Who Is Having The Better “Singles” Run

Highlights

• Jey Uso's singles run on Raw has been more successful, with compelling storylines and character development.
• Jimmy Uso's heel run on SmackDown has been less cohesive and feels forced, lacking long-term planning.
• Jey Uso is currently having a better time as a singles competitor, showcasing potential for a bigger push in the future.

At SummerSlam 2023, Jimmy and Jey Uso officially disbanded for the first time in their WWE careers. After making their debuts together back in 2010, they have been by one another’s side (apart from when there has been an injury) ever since. A heel turn from Jimmy led to the two going their separate ways and going to different brands, starting “singles” runs for both men. The term “singles” needs to be taken with a grain of salt though, as it has felt as though WWE haven’t quite maximized the potential of both men being singles competitors. Either way though, it's interesting to see and judge who has had the better time since splitting up.

Jey Uso’s Babyface Run On Raw

Jey Uso has had more experience in the singles division, challenging for the top title in WWE on a few occasions over the years. Back in 2020, his singles rise was a great story which helped to spark a great overall arc for his character within The Bloodline. He would go up against Roman Reigns once again at SummerSlam 2023, coming up short for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. He was rightfully frustrated with the heel turn of his brother, and this led to him ultimately quitting SmackDown due to the family drama being too much. This made sense, and it led to him showing up on the Raw brand.

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Jey has become involved with the likes of Cody Rhodes, Sami Zayn, and Kevin Owens, with an emphasis being placed on the fact that he has sins to absolve and a need to prove himself as changed. Owens in particular has had a hard time trusting Jey, and it has led to some good television and interesting developments. Jey’s popularity has only continued to increase as the weeks have gone on, though it has been a little repetitive. Alongside fellow popular name Cody Rhodes, Jey would overcome the Judgment Day to win the Undisputed Tag Team Championships in what felt like a thrown together and random moment, though one which the fans were on board with. The downside to this is that it feels as though Jey has a lot of potential as a singles star, but instead he has been thrust right back into the tag team division.

Jimmy Uso’s Heel Run On SmackDown

The explanation behind Jimmy Uso’s turn was convoluted, didn’t make much sense, and it led to fans growing tired of the whole Bloodline saga. Jimmy’s subsequent actions and continued association with Solo Sikoa and Paul Heyman has therefore felt a little odd and forced. Jimmy’s direction in which he is getting a bit too big for his boots in the absence of Roman Reigns, and a desire to clearly be the “Tribal Chief” has been interesting and well done, though it would have been nice if this played out a lot better originally and had some long-term planning. This feels like a random development that was made up as it went along.

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Jimmy has played his role as an unlikable heel well, going face-to-face with top names like AJ Styles, John Cena, and LA Knight. Similarly to Jey though, Jimmy hasn’t really gone into the singles division. He has aligned with his brother Solo Sikoa and has mostly been involved in a team. At Fastlane, both The Usos were involved in tag team action, with Jimmy and Sikoa facing Cena and Knight. It feels as though WWE may not entirely trust the twins to thrive on their own just yet, which is a shame considering they have proved their worth and potential to be individual stars in the company.

Jey Uso Is Having The Better Time Right Now

The negative points of both Jimmy’s and Jey’s singles runs are pretty similar, with them not really being singles wrestlers just yet, remaining involved in tag teams and alliances. It would be welcomed if the pair vyed for either the Intercontinental or United States Championships, or even if Jey looked to gain the World Heavyweight Championship, but perhaps this will come in the future. Character-wise, Jimmy has been all over the place, whereas Jey has been very streamlined and the way he is evolving is making a lot of sense. He is changing, proving himself, and making amends with those he has wronged, and this is where the difference is.

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Jey feels red-hot and is being handled like a top star on Raw. When it comes to Jimmy on SmackDown, he may be in and amongst the main event scene, but he feels like typical heel fodder and falls under the category of generic stereotypical bad guy thus far. For this reason, Jey is having the better time away from their iconic tag team, and it feels likely that when they finally face off, it will be Jey who emerges victorious and receives the bigger push.