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- [00:00]
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- [00:36]
Host
Hello. Welcome to what do you want to talk about Hosted here at wonderful WWE Warehouse. Thanks to Ben Brown for setting this up. It's all the real stuff. It's as authentic as it gets. It's as authentic as this podcast. What do you want to talk about is a fanatics and WWE original production and this one's special. This is probably the number one ask for guest. This is main event time ladies and gentlemen. 10 time 10 time 10 time tag team champion, former World Heavyweight Champion Royal Rumble winner Main event the Yeet master himself. Multi generational talent. The one and only ladies and gentlemen, Main event. Jey uso.
- [01:24]
Jey Uso
I wasn't expecting that. I wasn't expecting that introduction my dog. Appreciate that.
- [01:30]
Host
Right out the shoot, right? No foreplay here. Let's talk about fastlane. Let's talk about. Come on, the press conference. Come on.
- [01:40]
Jey Uso
The damn press conference, man. Ooze. All right, look. Yeet. Yeet. Was already popping K. That press conference is what lit it on fire though. And if we could really get that out the way. Man, look, none of that was planned, Deuce. Me and my dog Cody was out there just doing what we do.
- [02:00]
Host
We're just hunting. Come on, man, we're just dogs hunting.
- [02:02]
Jey Uso
It's probably one of my funnest moments. So when I watch it back, I was like, oh, a little embarrassed but like I liked it, man. I mean we just won the tag team titles. I've never did that with nobody else but this man right here. So like why not? You know what I'm saying? Why not?
- [02:18]
Host
I want to ask right out of the gate because to me there's no. The most fun thing is knowing we didn't know we had a press conference.
- [02:29]
Jey Uso
No.
- [02:29]
Host
So from a professional standpoint, we were just being pros. We were first crowd was hot.
- [02:36]
Jey Uso
Come on.
- [02:36]
Host
And we don't get a chance that often because I remember saying like oh, come on the bus. And you're like yeah, I am going to come on the bus. We never got a chance to just have a brother brother camaraderie moment. And I Didn't even know. It should have been obvious to me, but I didn't realize until you said it in the press conference. You had never won the tag titles with anyone other than your brother.
- [02:59]
Jey Uso
Yeah.
- [02:59]
Host
Other than Big Jim.
- [03:00]
Jey Uso
Yeah. Special night for me, man. I already. Already knew what time it was, man. Like that. That night hit different.
- [03:06]
Host
And whose phone be that? It was Matt. Don't worry. No, it was. It was incredibly special night. And. And again, I'm going to preface the press conference with we were just on the bus in the safety of the bus, having a good time, and then I don't know who it was. It was either Johnny Con or the Z Pack himself. Someone walked on there and said, y' all are in the press conference, and y' all are first. And I remember there's just a moment of, oh, okay. But, yeah, great.
- [03:42]
Jey Uso
I was like, hell, yeah, we're ready.
- [03:43]
Host
Let's go.
- [03:44]
Jey Uso
Let's do it.
- [03:45]
Host
So to me, the part that. I guess the only little tinge of embarrassment I have was I thought I was fine. I thought. I remember Jackie came on the bus and, like, fix me up, and I thought I was tying my tie. I thought, we're good. We're good. Then within 20 seconds of us shuffling out there and you're just. Excuse my language. You're fucking around with the Velcro on the title and it's. And all this noise and not to mention, the worst press corps of all time, God bless them, because I love them, but they're just staring like, we're in this on the other side of the fence at the zoo. There's not a question right away. Kusama posted up against the wall, all wanting to see what was going on. It just felt like. It felt like once we got out there, we were now in. We were in the deepest of waters. Yeah. And it was. I just kept thinking, like, all right, cool. Just ask, like, some good questions, you know, and. Okay. And then they weren't coming as fluid, and. And you started talking about people losing money on bedding on the judgment day. And then you were wiggling closer to me.
- [04:59]
Jey Uso
Ain't nobody feel me but you.
- [05:02]
Host
I felt you, you know, and that whole room felt you.
- [05:04]
Jey Uso
So I'm talking about KO Shout out to Kassamo.
- [05:07]
Host
By the way, she took that in Strat, you know, she. She's sitting over there.
- [05:09]
Jey Uso
Shout out to Kasamo, man. Y' all know. You know, man. Come on, man. Saxon started clowning on his shirt.
- [05:15]
Host
Saxon's an easy clown.
- [05:16]
Jey Uso
I'm.
- [05:16]
Host
This is a totally different press conference. And I won't go too deep into this. Cause it'll get cut from the show. But one time I got asked a question that was a no good question. And I did my best to answer it. And instead of Saxon being like, all right, moving on. He just kept the mic right here. I'm like, bro, we're out. Yeah, like that. Cut. That guy's got one. Go ask the kid over there waving his hand. I had an incredible time at the press conference. I think the funniest moment after was Michael Hayes, the legendary Free Bird. Michael Hayes, a man who once was quoted in a promo of. I think he said, I drank so much as it drowned a battleship. In a backstage interview, Michael, of all people, was the most adult in parenting of.
- [06:09]
Jey Uso
Ah, yeah.
- [06:10]
Host
Where he hit me with a.
- [06:11]
Jey Uso
Hey, guys.
- [06:12]
Host
Hey, guys. It's not like you didn't know. You didn't like. And we had to explain to him. We didn't. We didn't know Bird.
- [06:20]
Jey Uso
But they said, y' all want to go do the press conference? We're ready. We are ready. Far from ready.
- [06:25]
Host
We were ready. In our own way, man.
- [06:27]
Jey Uso
We was ready, man. I got the Yeet movement. That's where the Yeet movement was born. It was. Come on, man.
- [06:32]
Host
I was really just happy to be in that moment. In terms of. As you said, Yeet was moving. Yeet was also a little bit more of a language going on where you would say yeet to somebody or your brother would say yeet, and this. And it was. You heard it a lot more in conversation. You'd hear it a little bit in the stuff that you were doing at the time was with the bloodline, which. The bloodline saga at a certain point, where you've gotta dive into what an unbelievable success it's been for the industry as a whole. But I was so glad that it just became. You put your stamp on it there. You put your stamp on it there. And now. I mean, it's right there.
- [07:10]
Jey Uso
Then the hand movement, like, it all worked, dude.
- [07:14]
Host
So it's so fun.
- [07:15]
Jey Uso
It's cool, man.
- [07:16]
Host
No, I mean, do you feel tonight or in general, you go out there and you're yeeting and the crowd is all doing it, and you're finding these kids and they're standing next to you, and you're able to run it back, and we're doing encore after encore. You know the. What's the most amount of encores you've run?
- [07:32]
Jey Uso
Probably six. That's in a dark match.
- [07:35]
Host
Yeah.
- [07:35]
Jey Uso
And I just kept. They Kept doing it with it. And that was a whole dark match. It was like a big party. Now we're working. I did. I had in Mexico. Like, I'm about to put taker out there now. Taker was at a Mexico show. We did a house show in Mexico. I think he was on that one, man. But I was like eating the whole time and then finish. I walk in the back. Taker goes. He looks at me. Cause he's watching the monitor. He goes, man, he goes, you're working now. You're really working. You know what I'm saying? I was like, yeah, I hit it, you know, and it's cool. Once you. There's a saying, it was work like, you know, you work like you over. But, man, once you, like, really, really over, you are. There's a different art to the game where you kind of not say, don't have to do nothing, but you kind of can just, you know, like, gain empathy and sympathy from the fans when they really, really, really, truly love you.
- [08:32]
Host
Yeah.
- [08:32]
Jey Uso
And I think you're at that. I finally, like, I see it now, I understand it now, and I just want to keep it usa. I want to keep all that energy, man, because I know it's going to go away one time or weather out. I feel like I'm hot and I just want to stay hot. I just want to run it to the ground. It was like.
- [08:55]
Host
It's funny you said the word hot. Sami Zayn and I always talk about how hot the coffee is, and that's our way of. How was the crowd, you know, Like, I don't know, man. I was feeling pretty. It was pretty hot. Oh, it was hot. You know, it's just a fun. It's addictive, though, huh?
- [09:15]
Jey Uso
For sure.
- [09:15]
Host
In a sense, it's addictive. You're talking about six encores. They're having a blast. Time of their life. And as growing up in a wrestling family, you're from one of the greatest lineages in the history of the game, you also know sometimes it goes on, sometimes the party keeps happening, and then other times it's a short window. I'm of the thought. I'm always thinking, oh, this is a short window. We've got a you. I don't. I mean, we've had a fun run, but I'm always like, this is a short window. We gotta have. Let's get all we can, you know, I don't know. Maybe it comes from the days I was looking at the sheet with you, which I didn't really need to look At a sheet with you. Because I have so many actual memories of wrestling you before any of this. Like, if you were to come to me, Big Jim, you chicken, and tell. Tell them what was going to happen in the year 2023, 2024, 2025, and going forward, we obviously. That just sounds. Yeah, right.
