Latest news with #Jey
Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Rikishi voices frustration over Jey Uso's WWE direction, calls for booking overhaul
Image via WWE WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi has voiced strong concerns over the creative direction surrounding his son Jey Uso, who is currently enjoying his first reign as World Heavyweight Champion. While Jey remains a prominent figure in the promotion, Rikishi believes WWE's decision to book him in a tag team match at Money in the Bank (MITB) 2025 undermines his stature as a singles champion. Speaking on his Off The Top podcast, Rikishi criticised WWE's creative team for what he called 'confusing booking' and even joked that he should be allowed to book Jey's matches instead. 'Bro why? Why? I mean, Jey is a World Heavyweight Champion by himself… just book me so I can book my son's matches out there,' he quipped. Rikishi shows concern over storyline momentum Jey Uso is set to team up with Cody Rhodes to face Logan Paul and John Cena at MITB on June 7. While the lineup looks star-studded on paper, Rikishi questioned the decision to place a reigning world champion in a non-title tag match instead of spotlighting him in a marquee singles bout. 'You beat Logan Paul the first time they lock up? I wouldn't have done that. Should've waited for a gimmick match,' Rikishi added, pointing out that Paul's star power could've been better utilized. YADADAMEAN?! Rikishi Fatu - Off The Top (Episode 61) He also took aim at the upcoming World Title match scheduled for June 9 on RAW, where GUNTHER will challenge Jey Uso. According to Rikishi, the match should've happened much sooner and with added stakes, possibly a stipulation that matches their in-ring reputations. While Rikishi may not be pleased with Jey's creative arc, he was full of praise for two other members of the Samoan dynasty - Jacob Fatu and JC Mateo (formerly Jeff Cobb). Rikishi labeled Fatu a 'future Hall of Famer' and lauded his rise from personal struggles to becoming one of WWE's hottest new stars. He also applauded Mateo's quick impact since debuting at WWE Backlash and likened his physical presence to that of a prime Taz, highlighting his suplex-heavy style and agility despite his build. 'To see him get that financial stability after grinding on the indies - man, I'm proud,' Rikishi said. Fans online appear to agree with Rikishi's sentiment. Many have questioned the lack of title defenses for Jey and criticized WWE for relying too heavily on tag matches featuring champions at Premium Live Events.
Newsweek
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
WWE is Planning Major Match for Saturday Night Main Event: Report
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. WWE's upcoming Saturday Night's Main Event television special is rapidly becoming a must-see show, with the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reporting a major World Heavyweight Championship match is scheduled. The event is already experiencing significant fan interest, as evidenced by strong ticket sales. According to the latest figures, 9,224 tickets have been distributed for the Tampa show, which boasts an $83 get-in price for the remaining seats. This strongly suggests a sold-out atmosphere as the venue's television setup accommodates 9,762 attendees. Adding to the blockbuster feel, current Undisputed WWE Champion John Cena is a central figure in the event's advertising. This prominent marketing has fueled widespread anticipation that Cena himself will be competing, potentially putting his own championship on the line. That hasn't been confirmed yet. Per the report, "Main Event" Jey Uso is set to defend his World Title against Logan Paul in Tampa. Should both Jey Uso and John Cena defend their respective World Titles, this Saturday Night's Main Event would feature a championship density typically reserved for Premium Live Events. This booking strategy indicates WWE's intent to make the television special a monumental broadcast. SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - JANUARY 25: Jey Uso aims an Uso Splash at Gunther during Saturday Night's Main Event at Frost Bank Center on January 25, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - JANUARY 25: Jey Uso aims an Uso Splash at Gunther during Saturday Night's Main Event at Frost Bank Center on January 25, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. WWE/Getty Images WWE News: Steve Austin Reveals Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation Uso's 2025 has continued his remarkable rise as a premier singles competitor. Having captured the World Heavyweight Championship, he has solidified his status as a main event player on either Raw or SmackDown. Throughout the year, Jey's connection with the WWE Universe has remained exceptionally strong. His "YEET" catchphrase resonates with fans and got him over in the first place. Regarding Jey Uso's history with Saturday Night's Main Event, the modern iteration of these specials began in 2022 as infrequent, high-profile television broadcasts. While Jey has likely been a prominent feature on these shows, given his consistent main event presence first with The Bloodline and now as a singles champion, specific defining moments or title changes for him on SNME might be less frequent compared to major PLEs. The challenge from Logan Paul presents a fresh and intriguing matchup for the World Heavyweight Champion. While Paul has rapidly ascended in WWE with his impressive athleticism and mainstream appeal, a one-on-one World Championship encounter with Jey Uso is a new dynamic. With the Jey Uso vs. Logan Paul title match locked in and the strong possibility of John Cena also competing, the Tampa edition of Saturday Night's Main Event is poised to be a big show. WWE presents its Backlash PLE this Saturday, where Cena will headline while defending the World Title against Randy Orton. More WWE News: For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports.
