Jey Uso Beats La Knight, Finn Balor and Royce Keys
Jey Uso beat la knight, Finn Balor and Royce Keys on last week’s SmackDown to move into the semifinals of the 2026 WWE King of the Ring tournament. The win keeps him in line for another singles run, even as his latest push continues to draw a sharp fan backlash online.
Uso advances on SmackDown
Uso outlasted three opponents in one night and now meets Raw newcomer Je’Von Evans in the semifinals. That left him one win from the Night of Champions final at June 27, where the bracket will close with the winner of Jey Uso vs. Je’Von Evans meeting the winner of Oba Femi vs. Dominik Mysterio.
The SmackDown result extended a pattern that has followed Uso through his recent singles work. In March 2025, he beat Austin Theory in less than 30 seconds on Raw. Last fall, he won a battle royal on Raw and earned the right to face CM Punk for the then-vacant World Heavyweight Championship.
More than 70,000 dislikes
That run also produced the reaction that has followed him into this tournament. The YouTube video of his win drew more than 70,000 dislikes, and it was at least the third time a YouTube clip of a major Jey Uso victory was overwhelmed with dislikes.
The response has tracked with the way WWE has handled him over the past year. Uso defeated Gunther for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 41 in 2025 and held the title for 51 days before he was back in the tag team picture by December 2025 alongside his brother Jimmy.
Je’Von Evans in the semifinals
For Uso, the next step is clear: Je’Von Evans stands between him and the King of the Ring final. Evans is the Raw newcomer in the other semifinal, and the winner gets the chance to move on at Night of Champions in June 27.
The bracket gives Uso another shot at a major singles stage, but the reaction to his SmackDown win shows how quickly the crowd response has turned on each new step forward. He has kept advancing anyway.
