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Jey Uso eliminated John Cena to win the 2025 Men’s Royal Rumble Match Saturday night in Indianapolis.
What should have been a momentous occasion for one of wrestling’s legitimate feel-good stories was, instead, another reminder of how fickle the internet wrestling community can be as his victory and trip to WrestleMania 41 quickly became the industry’s most polarizing story.
Uso spent a decade working as a tag team specialist, elevating the quality of the tag team division in WWE with his brother, Jimmy. He has had classic matches with The New Day, The Miz and John Morrison, The Wyatt Family, The Bar, Cesaro and Tyson Kidd, and countless other tandems who have rolled through the company since 2010.
Then he broke out during the pandemic, capitalizing on an opportunity to work with his cousin, Roman Reigns, in a main event storyline while his brother was out with a devastating knee injury. During that program, he cut an incredibly personal promo reliving fans celebrating Reigns while asking him, “Which one are you?” in reference to his status as a twin.
𝐻𝒶𝓃𝒹𝓎 ⸜❤︎⸝ ᴿᵒᵐᵃⁿ ᴿᵉⁱᵍⁿˢ 𝓔𝓻𝓪 @_RomansLegacy
“There goes The Big Dog, there goes Roman Reigns, there goes Mr. Main Event, Mr. Wrestle Mania , you know what they say when they see me Uce? Which one are you?” – Jey Uso… <br><br>Not anymore!!!! 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼 <a href=”https://t.co/RWlCWcgnB4″>pic.twitter.com/RWlCWcgnB4</a>
It was the first indication that there was more to him than just being a voiceless tag team wrestler with his brother. We witnessed it further, with a Match of the Year candidate against Reigns at Hell in a Cell 2020, and beyond as one of the focal points of The Bloodline story. When he finally broke free of his cousin’s tyrannical rule, he became the breakout singles star and one of the most popular superstars on the roster. The introduction of the “YEET” catchphrase only enhanced the reaction.
And there is one of the biggest sticking points with the anti-Uso crowd: the catchphrase.
It is as if no other superstar in WWE has had an immensely popular catchphrase that was at least partially responsible for them reaching the level of popularity that they did. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin was clearly the most over guy in wrestling before he uttered the words “Austin 3:16” at the 1996 King of the Ring. Or not.
The Rock was already super over before he ever asked if the crowd smelled what he was cooking. No?
The idea that Uso only got over because of his catchphrase is ridiculous because it suggests that the crowd’s response to the years-long build to his betrayal of Reigns and pinfall victory over The Tribal Chief at Money in the Bank to a thunderous ovation did not exist.
Uso’s entire story arc, the reason fans are invested in him and chanted “you deserve it” at him as he stood in the center of the squared circle Monday night on Raw, is because of the work he has put in to prove himself, first as a singles star, then as a main event-worthy competitor.
Another group of fans suggests he was the wrong choice to win the Rumble, that we just watched him lose a world title match to Gunther at Saturday Night’s Main Event. While this is true, it is hardly unique to Uso or fan-chosen top babyfaces.
Daniel Bryan lost countless times to Randy Orton and The Authority, leading to his defining moment at WrestleMania 30. Kofi Kingston dropped two matches to Bryan as part of the story leading to his title opportunity at WrestleMania 35.
And don’t forget about Bryan’s catchphrase. Or KofiMania.
Part of Uso’s ongoing story is that he knows he can beat Gunther for the world title. Although he has yet to choose who he will challenge at WrestleMania, all signs point to him selecting The Ring General and seeking to prove that he is not a “mascot” or “cartoon character” but a world champion.
Some hang onto the idea that he is not “skilled enough” a wrestler to shine in the high-profile spot he is going to have on the WrestleMania card. Those fans still grasp tightly to the uber-disappointing match he had with his brother, Jimmy, a year ago while ignoring the great matches he has had with Bron Breakker, Ilja Dragunov, Damian Priest, The Judgment Day, and the aforementioned Gunther.
Uso’s journey to the top of WWE is suddenly a polarizing topic, mostly because some foresaw someone else winning the Royal Rumble who did not so now, the only way to cope with the fact that an established star with enough built-up equity with fans as main eventers, like John Cena, Roman Reigns, or CM Punk did not get their arms raised in victory is to tear down the guy who did.
Those fickle keyboard warriors.
The fans in Cleveland 24 hours after the monumental Rumble win did not let the opinions of some rain on the parade of many, though, greeting Uso with a hero’s welcome and showing him the kind of respect reserved only for those who have earned their appreciation and affection.
He is one of their guys, a Superstar singles performer who spent 15 years earning his way to the top of the industry and now, will have an opportunity to pay off his journey with the most important night of his career and a second trip to the main event of WrestleMania.