- [10:17]
Jey Uso
Yeah.
- [10:17]
Host
You're going to have one word that the world says infinitely and. And does with you and rides with you on. You're going to be in the conversation for the greatest tag team of all time. In the conversation and in everyone's conversation, not just in certain pockets. Every wrestling fan hard widely considered one of. And who knows, maybe the greatest tag team of all time. That was all. If we were looking back at that. You'd. You wouldn't. I wouldn't have believed it.
- [10:45]
Jey Uso
Hell, I wouldn't have believed in myself.
- [10:47]
Host
No.
- [10:47]
Jey Uso
Let alone you would have. I. Man, I don't know, man. I give. You know, talk to my dad sometimes, and my dad will. To me. It's hard to like, get my dad.
- [10:58]
Host
Yeah.
- [10:59]
Jey Uso
But, man, say I do a big match or whatever. My dad, like, when I talked to him after, he, man, hey, man, like, he wouldn't even say nothing. He just, yeah, you got it, you know, like. Got what, man? You got it. Yeah, you'll figure it out. He's still. I'm still trying to figure it out. You'll figure it out. Like. But like, it's like a stamp of approval. Yeah. I appreciate it.
- [11:25]
Host
That silent communication almost that, like you said, a couple moments. It's kind of funny, the moment where you're looking for a hey, how was it? Or anything, and there's nothing that really can be said. I remember Sean Michaels. One time I came to the back and asked how something was. He's like, you already know. Because it was one that was really, really good. You already know. I'll tell you when it's bad, but don't ask when you already know. He kind of put it in a very Sean way. I thought, I got it. And then same thing with the dead man with taker match recently, that I could just feel. We had a moment and something came out. It came to the back and asked him, oh, anything. And he just looked at me. I thought, all right, cool.
- [12:05]
Jey Uso
Silent truth.
- [12:06]
Host
Yeah. But it's almost because Pops knows. Pops knows what it takes to have it, to get there, to feel it, to share it, and knows. American Dream Team, my friends. Wheatley American Vodka, right here, myself, we like to consider ourselves the American Dream Team. I like to ask my guests who is your American Dream Team, which you've been part of factions and teams already, so I'm actually curious as to who makes up who's Ride or Die, War Games, Survivor Series. You can do as many as you want. You can do animals, you can do spirits, you can do fictional characters. It don't matter.
- [12:44]
Jey Uso
I mean, of course I'm going to pick them. The bloodline, you know, ride or Die. But if I could. If I could throw one, I probably go with Umaga. Okay. Probably go with Yokozuna. Okay. Probably go with King Kong. Probably go with Rakishi. I probably go with. I'd probably go with Vader.
- [13:02]
Host
So this team's not beatable in any case.
- [13:04]
Jey Uso
That's a good team.
- [13:05]
Host
Yeah. So five of the greatest big men of all time.
- [13:08]
Jey Uso
Rikishi Vader, a King Kong, and who else?
- [13:11]
Host
And the bloodline.
- [13:12]
Jey Uso
Yeet. Yeah.
- [13:16]
Host
That's an unbeatable team.
- [13:18]
Jey Uso
Maybe a Pomeranian. You know what I mean? A miniature Pomeranian, if you really want to go. My three French bulldogs. You know what I'm saying? Yeah.
- [13:24]
Host
I put Pharaoh in there right before Brandy was like, don't be saying that. That old dog, like, oh, is Pharaoh. Dude, I don't even know anymore.
- [13:31]
Jey Uso
Damn.
- [13:31]
Host
I told somebody who's 15 the other day, and then they're like, he's 14. He acts 300 years old. And then the vet told us he's not deaf. He's just not listening.
- [13:42]
Jey Uso
That's good stuff.
- [13:43]
Host
That's like, he can hear just fine. He is not interested in what you have to say. And I thought, all right, that's paradox. He's also all white, so you can't tell. Brother is gray clean.
- [13:52]
Jey Uso
No.
- [13:53]
Host
Yeah. He just looks.
- [13:53]
Jey Uso
He looks young.
- [13:54]
Host
He looks eight years old, so just living his life. I wanted to ask. Can I ask you about your dad?
- [14:00]
Jey Uso
Of course.
- [14:00]
Host
Because, you know, your dad loves his children.
- [14:04]
Jey Uso
Yeah. Yeah.
- [14:05]
Host
And I was. Whenever your dad talks about you or Big Jim, I get the biggest kick out of it.
- [14:14]
Jey Uso
Yeah.
- [14:14]
Host
Because that is exactly what I think any son would want of their dad. Like, yeah, my kids are the best, man. Your kids suck.
- [14:23]
Jey Uso
And my dad. My dad's cool as shit. My dad is so cool, man.
- [14:28]
Host
Yeah.
- [14:31]
Jey Uso
I can't say nothing about my dad, though. You gotta have me crying on here, man.
- [14:34]
Host
Oh, no. Yes. All right. We already happened. Happens on the show all the time.
- [14:37]
Jey Uso
Yeah, dog, man. My dad is just. Man, now that I'm in the game, man, I see how hard he. Like, how we'll just do wrestling 20, 25, 30 years ago, man. Just trying to hustle, being broke, being kids of a wrestler. Like, not having money. Cause you know, he's doing territories. Like wrestling. Wasn't. He didn't get his break till I hit high school, you know, like freshman. Like, we was kind of grown, wearing, like, you know, like, hand me down clothes. Like, old enough to know. Luckily, we was good in football. That kind of covered us, you know. Also, that's a Samoan family. Small Pensacola, Florida. We got a big Samoan family. So everyone knew who he was. Motor Grove Ballpark, Roman. We all grew up in there. Just. Man, my dad would. I knew when we was playing football, whatever, he would never make the games. Cause he was gone.
- [15:32]
Host
Yeah.
- [15:32]
Jey Uso
So as soon as I see him walk in, like, there's a crowd that would just follow him. Especially in high school. I'm skipping freshman year. That's when he hit Rikishi. Like, his thing. We got noticed. Now we're in high school. We're, like, balling. We kind of have our own. The twins and Joe. Like, who are these kids? They can play football, let alone. We're tied into this. This is their dad here?
- [15:56]
Host
Yeah. Oh.
- [15:57]
Jey Uso
So when he would walk in the. I could just see a crowd. Just like, I'm on the field, I know my dad's here. Boom. Made me want to do good. But he would always just. I'm everywhere, man. But, like, I know how much he worked and sacrificed and still try to make the games and then go to work and then try to figure out these characters. Like, that's what my dad was good at. Shit at. He's like, man, always evolve. Don't stay stuck, because you'll get skipped. That sultan. He did the. He was good at switching characters, man. Then he found Rikishi. Now it works.
- [16:28]
Host
Yeah.
- [16:29]
Jey Uso
Now you just take off, man. And when you find something that work, man, you hang on to it and you give it all. You put it all, man. And just being a wrestler now. And I know today it's an easier hustle. And I'm not saying that this shit's still hard. Being a wrestler. This life is hard.
- [16:48]
Host
Yeah.
- [16:48]
Jey Uso
I think when my dad was coming up, though, man, he. He. He went through the wringer, man. And. Yeah, I just. Like, he's still alive today, man. He's healthy. I know, like, a lot of people, they're up next, so it's like everyone's getting older. And, you know, our parents are getting older, so we're. We're getting old, you know, My dad is our biggest fan over. I cannot. I cannot lie about that.
- [17:15]
Host
Big News WWE and Sports Fans the world's number one sports fan festival, Fanatics Fest, is making its return to New York City. Fanatics is bringing you closer to the league's teams, Superstars and athletes you love across four action packed days in July. Meet your favorite WWE Superstars, get your hands on exclusive merch, catch live podcasts and interact with the biggest names in sports. Tickets are on sale now and fans of the podcast can use code CODY10 at checkout for 10% discount. Head to fanaticsfest.com to get your tickets today. There's nothing like my American Express Platinum card. I love that I can earn hotel credits when I travel. I can also earn resi credits so you know I'm hitting the restaurants everyone's talking about. Plus with the digital entertainment credit, I'm even more excited to catch my favorite shows. All in all, I can access over $3,500 in annual value with benefits and eligible purchases across travel, entertainment and more. Learn more@americanexpress.com Explore Platinum Enrollment Requirements monthly and other limits and terms apply. I love it. Yeah, I love it. I love his response to Weekly TV because I think a lot about my dad and I think about there are certain things that people think families in the business can talk objectively about that they can just do facts based. No, that's your blood, right? That's. Nah, you know, like you can't just speak to he or she has got this and he. There are.
