LA Knight fans were already pissed when Jey Uso moved on in the King of the Ring tournament, and now the reason behind that call is only going to make them louder.
Jey beat LA Knight, Finn Balor, and Royce Keys on the June 12 episode of SmackDown to advance in the tournament. A lot of fans wanted Knight to get the win, but WWE apparently had a different concern on its mind: trust.
During a Q&A, TC of WrestleVotes said WWE has doubts about LA Knight inside the ring, especially after another rough moment in the match.
“The LA Knight fans are up in arms and not happy about this. Based on things I’ve talked about and people I’ve communicated with, they worry about LA Knight’s in-ring capabilities.”
That is the part Knight fans are not going to like. WWE may love the reactions, the catchphrases, and the crowd noise, but TC said the company still sees problems when the bell rings. He pointed to another botch during the tournament match and said WWE views Jey as the better wrestler right now.
“We saw it again in the tournament—another botch, another thing breaking up the flow of things. They think Jey Uso is a better wrestler than LA Knight, which I think a lot of people will disagree with.”
It does not stop there either. WWE also apparently sees Jey as a stronger merchandise mover and someone who is easier to coach behind the scenes.
“WWE feels Jey Uso is a better worker than LA Knight. If you’re going to give a guy a push, they think Jey Uso moves more merch and has a more coachability side to him. It comes down to a personal level—how you react to things, how you’re able to be coached. When you get these pitfalls, how do you react?”
That last part may be the real killer for Knight. WWE is not just judging the pop. They are judging how talent handles mistakes, feedback, pressure, and direction when something goes wrong. TC said that lack of trust may be the biggest reason Jey got the nod over Knight.
“When you have a guy like LA Knight making mistakes in the ring—you’ve seen that in the Unreal show, you see it in the ring—I believe they just don’t trust him as much as they trust Jey Uso, which is a big part of why you had the result last week. We don’t see what goes on behind closed doors, and I think that affects LA Knight’s trajectory in WWE.”
The SmackDown match was chaotic from start to finish. It spilled around the arena, included a Shield-style powerbomb through the announce table, had Solo Sikoa getting involved, and ended with Jey winning after a splash. Fans jumped online immediately and tore into the finish. Some were furious LA Knight did not advance. Others complained that WWE keeps going back to Bloodline-adjacent names no matter how loud the crowd gets for someone else.
But if this explanation is accurate, WWE was not just picking the louder chant. They picked the guy they trust more. That puts LA Knight in a tough spot. He is still one of the loudest acts in the company, but if WWE is worried about his in-ring mistakes and how he handles coaching, that could cap how far they are willing to push him. Jey Uso got the win, LA Knight fans got angry, and now the backstage reasoning may sting worse than the loss itself.
What do you think about WWE trusting Jey Uso more than LA Knight? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.
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