On the latest episode of WWE Monday Night Raw, Jey Uso captured the Intercontinental Championship, his first singles title since coming to the main roster in May 2010. Not only did this win mark Jey’s first solo title after years of being a tag-team champion, but the Main Event Superstar also broke an eleven-year drought in WWE.
With his win, Jey has become the second son to win the Intercontinental once held by their father. Jey’s father, WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi, captured the gold in June 2000, but Val Venis ended his reign just 13 days later. Much like his son, this reign would be Rikishi’s only time holding a singles championship while working for WWE.
The only other son to have followed in their father’s footsteps and win the Intercontinental Championship is Curtis Axel, who won the gold at WWE Payback in June 2013. Axel’s father, Mr. Perfect, held the Intercontinental Championship twice from April 1990 to August 1991 for a total of 404 days. Since Axel’s win, no son had been able to capture the Intercontinental title once held by their father, until now.
Jey’s victory has been long overdue in the eyes of many, with Joe Tessitore noting on commentary that he had previously tried six times to win a singles gold, all of which ended in tragedy for the ‘Main Event’ star. Jey was understandably emotional after Raw went off the air, and fans can’t wait to see what the future holds for the brand-new WWE Intercontinental Champion.