Forbes
19-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
WWE WrestleMania 41 Results: Jey Uso Beats Gunther, Ushers In Yeet Era
Jey Uso defeated GUNTHER at WrestleMania Jey Uso beat Gunther with his own rear-naked choke submission in a heated opener at WrestleMania 41. With fans almost unanimously behind Jey Uso, Main Event Jey claimed the first world championship of his career after a decorated tag team run. Online discourse be damned, Jey Uso could never be denied. Despite largely fake outrage online, beginning with his Royal Rumble win which received 50,000 dislikes amid his elimination of John Cena, internet outrage has been supplanted with real-life yeeting at every stop. 'I don't put a lot of stock into what is on the internet unless it follows through to other things we do,' said Triple H during a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. 'When Jey Uso won the Rumble, there were a lot of people that had a their thoughts and comments and opinions on that, which is at the end of the day, all they are. But there are 15,000 people in a venue and, as Pat's said, its been sold out all the time and Yeeting and going absolutely crazy when he comes out. So who do we listen to? The few people? Or the large crowd?' Jey Uso echoed similar sentiments to me during an interview at Supercell's Clash of Clans media event. 'Nah, man,' Jey simply responded when discussing if online hate ever gets to him. Uso commands a large presence in the gaming community as the custom 'YEEter' character has been downloaded over 250 million times in Clash of Clans. 'If you just get out of the house. If you just get out from behind your iPhone, your iPad, your computer screen, right? And you come out the house, and you let the sun hit you on the face a little bit sometimes, Uce. Breathe in some fresh air, you know what I'm saying? Come on down to where your arena's at one time, if WWE's ever in the building." "And if you ain't ever been to a WWE show, Uce, this is my invitation. Come through. It might change your whole perspective and your whole opinion about Jey Uso, because when you step into an arena—if you buy a ticket, Uce—and step into an arena and come to a show. You'll feel the energy, Uce, instead of hating. Come on, man, stop.' Jey Uso's unanimous popularity IRL paints an entirely different picture of any social media vitriol, which is always polarizing. Jey's organic Yeet Movement is similar to Daniel Bryan's 'Yes' Movement and even Stone Cold Steve Austin's 'What!' chant, both of which Jey told me were inferior to 'Yeet.' Jey ranked 'Yes!' at No. 2 and 'What' at No. 3. Jey's copywrighted 'Yeet" catchphrase has inspired to countless merchandise items. Everything from sunglasses to customized championship belts all fly off the shelves. Some have made the mistake of dismissing Uso's most recent rise as a fluke. 'He's just a catchphrase,' they say. They're wrong. Jey Uso was a Hall of Famer before he donned a pair of sunglasses and threw his hands in the air among a sea of adoring fans. As one-half of the Usos, he's arguably part of the greatest tag team in WWE history. The pair had a record-breaking tag team run that ended at WrestleMania 39: The first tag team match to main event WrestleMania since WrestleMania I. Jey Uso was an OG member of the Bloodline, arguably the greatest faction in WWE history. And if you ask Jey about his catchphrase, as I did, he'll tell you he has the greatest catchphrase of all time. Yeet or No Yeet, Jey Uso is history. And his win over Gunther was a historically feel-good moment to kick off WrestleMania. Jey will need a steady diet of heels on Raw. Raw's heels are currently influx, with top heels few and far between. But this can all change with a heel turn or two by the end of WrestleMania weekend, not to mention the looming WWE Draft. As for now, WWE's Yeet Era is officially underway.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'I'm an arena shaker now, bro:' Jey Uso riding a remarkable wave of momentum into WrestleMania 41
