Jey Uso advanced in the 2026 King of the Ring tournament on SmackDown, but WWE fans are clashing with the booking. His win over LA Knight, Finn Balor and Royce Keys has drawn more than 70,000 dislikes on YouTube, echoing similar backlash moments earlier this y
Jey Uso’s spot in the King of the Ring semifinals was sealed on SmackDown, and for a few minutes it looked like the kind of momentum WWE often tries to manufacture—one big win leading to the next.
Instead, the reaction hit like a second bell.
Uso outlasted LA Knight. Finn Balor and Royce Keys on last week’s episode of SmackDown to punch his ticket to the semifinals. He’s now set to face Raw newcomer Je’Von Evans in the final four. The winner of that bout will move on to face the winner of Oba Femi vs. Dominik Mysterio in the KOTR finals at Night of Champions on June 27.
It’s a clear ladder WWE knows how to sell: another step toward a main-event singles match.
But the online response suggests fans aren’t buying the staircase the way the company is.
The YouTube video of Uso’s big win was instantly bombarded with tens of thousands of dislikes. and at the time of this writing it sits at more than 70. 000 dislikes. The pattern isn’t new. It’s de ja vu—at least the third time a YouTube video featuring a monumental Uso victory has been overwhelmed with dislikes.
The backlash previously flared in March 2025. when Uso—just two months after winning the 2025 Royal Rumble—defeated Austin Theory in less than 30 seconds on Raw. It happened again last fall when Uso won a battle royal on Raw and earned the right to face CM Punk for the then-vacant World Heavyweight Championship.
During his surge in late 2024 and into early 2025. Uso became a polarizing figure in the Internet Wrestling Community. even as other top babyfaces have faced similar resistance. Roman Reigns and John Cena. among others. reportedly saw significant pushback from fans during their rise to the top of the card.
What makes Uso’s case different is the route WWE took with him after the peak.
Uso’s lone world title to date came after shockingly defeating Gunther for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 41 in 2025. He held that title for just 51 days. making it the shortest World Heavyweight title reign since the title was brought back in May 2023—outside of two one-night reigns foiled by Money in the Bank cash-ins.
The lightning didn’t last long. WWE ended Uso’s world title push and shifted him back toward the tag team division. By December 2025, Uso reunited with his brother Jimmy as a tag team. Now he’s back playing second fiddle to Reigns in The Bloodline.
That’s where the frustration seems to harden into something more pointed.
WWE is once again focused heavily on The Bloodline saga, the storyline that helped revitalize the company over the past half-decade. But this time, fans say the reunion—Uso again playing a key role—feels like a repeat rather than a reinvention.
The Bloodline’s reunion. as the audience sees it. is “lather. rinse. repeat.” And with Raw’s broader performance taking hits alongside the fan reaction. the sense of unease isn’t staying confined to one clip or one match. Last week’s edition of Monday Night Raw bottomed out with the red brand’s lowest average viewership since it debuted on Netflix in January 2025.
One explanation floating in fan circles is fatigue. It’s not that Uso is being attacked as a performer. A significant portion of WWE’s fan base loves him. The complaint is more specific: a wide-ranging perception that WWE is pushing Uso again at the expense of underappreciated stars like LA Knight—highlighted. in part. by Uso’s win in the KOTR 4-way match that included “The Megastar.”.
Social media dislikes can’t be the only yardstick for popularity or value. Still, social media’s negative reactions to Uso alongside plummeting Raw viewership are hard to ignore in a fan-driven business.
WWE has to decide how hard it wants to push when the audience keeps signaling pushback.
Even Uso himself has acknowledged the recent negative reactions he’s been receiving. and while he’s reportedly taking it in stride. fans aren’t as forgiving. If the dislike counts and the familiar echoes from 2025 are any guide. this may be one of those moments where WWE’s creative team has to change course rather than steam forward.
And for a wrestler standing one match away from the KOTR semifinals and the possibility of another main-event singles run, the question now isn’t whether he can win.
It’s whether the win will still feel like progress to the people watching.
Jey Uso WWE King of the Ring 2026 SmackDown Je’Von Evans Oba Femi Dominik Mysterio Night of Champions June 27 The Bloodline Roman Reigns Jimmy Uso LA Knight Finn Bálor Royce Deans Austin Theory CM Punk Gunther