AEW TNT Champion Kyle Fletcher has revealed that he was “terrified” during the on-air segment where he shaved his head on live television. The moment, which took place on the October 23rd edition of AEW Dynamite last year, was a symbolic act to establish his own identity and separate himself from his former mentor, Will Ospreay.
In a new interview with WMUL FM’s Rope Break, Fletcher reflected on the nerve-wracking experience, admitting that his biggest fear was not about the statement he was making, but about the simple concern of what his head might look like underneath his long hair. The head-shaving segment was a pivotal moment in Fletcher’s character development, as he delivered a promo about no longer being in Will Ospreay’s shadow before taking the clippers to his own hair.
When asked about the experience, Fletcher was candid about his anxiety. “It was terrifying because I had decently long hair since the last time I’d shaved my head was when I was maybe six years old. So I had not seen the shape of my head since I was a six-year-old kid,” he said. “So I was on live television going, ‘man, what if my head’s shaped weird? What if I look ridiculous?’ Luckily, I don’t think my head’s shaped that weirdly.”
Fletcher also acknowledged the added pressure of executing such an act in a live television environment. “But yeah, definitely standing there. Obviously, I have to think, I’m on TV, so I’m thinking about times and cameras and all that stuff. But in the back of my head, I’m going, ‘Oh my God, what if I look terrible? What if I made a terrible mistake?’ But I think it worked out, yeah.”
The bold decision certainly did work out for Kyle Fletcher, as it marked the beginning of his ascent to the top of the AEW singles division. Now a key member of The Don Callis Family, he is the reigning TNT Champion and one of the most featured performers on AEW programming. His momentum has carried him all the way to a main event match at the recent All Out pay-per-view, where he challenged Hangman Page for the AEW World Championship. Although he was unsuccessful in that bout, he will defend his TNT Championship against Komander on this week’s episode of AEW Collision.
