Donovan Dijak is calling on wrestling fans to show more empathy when performers suffer legitimate injuries.
In a lengthy statement posted following AEW All Out, Dijak addressed what he believes has become a growing tendency among some fans to mock or criticize wrestlers when footage of injuries or other distressing moments circulates online.
Dijak acknowledged that professional wrestling can complicate the situation because storylines routinely encourage audiences to root against villains, including celebrating when a heel appears to get hurt. In some cases, an apparent injury later turns out to have been part of the performance.
However, Dijak argued that the uncertainty surrounding those moments should encourage fans to wait before making jokes or passing judgment, particularly when a wrestler could be dealing with a genuine injury in public.
“Do we sign up for this? Yes. Do we understand the risks? Yes.”
Dijak noted that while some wrestlers are compensated extremely well for taking those physical risks, many performers throughout the industry are not.
He also extended his argument beyond injuries to wrestlers losing their jobs. Dijak said criticism of performers should be based on their actual behavior rather than treating an injury or unemployment as some form of deserved punishment.
Dijak later clarified that his comments were not directed at one specific incident from AEW All Out.
According to Dijak, he had seen three viral examples that night involving wrestlers dealing with injuries or distress, all of which were followed by judgmental reactions and discussions online.
He added that his concerns extend well beyond All Out, describing the response to those incidents as part of a broader pattern he has increasingly noticed among wrestling fans over approximately the past six months.
There is a growing trend lately among some segments of the pro wrestling fanbase where people are showing an abhorrent and complete lack of empathy for professional wrestlers getting legitimately injured. I understand this is a grey area because on the one hand we are literally…
— DONOVAN DIJAK (@DijakFYE) September 27, 2026
