Tonight’s retro-themed episode of Friday Night SmackDown opened with a big surprise, as Jimmy Uso finally made his return to the world of WWE after he missed more than a year due to a severe knee injury.
Jimmy @WWEUsos is back!#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/vK8t9bWiIJ
— WWE on TNT Sports (@wweontnt) May 8, 2021
When Roman Reigns, Paul Heyman and Jey Uso came down to the ring, “The Special Counsel” took the microphone first and delivered a eulogy to Daniel Bryan’s. Reigns interrupted the ceremony by saying that unlike Bryan, he is a man of his word. The champion explained that he proved that claim last week when he beat Bryan.
Reigns went on to say that he continues to give the people what they want. He even gave Bryan what he desired in the form of another WWE Universal Championship shot. In the wake of Bryan’s banishment from SmackDown, Reigns bragged that he has been replaced him with someone who will definitely acknowledge “The Tribal Chief.” At this point, Jimmy walked down to the ramp. Jey’s brother came down into the ring and quickly gave his brother and cousin a hug, clearly happy to be back. It’s clear that he has joined forces with Reigns, so the champion’s grip on SmackDown just tightened.
DOWN SINCE DAY ONE ISH! ?
Jimmy @WWEUsos is BACK!!!! #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/R6SfRaCsOo
— WWE (@WWE) May 8, 2021
Jimmy has been out of action since WrestleMania 36, where he suffered a legitimate knee injury that kept him on the shelf. His return could spell trouble for the blue brand’s tag team division, as he and Jey have always been a dominant duo.
In a backstage segment after Cesaro’s win over Seth Rollins, Reigns was seen berating Jimmy after his failure to help Rollins secure the victory. Before he could say much, Jimmy quickly made it clear that he wouldn’t tolerate Reigns speaking to him the way he speaks to his brother. He then emphasized that he won’t be Reigns’ “bitch.”
Later in the show, cameras cut to Jey Uso and his brother talking about the heated exchange. Jey tried to calm him down, but Jimmy said that Jey has been fighting all of Reigns’ battles for him. Jey responded by pointing out that Reigns was their family, and his status as the champion lifted them all up. But Jimmy rejected this argument. Instead, he emphasized that as brothers, they need each other, and the best way to represent their family would be to regain the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship
