WWE's "Trepidation" Over Roman Reigns, Jey Uso Revealed

WWE pulled one of its ballsiest booking moves in years at Money in the Bank 2023, electing to have Jey Uso pin Undisputed Universal Champion Roman Reigns in the night's main event - though the decision came after much "trepidation" amongst the decision-makers.

Jey pinned Roman to score The Usos a victory over Reigns and Solo Sikoa in a match billed 'The Bloodline Civil Raw'. It was the first time Roman's shoulders had been counted down since December 2019, and is expected to lead to Jey challenging for the Universal Title at SummerSlam 2023 next month.

In an update, WrestleVotes reports that a high-ranking WWE creative felt "trepidation" over the finish, arguing that Reigns shouldn't be pinned until he finally loses the title.

Per the insider account:-

There was a feeling of trepidation from a high ranking creative member in crafting the finish for this past Saturdays Bloodline match. A strong argument that Reigns shouldn’t be pinned prior to losing the title was present throughout the process.

Reigns has stood as a top WWE title-holder since 30 August 2020, when he took Bray Wyatt's Universal Championship. In April 2022, he added Brock Lesnar's WWE Title to the collection, effectively unifying WWE's world titles in the process.

WWE is yet to confirm Uso vs. Reigns for SummerSlam. The duo feuded over the Universal Championship in late 2020, forming the genesis of the ongoing Bloodline saga.