Grading Jey and Jimmy Uso as Singles Competitors on WWE Raw and SmackDown | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

Ever since SummerSlam, WWE has been setting up an unexpected sibling rivalry between Jey and Jimmy Uso.

The Bloodline has produced the company’s hottest storyline in years, and the popular tag team has benefitted from the renewed interest. So, it came as a surprise to many fans when the duo split up after The Biggest Party of the Summer in August.

Yes, Jey Uso has been the breakout star of the stable, but his twin brother was the last person many expected to turn on him. Nevertheless, there are apparently plans to stretch this angle out into 2024.

In August, WrestleVotes reported that someone on the creative team was pushing to prolong the feud and book a “brother vs. brother” match at WrestleMania 40. Of course, this wouldn’t be a first for the event as Owen and Bret Hart famously competed in the opening bout at Madison Square Garden in 1994.

With Jey on Raw and Jimmy on SmackDown, WWE has time to build anticipation for their eventual one-on-one match. But let’s grade their time apart as singles competitors ahead of it.

At SummerSlam, Jimmy emerged during the main event to help Roman Reigns retain the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. The controversial heel turn initially left some fans disappointed as it seemed like the story effectively jumped the shark.

There are merits to a slow burn until the demise of The Bloodline, but this plot twist was repetitious. Even worse, it didn’t make much sense because Jimmy convinced Jey to finally step out of The Tribal Chief’s shadow.

After Jimmy cost his brother a chance to become champion, he insisted that he did it because he didn’t want to see the title change him for the worse too. However, it became clear that he was just gaslighting him and scheming about taking Reigns’ position for himself.

Their cousin’s lust for power and manipulative tactics have progressively corrupted Uso and Solo Sikoa. That’s such an interesting development, but the execution could have been so much better.

Nonetheless, Jimmy has grown into the role of a jealous and conniving stand-in for Reigns on SmackDown. His character work has been layered and entertaining. He effortlessly goes from mimicking The Head of Table when he’s not around to cowardly and humorously falling in line when he returns.

His matches aren’t as compelling. In fact, he often loses, but this drives home the point that his character is all talk. It makes it easy to see why Reigns didn’t choose him as his right-hand man. Instead, he used the position to control his cousin and his rise up the card because he felt threatened.

Although his time on his own got off to a rocky start, Jimmy has developed into a better character over the last few months. There is room to remain skeptical, but he makes a solid foil for Jey.

Meanwhile, Main Event Jey has become a prominent protagonist on Raw and one of the most popular Superstars in WWE.

One could argue he was always the main character in The Bloodline storyline and his time with Reigns has elevated him more than anyone else.

His loss to The Head of the Table didn’t even halt his momentum. To that end, Jey still receives a tremendous reaction, and he is one of the top merchandise sellers in WWE.

The visual of arenas full of fans waving both hands with him during his entrance also looks incredible.

His quest for redemption after the move to Raw has been a great change of pace for him. It has been intriguing to watch him create new relationships as a face and reckon with the enemies he made as a member of The Bloodline.

It makes sense that most Superstars who crossed paths with the group haven’t readily forgiven him. That’s such a nice touch, and it adds to the sympathetic character introduced on SmackDown.

Additionally, it was a pleasant surprise to see that Jey could win championship gold without the help of his family. Another reign as tag team champion with Cody Rhodes may not suggest WWE sees him as a long-term success story, but it does prove he never needed to cheat to win.

Main Event Jey is in the best shape of his career, and he’s more charismatic than he has ever been. Joining the flagship show has demonstrated that he can stand on his own and work with the biggest stars of the brand.

The 38-year-old earned his spot in this year’s WarGames match at Survivor Series. Going from a member of the dominant heel faction last time to one of the men standing against the newest threat is an excellent story arc.