He’s Already Relevant
Historically, the King of the Ring tournament has been best used as a launching pad to elevate rising talent or to reinvent a star’s gimmick completely. Even though Jey’s stock has taken a noticeable dip since last year, he is already a fully established main event star who pulls in top-tier merchandise sales.
Among all the available choices this year, Jey Uso is simply the worst candidate. Repeating the formula of last year’s tournament, where an already massive star like Cody Rhodes walked away with the crown, makes the accomplishment feel redundant rather than elevating someone who actually needs it.
WWE risks falling into that same trap by making Jey Uso the 2026 King of the Ring winner when all the other options are far better candidates, and a tournament victory would elevate their careers in a way that Jey doesn’t need.
Past Failures
One of the most compelling cases against him winning this tournament is his lackluster singles run from last year. While some will certainly argue it was a success, those achievements are significantly overshadowed by the failures.
When WWE went with the bold decision of having him win last year’s Royal Rumble, it left many fans scratching their heads. His storyline toward WrestleMania 41 with Gunther for the World Heavyweight Title also felt mostly lackluster, with a build-up that made the match’s outcome feel incredibly predictable.
To make things all the more confusing, WWE decided to have that match open WrestleMania 41, effectively turning “Main Event Jey” into “Opening Match Jey.” While the moment of him winning the title was awesome – especially celebrating with his twin brother – the aftermath was a complete disaster.
His title reign lasted only 51 days, as he lost the championship right back to Gunther on the June 8, 2025, episode of Raw. Following this loss, WWE seemed to struggle with how to book him before eventually making the correct decision to have him rejoin the tag team division alongside his brother on the December 8, 2025, episode of Raw.