- [18:50]
Jey Uso
If only.
- [18:51]
Host
No, that's. You have to have the utmost faith and most parents do. And it's a beautiful thing to see. I didn't know that. Rikishi. The big moment happens as you're an older young adult, essentially having gone through that and it hadn't necessarily ticked off and all. You said the hustle is maybe easier today. Maybe. It's certainly not the bump in each night and the lighter envelopes because the money and economy was different for wrestling then.
- [19:23]
Jey Uso
Sure.
- [19:24]
Host
But I mean I watch you walk in here with someone from talent relations that's telling you what you need to do next and where you need to go. And what was house shows has been replaced by a lot of other things that are equal in an opportunity standpoint. There's something of value to them, there's something special. It's just different.
- [19:44]
Jey Uso
It's just different.
- [19:44]
Host
If we're navigating a new hustle, you.
- [19:47]
Jey Uso
Know I do, yeah. I do miss wrestling every night though.
- [19:51]
Host
Oh my gosh.
- [19:53]
Jey Uso
There's something like you said it was like it's Crazy. Cause we're wrestling once a night, maybe twice a night on both TVs, but we're still traveling everywhere. Cause you're hitting all the side deals, you know, all the side stuff. Meetings, appearances, commercials, whatever you need to do. But at the end of all that, you knew, at 7pm it's all you. Like, we're wrestling from 7 to 10.
- [20:15]
Host
That's our hours.
- [20:16]
Jey Uso
I missed hitting those cities and at least at the end doing what we do.
- [20:23]
Host
I had suggested some of the top brass in the company for a myriad of reasons. Camaraderie, the reps, the general sense of working here. It's hard to think you work somewhere if you're only there a couple days a week. Right. Versus the schedule for when we first started, where it was full tours, live events, then you come to TV and then you're home less time.
- [20:46]
Jey Uso
Two days.
- [20:47]
Host
Two days, Right. And sometimes a day and a half. Right. It's the half, the travel day. But I suggested them, I said run one weekend a month. Call them house shows, make them almost, almost poke the fourth wall a little bit in terms of what they are. They're canon, but they're not. You're going to see some of the stuff you see on tv, but you're. It's. It's going to be a bit more of a mixed bag. And maybe you're going to see some people you've never seen before who are getting their first rep in front of you and, and, and run them that way where there's an intimacy to them that's advertised. This is a house show. That's what you guys are getting and it's going to be awesome.
- [21:22]
Jey Uso
They're so fun.
- [21:23]
Host
They're so fun. So fun.
- [21:25]
Jey Uso
I can't believe, like, even, even the young generation now, like NXT coming up, like, I don't think they're ever going to experience a household loop. Like never.
- [21:34]
Host
Like, learn that, man. No, I mean, who knows? Things could be changing. We could be in a year now be like, oh, shouldn't have said that, sorry. Hey, let's edit that.
- [21:43]
Jey Uso
Let's cut that out.
- [21:44]
Host
Let's cut that idea. Let's cut that out. You know. But one of the things that I really fear is not. It's one thing to say, hey, the reps and learning how to do it, that's one thing. Actually, the thing I fear the most is it's hard to say you're part of a team if you're not playing with your team all the time, right? Yes. So it's. See People and you, hey, you know, great job last night. Msg, you know, but those are a lot easier when I know you already. Yeah, right. When I gotta feel, you know, like when it doesn't feel obligatory. When it doesn't feel. And again it will be replaced by some other energy. But, but that I thought for me it was incredibly valuable. You know, that was tight, you know, and you learned and there was a rhythm and it helped with the live TV matches. And who knows though, I mean in terms of what's next. But a lot right now as things are funneled and international because we still get our international tours and there's still these pockets. I think it's a different hustle and I always try to find, I always try to find the way in terms of okay, how can we navigate this new hustle? You said something about when 7 o' clock hits, you know, it's match time.
- [22:53]
Jey Uso
Like it's.
- [22:54]
Host
I, I just. Yesterday for the first time, I think I verbalized it. I, I told someone within the company. I said I'm gonna do a two hour rule. Show starts at eight. I'm not doing anything between six and eight far. You know, unless you know that's a real. Because between. That's when I think that's when I. It's on us. If I go out there and you know Ms. Carmelo Hayes by a mile, that's me. Who gets laughed at on the Internet. If I go out there and stutter in a promo, that's me. Who gets. It's not gon whatever. I was making a priority. You want stuff like that, get me there early, I'll be there. I'll be there in the day. But between six and eight. Let me just think, Let me just think of what needs to be said.
- [23:35]
Jey Uso
Come on, man.
- [23:35]
Host
Let me just think of the moment we're in. Let me look at the guy I'm talking to. Let me have him. Because it's not fun when you just get through tv. Versus that was rich.
- [23:46]
Jey Uso
You'll know at the end of the night if it was good or bad.
- [23:49]
Host
Right? Right. Yeah. And I feel like getting through, isn't it? Versus, ooh, somebod progressed. Somebody moved a piece on the board here.
- [23:57]
Jey Uso
You know, it's all stress, stressful man. Cuz you know, you know, it's when you get the tv, it's not like we just get there and like wrestle, man. We doing all, we get there early, all. We working all the way. Until sometimes working during the show doing side stuff, side interviews and the show's going on and you, you trying to think about the match and everything. So it all becomes. I like it though, man. I like answering the call too. I like, I like, I like being in the deep end. I like that stressful feeling. Like I used to bug out. Yep. Now, man, I, Yeah.
- [24:29]
Host
Run it like that's the flip side of the coin.
- [24:31]
Jey Uso
Yeah. Be a pro.
- [24:32]
Host
Being able to be like, yep, got it.
- [24:34]
Jey Uso
No problem.
- [24:34]
Host
I mean, Cena is the master of it. Yep. Got it.
- [24:36]
Jey Uso
Come on.
- [24:37]
Host
And that's a big thing in wrestling school is it's hard to teach unless you're working with somebody who did it.
- [24:41]
Jey Uso
Yeah.
- [24:42]
Host
It's not knocking anyone who hasn't done it, but unless you're working with somebody who did it, one of the biggest things you can teach somebody is time management, is knowing, okay, I'm in my gear, I can go do this. I'm going to do this read. I'm going to walk right back over, I'm going to meet Michael in this room, we're going to talk about it, we're going to go out there, we're going to run it down to 10 seconds off the air. But you know, it's. And when you do that once. And I feel like that's a skill that's translated in Hollywood a lot in terms of all you hear about is Cena on these sets, how incredible he is, how quick witted, how first there, last to leave. I feel like it's a little bit of a WWE skill set. You know, it was his work ethic nonetheless.
- [25:21]
Jey Uso
Yeah. And. But a little bit of work has advantage over there now.
- [25:25]
Host
Yeah.
- [25:26]
Jey Uso
He taking our wrestling. Yeah, that's right.
- [25:28]
Host
You know.
- [25:29]
Jey Uso
Yeah.
- [25:30]
Host
Bring our kind of style into it. And I just, I don't know, it's like you said, it's a different kind of hustle. What do you think in terms of where you are right now? Right. And everything that's going on right now, Man, I love it because I never, you know, I don't know if we talked about.
- [25:47]
Jey Uso
Just goal minded in general, man, from the earliest of my career. And I'm gonna just be truthful, man. I've never, Me and Jim has never been in the position like, yo, we're gonna push these two. I have in ring work has gotten me and Jim to where we needed to be.
- [26:08]
Host
Yeah.
- [26:10]
Jey Uso
I bust my ass in the ring. I've always thought we was good in the ring. To the ring. Then you finally get the point where. All right, let's let him talk. We talk now. We can talk now. This. This open. Like, this level opens up, you know?
- [26:25]
Host
Yes.
- [26:25]
Jey Uso
Now we can talk. We could talk. Now it's like, man, can we kind of, like, wear what we want to wear now? They're like, yeah, sure. Like, yeah, it's all steps, so it's like, yeah, man. You build. Really. You. You gain trust.
- [26:39]
Host
Yeah.
- [26:39]
Jey Uso
Go out there and do what y' all do, man. So once. Once I. I recognize that it's like, company, like, trust us.
- [26:46]
Host
Yeah.
- [26:46]
Jey Uso
And, like, love us, man. That made me. Made me comfortable to go out there and, like. Like, I'm able to. I'm able to be comfortable. Yeah. Now when it works, I'm helping the company. Like. Yeah. It's a world. It's all working, man.
- [27:01]
Host
Yeah.
