Matt Jackson of The Young Bucks recently praised WWE tag team champions Jimmy and Jey Uso, saying the teams have mutual respect after an early tryout match years ago. Jackson called The Usos “next level” and said “game recognize game.”
Early SmackDown tryout memory
Jackson said the teams met years ago, around 2011, during a backstage tryout before a SmackDown show. The Young Bucks — Matt and Nick Jackson — wrestled The Usos in front of several WWE wrestlers before the broadcast.
Matt Jackson remembered watching The Usos call moves on the fly and being impressed with their skill. He said he wanted a proper match with them someday, and praised how well they performed even back then.
Watch the clip
The comments came on the web series Being The Elite. Below is the episode where Jackson talks about the tryout and his praise for The Usos.
Where both teams went from there
Jimmy and Jey Uso debuted on WWE’s main roster in 2010. Since then, they have become regular figures in WWE tag team wrestling. They have held WWE tag team titles many times and even headlined WrestleMania in 2023.
The Young Bucks followed a different path. After working the independent circuit, they wrestled in TNA, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and Ring of Honor. Today they are major stars in All Elite Wrestling.
Respect between the teams
Both pairs have earned praise from fans and peers. Each team has been honored as Tag Team of the Year by Pro Wrestling Illustrated at different times. Jackson summed up his view in simple terms: he recognized the Usos’ talent early on and still sees them as top performers.
Jackson used the phrase “real recognized real” and added, “Game recognize game.” He closed by noting that while a proper match between the two teams may not be possible now, the respect is clear.
Quotes used in this article came from Being The Elite.
