Grayson Waller has built much of his WWE identity around being willing to say exactly what is on his mind, whether it is aimed at an opponent, a fellow WWE personality, or the audience watching at home. That confidence has also made him one of the company’s more visible performers online, where wrestling conversations move quickly and reactions to every match, promo, segment, and storyline can be immediate.
But Waller believes there is a danger in allowing those reactions to determine how a performer feels about their own work. During an appearance on What’s Your Story with Stephanie McMahon, Waller discussed the habit wrestlers can fall into after a match: reaching for social media to find out whether the audience approved. In doing so, he recalled advice AJ Styles gave NXT talent years ago about whose opinions should actually carry weight.
Waller described the emotional swing that can come with reading reactions shortly after leaving the ring. A positive message can provide a rush of validation. A harsh critique can stay with a performer just as easily. His point was not that fans are wrong to share their views, but that wrestlers must be careful about giving every online opinion the same value as feedback from people responsible for their development and positioning within WWE.
“I’ll give you the worst one. The match finishes; they go on social media. ‘This guy is the best. He’s the man.’ AJ Styles gave the best advice ever. He came down to NXT years ago and said, ‘If there is a mean comment about you online, it doesn’t matter. If there is a good comment about you online, it doesn’t matter. Any opinion that matters at any point: Hunter, Shawn, Bloom. Their opinion matters because they are the ones who have done this, and they are the ones who put you in places.’”
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The names Waller referenced underline the structure of WWE’s developmental system. “Hunter” is Paul “Triple H” Levesque, WWE’s Chief Content Officer. “Shawn” is Shawn Michaels, who has had a central role in guiding NXT. “Bloom” refers to Matt Bloom, another key figure in WWE talent development. For a wrestler looking to improve, earn opportunities, and understand where they stand creatively, Waller’s recollection of Styles’ point is straightforward: the most useful evaluations come from experienced decision-makers who see the work up close and understand the wider plan.
That does not mean positive fan response is meaningless from an entertainment standpoint. WWE is built around audience investment, and crowd reactions have always mattered. Live audiences can alter the direction of characters, while sustained support for a talent can become impossible to ignore. Online conversation can also reveal which moments are connecting beyond the arena. However, Waller’s comments distinguish between recognizing audience interest and allowing individual posts to control a wrestler’s confidence.
He acknowledged why the temptation is difficult to resist. Praise feels good, particularly in a profession where performers place themselves in front of a massive audience and invite reaction every time they appear. The problem, as Waller sees it, is that the same person who becomes energized by a compliment can become discouraged by criticism from someone who has no direct understanding of the performer’s goals, character direction, training process, physical condition, or instructions for a given match.
“It’s so hard now not to check because when someone puts you over, it’s the best feeling. ‘Yes, I’m the man,’ but you have to realize, ‘Who is this? They don’t really understand.’ These kids are going through something that no one has before, so it’s hard to understand from their perspective how they feel,” he said.
Styles’ message carries particular weight because of his own career. Before becoming one of WWE’s most accomplished modern stars, Styles spent years performing in prominent roles across the global wrestling landscape. His experience includes working in a variety of environments, adapting to different audiences, and maintaining a high profile through major changes in the way wrestlers are covered and discussed. He entered WWE in 2016 and quickly became a main-event level performer, later adding several major accomplishments to his résumé.
For younger wrestlers in NXT, Styles is also an example of longevity. His in-ring ability has long been celebrated, but his value as a veteran extends beyond match execution. Advice about handling criticism, maintaining perspective, and focusing on what can be controlled can be especially important for performers learning to navigate a business that has changed dramatically in the digital era.
Social Media’s Double-Edged Role in Wrestling
Professional wrestling has always encouraged strong opinions. Fans have debated pushes, finishes, championship reigns, rivalries, and promos for generations. The difference today is speed and proximity. A reaction that might once have taken place among a few fans after a show can now reach the performer’s phone before they have even returned backstage.
That access can be useful. Wrestlers can promote appearances, communicate directly with supporters, expand their character work, and help a storyline reach people who did not see it live. Social platforms can also give talent an outlet to display humor, personality, and interests that do not necessarily fit within a televised segment. For a performer whose role involves antagonizing others, it can be another arena for building heat and sustaining a persona.
Waller has certainly embraced that side of the medium. He is known for taking verbal shots at peers and engaging in the kind of online back-and-forth that fits his abrasive on-screen presentation. His social media activity is often an extension of the self-assured, confrontational character audiences see on WWE programming. Yet his remarks to McMahon show an awareness that performing online and emotionally relying on online approval are very different things.
A wrestler can use social media as a tool without treating it as a scoreboard. That is the balance behind the lesson Waller attributed to Styles. Negative comments do not automatically establish that a performer failed. Positive comments do not automatically confirm that a performer has mastered every aspect of their craft. Both can be incomplete snapshots from people responding to a limited view of the work.
Why Internal Feedback Matters
In WWE, detailed feedback from coaches, producers, trainers, and creative leaders can address matters the public may never see. It can concern timing, ring positioning, communication, character consistency, safety, storytelling, preparation, or how a particular piece fits into a longer narrative. Fans may respond strongly to a moment while the people guiding a wrestler’s development identify areas that require further work. The reverse can also be true: an online criticism may overlook the fact that a performer accomplished exactly what was asked of them in the context of a story.
Waller’s comments do not dismiss the fan experience. Instead, they stress discernment. The loudest response is not always the most informed one, and the most flattering response is not necessarily the most constructive. That can be a difficult concept for anyone whose work is public, especially when algorithms reward immediate emotional engagement and make it easy to measure attention in likes, shares, replies, and views.
The pressure is amplified for developing talent. Wrestlers in NXT are learning their craft under a spotlight that is far brighter and more constant than it was for earlier generations. They are not simply working to improve in front of coaches and live crowds; they are doing so while clips are dissected in real time and every move can generate a wave of commentary. Waller’s observation that current talent is dealing with an experience unlike what came before reflects that reality.
Waller’s Perspective as a WWE Personality
Waller’s own presentation makes his perspective notable. He is not a performer who avoids confrontation or tries to remain invisible in wrestling discourse. His approach thrives on confidence, provocation, and getting people to react. That makes his acknowledgment of social media’s pull especially relevant. Even performers who are comfortable stirring debate can recognize that not every reaction deserves personal investment.
His recollection also adds to the respect he has expressed for Styles while discussing WWE’s developmental brand. Waller has praised Styles for being hands-on in NXT, and the social media guidance he shared offers a practical example of what experienced veterans can provide. It is not only advice about moves or matches; it is advice about surviving the constant noise surrounding a modern wrestling career.
For Waller, Styles’ central message remains clear. Wrestlers should not be crushed by an anonymous insult, and they should not become overly convinced by anonymous praise. The feedback that can most directly help shape a career comes from trusted people with experience in the industry and a direct role in helping talent progress.
In a business fueled by reaction, that is not always easy to remember. But Waller’s account of Styles’ advice offers a useful reminder that the next post on a timeline does not have to define a performer’s worth, their progress, or their future in WWE.
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.