Jey Uso recently spoke with Anthony Sulla-Heffinger of Yahoo Sports to discuss Samoans’ deep history in pro wrestling, and how names like The Rock and WWE Hall of Famers The Wild Samoans have found success in WWE.
Jey talked about the gritty style of Samoan pro wrestlers, and how they have two signature moves – the Samoan Drop and the Superfly Splash.
“I think our style is really in our blood. Hard-hitting, real gritty,” Uso said. “We can jump off ropes, we can stay on the ground, we can be powerful, we can do it all. I feel like me and my brother are the lightest Samoans ever. I like to keep it original, but there’s of course the Samoan Drop.
“That move has been handed down generation to generation and I like that. No one is taking that from us. That’s a special move. You can do a Superkick, everyone does the Superkick, but it used to be called the Savate kick back in the day when the Samoans were hitting it. There’s the splash, the Superfly Splash or the Samoan Splash, people use that too, but that Samoan Drop, that’s in the vault.”
He continued and talked about how he and brother Jimmy Uso have evolved, “I think we did the Samoan thing and the fans knew our heritage and what we represented. [The change] allowed us to be more of the real version of ourselves. You start to let people in and see that we are modernized, we can talk, we’re not just two happy dudes and they can see the struggle in us. It all blends in. Now, we’re at the point where when I walk out, you know where I am from, what family I belong to. We just have to keep it going and keep evolving.”
Jey also discussed the current storyline with his cousin, WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns. It was noted that Reigns and The Usos are in the middle of one of the best WWE storylines in recent memory.
“My cousin is on the way to greatness right now,” Jey said of Roman. “I’m so proud of him as Joe. He’s killing the game. I’m so happy we’re on this roller coaster together. You know how when you grow up, you probably had little cousins that you were rocking with every single day and then life hits you and you’re separated. Before you realize it, it’s two or three years before you see each other.
“I’m grateful that I’m still there with them. I get to go to work with them every week, I still see them every single week. I like that part, it’s like we’re still kids in our mind. It’s a blessing to me.”
The interviewer also noted how Nia Jax and WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Tamina Snuka are opening doors for women on Polynesian heritage as well, despite male stars dominating the history of Samoans in wrestling for the most part. Jey praised both Nia and Tamina.
“They’re the first Polynesian women doing pro wrestling at this level,” Uso said of Jax and Snuka. “We’re so used to the men. I hope they do know the impact they have. I hope they know how many little girls on that island, who look like them, are being inspired. They’re not petite, but they are in shape. Samoans we don’t always have six packs and stuff, but we have that power.”
It was noted that fans can always count on there being Samoans in pro wrestling as WWE Hall of Famer Afa Anoa’i continues to train wrestlers and hold events at The Wild Samoan Training Center in Florida, while WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi trains wrestlers at his KnoxX Pro Entertainment in California.
“We have so many cousins,” Jey said. “The wrestling world has no idea how deep we really are. I know they think we’re deep now, but ten years from now we’re going to be talking about our children being WWE champions.”
