NXT LVL Up – April 21, 2023: This Can’t Be The New Cast

NXT LVL Up
Date: April 21, 2023
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Blake Howard, Byron Saxton, Mr. Stone

Who knows what we’re getting around here, but less of Schism would be nice. I know they’re names but egads they can suck the life out of a show like no other. It would be nice to see some other stars who don’t get the TV time having a shot, but that isn’t likely to take place. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Wendy Choo/Valentina Feroz vs. Jakara Jackson/Lash Legend

Jackson headlocks Choo to start but gets taken into the wrong corner for her efforts. It’s off to Feroz for a headlock of her own but Legend comes in to drop her on the ropes. Feroz can’t slip out of a suplex so Legend gets to pose as she put a foot on the chest for two. An elbow to the back gets a less arrogant near fall and Jackson comes back in for an aggressive chinlock. That’s broken up as well and it’s Choo coming in to take over. Everything breaks down and Choo hits a full nelson slam to pin Jackson at 5:19.

Rating: C. It’s nice to have Choo back, but there is only so much that can be done with her returning in this spot. She is one of the most unique gimmicks around, but she has to be used in the right way or it won’t work out. The other three were their usual selves, and it isn’t a surprise that Choo got the focus here, as she is by far the biggest star.

Javier Bernal and Kale Dixon are ready for the main event, though Bernal wants Dixon to work on his physique.

Oro Mensah vs. Damon Kemp

Kemp easily wrestles him to the mat but takes too long swiveling the hips, allowing Mensah to grab an anklescissors. Mensah sends him to the apron but gets his throat snapped across the top to put him back in trouble. Back in and Kemp elbows him down before swinging Mensah around by the neck for a crash. A bridging German suplex gives Kemp two and we hit something like a seated abdominal stretch. Mensah fights up and gets two off a rollup, followed by a kick to the face. That’s fine with Kemp, who grabs an electric chair into a suplex for the pin at 5:08.

Rating: C. I still like Kemp and there is something for him to do somewhere in NXT. He has the general heelish nature that makes you want to see him get beaten up and the amateur credentials to back it up. Mensah continues to be little more than “that guy who used to be a bit of something in NXT UK but never does anything here”, which might be his ceiling at the moment.

Edris Enofe/Malik Blade vs. Javier Bernal/Kale Dixon

Enofe takes over on Dixon’s arm to start and hands it off to Blade for a knee to the ribs. A facebuster from Enofe gives Blade two and it’s off to Bernal. Blade misses a kick in the corner and Bernal starts in on the leg, with Dixon getting in some cranking of his own. Bernal’s half crab is broken up and the hot tag brings in Enofe to clean house. Bernal is sent outside, leaving Dixon to walk into the Climax for the pin at 5:09.

Rating: C. Commentary was talking about how Enofe and Blade always feel like they could be the next team to break through but you can only be that for so long. There is a lot of truth to that, as the team has always been on the cusp but beating a makeshift heel team isn’t likely going to be their springboard. They could be something, though that isn’t going to matter if they never get a real chance.

Overall Rating: C. Choo’s return aside, there wasn’t much to see here as it was a lot of the familiar faces from LVL Up. By that I mean a bunch of people who don’t do anything on the main NXT show and there is no reason to believe that most of them are going to be much in the near future. Maybe one or two get to move up a bit if the Draft guts NXT, but that still sounds like quite the long shot.

 

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