Jey Uso’s run as WWE World Heavyweight Champion came to a close on the latest edition of WWE Monday Night Raw. Gunther pummeled him for much of the 22 minutes, snuffing out Uso at every turn. The night ended with Gunther standing victoriously in the middle of the ring. No controversy. No interference. Just one man taking the title from another. While Uso’s time as champion has ended, that doesn’t mean the vibes are truly over.
The conversation about Jey Uso’s rise and title run will continue even though he doesn’t have the belt. The surprise to see him win the Royal Rumble and pick up a major championship caused a lot of people to ask some interesting questions, while others didn’t approach the conversation with any good faith.
On the one hand, it is impossible to ignore the positive reaction that Uso generates. WWE isn’t an organization that focuses on fantastic professional wrestling. It is a promotion that is looking to generate moments built around hype, social media interactions, and more metrics that go well beyond if a match was liked or not.
Jey Uso is a strong example of a “sports entertainment champion” because he certainly kept a strong demographic of WWE fans entertained. His merchandise was moving off the shelves, and fans could not get enough of his ring entrances. The cheers were deafening. It is understandable why WWE made the move to elevate him while the iron was hot.
However, the other side of the conversation cannot be ignored. For those who seek more from their professional wrestling and sports entertainment, Uso wasn’t a compelling character to them. He wasn’t the same character that came to form during The Bloodline angle. Instead, he was relegated to a simple catchphrase in “Yeet.” The Jey Uso, who was conflicted about everything to do with his cousin Roman Reigns, is the character that fans wanted to see become champion, not this watered-down version.
Also, his in-ring work isn’t great. Especially when compared to some of his prominent peers today. WWE may want fans to focus on the entertaining aspects of the show, but that also includes all the action that occurs when the bell rings. That is an area where Jey (and, honestly, his brother Jimmy) struggles.
Jey Uso’s title may be gone, but that doesn’t mean the vibes have to end
In recent years, WWE has told some compelling stories at the top of the men’s division. Many times, the titles are involved, but these angles have been layered in a way that goes beyond being champion. Jey Uso has a story to tell and it goes beyond being a champion.
For example, there’s a lot of story to tell between Jey and Roman Reigns. Uso reached the most successful point of his career, and he had no interactions with his cousin. No congratulations for winning the Royal Rumble or defeating Gunther to capture the title. That could be used to build a whole angle around those two performers. Or take Sami Zayn. Zayn is trying to reach his own career accolades. If Zayn were to win the King of the Ring tournament and defeat Gunther, would he be willing to give Uso a title shot? What if he weren’t, how would that impact their relationship? There are so many different stories to tell with Jey Uso that he doesn’t have to become a background or forgotten character.
Fans loved the energy that Jey Uso brought to the screen. People in attendance and a large contingent online loved him as a main event performer. There were a lot who questioned if he was main event-level and that depends on what is determined “important.” WWE sees different metrics as vital and made the call to give him a run at the top. Now that it is over, that doesn’t mean the vibes have to end with one of the most popular characters on the roster.