The debate over Jey Uso‘s WWE championship reign controversy intensified after WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi publicly called for the company to dismiss its writers, following criticism of how his son’s short title run was managed. The outcry arose after Uso, known as The YEET Master, lost the World Heavyweight Championship to Gunther on WWE’s flagship show, ending a reign that lasted just 51 days.
Controversy Surrounding Jey Uso’s Brief Championship Reign
Jey Uso secured the World Heavyweight Championship by defeating Gunther at WrestleMania 41, only for The Ring General to reclaim the title during the main event of the latest edition of WWE’s weekly red brand show. During his time as champion, Uso successfully defended his title once, prevailing over Logan Paul at Saturday Night’s Main Event the previous month.
As the abrupt end to Uso’s reign drew criticism from fans, Rikishi took to Instagram to share a clip from his Off the Top podcast, where he voiced his strong disapproval of the storylines crafted for his son. Rikishi’s comments centered on the lack of opportunity the writers offered Uso, believing the 39-year-old was not provided the support or momentum needed for a meaningful championship run. The WWE Hall of Famer was particularly frustrated with the creative team’s handling of Uso, which he felt diminished the significance of the title reign.
“You know what I feel? This is what I feel. I feel that those that are writing for this kid, his storyline, you didn’t do him justice. You didn’t feed this champion right talent to be able to continue to make this champion. Not a fair shot in my eyes. So you go 51 days. I say fire. Fire those that are writing for this kid here if you can’t come up with something simple to promote and push your champion that you, not me, you decide to put this kid in that position,”
he said. —Rikishi, WWE Hall of Famer
Matt Hardy Offers His Thoughts on Jey Uso’s Title Loss
The reaction to Jey Uso’s title defeat did not end with Rikishi. Wrestling veteran and podcast host Matt Hardy addressed the topic on the latest episode of The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy. Hardy expressed his approval of how the storyline between Jey Uso and Gunther unfolded on Monday Night RAW, suggesting that the experience benefitted Uso as a singles competitor.
“The fact that he had that run and he lost it back to Gunther, even in that fashion, I like all that,”
Hardy said.
“I’m fine with all that, and it’s gonna be interesting to see what’s next with Jey. Do The Usos come back and have a dominant tag team run? It’s just nice that he was able to dip his toe, dip his feet into the waters of a main-event player. I think he earned that, and I’m glad he got the opportunity to do it.”
—Matt Hardy, Veteran Wrestler and Podcaster
What Lies Ahead for The YEET Master and WWE’s Storytelling
As criticism over Jey Uso’s WWE championship reign controversy continues, the conversation now shifts to how the Stamford-based company will respond to both fan and expert feedback. The significance of Uso’s brief stint as champion is still being debated, particularly in the context of WWE’s broader approach to developing new stars and maintaining compelling narratives.
With speculation about possible future directions—including whether The Usos might reunite as a tag team or whether Jey will embark on another singles quest—the company‘s next creative decisions will be closely monitored. For fans of the World Heavyweight Championship scene, the impact of this controversy on both company storytelling and future main event opportunities remains to be seen.