- [27:01]
Jey Uso
I just. I'm just so grateful and I appreciate everyone and. And just everyone on my journey, man, because it's been a hard one, man. It has, bro. I bust my damn ass, Ooze. I bust Asper. I'm. I'm a. I'm a twin tag team now. They know me. Yeah. So, I mean, I take pride in that. Loose. And I. And like I said, I don't take nothing for granted. Loose. Every time I go out there, I say it every single time. Whether it's chicken salad, chicken shitles. I go out there, and I. And I. You know, man, we be in there, like, yeah. A lot of people don't. Don't see that side or even feel, but we. We know, like, when it's go time, we locked in, man. We'll sit there and watch each other. Seg. See what the. Oh, man, you see Cody, man, You see that?
- [27:49]
Host
Like, whoa.
- [27:50]
Jey Uso
Now you see, you know, Penta, like, we're all still competing. Yeah. You know, especially with you, man. I still compete with you. I still. Man, come on, man. My boy. Come on. I still compete with you. I still compete with Seth. I look at the top homies, man. I consider myself a top guy. Internet. Whatever y' all say. Well, I'll. Man, whatever, man. Yeah, I'm him. I'm Jay. I'm Main Event Jay, uso Now, man. Y' all know which twin I am now, man. Me and Jim can stand right by each other now. Oh, that's Jay. That man. Whatever. 10 yards back, man.
- [28:22]
Host
Us.
- [28:24]
Jey Uso
All I know is Cody. I'm a. Be honest, man. We ain't young bucks no more. We kind of like, on our way out if we want to go out. I still feel strong. I still feel good. I look good, man. Like, I'm ready to go, man. Fifteen more years. I'M with it.
- [28:42]
Host
Yeah.
- [28:43]
Jey Uso
I'm down. This is all. I love wrestling. I'mma give my life. I have this mewtwo. This ain't no job. We grew up in the game. That's the difference. And we can't explain that either. We grew up. We. This ain't. We grew up in it. Okay, when we was 4 or 5. This what we know. So it's not a job. It's not. It's not what oh, I want to go do. It was never a. It was never a feeling of that in us. It's just, you're gonna do this, you know, Like, I can't. I can't. I can't put a finger on that kind of feeling. News. The only real ones know. But I'm. I'm just gonna. I'm gonna. Man pray. Be strong. I love being around my brother Zeus, because it feels like it's not work. I'm blessed to have that.
- [29:24]
Host
You said something. You were talking about being a twin, and you were talking about the struggle and it being a struggle and the lows and these before any highs and the not being selected or not being won. And then here you are. Netflix Unreal. This is a famous scene now. Or I'm watching and Triple H is telling you about strapping the rocket to you now. This is. After digging through and finding it, I think my question becomes, does that feel good? In terms of good, you know me, like you said, you know me. I'm going to take this to the moon. Or do you still feel. Because I always. I get the sense from you, and I always give the sense from me that I almost don't see any of the highs. Then I'm still. Of the thought, hmm, Like. Like a chip. The chip is still there. And. And I don't know if the. I don't know if you're a chip shoulder guy, if it ever goes away. Right? But in that conversation with Triple H, how does that make you feel?
- [30:34]
Jey Uso
Like after he did it, Yeah, I still feel like he never did it. Like, I. In my mind, I never. I. I still felt like I got more to give. Boos. Yeah, I got more. I won it one time. To me, it happened so quick. It's like I didn't feel it. But when I did have it, I did feel some different pressure that I've never felt in wrestling. Like some kind of responsibility. Even how I carried myself around the boys again. It was cool being like, you know, one of the boys, but, man, being the leader, just want to, like, move right, give Example. But, man, I'm still, like you said, no highs, man, I'm still, like, locked in, man. I'm trying to take it. I'm trying to take it all still.
- [31:27]
Host
And all the ones that you talked about, trying to take it all. It becomes the world is not enough. You know, it's an addiction, but also it's. It's a responsibility. And I remember the first time somebody told me and I didn't believe it, didn't buy into it, but the first time somebody told me, you're not one of the boys anymore. And I thought, I don't love that. But I do. Right? I always need to be at the end of the day, no matter what. Because if that breaks, then you break this circle that we're all involved in. But also, I love that it was said to me because the sense of responsibility to move right, what that comes from what you do. By the way, I don't know if I've ever shared this with you, and I hope others have shared with you, but look around the current locker room. Everyone's on a bus. I'm on a bus. There's not a lot. Actually. Locker rooms move right is a great way to describe what you do, because one of the shining examples of how to go out there and do it and do it consistently. And on a bad day, it doesn't change your performance. There's no boo boo face on a good day. It doesn't change your. You are. You are going out and you give it your all. You're trying to get it all. And I think that's just a great example. I know there's tons of the boys now, these young bucks like your Carmelo Hayes that they watch and see, and that's. That's. You ain't performative with it. Yeah, that's a real thing that they get to see.
- [32:53]
Jey Uso
Yeah, man. Like, I do like being with the boys. And like you said, man, you're always going to be one of the boys. But yeah, there's gonna come a time where you not.
- [33:01]
Host
Yep.
- [33:01]
Jey Uso
And a lot of the boys probably will never understand that until you get in that spot.
- [33:07]
Host
Yeah.
- [33:07]
Jey Uso
Now it's like, oh, you can't be one of the boys. Yeah, you gotta kinda dress alone because you can't tie emotion together. Cause now when it's time to go against each other, now, y'. All, now you in the, you know, you in the backstage now, y'. All. Y' all shoot heated at each other. It's just business. Sorry, Uce, but let's run the Play.
- [33:26]
Host
That'S run the play. It's business.
- [33:27]
Jey Uso
It's business.
- [33:28]
Host
You don't know a thing. I. I started kind of adopting because again, we're all trying to figure it out. How do you navigate this new role, new space, whatever. One of the things I started doing it. I don't suggest it, but I just noticed I've started doing it is I play dumb. Right. There's a room. Well, I got an idea. Well, here's my idea. Here's my idea. I literally will just. Oh, yeah. You know what I'm saying? Like, I like. Because the real idea is going to come up in a minute.
- [33:54]
Jey Uso
Yeah. When we.
- [33:54]
Host
We've sat here for a while, the real idea is going to come up.
- [33:57]
Jey Uso
You know. Sorry, I mean, to cut you off. You know who said that? Same thing.
- [33:59]
Host
Who?
- [34:00]
Jey Uso
My dad. Yeah.
- [34:01]
Host
All right.
- [34:02]
Jey Uso
He goes, you sit there. Everyone throws ideas. You sit there. My dad goes, you sit there. You get quiet. You think about it. I'll come back to you. Damn, dad. You OG man, You just ninja. Ninja in people.
- [34:15]
Host
Yeah. You're not, you're, you're, you're thinking, but.
- [34:18]
Jey Uso
Everyone wants to throw.
- [34:19]
Host
Yeah, sometimes. Sometimes. For me, I've seen some of the. Man, these conversations are heavy, man. These rounds are live training. Yeah. And you just think, I'm just going to sit here and if it comes to me, I'll have something. I'll have something. But if it doesn't, I don't know. There's something. You can't play dumb forever because you eventually have to run the play. Right. But I've noticed some of my favorites aren't the loudest in the room, you know? And also they're not even with Netflix being here, there, everywhere. They're not performing for that. Right. That's one of the cool things about Unreal, at least in my experience with them, is.
- [34:55]
Jey Uso
Yeah, you're getting me half the Unreal. I didn't even know they was recording, filming you.
- [35:00]
Host
Yeah.
- [35:00]
Jey Uso
Yeah.
- [35:01]
Host
Like, you're getting a pretty quiet curmudgeon, slightly isolated, deep in thought, trying to get the best segment for the best for us. All right, man, I like that. Pop said that. We got a big hug, me and Pops, at the Forum.
- [35:17]
Jey Uso
Good.
- [35:18]
Host
I was moving to go do something. I just gave him a big hug. I don't even think we know him. I just feel like I know him. Here's a little confession. You may not remember this, but I was so teed up at the press conference, and I knew, like, well, we're in trouble tomorrow. Or that Was fun. And then the next day, they ran the whole thing, and it's full. So I thought, okay, we're good. Maybe people liked it. We're good. But I don't know if you remember how bad I was. This is how I remember. Okay, but this. Okay, this is rough. And it's probably in a group thread with your brother. I wrote to you guys, do any white guys ever get a Samoan tattoo?
- [36:03]
Jey Uso
He was ready.
- [36:04]
Host
I was ready.
- [36:05]
Jey Uso
He was ready.
- [36:05]
Host
When you said the thing about I've never won a belt with anyone other than my brother, I was like, oh, dude, I. Sir. I. I want to be his brother. I don't. Like. I. I was. I'm. I'm.
- [36:15]
Jey Uso
He's ready.
