Here’s why I believe Ace’s treatment of Amaya was completely unjust on Love Island USA

Episode 7 of Love Island USA season 7 was released on June 9, 2025. It documented the reshuffled couples trying to strengthen their bonds with their newfound partners. The last episode witnessed Ace picking Amaya, the new bombshell, to pair up with instead of his initial flame, Chelley.

Austin picked Chelley. Like many Love Island USA fans on X, I also thought Ace chose Amaya because he wanted to keep his options open by keeping both the girls in the villa, so what if one was with Austin, and she was still there?

Disclaimer: This article is based on the author's opinions.

Ace also claimed not to have dated in the past, not even once. That itself was a red flag to a lot of ladies in the villa, and he had never said "I love you" to anyone. Love Island USA episode 7 revealed things about Ace that made his flag even redder and gave possible reasons why he could be single.

He asked Amaya not to call him "babe" and asked her not to hold hands with him in public. While an odd request, Amaya accepted it and sarcastically called him "sir". The next thing he did was accuse her of being "passive-aggressive." Instead of building on what they already had, he told her he was interested in exploring other options.

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Why what Ace said on Love Island USA season 7 episode 7 was unacceptable

Ace first asked Amaya what she would call her partner, and she said she made a personal nickname for them or would just call them "babe". Ace asked her not to call him "babe" because it was too much and too soon for him. His concern, at first, felt okay because he hadn't dated in the past.

So while he was out at the Love Island USA villa trying to find his first love, he might have wanted to take things slow, at a pace that he understood. But what was wrong here was the way he asked her to dismiss her expression of love without giving any insight into why he might be asking her to take it slow.

He also pointed out that Amaya was touchy, and he didn't like that. When she asked at what point she was touchy, he accused her of being "quick to respond". This was questionable because he was talking to someone he had chosen to couple up with only the day before.

He shouldn't have pursued her if he didn't like her enough to lay his insecurities or requests out in a vulnerable way instead of a dictatorial way. Holding her accountable for what she was was also wrong. On top of that, accusing her of being "passive-aggressive" and "quick to respond" seemed more like personal attacks, and less like someone who wanted to communicate with empathy at heart.

When Amaya snapped back and told him she knew her worth and wasn't going to run after a man who didn't want her, Ace simply agreed. This came after he told Amaya that he wanted to keep his options open and explore more in the Love Island USA villa.

She obviously thought that was unfair because he had picked her to couple up with. In any book, this meant that he was interested in her, wanted to get to know her better, and wanted to work on what they had. But he did none of those things; he just asked her not to touch him, not to call him names, and let him "explore" his connections.

Ace lacked a personal connection to Amaya, didn't respect her enough to lay his demands out in a reasonable way, and attacked her character by pointing out psychological traits such as aggression. He completely failed to recognise that what he was doing was wrong, even when she pointed it out.

He didn't think highly enough of her to hold her concerns important. Instead of addressing them, he just implied he was correct in asking her to accept his terms. This is why I think his behavior on Love Island USA wasn't just disrespectful, but unjust, and totally unacceptable.

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Fans can follow the show's official Instagram account, @loveislandusa, for more updates on Love Island USA season 7.