Every Roman Reigns WWE Universal Title Defence Ranked In Order Of Greatness
28. Vs Jey Uso (WWE SummerSlam 2023)
There are much nicer things said about Roman Reigns and Jey Uso's exceptional chemistry elsewhere on this list, but none of it was on display in their overwrought and bizarrely under thought SummerSlam 2023 bout.
Billed "Tribal Combat" following The Usos' epic victory over Roman and Solo Sikoa at Money In The Bank, this was theoretically the road being cleared for 'Main Event' Jey to live up to his name and yet again defeat the man that had tormented him for three years. Instead, the gimmick title allowed for a gimmick match and little else. Sikoa ran interference as usual, but even when Uso managed to offset his cousin's attacks without the help of an odd friend or two, he lacked the nous to see his mission through.
Jimmy Uso's heel turn had been foreshadowed in the weeks prior, but never had The Bloodline fruit felt so completely out of juice. Some key pivots in the weeks that followed reframed the narrative ahead of a long build to Jimmy Vs Jey, but as ways to shift the latter away from the stable, this entire presentation couldn't have been more counterproductive.