Jey Uso can't seem to sit still. For the last two years, he's been a ball of energy, from his intense interactions with his bloodline brethren, his ascension up WWE's singles ranks, and his kinetic entrances through the crowd. At this moment, he's pacing in and out of his residence in a full Nike Tech tracksuit, preparing for an appointment at WWE's Performance Center. Finding balance as a newly minted solo star has been challenging, but he's finally able to really process and enjoy it. San Antonio's Alamodome is both a modern wonder and hulking relic, a building that houses some of the U.S.'s most high-profile events, but is often passed over for the more modern, intimate Frost Bank Center. The Spurs used to tarp off half the arena for games until they made their move to the smaller venue in 2002. While the Alamodome has seen some of wrestling's most memorable moments, from John Cena winning his 16th world title to Cody Rhodes' Royal Rumble win, it's the Frost Bank Center in January where Jey Uso first decided he could slay his own personal dragon, the world heavyweight champion and his WrestleMania 41 opponent, Gunther. Advertisement 'The whole atmosphere. The atmosphere was different.' Jey recalls about getting his shot at the title at Saturday Night's Main Event, one week before the Royal Rumble. 'The whole old-school thing was different, man. So it felt like a big pay-per-view, you know. And that match with Gunther was hella live. … I almost had his ass too, man. That's why … I could get him one time, man… being a main event … I was kind of like, 'Oh, damn. I think I am. I think I am that dude now.'' Jey Uso and Gunther face off during Monday Night RAW at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on Feb. 3, 2025, in Cleveland. (Photo by Craig Ambrosio/WWE via Getty Images) (WWE via Getty Images) The following week, he'd parlay that confidence into the biggest of his career, emerging victorious in the Royal Rumble. In a field with 12 former WWE world champions, Jey was a dark horse to say the least. It seemed like an even more forgone conclusion that he'd finish as the runner-up when he found himself across from John Cena, who stated his need to win one more world title before his retirement at the end of the year. So when Jey reversed Cena's Attitude Adjustment attempt and pushed him off the ring apron, there was a mix of joy, surprise and self-reflection all at once. 'I never thought in a million years it'd be me and damn John Cena. You feel me?' Jey says. '... He was so happy it was me, man. And I was happy to be in there with him. … Me and John Cena, man. … That was the dopest Royal Rumble in history, right? Like, we had some big hitters in here, bro. And I'm the one who came out on top, man. So it's crazy to me. I'm living it like everyone else is seeing it, man.' Advertisement As The Bloodline started taking off post-pandemic and the world opened back up, Jey and his brother, Jimmy, would become more prominent in their appearances and signings. With their big smiles and willingness to have lengthy conversations with fans, the Usos became some of the most sought after talents at the various locations WWE would occupy before its shows. But once they split and Jey's star began to rise, it would take some time to adjust to carry that load alone. 'Now I'll be blocked out for two hours [for the fans]. … There's a whole 'nother line of two hours worth of people,' Jey says. 'I walk and get them all. … I'll take a picture with every single person that's waiting for me, man, because there was a moment where it wasn't like that. … Some people be like, 'We've been here since 4 a.m. … that humbles me, man. I love it, man. … If it wasn't for the people, I really would not be in this position.' He'd get his first taste of singles gold Sept. 23, 2024, by defeating Bron Breakker for the Intercontinental championship. It held a special meaning to him, as not only his cousins The Rock and Roman Reigns and uncle Umaga won it previously, but it was also the only title his father, Rikishi, won during his tenure in WWE. Jey had envisioned winning it as far back as 2023, when Gunther was on his record-setting Intercontinental title run. While he'd come up short in February 2024 on Monday Night Raw, as