Will Ospreay Can’t Make Up His Mind on Fans—Helpful Critics or Faceless Nobodies?

Will Ospreay is talking about the fans—but depending on which day you catch him, the message is a little different. In one interview, the AEW star urges wrestlers to embrace criticism and evolve. In another, he makes it clear he’s stopped caring what faceless Twitter users have to say. Let’s break it down.

In his recent appearance on the Pomo and Kitsch YouTube show, Ospreay delivered a passionate take on why wrestlers need to check their egos and truly listen to fan feedback. When asked about the nonstop internet commentary, he leaned into the idea that criticism—even when it seems shallow—can still help a performer grow.

“Remove your ego. Because no matter what, these people are clients. They’re punters. They’re people that are watching the shows.”

He brought up a recent promo segment with Hangman Page on Dynamite, saying it was his best mic work to date. But instead of the content, fans online had one thing to say—his hair.

“Everyone’s going, ‘Oh, but his hair…’ I get it. I can’t control this hair. But you know what? I’ll take it. It’s a criticism. And do you know what? Fair enough. But—they’re watching.”

Ospreay doubled down on the idea that every voice matters—even if it stings.

“Even if it brings in just one more viewer—that’s the art to this. It’s being vigilant and ready to adapt. I love my job, man. I listen to reviews all the time because I want to get better at this… Complacency kills. 100%. If you’re complacent in this industry, you’re not willing to evolve.”

But then—just days earlier—Ospreay took a totally different tone in a Busted Open Radio interview when asked about how he deals with online hate and trolls.

“I think years ago, if you had asked me that question, I didn’t deal with it very well. But I think a lot of it just comes with growing up and just having this sense of being like, you know what… I respect your opinion, but it is just that—an opinion.”

He made it clear he’s not giving energy to those who haven’t been in the trenches.

“The majority… of the people that will say, ‘Well, you guys are not the best,’ are these faceless accounts or these people that have never stepped foot in a pro wrestling ring—that have never gone to a dojo in Japan where no one speaks your language.”

Instead of obsessing over social media, Ospreay said he finds real validation from the fans in the arena.

“I can respect that. If you don’t enjoy my style, I 100% respect it… But like I can see thousands of people all around me and they’re standing up and they’re singing, they’re cheering.”

“There’s one guy that just looks up and they’re just beaming for you. And I’m confident and I can just read the room and I know what I’m doing is good.”

So, which is it? Should wrestlers tune in to fan feedback—or tune it out? Maybe the real answer lies somewhere in the middle. Ospreay is learning in real-time what most top-tier talent eventually face: you can’t please everyone, but you still have to listen—to someone.

Is Ospreay sending mixed messages, or just showing both sides of the struggle every modern wrestler faces? Should talent pay more attention to online fans, or only care about the ones in the building? Drop your take in the comments.

Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.