- [36:16]
Host
I'm glad because you guys just laughed it off, and you're like, yeah. And then I think somebody sent me a YouTube video. I was like, okay, that's not. I gotcha. Yeah, that's not.
- [36:24]
Jey Uso
You said you ran the whole conference back. Remember how we went first, man, me and your interview. Because I watched the whole thing just to make. Just to see how. When you see, man, me and. Yours was the best part of the whole damn thing.
- [36:36]
Host
That match.
- [36:37]
Jey Uso
No, our arceg in the. In the press conference.
- [36:41]
Host
Sergeant Top, bro.
- [36:42]
Jey Uso
They should have let us do the whole damn press conference.
- [36:45]
Host
Yeah.
- [36:45]
Jey Uso
Because I remember Eo sky went after me and you, and it was just flat. I was like, oh, poor Eo.
- [36:50]
Host
That's not even Eo's fault. That was a combination. I wanted to. I wanted to run it back. You know, you've been the world champion now. The world champion.
- [37:00]
Jey Uso
Great.
- [37:01]
Host
The world champion. I wanted to run it back. I was looking for. I wonder if he'll do a press conference. I was looking for these excuses just to, like, explode on the scene, but then I also thought, no, like, that's his right. You can't just be the white guy who wanted that Samoan tattoo.
- [37:17]
Jey Uso
You just. You just come up. You just come up.
- [37:19]
Host
Look, it's in my heart, right? So they know it's in my heart. It was like. I don't know if you remember. Canadian Stampede, this Calgary Saddle Dome match, it's like. It's a mixture of all the top guys and then against the Heart Clan. Yeah, but the Heart Clan is made up of. They're not all hearts, you know, it's like Pillman and they just. Yeah, it's all over the place. And I always felt like there was this little camaraderie with me and Big Jim and you and, like, chicken and a few Others that if someone was to show up in the locker room and throw down. Good fight, bad fight, not fight, whatever it is, I. This would be my. Like, I got. These are. These were not just the. Hey, you're one of the boys. You're one of the boys. Like, it's a whole nother thing. I don't know if.
- [38:02]
Jey Uso
Starting five.
- [38:03]
Host
Yeah. I don't know how to describe it, but I always. I always had that sense. Full speed ahead, by the way. Oh, man.
- [38:09]
Jey Uso
Love you, man.
- [38:10]
Host
Full speed. Full speed.
- [38:11]
Jey Uso
Sorry, I almost said yeah, man. Full speed ahead.
- [38:14]
Host
Yo, I love you, man.
- [38:15]
Jey Uso
Man, come on, man.
- [38:18]
Host
Full speed ahead. That was your brother. How is he?
- [38:20]
Jey Uso
Yeah.
- [38:21]
Host
Double knee surgery.
- [38:22]
Jey Uso
What the.
- [38:22]
Host
Who gets double knee? Tell him.
- [38:23]
Jey Uso
Hit the double knee uppercut, man. Come on, man.
- [38:26]
Host
Who gets both knees at the same time? And then, like, I've had a whole day talking about Chicken, but he. He is, like. He's off and running as a wrestling trainer, and I know he's going to do more wrestling, but if you've seen the Outlaws, my nephews, right?
- [38:44]
Jey Uso
Of course. Of course. They're ready, dude. Yeah.
- [38:47]
Host
So you know that. Yeah, right?
- [38:49]
Jey Uso
Yeah.
- [38:49]
Host
And they're ready for the whole. The trip.
- [38:52]
Jey Uso
Damn right.
- [38:52]
Host
The starts it's going to be, but I didn't see it coming. And the next thing you know, I'm like, oh, whoa, Pump the brakes. This ends with me. You know, it doesn't, though. You know, it's the family, the whole thing, but. Oh, man. Are you ready to hold WWE history in the palm of your hand? Topps is bringing you closer to the action than ever before. With WWE Topps now highlighting the biggest matches and milestones from WWE shows and ples throughout the year. Tops now is enhancing the fan experience by connecting collectors to the superstars and spectacles that ignite, ignite their passion. Featuring stunning event, exclusive photography, each card is made for the moment. And for some lucky collectors, that moment could become the pull of a lifetime. Along with serial numbered parallels, some Top Snow releases offer a chance at rare short prints, Superstar autographs, and even pieces of the mat, gear, or other items used during the featured match. So which moment will you collect? With each card only available for a limited time, you won't want to wait to begin your Tops now journey. Be sure to subscribe to WWE Tops now mailing list on topps.com and follow Topps on all social media platforms so you never miss a single moment. Big Jim.
- [40:16]
Jey Uso
Let me. Let me. Let me say this one. Time for Chicken, though. Hold on. Chicken has one. Besides Rey Mysterio. They both like the same age, right? Oos, yeah, I think so. Yeah, man. Goldilocks got one of the quickest comebacks I have a bumping fat for. Yeah, that's on. That's on. That's on record.
- [40:31]
Host
That's on record.
- [40:32]
Jey Uso
Quickest comeback. Run it back. Watch us come back.
- [40:35]
Host
Well, how about the generation of hit the rope super hard. Generation of see if you can jump higher than the other guy. And the as a bad guy, hit the mat and get up faster than anybody else.
- [40:45]
Jey Uso
Attack the mat.
- [40:45]
Host
Where is that? I watched. I watched your cousin. I watched Roman take a superkick where it looked like a Wrestling School 101. How you're supposed to take a back bump. It was attack the mat. And he doesn't have to attack the mat anymore. But that's the difference. You'll hear Steve Austin talk like that. Guy hits the ropes slow and I get it. That's the difference. One time we were doing a sixer in Florida for Florida Championship Wrestling before NXT popped off, or maybe right when it did. It was the only time me, Dustin and Dusty ever tagged together. And Dusty's just shenanigans, just his usual stuff. And I was on the apron thinking, I'm better than both of them, which is absurd. And then Chicken's in there doing his thing and he hit the rope so hard that the ring pinged. And I remember that my dad looked at me just like, what the fuck is he doing? And I wanted to tell him that's how he goes.
- [41:40]
Jey Uso
Come on.
- [41:40]
Host
He knows one speed, full speed. You gotta keep going. There is not.
- [41:45]
Jey Uso
That's good.
- [41:46]
Host
So for those who don't know this story, Jay and Jimmy, Big Jim. Jim who? I love Big Jim. Big Jim.
- [41:52]
Jey Uso
Yeah, man, we love Big Jim. Big Jim.
- [41:56]
Host
So me, Big JMJ and Chicken, who's Dustin, by the way, we're in Innsbruck, Austria. We landed, got off the plane. You see this giant ski jump because that's where they train for Olympic jump. I don't even know. It was the only landmark I felt in sight. Innsbruck, Austria, had a house, a staggering House of 1100 people. 1100 people, so not a great crowd, but also not super familiar with the product. We had been doing this tag match on the live events where we were doing everything. Dives, Goldie rolls. Goldie, his sunset bomb. All his new stuff is crazy. Doing everything, full dive, over the top suicides. And the question became, when we got there, hey, not a great house. Do you guys want to kind of just lighten it Up. Change it up. And it was in unison. Almost all of us, just kind of little pause, pause. And then I think Chicken's the one who said, no, full speed ahead, yo.
- [42:59]
Jey Uso
Full speed ahead. Fsa. That's in the group thread. Fsa.
- [43:03]
Host
Fsa. And I always thought, yeah, I wouldn't have done it either way. I knew what they were asking. To be fair to those who were asking, they weren't saying be lazy. They weren't. And now, as I've gotten older, I get what they were asking. But still, I think I'd make the same call 10 times out of 10.
- [43:19]
Jey Uso
Come on, man. And let alone Chicken made that call.
- [43:21]
Host
Yeah.
- [43:22]
Jey Uso
We're like 15 years younger than him over here. Let's take it easy. Nah, man.
- [43:26]
Host
What'd he tell you guys? That one time he fell on the mat? He goes, give me a goddamn second.
- [43:30]
Jey Uso
Oh, yeah. So we're all green. Like, Goldust is, like, selling okay, you know, me and Jim just mauling them. We're 23, 20. We're just mauling them, man. Goldust breaks character, man. He's on all fours. He goes, wait, give me a goddamn minute. And he's just sitting up, man. Me and Jim back up. This is in the ring.
- [43:58]
Host
He's so mad. One of them must have slipped through.
- [44:02]
Jey Uso
Oh, that'd be my favorite. This is in the middle of the ring. I'm sorry.
- [44:06]
Host
He used to get mad if any segment was less than. He wants his paint. He needs to get that paint off. So if he paints up and he don't sweat at all. Problem, he'd hate. It was like, ah, shorten. Now I gotta get my sweat. So that's why he was hitting the ropes. That was insistent. And I don't know if you remember this when we tag or tag against you, whatever it may be, his shoulders, rotator cuffs all gimmicked up.
