NXT LVL Up – July 8, 2022: The Faintest Hope

NXT LVL Up
Date: July 8, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Sudu Shaw, Nigel McGuinness

We are well on the way to Summerslam and as usual, that will have no impact on what you are about to see here. That isn’t a good thing, but it is the way this show, and its predecessor, has worked for years. The show continues to just exist and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Dante Chen vs. Myles Borne

Chen goes to the arm to start and stays on it as Borne tries to take him to the mat. Back up and the arm gets cranked over Chen’s shoulder, only to get flipped down into a headlock. Chen can’t shove him off so we stay in the hold for a rather good while. To their credit, Borne is cranking on the thing and Chen is trying to fight his way out. Back up and we’re right back to the headlock…..which Chen rolls up into a cradle for the pin at 4:39???

Rating: C-. What is there to say about something like this? The whole match was work the arm, headlock, another headlock, pin. They were trying to do some stuff with the basics and Borne was billed as an amateur, but usually that means more than working a headlock. It’s certainly different and they surprised me, but this is their best use of the show’s TV time?

We actually get a promo on this show (DO MORE OF THIS) as Malik Blade and Edris Enofe are ready to face two of the strongest guys in NXT in the main event. Super basic promo, but get these guys (or anyone for that matter) in front of a camera and talking. There is no pressure on a show like this so let them get their feet a little wet.

Yulisa Leon vs. Arianna Grace

They go with the power grappling to start with Leon getting her to the mat without much trouble to start. A headlock doesn’t work for Grace as Leon flips over and strikes a pose on the mat. Grace cranks her to the mat by the arm before working on the armbar on the mat. Leon powers out and grabs a flapjack, setting up a missile dropkick. A fall away slam, with Leon holding onto her and flipping back over into the cover, is good for the pin at 6:16.

Rating: C. It’s almost weird seeing Leon winning a match like this but Grace isn’t ready to beat just about anyone yet. What mattered here was finding something for Feroz and Leon to do and the dancing seems to be their thing. I don’t know how far that is going to get them, but it is better than having them stand around doing nothing.

Edris Enofe/Malik Blade vs. Damaris Griffin/Bryson Montana

On the way to the ring, Enofe grabs a microphone and handles the team’s (somewhat risque) introductions. Blade grabs a headlock on Griffin to start but gets driven into the corner for his efforts. Montana comes in and gets caught with some quick kicks to the face. A fall away slam (with Montana not leaving his feet) sends Blade flying though and we hit the bearhug.

With Blade dropped again, the chinlock goes on for all of a few seconds before he fights back up. Enofe gets the hot tag but gets taken down….as Quincy Elliott is here for no apparent reason Dancing on the floor distracts Montana, leaving Griffin to take a running Blockbuster. Enofe drops a top rope elbow for the pin at 5:28.

Rating: C-. As annoying as Elliott can be, it is nice to see something resembling a story around here. It can’t be hard to have the slightest idea going from one week to another rather than a bunch of one off matches so I’ll take what I can get. Enofe and Blade continue to have some potential, but they are going to need to string together some wins that actually matter for ones. This wasn’t one of those, but it’s better than another loss.

Overall Rating: C. It’s not a good show, but there is the slightest bit of hope for the future and I’ll take that after so, so much of the one off matches. Blade and Enofe getting the focus is nice to see, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see it wind up being about Elliott, as NXT seems to like him a lot. Other than that there wasn’t much here, but I’ll take the slightest change over nothing at all.

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