on the table, whereas I was expected to live the American dream. Having that much responsibility at such a young age motivated me to make sure my parents’ sacrifices weren’t for nothing. Everything I do is for them.”
While his parents were at work, Rizo’s duties at home included filing his family’s taxes, house hunting, and keeping an eye on Almir, who was diagnosed with autism at a very young age. It was during one of these many nights of babysitting that Velovic, flipping through the channels, discovered “Survivor.” The rest, as they say, is history.
2. Rizo Velovic Is a Massive New York Sports Fan
Outside of his now-blossoming “Survivor” career, Rizo Velovic works as a tech salesman in Yonkers, though the career was far from his first choice.
As a child, Rizo had originally hoped to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps and become a farmer. However, that dream quickly faded away after he graduated from high school and enrolled at the University of Albany to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications.
While still a student, Rizo began working in broadcast journalism, a post that allowed him to indulge his ongoing passion for professional sports. During his brief time as a reporter, Velovic dedicated his attention to live sports coverage in New York, particularly for teams like the Yankees, the Knicks and the Rangers.
Rizo eventually switched career paths, entering the tech sales field after discovering that broadcast journalism wasn’t as lucrative as he’d originally hoped. In November 2024, he additionally began working as a notary at the Notary Public Office for the State of New York, using the extra cash he earns to support his family.
While the castaway no longer works in journalism, he remains an avid sports fan, publishing an array of sports-related content on his YouTube channel, cleverly titled “RizPod.”
3. Rizo Velovic Is Dating Registered Nurse Elizabeth Doqaj
In addition to being a family-man and a dedicated sports fan, Rizo Velovic is also in a relationship with Elizabeth Doqaj, is a registered nurse from Yonkers, New York.
Elizabeth, who affectionately refers to herself as “LizGod” online, has been heavily featured on Rizo’s TikTok since Season 49 premiered earlier this fall.
During a recent Q&A video on the platform, Elizabeth revealed that she was initially attracted to the fan-favorite because of his controversial nickname.
“Actually, before I even met him, I laid my eyes on him, and his Instagram account was @RizGod34,” Elizabeth said. “Since then, I just call him RizGod every day.”
The couple have since expressed their interest in returning to “Survivor” for a future “Blood vs. Water” season, though Rizo argues that Elizabeth has “pre-merge boot written all over her.”
4. Rizo Velovic Has an Encyclopedic Knowledge of ‘Survivor’
When Rizo Velovic originally discovered “Survivor” as a kid, he was immediately enthralled by “Survivor: Tocantins” winner JT Thomas.
“‘Survivor: Tocantins’ was the origination for me,” Rizo told EW. “I was an 8 or 9-year-old kid scrolling through the TV and I loved ‘Legends of the Hidden Temple.’ And I remember scrolling through the TV and I see Jeff [Probst] go, ‘JT, do you want this tooth back?’ JT is like, ‘Yeah.’ And then he flicks the tooth and I’m like… ‘I love this show!’”
While Rizo has since named JT as not only his “favorite player of all time,” but also his secret “Survivor” crush, the castaway has since amassed a near-encyclopedic knowledge of the series and its players – a skill that he showed off particularly well while blind-ranking former “Sole Survivors” on TikTok. Check it out!
5. Rizo Velovic Is Obsessed with Pro-Wrestler John Cena
As a sports lover, it’s no surprise that Rizo Velovic is also a devoted fan of WWE.
In addition to recording his experiences at countless live wrestling matches for his YouTube channel, Rizo also revealed that former WWE star John Cena has been one of his biggest inspirations in life.
“Growing up, the three constants were ‘Survivor,’ sports, and wrestling,” he told EW, adding that, for him, Cena “is the definition of ‘never give up.’”
“No matter how hard life got, no matter how many obstacles, those 3 words got me through it all,” Rizo continued. “He taught me grit, determination, and optimism. As a kid, seeing him defy the odds motivated me to do the same. He helped instill hustle, loyalty, and respect in me. The man taught me things I still hold onto and will in this game.”
Be sure to tune in to the “explosive” three-hour finale of “Survivor 49” on CBS, tonight, Wednesday, December 17, at 8:00pm ET, to see if Rizo Velovic can emerge victorious as this season’s “Sole Survivor.”
