Everything You Need To Know About Buddy Vs. Duff Season 3

Are you Team Buddy or Team Duff? Duff Goldman loves rock 'n' roll and motorcycles — and he invented cake shop reality TV with his long-running "Ace of Cakes" show on Food Network (via The Daily News). Buddy Valastro is all about "la famiglia," and while his TLC show "Cake Boss" may have come after "Ace of Cakes," it has a huge fan base, too. Valastro and Goldman will face off for a third season of "Buddy vs. Duff," according to a Discovery press release. Season 3 premieres July 18 on Food Network and Discovery+.

Goldman and Valastro, along with their teams, will operate out of their respective bakeries in Los Angeles, California, and Hoboken, New Jersey. They will bake — or, more accurately, build — their cakes according to a variety of themes: pirate ships, architectural wonders of the world, even dream car cakes complete with engines and hydraulics. Apparently, Buddy and Duff will need mechanics on their team, along with the fondant masters.

As soon as Season 2 of "Buddy vs. Duff" concluded, in May 2020, Duff Goldman tweeted "NO SEASON 3! NO!" Maybe Goldman had a change of heart, or maybe he's happy for the big paycheck. He's a new father, after all, which could mean he's also sleep-deprived and at a disadvantage in the competition (via Discovery). 

The real underdog, however, may be Valastro, who injured his hand in a horrific bowling accident at his home last year (via Fox News). Valastro went on Rachael Ray's show in April to say that 75% of the strength in his dominant right hand had returned after five surgeries to repair it.

For those who like to keep score, Season 3 of "Buddy vs. Duff" will be significant because Goldman won Season 1, and Valastro bounced back to take Season 2. Some of Goldman's fans on Twitter, and the blogger at Reality Blurred, thought the judging during Season 2 was suspect or even rigged to give Valastro the win and even the score — setting the stage for a dramatic Season 3. 

This time around, it will be difficult to claim any conspiracy between show producers and judges. That's because there will be 50 judges, all professional cake artists who will judge Goldman and Valastro's creations remotely. Clearly, no one will be able to win an award for best-tasting cake. But eating the over-the-top cakes in "Buddy vs. Duff" isn't the point. Gentlemen, start your dream car cake engines.