well as later losing to Gunther in the King of the Ring finals in May 2024, Jey's success since that point has been off the charts. After his first WrestleMania singles win, capturing the Intercontinental title and winning the Royal Rumble all in less than a year, the only thing left to do is win Monday Night Raw's top prize. Advertisement He's not just out to win for himself. Jey Uso winning the world heavyweight championship is for his fans and his family. The man who reintroduced 'yeet' into the lexicon gets the loudest reactions week in and week out, with the fans raising their arms in unison to his self-performed entrance music. Like Diamond Dallas Page and The Sandman before him, he builds that connection by starting his path to the ring through the stands, even prepping the arenas for his arrival from the walkways. 'Yeet' T-shirts and sunglasses are everywhere, kids are doing their best to recreate his high fade/mullet hairstyle, and he can barely get a thought out without hearing his signature call, similar to Steve Austin's 'What?' chants. 'I'm an arena shaker now, bro. … Logan Paul, he put it on the video. … Austin Theory and Grayson [Waller], before I went out there to work, they said they thought their legs were giving out because their legs started vibrating. And they said it's because my entrance was happening, shaking the floors,' Jey says. 'And this is everywhere I go. This is everywhere.' But as much as they're into the fun side, the journey's what got him here. The same fans who used to see Jey rub his temples in frustration with Sami Zayn cheered the two of them as they looked up at the marquee on Monday Night Raw in their 'I can't believe we're here' moment. Fans who saw Jey go from tag-team wrestler, to tag-team superstar, to one step from world champion showered him with love the night after Monday Night Raw when he talked about never thinking he'd get to this point. Ultimately, Jey Uso wants to set an example. Under the watchful eye of Roman Reigns, The Bloodline story has created moments and legacies for a group of men born to be wrestling's elite. Jey in particular found his style, his voice and a legion of fans who wanted him to win. Winning the world heavyweight championship at WrestleMania 41 would be one more trophy to show to the next generation of Anoa'i and Fatu families what they can have and what they must preserve. Advertisement 'My family been building this for 50 years. … We breathe this,' Jey says. 'Like, this is our lifeline. The Bloodline is for real, man. … I want my little cousins, man, my kids to come up. [In five years], they'll be like 20, 18. You know, they're ready. I just want to set the tone for my little ones coming behind me. Like, be ready for the grind. … Don't act like you're just going to be on top. [I want to] set up some generational, you know, doors open for … my little ones, man.' His commitment to family was never more clear in the final push toward WrestleMania. Gunther, looking for an edge, would brutally attack Jey's twin brother, Jimmy, who came to Raw to show Jey both physical and emotional support. A bit out of sorts, and with the light possibly looking too bright, Jey had had a rough few weeks in competition. But after defeating Jimmy in singles competition, Gunther would continue to attack Jimmy, leading Jey to make the save. Gunther would attack Jey from behind, then handcuff him, leaving him helpless as Gunther would hospitalize big brother Jimmy. Enraged, Jey would invoke his mother's name and disappointment, making sure the champion understands he made it deeper than just competition. So now, Jey Uso's got his fans, his family and his fury on his side, and plans on putting it all together to make history. 'I'm gonna shock the world twice [by winning the Royal Rumble] and then now new World Heavyweight Champ, man. … And I'd like to thank Gunther for putting me back in my damn place … for resetting my damn mind, bro. … He don't know what he did. Monday, I said it. … My family's hurt. I hurt. He disrespected my family. And just in front of the world … that man went there. … Now I gotta get him. Absolutely.'
