Did you catch these fantastic callbacks between Roman Reigns and The Usos at WWE Money In The Bank 2023?
The Usos defeated Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa in an exceptional match dubbed the "Bloodline Civil War" at WWE Money In The Bank 2023. The duel was built on three years of storytelling and decades of real-life history between the four superstars involved, taking everyone on a rollercoaster of emotions.
Due to the history involved, the bout incorporated many callbacks to past matches. These homages to their past added an extra dimension for fans who've been following the storyline, contributing to the incredible emotion of the match's climax.
Did you catch these four references in The Bloodline civil war? Let us know in the comments if we missed any!
#4. Roman Reigns tried (and failed) to re-enact a classic WrestleMania finish
That was a crazy spot when Solo threw Jimmy on top of Jey to stack them so Roman could pin them both reminiscent of when he stacked Daniel Bryan and Edge at WM 37 but except the Usos kicked out.
One of the greatest matches of Roman Reigns' WWE career was his triple threat match against Daniel Bryan and Edge at WrestleMania 37. Not only was it an exhilarating clash involving three of the best ever, but it also produced one of the most iconic finishes in the event's history. Reigns stacked Edge and Bryan on top of one another for the win, fulfilling his earlier vow to "stack 'em and pin 'em."
The Tribal Chief vowed to do the same to The Usos before Money In The Bank and, true to his word, tried to re-enact it late into the match. The crowd was filled with a dreadful sense of deja vu, vociferously booing what they thought was another dominant Reigns win until The Usos kicked out to a massive roar.
This tie-in to an iconic moment made possible by Jimmy and Jey's interference showed how integral they were too much of The Tribal Chief's success and how much he still needed them.
#3. Roman Reigns choking out Jimmy Uso reminded fans of Hell In A Cell 2020
Roman Reigns is using Jimmy Uso as bait so that Jey Uso returns to The Bloodline.
He also did this at Hell in a Cell 2020 when he attacked Jimmy to force Jey to say I Quit & fall in line. https://t.co/tjAey6GRF7
At Hell in a Cell 2020, Roman Reigns was locked in an incredibly engaging Hell in a Cell 'I Quit' match with Jey Uso when Jimmy Uso came out to mediate. The elder Uso begged Main Event Jey to quit to avoid The Tribal Chief's wrath, and when his younger sibling wouldn't budge, he appealed to Reigns.
The then Universal Champion initially seemed to take his pleas to heart before abruptly pulling him into a guillotine, which finally got Jey to say "I quit" to save his brother. At Money in the Bank 2023, Reigns applied the same move to Jimmy, momentarily seeming to choke him unconscious before the latter rallied to power out of the move.
It was a nice callback to a crucial moment in the formation of The Bloodline, once again showing how far The Usos have come since then and foreshadowing their big win.
#2. The "dirty" kickout by Jey Uso was a nice bit of revenge on Roman Reigns
Storytelling at its best!
#WWE #MITB https://t.co/WZCeCFjQhQ
Roman Reigns and Jey Uso first clashed one-on-one at Clash of Champions 2020, with Reigns winning the incredible encounter by nefarious means. During a pin attempt by main event Jey, The Tribal Chief cleverly delivered a low blow while kicking out. This sneaky tactic helped him defeat the younger Uso, ultimately getting him to fall in line and kick off The Bloodline.
Fast forward to Money in the Bank 2023, and Jey used the same move on his cousin, leading to him eventually pinning the latter. In a match that should be crucial to the downfall of the Head of the Table in the grand scheme of things, it was a nice piece of poetic justice that a dose of his own medicine led to him being pinned for the first time in almost 1300 days.
#1. Jey Uso pinning Roman Reigns was a satisfying callback to a decade before
2013: #JeyUso was the first person to pin #RomanReigns in #WWE.
2023: First person to pin Roman Reigns after 3 and a half years! https://t.co/OfSbH7Cwyg
Jey Uso was the first man to pin Roman Reigns in WWE on the September 23, 2013, edition of RAW. The Big Dog had remained unpinned on the main roster for 309 days until Jey put his shoulders to the mat for the three-count.
Fast forward ten years, and Reigns hadn't eaten a pin in 1294 days until he ran into none other than Main Event Jey! Not only was this a poetic way to break The Tribal Chief's undefeated streak but its execution also bore parallels to the first pin almost a decade prior. If you love it when things come full circle, this would have been highly satisfying to you.