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Time for WWE to Capitalize on Jey Uso's Surging Popularity with World Title Victory

Erik BeastonMay 8, 2024

HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT - MAY 6: "Main Event" Jey Uso acknowledges the audience during Monday Night RAW at XL Center on May 6, 2024 in Hartford, Connecticut.  (Photo by WWE/Getty Images)
WWE/Getty Images

"Which one are you?"

Jey Uso famously uttered those words in a 2020 promo, recalling an interaction with fans who could not differentiate between him and his twin brother, Jimmy.

𝐻𝒶𝓃𝒹𝓎 ⸜❤︎⸝‍ ᵀʰᵃⁿᵏ ʸᵒᵘ ᴿᵒᵐᵃⁿ ¹³¹⁶ @_RomansLegacy

"You know what they say when they see me Uce… which one are you" - Jey Uso <br><br>That line gets me every time! <br><br>Roman Reigns did elevate Jey because for the first time I saw him in a different light! <a href="https://t.co/zmuSWmOALy">pic.twitter.com/zmuSWmOALy</a>

A lifelong tag team wrestler who had never had the opportunity to establish himself or his own personality, he appeared destined to be forever linked with his brother.

Four years after that promo, two feuds with Roman Reigns, a split from The Bloodline, and a high-profile WrestleMania 40 match against Jimmy, there is no denying who Jey Uso is.

He is a bona fide main eventer, a top draft pick, one of the hottest merchandise sellers in the industry, one of the most popular Superstars in WWE and a performer flirting with popular culture.

More importantly, he should be a world heavyweight champion as soon as possible.


Never Hotter...Yeet!

This is undeniably as hot as Uso has ever been.

The reactions to his entrance in arenas across the globe rival those of any other Superstar, including undisputed WWE champion Cody Rhodes.

CrispyWrestling @CrispyWrestlin

This angle of Jey Uso Backlash entrance is incredible the crowd was amazing <a href="https://t.co/95oyEs8w0F">pic.twitter.com/95oyEs8w0F</a>

His entrance itself has become an immersive experience for fans and trends on social media, thanks to the unbelievable sights and thunderous sounds it creates.

When "Main Event" Jey Uso comes to your city, it is a happening.

So over is his entrance that the Cleveland Cavaliers replicated it to hype up the fans and build energy in the arena ahead of the team's NBA playoff victory over the Orlando Magic.

Triple H @TripleH

All the way from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WWEBacklash?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WWEBacklash</a> France to the <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBA</a>… Jey Uso's aura always translates.<br><br>🎥: <a href="https://twitter.com/cavs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cavs</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LetEmKnow?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LetEmKnow</a> <a href="https://t.co/ek4D0kHXVE">pic.twitter.com/ek4D0kHXVE</a>

Beyond the entrance is a character fans have followed and invested in emotionally over the last few years. They have watched him refuse to acknowledge The Tribal Chief, strike out on his own and attempt to chase his first individual championship.

It's a title that continues to elude him, thanks to repeated interference from either his brother, or more recently JD McDonagh and Finn Bálor of The Judgment Day.

He has come close on more than one occasion, building fans' anticipation and excitement for the moment that he finally accomplishes his career goal.

It is time for him to accomplish that goal now.


How Do We Get There?

Winning the World Heavyweight Championship at this point would come at the expense of Damian Priest, who has worked hard and earned his current spot atop the Raw brand.

However, this is one of those situations where Triple H and the WWE creative team has to look at the current landscape and pivot.

Uso is over, gaining mainstream attention, and he creates the energy in arenas that you want from not only a top babyface but also a world champion. He has lived up to the "Main Event" moniker and worked his way into the position he is currently in.

He belongs to the here and now. After multiple attempts to pay his journey off were thwarted by outside forces, it is time to strap a rocket to him and give him his first singles title.

It would even play into Priest's story arc.

The Archer of Infamy was clear entering Backlash that he wanted no interference from his Judgment Day teammates and was visibly upset when they did interject themselves into the match and ensure he retained his title.

A rematch, in which Uso and Priest have a straight-up contest with the former going over and winning the title not only pays off Jey's run but also gives Bálor and McDonagh the ammunition needed to show their teammate they are vital to The Judgment Day's dominance.

Uso wins clean, proves all of his doubters and his own family wrong, showing the world that he can win by himself and, more importantly, capture one of the most coveted prizes in the game along the way.

He can hold it for a few months, capitalizing on the momentous run he finds himself on, and eventually drop it to Drew McIntyre, a Superstar who is still looking to avenge his loss from Clash at the Castle two years ago.

Pat McAfee @PatMcAfeeShow

WHAT THE HELL IS DREW MCINTYRE DOING HERE..<br><br>JEY USO MOVES ALONG IN THE KING OF THE RING TOURNAMENT <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WWERaw?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WWERaw</a> <a href="https://t.co/IquaUMDsID">pic.twitter.com/IquaUMDsID</a>

That an Uso title win fits so nicely into ongoing storylines in WWE makes it even more of a no-brainer.

There is still an argument to be made that Uso should have been the one to dethrone Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. He sniffed out the gaslighting and manipulation more than once, broke free of his rule and proved he is his own man.

With that option off the board, the next-best way to repay the effort that has gone into crafting his persona, creating an aura and connecting with fans is a world title reign that would further solidify his status as a future Hall of Famer.

If nothing else, the amount that Pat McAfee "yeets" himself would make the title win worth it tenfold.