The Bloodline's Jey Uso Has Become WWE's Top Babyface of the Future

Jey Uso has been the top babyface of WWE's future for three years now.

It just took a bit of time and a whole lot of superb storytelling to get there.

Creative patience, the understanding of the characters at play by the performers portraying them and fan investment we have not seen in decades have helped set the stage for a star-in-the-making with the potential to help carry wrestling's top promotion for years to come.

'Which One Are You?'

An emotional Jey uttered those words as he recalled an encounter with a fan who could not tell him and his brother, Jimmy Uso, apart.

In the three years since that star-making promo in September 2020, Jey has developed into one of the best characters in professional wrestling. Maybe, even, all of television.

He stood up for his sibling and fell in line to protect him. He spoke out against the inclusion of Sami Zayn in The Bloodline, believing it would lead to the demise of all that The Tribal Chief, The Usos, Solo Sikoa and Paul Heyman had built. When Jimmy stood up to Reigns, Jey attempted to be the glue that held everything together.

Now, he finds himself on and island, neither committed to his brother nor The Head of the Table. He is torn, looking for answers and uncertain of where his allegiance should be, despite the WWE Universe knowing exactly who deserves his loyalty.

After all, the fans have watched his journey from the start, waiting for him to rebel against the self-proclaimed Tribal Chief and end his reign of dominance over WWE.

If recent storyline developments are any indication, that time is rapidly approaching.

THE One

Cody Rhodes, Brock Lesnar, Drew McIntyre, Logan Paul, Bray Wyatt, Braun Strowman, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn have all stepped up to Reigns, only to be slapped down by The Tribal Chief...usually with some help from The Usos.

The twin brothers have been instrumental in Reigns retaining his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship in some form or fashion more times than not, and fans know it.

They have seen Jey stand in the background, his thoughts dismissed or his role diminished while Reigns takes credit for all of the success he and his family have achieved over the last three years.

Jey has been ridiculed, gaslit and verbally berated by The Tribal Chief despite being so key to the top star's success and retention of his titles, and the fans are ready to see him avenge the years of oppression at the hands of Reigns.

Not only has the storytelling been superb, but Jey has also stepped up every facet of his performance. The character work is on-point, his facial expressions and body language having as much to do with his success as anything.

Between the ropes, the 37-year-old is as good a worker now as he has ever been, thanks to his ability to mesh the character stuff with his in-ring arsenal.

Fans are wholly invested in his story, have been with him all the way and are ready to see a member of The Bloodline stick up for themselves and stick it to The Tribal Chief.

To do so, he will have to overcome his other brother, Sikoa, and the devious Heyman, but those two obstacles are part of what will make watching Jey's journey to the title such a rewarding experience.

Jey standing up to Reigns, overcoming Sikoa and earning his way to a showdown with the man who has made his life a living hell for the last 1,000-plus days is the culmination to the story that the fans deserve.

Would the Rhodes title victory at WrestleMania 39 have been a magical moment? Absolutely, but was it as fitting a conclusion to this family feud as Jey assuming his position at the head of the table as the most popular star in WWE?

No.

Ditto McIntyre and the hometown-hero angle the company worked at Clash at the Castle in Cardiff, Wales last September.

From the moment Jey sacrificed himself to protect Jimmy at Hell in a Cell in October 2020, it has been clear that he is the guy to defeat Reigns.

Whether that happens at Money in the Bank on July 1 in London or later, he is one last, great booking decision away from the concluding chapter his story deserves and from becoming the top babyface WWE has sought since John Cena stopped competing full-time.

Uso has put in the work, appearing across Raw and SmackDown on a weekly basis. He is as good as he has ever been and can back up the creative as an in-ring worker, repeatedly proving his ability over the last three years to have a great match against any opponent.

He is ready. The fans are ready and WWE has been ready.

The time for him to load up a superkick and lay out his cousin to ignite the final chapter in an epic program is now.

And when it comes, Jey Uso will shine brighter than ever before and WWE will have that red-hot babyface it can build around for the foreseeable future.