The closer we get to the momentous occasion, the more it feels like Jey Uso might be a pivotal piece of Roman Reigns’ return that kicks off the next arc of the Bloodline saga.
And it sure looks like the 2024 edition of Money in the Bank is an ideal target date.
There, Jey Uso is the first men’s wrestler announced for the briefcase match. For many fans, that might be ideal—the super-over babyface running around with the cash-in option on both weekly broadcasts could be fun.
But…maybe not.
Uso is wildly over with fans, yes. But there’s a truth to the idea that the briefcase might just be better on heels. And frankly, with the way the briefcase has been handled as a device for a long time now, even the biggest of Yeeting Uso fans might prefer if that stigma stays as far away from him as possible.
It’s also worth pointing out that WWE just might not view Jey like that. Is he really going to be the guy to cash-in on Cody Rhodes and win despite all of the stuff in the background like The Rock, Reigns, etc.? Is he really going to be the guy to topple a Judgment Day saga that feels like it is only just getting started?
Or, is Jey more in that LA Knight territory—super over with fans, silly catchphrases, huge merchandise numbers and audience interaction, but never winning the big one and far less compelling when WWE’d into a merch-mover?
If the company has all of zero plans to actually put a title on Jey’s waist (which is fine, truly), would his biggest supporters rather he remain in a Knight-style purgatory or do something far more compelling?
How about the compelling, emotionally invested stuff that got him to this point in the first place?
This is why it seems like Money in the Bank should be circled in red on the calendar. The mechanism to pull this all off is simple enough: Jey is about to win atop a ladder, then the Solo Sikoa-backed Bloodline interferes and swings the result.
Sure, fans will bemoan yet-another-Bloodline-interference thing, but this one would be more of a kickstart than a delay tactic. It would save Jey’s status in a loss, give him an excuse to exit the title scene and get him back on track.
Most important of all, it would likely lead to that must-see reunion with his brother, Jimmy. And in turn, when the two are no match for Sikoa’s ruthless new Bloodline, the borderline historic reunion with Reigns.
Because as we’ve hit ad nausea since WrestleMania, the only smart choice is to have Reigns come back as a babyface intent on saving his family from Sikoa, who just so happens to be backed by that executive heel Rock character.
There’s Rhodes to consider in all of this too, but perhaps he tags with Jey against the Bloodline when Reigns isn’t present on a weekly basis or something. At this point, it’s pretty hard to say if and when he’ll be available for Bloodline stories as he handles “fighting champion” duties, like typical feuds with the likes of AJ Styles and overseas one-offs with the likes of Logan Paul.
Rhodes aside, it’s pretty easy to envision a scenario over the summer where the reunited Usos are getting savagely beat down before Reigns’ music hits, creating a historical moment and kickstarting a must-see summer.
But the moment has to be earned. Sikoa’s doing his part right now carrying the Bloodline stuff weekly, with, as always, a Hall of Fame-styled assist from Paul Heyman. Slightly rerouting Jey via the Money in the Bank PLE would be measured, well-paced storytelling akin to chess moves that position a win three moves later.
This doesn’t have to crush Jey’s momentum in the process, either. An at least toeing-the-line babyface Reigns can easily throw support behind Jey’s solo pursuits in the new-look Bloodline that partakes in the inevitable civil war, too, not totally unlike how he interacted with Sami Zayn for a while.
WWE’s overarching plan, for better or worse, might be to jam through a Rhodes vs. Rock match at a major event, yes, when Reigns probably makes more sense in both spots. But Jey and the Bloodline Civil War is the compelling stuff that will make up the bulk of WWE programming for dedicated fans for at least the next year.
What better way to start it than getting Jey back in the mix in a compelling way and reintroducing those emotional, weekly developments that redefined modern storytelling in the medium?
Yes, Money in the Bank is one to watch for many reasons. But the possibility of Jey as a massive launching pad for something even bigger tops the list because if WWE seizes the moment, the next Bloodline saga could leapfrog the last.
