NXT LVL Up – April 7, 2023: I Guess That Helps

NXT LVL Up
Date: April 7, 2023
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Blake Howard, Byron Saxton

We’re done with Wrestlemania Weekend and the NXT double taping, meaning it is time to get back to a regular edition of this show. That means three matches instead of two and with some LVL Up names being announced for NXT proper, we could be in for some fresh faces around here. Let’s get to it.

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

In Memory of Bushwhacker Butch.

Opening sequence.

Dante Chen vs. Boa

Oh yay, Boa is back. Boa kicks him down to start but gets pulled into an armbar. Back up and Chen hits a dropkick but Boa kicks him in the face. Ava comes out to watch and then leaves as Boa suplexes him into a chinlock. Back up and Chen reverses a suplex into one of his own before hitting a pump kick. The double chop finishes Boa at 5:07.

Rating: C-. Yep, that was a Dante Chen match, as he is a generic guy who has nothing to set him apart (aside from his ability to beat young up and comers). Boa continues to be someone who has nothing that makes him stand out and I’m almost scared to imagine either of these two being presented as a big deal. They’re not bad by any means, but they’re really basic and that makes for a dull match.

Oro Mensah is ready for the monster that is Joe Gacy.

Sol Ruca/Dani Palmer vs. Lash Legend/Jakara Jackson

Ruca and Legend start things off with Ruca working on the arm and it’s off to Palmer, who gets launched at Legend for two. Jackson comes in and gets headscissored down, only to come back with an Edge-O-Matic for two of her own. Palmer manages a rollup before flipping over for the hot tag to Ruca. Everything breaks down and the Sol Snatcher finishes Jackson at 4:49.

Rating: C. That Sol Snatcher is just awesome no matter what else happens in a match and it is going to get a reaction no matter what. The key here was that it came out of nowhere and made Ruca look like a killer. Palmer continues to have potential and Legend is still coming along now that she isn’t on TV every week and driving people crazy.

Oro Mensah vs. Joe Gacy

The rest of Schism is here too. Mensah cranks on a headlock to start and they fight in the corner until Mensah kicks him out. A rather spinny anklescissors sends Gacy outside but they switch places, allowing Gacy to kick him down. Back in and Gacy cranks on the neck and yells a lot. A knee to the face and scoop brainbuster drop Mensah, setting up the chinlock. Mensah fights up and starts the comeback, including a springboard kick to the face for two. A springboard moonsault misses for Mensah though and Gacy finishes with the Upside Down at 5:08.

Rating: C. If Schism is only getting five minutes in a week, things are looking up. I don’t know if they’re downgrading the team a bit or if this was just a cameo, but keeping them away from the main NXT for a bit is nice to see. Mensah continues to be little more than a jobber to the stars but at least he did his thing well enough here.

Overall Rating: C. It was nice to have some fresh faces around here, but there isn’t much more to the show than that. Gacy being around gave the show its star power for the week and since he didn’t talk, we’ll call it a positive. You never know what you’re getting with this show, though at least there are some people heading to the main NXT to give these matches a bit more importance.

Results
Dante Chen b. Boa – Double chop
Sol Ruca/Dani Palmer b. Lash Legend/Jakara Jackson – Sol Snatcher to Jackson
Joe Gacy b. Oro Mensah – Upside Down

 

 

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