Every Love Island USA season needs a villain, but this year, Ace Greene isn’t just stepping into that role. The man is sprinting toward it with his chest out and confidence levels on another planet. But here’s the truth, Ace isn’t the smooth operator he’s selling himself as. He’s not a mastermind. He’s not a puppet master. And he’s just a guy playing the game like it’s senior year, and he’s trying to win prom king. From the moment he strutted into the villa, Ace has been acting like he’s three moves ahead of everyone. But if Season 7 has shown us anything, it’s that his strategy is more messy than masterful. And the women in the villa are taking note. Let’s break down why Ace might be this season’s biggest delusion.
Ace Greene is treating Love Island USA like high school
We’ve seen this guy before. Not literally, but the type. Ace is the classic cool guy who peaked sometime between junior year and his last semi-formal. His approach to Love Island USA feels less like a dating show and more like a popularity contest. One minute, he’s flirting; the next, he’s stirring the pot, and all the while, he’s acting like he’s got the whole villa wrapped around his finger. Spoiler alert: he doesn’t.
Ace’s moves are transparent. He bounces from girl to girl, drops vague compliments like he’s reading from a Hinge bio, and tries to gaslight the other Islanders when they call him out. He’s trying to present himself as the confident alpha, but it comes off as immature and, frankly, exhausting. Instead of building genuine connections, he’s more concerned with optics. Who’s watching? What will Twitter say? How can I make myself the center of the episode? If there’s a camera nearby, you can bet Ace is performing for it. But unlike past Islanders who’ve pulled off the charming bad boy routine (cough season 5’s Marco cough), Ace isn’t nearly as smooth as he thinks.
Ace Greene has shown a distinct lack of disrespect to the Love Island women
Here’s where things go from cringey to downright problematic. Ace isn’t just fumbling his game. He’s been openly disrespectful to the women in the villa. And no, we’re not just talking about petty drama. We’re talking about dismissive comments, manipulative behavior, and emotional immaturity that’s starting to wear thin. For example, he told Taylor Williams in the sauna while he was wearing socks like a psychopath that he was going to win, meaning close off his relationship with Chelley Bissainthe. At this moment, it wasn’t about finding love but more about reenacting a She’s All That moment. Gross.
Rather than engaging with the women as equals, Ace often talks at them, not to them. His conversations feel performative like he’s trying to win a debate rather than connect emotionally. When a woman challenges him or — gasp — calls him out, he gets defensive or passive-aggressive. It’s giving “I’m right, you’re emotional,” and fans are catching on. In reality, it’s just a flimsy excuse to avoid accountability. The women deserve better, and honestly, the audience does too.
Even the other guys in the villa have started to side-eye Ace’s antics. Who could forget how Ace mean-boy’d Jeremiah Brown as he led the charge of getting him voted out. That tells you everything you need to know. When the bros are distancing themselves, it’s time to reevaluate your entire strategy.
Love Island USA Season 7 saw Ace pick on fan-favorite Islander Amaya Espinal
The final nail in Ace’s self-constructed mastermind coffin? His treatment of Amaya Espinal. A clear fan favorite this season who’s brought heart, authenticity, and actual emotional maturity to the villa. From day one, Amaya Papaya has stood out for all the right reasons. Naturally, that made her a target for Ace’s mess. Ace didn’t just play Amaya. He tried to undermine her. He downplayed her feelings, made her second-guess her instincts, and then tried to flip the narrative when she called him out. Classic gaslighting 101. And the worst part? He did it all while acting like he was the victim.
Sorry, but you don’t get to emotionally manipulate someone and then cry foul when they don’t stick around for it. Amaya handled the situation with grace (because, of course, she did), but viewers saw right through it. Ace thought he could knock a strong woman off her game for the sake of drama. Instead, he exposed himself as a player whose tactics don’t hold up under pressure.
Love Island USA is streaming on Peacock.
TELL US – WHAT DO YOU THINK IS ACE’S END GAME?
