Bloodline Saga Deserves Benefit of the Doubt Despite Odd Jimmy Uso Turn

I don’t think it’s a lofty wager to assume the conclusion of last weekend’s SummerSlam main event featuring Roman Reigns defending against his cousin Jey Uso left many onlookers confused, puzzled and perhaps even somehow bamboozled.

Yes, bamboozled.

Without exception, where professional wrestling is concerned there hasn’t been a better story with the same longevity in recent memory than the Bloodline Saga. Over the course of the last few years the story has unfolded as organically as any tale could, beginning with Reigns returning to reclaim the Universal Championship from Bray Wyatt, followed by the early stages of his self-anointed status as the “Head of the Table” to his coronation as the Tribal Chief. His feuds with Jey before he and his brother joined him, to his defences against a list of Hall of Famers and top-shelf contenders, through the Sami Zayn storyline and through WrestleMania up to present day; the story itself has delivered even if some of the feuds have dragged or otherwise been predictable.

(There was also that time he beat Finn Balor by divine intervention, but we don’t talk about that.)

There’s no denying the matches themselves have fallen into a formula. This is a double-edged sword; while we must concede not every match has been great nor terrible outright, the formula has delivered when it’s needed to in the shape of contenders time and again coming within a hair of dethroning Reigns and ending his weeks, months, year-long and now 1000+ day reign as double champion.

We’ve watched the wrestling equivalent of a sports dynasty form, and more recently we’ve witnessed the cracks forming in the foundation of the stable that have only crept forward since Zayn’s turn on Reigns at the Royal Rumble. That fractured the group almost irreparably and since then Reigns’ grip on power has been teetering. That boiled over when Jimmy Uso superkicked Reigns, which sparked Jey’s own exodus from the group alongside his brother. We watched the legendary tag team championship duo defeat Reigns and Sikoa, but with Jimmy sidelined with a kayfabe injury, it was once again “Main Event” Jey stepping into the spotlight to challenge Reigns for the titles and leadership of the family.

And that’s why happened makes sense.

“Main Event” Jey and the Forgotten Uce

Every twist of consequence in this story seems to be facilitated using a superkick, and last weekend’s PLE was no different. After time away from television, Jimmy returned at the end of the main event to cost his brother the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship, pulling him outside before superkicking him. Reigns winning the match almost became inconsequential as the distraught Jey could barely keep himself together. The turn appears very confusing and straight from the deep recesses of left field, but it really isn’t and is frankly the kind of story beat that has helped keep the Bloodline storyline alive and vibrant these last three years.

From the outset it’s been Jey that has held this entire story together. He was the principle player when Reigns first became champion, but think beyond that. At the time JImmy was out injured, but he nonetheless returned at Clash of Champions to throw in the towel to prevent a further beatdown at the hands of Reigns. Jimmy again came into play at Hell in a Cell