- [44:29]
Jey Uso
Yeah, it is.
- [44:29]
Host
So he's a guy. He can only go up here. So I'd always get, you know, hold my brother's hand up. I'd get on the side with this shit on him, and he'd always, like, get. Hey, you know Chicken. Yeah. He got double knees. Double knees, man.
- [44:47]
Jey Uso
It's crazy, man.
- [44:48]
Host
Yeah, I know. He's. He. He's. He's told me he's incredibly proud of. Of. Of you both. My man. Just.
- [44:55]
Jey Uso
Man, he raised us. He was my first, like, match on. On. On the road when I first got up. Him and Mark Henry. Oh, man.
- [45:05]
Host
Yeah.
- [45:06]
Jey Uso
Like, man, that's crazy. Gold. I'm so happy Man, I get to, like, lock up with, like. Cause now you look at the building like you look at the locker room. Now there's no. It's like Randy, Kofi or That's in front of us, you know, you.
- [45:22]
Host
It's not so Rey Mysterio, you locked up with people like that. I tell people all the time, I got to lock up with Triple H. I got to be in there with Undertaker Shawn Michaels.
- [45:31]
Jey Uso
Have you ever worked Umaga?
- [45:33]
Host
I got in there with USO on a live event tour, actually. Yeah.
- [45:37]
Jey Uso
With my dad.
- [45:38]
Host
No, but I'm ready. If he's in the center of the ring, I'm coming.
- [45:43]
Jey Uso
Yeah.
- [45:44]
Host
And let him know I'm gonna keep feeding.
- [45:45]
Jey Uso
Yeah, let's go.
- [45:46]
Host
Yeah, I'm gonna keep feeding. Full speed ahead. I. I always say that. Not in a sense of braggadocia. I say, like, I got something from that.
- [45:53]
Jey Uso
Let me.
- [45:53]
Host
Let me pass it on. Right. I was working Hunter when he was still active. I got to work Sean on his comeback. Take her full speed. Like, I got something from them. Let me share.
- [46:03]
Jey Uso
I was geeking out when Edge came back in Covid era.
- [46:07]
Host
Yeah.
- [46:08]
Jey Uso
And I got to work him.
- [46:09]
Host
Oh, yeah.
- [46:10]
Jey Uso
Aj, too. Yeah, man. It's just even. Even when I won the first straps against the new age outlaw Zeus, I'm standing against, you know, Billy and Road Dogg, and I'm geeking out. You know, it's cool to, like, fan girl fanboy in there sometimes, too. Against your. Against the girl. I fanboy against you, dog. Come on, dog. No, he. It'd be real in there, too. I like. I like it all, man. I like.
- [46:35]
Host
Yeah, I like. I mean, it's gonna sound real in there. I was gonna sound weird, but, like, you leveled me with a couple super kicks.
- [46:42]
Jey Uso
Yeet.
- [46:42]
Host
And I thought. I thought, like, yeah, give me another one. That weird wrestler. Like, what is wrong with these people?
- [46:53]
Jey Uso
Give me another one, man. The cooler we are, like, like, the harder we'll hit each other.
- [46:57]
Host
Back to the live event thing. I was telling somebody. Another byproduct is it's a lot easier to hit your dude when you. That's your dude. If I barely know you, I'm like, sorry. Like, last night, those damn police officers swarming me. I had to start swinging that stick.
- [47:13]
Jey Uso
I saw a clip of it today.
- [47:14]
Host
Oh, my God. I was swinging for my life. And I don't know any of those guys. And then after I thought, I wish I'd say to them, hey, guys, hope I didn't catch any of you. I don't think I did, but. Sorry, but I didn't even see them. So now all these dudes, they could grow up to be the next champ. They got this memory of me losing my. With a Kindle stick by the ring, beating up, you know, fake armed cops in New York, felony after felony.
- [47:35]
Jey Uso
I was just trying to break in the business, man. And he was very mean to me, dude. Oh, I remember you with a Kindle.
- [47:40]
Host
Yeah, yeah. I didn't even do anything to you. I was just trying to get clear. You got Logan running out there with a bulletproof vest, swinging all around, doing Logan stuff, taking the 1d like this, you know, like, that's. Oh, man, dude, me, when he put.
- [47:53]
Jey Uso
That vest on it, I was like, oh. He said. I was like, oh. He ready. Battlegrounds in two weeks.
- [48:00]
Host
Yeah, bro, he's in it. Yeah, he's in. He's in that. War games. Oh, man. Cheers, man.
- [48:06]
Jey Uso
Cheers.
- [48:09]
Host
This next question is part of a segment we call Game Plan, Fueled by Game Day, Men's health. Because let's be honest, showing up at your best takes work. So let me ask you, what is your game plan for staying sharp? Could be physical, could be mental, could be family stuff. Whatever it is, how do you stay in the zone and keep pushing even when life's stacked against you?
- [48:32]
Jey Uso
I think you get a tight circle around you. I think you need loved ones around you, bruh. I think you need a higher calling around you. Uce. I think. I think love is it though, man. Man, you know, us family oriented. Always family. That's me. Love.
- [48:52]
Host
That is a phenomenal answer. That's exactly why game dad's out here helping guys optimize their energy, their focus and longevity. You don't have to slow down. You just need the right game plan. Check out gamedaymenshealth.com Cody to learn more.
- [49:10]
Jey Uso
Hey, it was that unreal stuff popped me, though. Because when I watched it and they saw, you know, I missed a rope. Damn, I blew up, hit the damn top rope, you know what I'm saying? But pop me, man, I'm shit blown. Look, look, I'll say it. Hell yeah, I be tired. Damn. We only wrestle one time out of the week. You know, I had to get my stamina up, but you know, man, it happens. All right. But it popped me, though. Cause I was like, man, they really like getting all the raw footage. You know, there was a little camera in the corner over there in Gorilla.
- [49:42]
Host
Dude, that two hour window I talked about, it's totally on us. If we have a dud, it's also totally. If we knocked it out the park, you know, so that's a tricky. I'm curious because I went from not liking unreal to liking unreal to. I can say this about it. They are. There's nothing performative about it. That's a sincere. It's real production of what we're doing backstage, you know, do you think it's too much? So here's. This is going to be my weird theory on why I don't think it's too much. And I'm curious. What do you think? Do you think it's too much?
- [50:13]
Jey Uso
No, I like. I like. I mean, it's a show. Let's go.
- [50:17]
Host
Yeah.
- [50:17]
Jey Uso
Y' all really want to be smart about it. Like they think they are here. So.
- [50:22]
Host
So I think. I think the wheels turning, no matter what game's changing. I like it because the old school part of me and I'm giving myself away and saying this, but you'll never know. I like it because there's still work that can happen under the work.
- [50:37]
Jey Uso
Under the work.
- [50:38]
Host
Yeah. And that's the most Brett Shawn level. What?
- [50:42]
Jey Uso
Yeah. Yeah.
- [50:43]
Host
Wait, that's re.
- [50:44]
Jey Uso
Work under the work.
- [50:45]
Host
Who? Oh, they don't like each other. You know, one of those. If I can just get you speculating, we've moved. That's a win. And now I've given that away. So that was my play for Unreal. But also they don't give me a lot of interview time on there because a lot of it's just me rambling about. You want unreal? I'm gonna give you how my day's going. That's what you want. You know, there's some funny scenes.
- [51:07]
Jey Uso
Work under the work, though.
- [51:07]
Host
Work under the work.
- [51:08]
Jey Uso
That could happen.
- [51:09]
Host
Because that's the most old school thing of all is the fans are. This is thing. People mistake wrestling fans. People think wrestling fans are. I don't want to say monster truck fans because I don't want to belittle monster trucks, but people think wrestling fans are dumb. Wrestling fans are smart. They're passionate. They're loyal. Most of us in this room are wrestling fans.
- [51:30]
Jey Uso
Although they'll let you know if they hate or like you.
- [51:32]
Host
Yeah, they've only gotten more educated, so why shouldn't our product become more educated? Why shouldn't we be able to take them on a little? Oh, they got me. They got me. And I think one of the things about Hunter that I like so much is still looking for. They got me. Okay, cool. You guys think, you know, and good. I'm glad you do.
- [51:54]
Jey Uso
You know, like, that's what keeps them coming back, too.
- [51:57]
Host
Yeah. That's the whole. If you want to keep doing this. And then the young guns are such. The younger generation of fans is different in terms of what they like just right now. What an opening, by the way. Again, can't. Can't praise enough for you. Come out there and they're all eating and they're next to you, and they're so excited about that. That's such. I don't want to use the word metric because you can't. I don't want to give that. I don't want to sound sterile, but, man, nothing will tell you you're cooking more than that.
