7 Ups & 5 Downs From WWE Raw (6 May - Results & Review)

2. A Step Backward

At Backlash, Jey Uso wrestled what was probably his best singles match during this recent run. It felt like if he could harness that, he’d justify a sustained singles push.

But Monday night felt like at best a lateral move, and more likely a step backward. First, he failed upward, losing a world title match and being rewarded two days later with a substitution into the King of the Ring tournament. (Though one thing that made sense was that Finn Balor in part cost Jey the World Heavyweight Championship, so this would’ve been compensation.)

Then the match itself was average and nothing worth reliving afterward. Compare that with the other two first-round King of the Ring matches Monday night: Sheamus/Gunther and Ilja Dragunov/Ricochet. This was far and away the "least good" of the trio.

And finally, Uso won despite Drew McIntyre providing a distraction. After Jey won, Drew slid into the ring, and Uso – like any good babyface – immediately ceded the ring to the heel and celebrated at ringside for another two or three minutes. It just looked so damn odd for a face to give up the ring and then gloat outside, rather than staring down a rival like a man.

All told, this wasn’t a banner night for Jey despite the win. His entrance might be over like rover, but as has been said before, “and then the bell rings.”