On The Pat McAfee Show, Michael Cole revealed to Jey Uso how Rikishi (Jey’s father) reacted after the former Intercontinental Champion won the 2025 Men’s Royal Rumble match by eliminating John Cena:
“I don’t know if Pops told you, but as soon as the Rumble was over, I was staying out of the airport and I walked into the hotel, and your dad was there.”
Cole noted that Rikishi watched the match at a Royal Rumble Watch Party and got really emotional after Jey’s victory:
“He walked out, and he had these tears in his eyes and he gave me this massive hug. That is Rikishi, of course, the Hall of Famer. He had no words for it. He was so incredibly proud of you.”
Jey will appear on this Friday’s SmackDown to address the possibility of facing Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 41.
During an interview on The Pat McAfee Show, Jey Uso was asked about the negative reaction to his Royal Rumble victory on social media.
Here’s what the former Tag Team Champion said:
“That’s them, Uce. Like, that’s them, that’s your opinion. You don’t strap my boots every week. You’re not on the road like I am every week. All the bumps, all that side-stepping that nobody sees, all those flights and rental cars — we ain’t traveling with security guards around me. I’m in the trenches like everybody else.
I don’t pay no mind to that, Uce. I don’t need none of that. Focus right here, Uce—tunnel vision. There’s a lot of haters around here, Uce. They talk it because they can’t walk it.
I’m just excited, bro. I’m all on a positive path. I never thought I could be here, Pat. But now I’m here, and I got places to go too.”