- [52:25]
Jey Uso
Yeah, dog.
- [52:26]
Host
You know, that little. That little guy or that little girl. And I feel like right now in wrestling, the opportunity to be a baby face exists again because of people like you to. No, he just does the right thing.
- [52:36]
Jey Uso
I'm gonna always go towards the kids. Oh, yeah, man. And that's just what it is. Wrestling. Wrestling is for the kids, and I'm gonna always stick with that. Help. That's what it is, man. Sometimes I do get caught up with some, like, you know. You know, the noise out there. Oh, I know the noise, and I'm not gonna say it's not in the back of my head. Yeah. Cause, man, we all human. Ooh. You know, we out here trying to eat, too, you know. But I focus on the kids, man, because that's why I come out and I look for them now. And I haven't started that. That just started, like, with the kids, man. And now we got babies now. Now I just focus on the kids. I just like. Yeah. Just fun, man. And then I always lose the entrance. Not gonna lie. I think I rid myself because when I go out there, I don't. I don't half ass that. No. In that moment, I'm giving it all with you. And then I forget. Oh, I gotta wrestle.
- [53:33]
Host
Damn.
- [53:33]
Jey Uso
Boom. You know? Yeah. Which is cool, man. I like. I like second wind. I like gas and wind. It's okay. It feels real regardless, man. In that moment, I love it.
- [53:44]
Host
Yeah.
- [53:45]
Jey Uso
And then when you walk through the curtain, Zeus. And the night's done, you know, you done showered, checked out. You know what it is, Zeus? You sitting by yourself and have that moment. Did. Did you give it, like, did you waste tonight?
- [53:58]
Host
Did you.
- [53:58]
Jey Uso
Yeah, there's some. There's some homies waiting to take your damn spot. And I'm. And I'm not gonna let them.
- [54:04]
Host
That's a Big one. Did you waste it? Because every now and then the answer at least I know in my case I've had a moment.
- [54:10]
Jey Uso
Yeah, sure.
- [54:11]
Host
I wasted that one. And that's one step that you took back. Yeah, right. And if you were so far ahead and Right. Exactly. And there's others who are give their left. Left their left finger for that. I want to shout out to Mario backstage because we talk about yeet a lot and is he gonna eat. He's coming down. We're gonna. And he's been really good about identifying. I understand the characters, the story, whatever it may be. But also we have an obligation to this live audience. They gotta do their thing. And if so we'll be do. They'll be. And I. And I think WWE is the 1 sport entertainment Broadway. However you look at it, we're the one thing that can do that.
- [54:48]
Jey Uso
Come on.
- [54:49]
Host
We can no matter the circumstances, make sure that we don't jip our live audience, which is the great thing that Cena taught you. I. You know, we have that fun story about the dark match. Yeah.
- [55:00]
Jey Uso
He did it on TV though. So I don't mean to cut you off. No, the crowd was hot. His music was playing. He was like this let them like he straight the hard camera. Yeah. Them, they cut the music off just so the crowd could be a part of.
- [55:14]
Host
Yeah. But them that very much so.
- [55:17]
Jey Uso
Fireman.
- [55:18]
Host
Well, like saying the young kids I was. I got captivated in terms of like young kids in the audience. There's this great. I'm a big Star wars fan. People ask like George Lucas all these crazy Star wars questions all the time. Star wars this and to the point. You had an older guy and your whole legacy has been about Star Wars. You don't always want to answer questions. And one time he just got a little frustrated. Off to find the interviewer somewhere, but he finally just say, hey man, I made these movies for kids. Okay. Like I know that we're all talking about them at 40 years old here, but I made these for kids.
- [55:48]
Jey Uso
Come on.
- [55:49]
Host
And I thought sometimes wrestling. We have a very broad audience. Old, young. There was 101 year old lady in the crowd last night. We have a broad audience. However, that part of the audience is the largest. And sometimes doing the right thing as a babyface has been hard in the past because of how the audience was. Now you have the opportunity. You have the opportunity. Big Jim has the opportunity. Roman has the opportunity. Sami Zayn has the opportunity. These baby faces that exist, L.A. knight has the opportunity. CM Punk to do Something in a, you know, not to be pretentious, but in a role model way. And that's, you know, when you're a kid, when you're riding with somebody, you're not getting out the car, right? You're. You're in.
- [56:34]
Jey Uso
And that's.
- [56:35]
Host
My God, that's your dad. That's a big thing. Everybody, great booker, every great producer. And we've said that a bunch throughout doing these pods is when you finally go, that's my guy.
- [56:43]
Jey Uso
Him.
- [56:44]
Host
That's right. And, like, growing up, Shawn Michaels was my guy.
- [56:47]
Jey Uso
You're right. It was. A kid's gonna go 10 years with you, rock with you.
- [56:51]
Host
Yeah. I mean, look at the scene of Farewell. Those dudes are old now, and they were wearing those shirts on, like, the Uniform version 1. And now they got a little guy with them themselves. You know, like, when Shawn's around. When Shawn Michaels is around me and Sean's a tricky one, you know? Cause Shawn is Sean. A lot of serious talk, a lot of man. All I can look at is like, hey, remember when. Remember when he used Super Kicks?
- [57:15]
Jey Uso
Yeah.
- [57:15]
Host
Diesel. But remember he hit him with a camera and it took, like, 80 seconds for Earl to count three, but he still counted three. You remember that? Like, that's all I think. Like, that's all. I'm not. What. What he could be saying the most. He could be telling me, hey, there's someone behind you about to hit you with a chair. And I'd be like, remember, in my.
- [57:32]
Jey Uso
Mind, you remember Royal Rumble, when.
- [57:33]
Host
Yeah. You remember when you. When your one foot touched Brock twice, and then you super kicked him and he went over the top rope. I'm still. He's still my guy, you know, like, oh, my gosh, he's still my guy.
- [57:43]
Jey Uso
You remember the time when you.
- [57:44]
Host
And you know what I like about that? And you're saying it is when you have identified somebody as, hey, he's yeeting. You treat it as a responsibility. And I feel like growing up in the business, you saw those who didn't treat it as responsibility. You saw your dad did. The greats did. And then there's others who. Ships in the night, got you. They're out. You know, they're not here. They're not here. They didn't look at it that way. They didn't look at it as my obligation to this fan. Sometimes on my worst days, that's how I think of it, is, did I do the workout? Did I look into. Did I text with my writer? Whomever I feel that's My obligation, I'm paid extremely well. And my obligation is the best, the bigger pay of being able to do this gig right, you know?
- [58:32]
Jey Uso
It's a great gig, Goose. Yeah, it's a blessed gig. Get hard out here, man. Sometimes I be thinking, man. What, man, I'm complaining about catching a flight to go do an appearance. Yeah. Stay humble. Ready to rumble. Stay. You're in the game this long.
- [58:48]
Host
Do you think you complain a lot, man?
- [58:50]
Jey Uso
I ain't gonna lie, bro. I do. Hey, but I do banners. But I do the work too.
- [58:56]
Host
So I have a kind of rule about. I like to complain a lot. A lot. However, I'm gonna be there.
- [59:01]
Jey Uso
Yeah.
- [59:02]
Host
So if you don't know that I'm gonna be there, you start to get a little like, geez, this bitch, you know, Versus like, no, I'm gonna be there. I'm just gonna really, like, make it difficult.
- [59:14]
Jey Uso
Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, Because I'm doing my job.
- [59:16]
Host
Yeah. I'm clearly gonna show up, you know, But I really want you to think on the way. It's gonna be difficult, you know? No, man, but it's.
- [59:24]
Jey Uso
I want Skittles with all the yellows that's taken out of them.
- [59:26]
Host
Yeah. You know, like, you know, just a little work here.
- [59:29]
Jey Uso
You know what I mean?
- [59:31]
Host
I wanted to mention it because it's right behind us. The bloodline. One up is behind us. There's a couple moments. The bloodline saga, as often referred to, and I'm actually a small portion of the saga, the overall saga, the story with you, the story with the tribal chief with Roman, you and Jim separating coming back, all the variables. Sammy. Mr. Paul Heyman. There's a couple things in wrestling we kind of generationally know stories, and I'll give you some examples. Steve Austin, McMahon, Sting as the crow against Hulk Hogan. Shawn Michaels, the boyhood dream, Ric Flair. There's these stories that attach to a whole era. And I feel like the bloodline saga in the bloodline story, and not just the stuff you did, the output that the individual talents involved have are a massive, massive part and probably will be looked on later in history as things get re examined. A massive part of WWE's financial upswing. WWE's business.
