4 events that triggered Jimmy Uso to turn on Roman Reigns at WWE Night of Champions
A couple of superkicks on Roman Reigns, courtesy of Jimmy Uso at WWE Night of Champions, has sent the wrestling world into a frenzy. The writing was on the wall for The Tribal Chief as he constantly poked the bad side of the former Undisputed Tag Team Champion. As termed by Michael Cole, it could be the superkicks "that ended a dynasty."
There was a time when no one would have imagined Jimmy being responsible for The Bloodline falling apart. Yet, his issues with the faction leader aren't new. The ongoing storyline has provided hints about his attitude, which is in contrast to Roman's expectations, resulting in surreal scenes at WWE Night of Champions.
Here are four events that triggered Jimmy Uso to turn on Roman Reigns last night.
#4. The beginning of The Bloodline (Hell in a Cell 2020)
Jimmy Uso didn’t forget about Hell In A Cell 2020. https://t.co/jwcBl9uvOy
Respect became the motivating factor for The Usos during their feud with Roman Reigns. The Universal Champion had to force his family to acknowledge him. Although Jey's losses to The Tribal Chief are regarded as the reason for the formation of The Bloodline, Jimmy Uso's part in the story is often overlooked.
At Clash of Champions, Jimmy saved his twin from further humiliation by throwing in the towel. He was also the reason why Main Event Jey lost the 'I Quit' Match at Hell in a Cell 2020. Roman Reigns forced the words out of his mouth by threatening to choke out Jimmy.
It was a conscious decision by Jey Uso to put his freedom on the line and get a title shot. Jimmy Uso had no say in it. He followed his twin's footsteps, playing backup to Reigns, until realizing at WWE Night of Champions that he didn't sign up for the years of mistreatment.
#3. Sami Zayn gets bashed by The Bloodline (Royal Rumble 2023)
Jimmy uso and Sami Zayn was Dawgs back then https://t.co/fXgSx4mNJw
Jimmy Uso made it clear to Roman Reigns that he ain't 'nobody's b**ch' on the June 25, 2021, edition of SmackDown. Although, he did start to respect The Tribal Chief as the years went by. This was seen in January of this year when he put his friendship aside with Sami Zayn to protect a fellow Anoa'i family member.
Jey Uso seemed to have been the most affected by Zayn's betrayal. However, Jimmy's friendship with the former Honorary Uce began the moment he joined The Bloodline. They shared handshakes, joked with each other, and even pulled off crucial interferences for Roman Reigns.
When Jimmy Uso was called out for his incompetence, he remembered Zayn's warnings that Roman Reigns was "in The Bloodline for himself." The babyface turn at WWE Night of Champions showed that Reigns' expectations and wrongdoings against his own allies have caught up to him.
#2. Roman Reigns makes Jimmy Uso apologize (SmackDown - May 12, 2023)
When it came to the topic of The Bloodline implosion, the spotlight was always on Jey Uso. However, The Right Hand Man proved his loyalty to his blood countless times. The angle between Jimmy Uso and Roman Reigns came to the forefront after The Usos failed to defeat Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens for a second time.
Starting from Jimmy, The Usos were compelled to publicly apologize for their shortcomings. The SmackDown episode put Roman's issues with Jimmy to the forefront. His nonchalant, carefree attitude didn't sit well with The Tribal Chief, and he shoved his cousin, who was visibly infuriated by the act.
This was the first time Jimmy Uso was treated in such a manner after joining The Bloodline. He was always the well-liked guy in the family, while others constantly got into trouble. WWE Night of Champions became his breaking point as they took the trip to Jeddah to assist Reigns, but the latter wanted none of it.
#1. "I whoop you then, I whoop you now.", Reigns said to Jimmy ahead of WWE Night of Champions
The SmackDown go-home show of WWE Night of Champions was the final straw to Jimmy Uso's relationship with Roman Reigns. After snatching their tag team title opportunity, The Tribal Chief was seen planning his 1000-day Universal Champion celebrations during a backstage segment. He told his family to be a part of it, especially pointing out Jey.
Jimmy took offense and was about to leave when Reigns told him to sit down. The Uce refused. Both members were face-to-face when Roman threatened his cousin to do something rather than just playing the tough guy. The next few words stung the former Undisputed Tag Team Champion.
"Think back to when we were kids. I whoop you then, I whoop you now. You will obey me, you gonna acknowledge me!", said Roman.
The main event in-ring segment further foreshadowed Jimmy Uso's turn on Roman Reigns at WWE Night of Champions. A fired-up Jimmy 'accidentally' declared himself as The Tribal Chief, which was eventually followed by his refusal to hand the tag team championships to the actual Tribal Chief.