3 Ways Jey Uso's Yeet Chants Brought Professional Success (But Ruined His Wrestling Character)

The YEET catchphrase exploded in popularity almost overnight, quickly plastered across t-shirts, hats, and even sunglasses. WWE capitalized on it—as they rightfully should have— and Jey leaned into it. However, commercial success and the millions of dollars made on merchandise is coming at a cost. Instead of developing his character beyond a catchphrase, Jey became partially defined by the gimmick. His segments became more about selling a vibe and getting the fans to chat along than telling a story. There were several Raw intros in a row where the opening was all about Jey's entrance and how long he could keep the fans "Yeeting".

For a performer who built his reputation on raw emotion, depth, and a battle as part of the Bloodline family, the shift was huge. Jey went from being all about family and delivering Emmy-worthy performances on WWE programming to entering buildings through the crowd in neon gear, repeating catchphrases, telling WWE to play his music, and soaking in crowd energy without much substance behind it.

There’s no denying that the YEET movement moved merchandise, but it also moved the spotlight away from what made Jey special in the first place.

Popularity At A Price

Jey Became A Walking Billboard

YEET made Jey Uso a fan favorite in arenas around the world. But it also turned him into something of a caricature. While fans cheered the chant, many stopped taking him seriously as a legitimate main-event contender. He became known more for his pumping up the audience than as a serious competitor. It took a surprise Royal Rumble win -- which not every fan loved -- to get him back in what was supposed to be the main event of WrestleMania 41 (which it is not).

Like many superstars before him, the "Yeet" chants became arguably more popular than Jey was. Steve Austin experienced this with his "What!?" chants, and Daniel Bryan had the same thing happen with his "Yes! Movement," LA Knight is still riding the wave of his "Yeah!" catchphrase, but that too will likely turn into something he is defined for and not his character or wrestling prowess.

Colorful shirts and a catchphrase replaced the depth of Jey's character. The crowd may not want to drop the use of the phrase, even if Jey elects to move on eventually. Monday's show hinted that the fun-loving YEET version of Jey can be a distraction to a bigger and necessary moment.

Losing Control of the Crowd

Jey Is Going To Have To Battle His Fans Now

Jey’s recent promo on Raw made one thing painfully clear: the YEET chant is no longer something he easily controls. Even as he tried to steer the moment into serious territory—ditching the catchphrase, motioning for the live audience to stop, it took him delivering one of the most passionate promos of his career before the audience caught on and showed him the respect for what it was he wanted to accomplish.

The chant almost overpowered the emotion of the moment and undermined his message. Jey wanted and needed the fans to cut it out, and they almost didn't. It will be fascinating to see if he can reel it back in and walk the line of being the "Yeet" guy and selling merch, but also controlling the WWE Universe so he can perform when the time calls for it. This happens when a phrase gets as over as "Yeet" has. The audience eventually shows more interest in their own involvement in the show and, ultimately, to the point where there is a disconnect between the performer and the crowd. Look at the "What!" chants. They've arguably ruined several important moments in wrestling history, and Austin is nowhere to be found.

To Uso's credit, his recent promo showed he’s still capable of delivering a star-making performance. He got the crowd back and did his job. However, this promo should be a wake-up call. There's a chance not every crowd will stop when asked, and if Uso becomes the World Champion, his "Yeet" catchphrase could be something he regularly has to wrestle with.