- [60:44]
Jey Uso
Boom.
- [60:45]
Host
Massive part, if not the largest part. And I'm curious what that feels like to know that it was magic when you were doing it. And not only that everyone is kind of eating good because of something that you and your family did and the players that you involved. Because the bloodline story always had someone opposed to it. And Always was able to bring them up. This is a story that nobody pulled down, which is a really incredible string of Roman title defenses, tag title defenses. You and him in the hell in the cell. There's these individual moments to it that everyone's growing as a character, his growth, because I was away trying to turn heads with what I was doing. And it's very hard to do that when the tribal chief is becoming a thing, when the ulafala is becoming a thing, all that. So how do you feel about it? I have heard innings, chapters, all these things. I always kind of consider it a story that's going on. But how do you feel about it now in a sense of where it's at?
- [61:47]
Jey Uso
It's like that's a iconic story right there. I think the crazy part is we didn't even know we was cooking like that. You know what I'm saying?
- [61:55]
Host
Right.
- [61:55]
Jey Uso
It was like every week, what we gonna do? Or like, what did we do last week? You know, that's how we was. That's how the bloodline was rolling. Every single week. Didn't even have concrete. It almost came to a point where sometimes it would get stale, something would happen and it would, like, revive the story.
- [62:14]
Host
Yeah.
- [62:15]
Jey Uso
You know, with Sammy or like, just something always happened. It was even example. Like, I felt like we kind of started getting stale a little bit with this bloodline. Boom. The UCE segment. Like we. Like the shoot, pop segment. Whatever.
- [62:30]
Host
Yeah.
- [62:31]
Jey Uso
That sparked something, you know, it was always something. It was. And during the COVID erase, I didn't. I learned. We just pivoted, bro. And I didn't know I was a part of that. Just being in the room with Hunter. Big Oos Heyman, man, just the top. What are we going to do? And then it was almost like, man, we wrestled one time, and you know how you can hear everything in the ring? I was like, hey, it was, you know, like in pickup basketball games where you. Where you playing basketball, you can hear people talk shit, you know, like, yeah, that's what we need to. That's what we need to do here. Like, I don't think it's ambiguous. Like, captivated it so, so good. It wouldn't move the way. When he would talk in there with me, I would. I would. I would. Oh, like, match. Try to match the acting part. And I think that's what elevated. Yeah, that's what switched the game. Because we was acting through the lenses, you know, because there was no people. Yeah, there was no people. So we'll do something. And him talking like just elevated the. The product more, I think. And.
- [63:44]
Host
Yeah.
- [63:45]
Jey Uso
And when the people got back loose, I felt like we kept. We have to keep some of that style.
- [63:52]
Host
Yeah.
- [63:52]
Jey Uso
And also for the live people, we gotta go too.
- [63:56]
Host
But put them together.
- [63:58]
Jey Uso
I think that's what made the WWE style today. Like. And you know what they say today. It was like cinema. Right? That's all they kept calling us. Cinema, Cinema. Cinema, Cinema. And I didn't even know. We were just cooking every week.
- [64:10]
Host
That doesn't enter the zeitgeist without the bloodline stuff. It's really almost specific to you guys and anyone trying to match it, which is a good thing to try and match.
- [64:19]
Jey Uso
And also, I take pride in all the promos and everything that I've done with my brothers and everything. Cause even with Big Ooze, because when we're in the ring talking together, it's real. Like connected. It's real. It's almost very hard too us. Because if I could stare at my brothers, I'll have, like, laugh. You know, it's fun being in there with siblings too. But like I said, like, how me and you getting it. It'll be real. Like. Like I said, it's real easy to. When. When especially brothers. Me and Big Oos, man. I'mma do him, you know, and he gonna do me too. But it just comes off. Comes off great, man. And. And you would have never told me. It was five years. We're still like, kind of, you know, it's still alive. I. I don't think it's dead.
- [65:01]
Host
Oh, no, there's.
- [65:01]
Jey Uso
I don't think it's.
- [65:02]
Host
Certain things hit a point where they don't. They're not. They're never to die.
- [65:06]
Jey Uso
Yeah.
- [65:06]
Host
You know, like, the Four Horsemen don't even ride anymore. And they never die. NW like, come on. It's gone through its iterations and it will go through variables, and there will be two parts of it that were better than other parts. But to be its own character in all this. The thing that always impressed me was the individual output. You, Jim Roman, Sammy Paul, everyone connected to it. The individual output was very faction. Like, in a sense that this faction can monopolize the whole show if we want. Can be the best tag match. Give me the best singles Match, Paul. Mr. Heyman. That can be the best promo. So what's everybody else doing? Right? You know what I'm saying? That's a scary thing. And I think smart. Wwe, Triple H. And in general, it's smart to go.
- [65:54]
Jey Uso
Cool.
- [65:56]
Host
Let them go. Let them roll. Until somebody better shows up. Until somebody can match that. Let them roll, roll, let them roll. And I think that's. That's just a wise choice. I just. I wasn't here. It's so funny because I'm part of it, but I'm really not here until the end, man.
- [66:10]
Jey Uso
You know, we was running smackdown. This. We were still running house shows. Yeah. This bloodline run that was the last of the. Of the, like, heavy set. Heavy. Yeah, heavy schedule, man. So I missed that. But I do miss some times, man. Them probably was the funnest moments in my career ever. It was with the. With the yeet man stuff. I'm more so alone. Cause I don't travel with my brothers no more, but that we was together everywhere, bro. I mean, everywhere.
- [66:40]
Host
I tell you what I've ever told you, a solo told me. And I knew. I was like, yeah, you're Jay's brother. Like you. So I couldn't believe him because, a, he wasn't wrong. But also it's because I'm from a different time. This is fair enough. It's been long enough that I could share this, but there's a tag match where he's in there beating up my partner. And I jump down on the floor, and I start banging the mat, like, getting the people into it. You know this, But I'm banging the mat. He looked at me like he was gonna rip my head off. And he never looks at me that way. And I thought, oh, I'm curious what that was. And we run the match, and everybody come to the back, and he goes, hey, can I just chat you up on something? Like. Yeah, I mean, everything's formal about this now. Yeah, absolutely. He goes, I don't really like begging for the cheers. They'll come. And I thought, yeah, you're right. Because you've only ever been in tag matches with Jimmy Jay Roman. Yeah, you're right, buddy. There's gonna be a night where you're in there with your generic guy 8, and I'm generic guy 4. And now we're just, hey, come on, guys. Let's get behind him. There's gonna be a night. And then I started thinking, no, there might not be Solo may never encounter this moment. So in a way, I thought. I think I looked at him for a long time and just. Yeah, you're right. Because you're right. I don't. You're not running that game like we used to run it. And you may never be in the situation. One day you might appreciate it. But the way he Said it. I thought, oh, yeah, yeah. Well, Solo, you know, you showed up in the biggest program with the big. Like it's different. But he showed right up and he stayed in that spot.
- [68:25]
Jey Uso
That's funny, right? Oh my. Hey, please keep this on the show, man, so you can see this, bro. He.
- [68:30]
Host
I was.
- [68:31]
Jey Uso
Because I went home.
- [68:32]
Host
I went home texting my inner circle about, like, man, have I, like, Solo don't respect me. Like, have I lost my. That's. I thought about it, like I'm supposed to lead him and he's. He's telling me to don't cheer. And then I thought, no, he's right. It was Hunter. Finally. I was talking to Hunter. I was like, yeah, no, he's not wrong. Because every tag match he's been in with somebody who's over. You know what I'm saying? Like he's someone who's over. Like, come on. Yeet, Jay. You know what I'm saying? Like, it's a good stuff. It's a moment. So you know I don't like to beg for. Yeah, don't like to beg for. Cheers. Oh, man. And finally, Wheatley has a little commercial here. We like every. See it, the jingle. We'd like you to add something to it. I'll tell you what. Why should Moscow always get the mule Vodka? This good is an American jewel. Wheatley so good I drink it neatly. We like our guests to replace the word neatly. Wheatly so good I drink it.
- [69:40]
Jey Uso
Wheatley so good I drink it yeatly.
- [69:43]
Host
Yeah, come on, dog. Hey, I don't know if you saw last night. I'm gonna live in the shame of it, but I went to give punk a fist pound.
- [69:56]
Jey Uso
I've seen it. Bro, bro. He was just like this.
- [70:00]
Host
And I went. So instead of just bailing on it, I went like this. Like I gave him. I gave it to his own, like myself.
- [70:07]
Jey Uso
Hey, bro. Yeah, he never looked at you.
- [70:10]
Host
This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever find yourself playing the budgeting game?
- [70:16]
Jey Uso
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- [70:17]
Host
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