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jey Uso Must Beat Gunther At WWE WrestleMania 41 — Here's Why
Image Credit: WWE Jey Uso must beat Gunther at WrestleMania. The YEET Master may be winless against the reigning WWE World Heavyweight Champion, but he just has the right opportunity to change the tide at WWE WrestleMania 41. Advertisement Jey won the 2025 Men's Royal Rumble match to establish himself as the number one contender to the World Heavyweight Championship. The former tag team specialist picked Gunther as his opponent despite knowing he's never been able to beat the Ring General in previous outings. Jey Uso's rise to the main event level Longtime fans of The Bloodline saga would agree that Jimmy Uso's injury inadvertently paved the way for Jey's rise to the main event scene. The brief feud with Roman Reigns amid Big Jim's injury helped establish a fan connection with Jey as a sympathetic babyface. Jey would revert back to the tag team scene with Jimmy to unify the RAW and SmackDown Tag Team Championship. Advertisement The twins would dominate WWE's tag team division before dropping the titles to Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn in an emotionally charged WrestleMania 39 Night 1 main event. The following months would see Jey grow distant with his family to the point he faced Roman Reigns for the top title at SummerSlam 2023. Fan support for Jey only grew amid all the family drama. The WWE Universe danced with him no matter the outcome of his matches. Triple H saw Jey Uso's meteoric rise to main event level and booked him to go over John Cena at the 2025 Men's Royal Rumble match. The internet complained at the shocking ending, but live crowd reactions showed otherwise. Gunther's attack on Jimmy Uso Gunther made it personal. He shouldn't have come after Jey's family. The Ring General battered and bloodied Jimmy Uso as Jey watched helplessly this past week on Rey. The champion mocked Jey by wiping his chest with Jimmy's blood. The dastardly attack must have Jey out for revenge the next time RAW goes live. Advertisement Family feuds often make up for some great television. WWE intensified the feud after giving us pull-apart brawls between Jey Uso and Gunther for weeks. The attack would, ideally, become Jey's biggest motivation to win at WrestleMania 41. Triple H needs to add fuel to the fire by having Gunther destroy Rikishi on live TV, or something at that level of treachery. A major babyface needs to go over at WrestleMania 41 WrestleMania 41 will also see Jey's former tag team partner, Cody Rhodes, defend his Undisputed WWE Championship against John Cena. Cena beating Cody to close out WrestleMania 41 would be the ideal outcome to the Undisputed WWE Championship match—and the perfect way to kick off the American Nightmare's 'redemption' arc. As for the World Heavyweight Title match, WWE cannot have another major babyface in Jey Uso lose to the heel champion Gunther, assuming Triple H is booking Cena to win. Advertisement That said, Hunter isn't afraid to deliver controversial conclusions, as we've seen with the Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns WrestleMania 39 result, or putting the Money in the Bank briefcase on Damian Priest instead of the massive fan favorite LA Knight. John Cena vs. Gunther for the Undisputed Title John Cena may be the biggest heel, barring The Rock, but he'd (most probably) retire as a babyface. Heck, an avowed conspiracy theorist thinks Cena may not even retire after all is said and done. (Speaking of retirement, this writer would very much like to see Gunther retire Goldberg, but that's another story…) And speaking of Gunther, WWE needs to deliver John Cena vs. Gunther as part of Cena's 2025 farewell tour. Advertisement Cena's father had previously said he wanted to see his son challenge Gunther for the title at WrestleMania 41. We know the match isn't taking place in April but hear me out. What if Gunther shows up to challenge Cena for the Undisputed WWE Championship after dropping his World Heavyweight Championship to Jey Uso at WrestleMania?! There are multiple ways to build this feud. For starters, Cena wins. Gunther loses. Cena brings the Undisputed Title to RAW. SmackDown gets the world title. Gunther stays on RAW to eventually confront Cena, planting the seeds for a John Cena face turn and giving us the dream match in the process. Image Credit: WWE Jey Uso defends his title against The Bloodline Jey Uso can't escape The Bloodline no matter how successful of a singles star he becomes. His own rise to the top came against a fellow Bloodline member in Roman Reigns. The faction has since introduced new members like Tama Tonga and Jacob Fatu, who is expected to be a top player down the road. Advertisement It would be a no-brainer for WWE to do Jey Uso versus The Bloodline for a major title. Of course, Jey needs to win a title in the first place to defend it. We've got Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga and Jacob as three heel Bloodline members for Jey Uso to potentially face. If you want to fix the disaster that was Jey vs. Jimmy at WrestleMania, I'd say put the twins in a title match on weekly television. Finally, Jey's world title arc would be incomplete without the man who helped mold him into the man he is today: Roman Reigns. Jey is one of the few men to hand his cousin a pinfall loss. He may as well do it again, especially if the world title is at stake. Read More: John Cena Needs to Beat Cody Rhodes at WWE WrestleMania 41 — Here's Why The post Jey Uso Must Beat Gunther At WWE WrestleMania 41 — Here's Why appeared first on Wrestlezone.
