Jey Uso, a former member of The Bloodline, recently threw a curveball in his ongoing solo storyline as he moved from Friday Night SmackDown to Monday Night RAW, courtesy of Cody Rhodes.
After quitting from his former stable and leaving his brothers, Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa, as well as his cousin, Roman Reigns, he’s now set to go from heel to face – a move that will be better for his career in the long run. But, make no mistake, this isn’t going to come easy.
As we found out after his Monday Night RAW debut, Jey’s past misdeeds, committed while aligned with The Bloodline, particularly against wrestlers like Drew McIntyre and Matt Riddle, have come back to haunt him. This presents a twist – and a refreshing one, if we might add – in the wrestling world, where heels turning into faces often seem to experience an abrupt amnesia of their past transgressions.
This does, however, pose a significant danger for Jey. The wrestling world hasn’t forgotten how he stood firmly by The Bloodline, enforcing Roman’s will. Now, apart from Sami Zayn, he’s left with scarcely any allies.
With Roman Reigns conspicuously refraining from defending his title and Jimmy Uso wrestling with his allegiances, Jey is potentially isolated. He might be on the brink of earning tremendous respect or, conversely, facing a brutal backlash with no one in his corner.
The wrestling industry often revisits familiar storylines, making this direction for Jey especially refreshing. But the true magic lies in the wrestler’s ability to captivate the audience. And Jey has proved time and again that he is no slouch in this department. His recent encounters, especially the raw emotion exchanged in the hug with Sami Zayn, underscore his unparalleled ring presence, mic skills, and body language expertise.
The dynamics of The Bloodline and their individual character arcs have indeed been an area where long-term storytelling shines, especially with Triple H at the helm. Jey’s progression from a loyal Bloodline follower to a paranoid individual constantly watching his back has added layers to his character, making the storyline much more compelling.
The seismic shift, which occurred at Payback, with Rhodes announcing that he’d brokered a significant trade by moving Jey Uso from SmackDown to Raw, will affect the WWE for years to come. In the short-term, this not only extracted Jey from the ongoing Bloodline drama but also hinted at the possible disintegration of The Bloodline. Jey’s transfer sets him up to potentially join forces against The Judgment Day with stalwarts like Rhodes, Zayn, and Kevin Owens.
Jey’s trajectory in WWE has been nothing short of meteoric. Post his dramatic main-eventing at SummerSlam, where he lost to Roman Reigns due to interference from his twin brother, Jey is no primed for a solo run. His surprise appearance over the past week cements this. He’s now in the beginning of his singles journey away from SmackDown, and thus, The Bloodline.
Jey’s current momentum in the WWE is undeniable. After pinning Roman Reigns in the monumental Bloodline Civil War and subsequently challenging the Tribal Chief for the undisputed WWE universal title, he’s at the pinnacle of his career. His move from SmackDown furnishes him with a unique opportunity. No longer in the shadow of The Bloodline or paired up with Jimmy in a tag team, he can truly shine as a solo superstar.
Now, both Monday Night RAW and Friday Night SmackDown have its fair share of heels and faces to make each show one to look forward to every week.
It’s safe to say that it’s a great time to be a WWE fan.
