NXT LVL Up – May 19, 2023: They’re At It Again
NXT LVL Up
Date: May 19, 2023
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Blake Howard, Byron Saxton
We’re getting closer to Battleground and that could be quite the shakeup for NXT. That is something LVL Up could use, as the show tends to be in a rather similar mold a lot of the time. It might be helpful for the wrestlers around here, but that doesn’t make things all that entertaining. Let’s get to it.
Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.
Opening sequence.
Eddy Thorpe vs. Kale Dixon
Feeling out process to start with Thorpe’s headlock not working all that well. Back up and Dixon runs him over with a shoulder, followed by some forearms to the spine. The neck crank and chinlock go on until Thorpe is up with a dragon screw legwhip. A Saito suplex out of the corner gets two on Dixon and the jumping elbow finishes him off at 4:52.
Rating: C. Thorpe continues to beat up lower level competition and Dixon continues to be Dixon. In other words, it was exactly what you would have expected from these two on this stage. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Thorpe getting a push on the main NXT show, but it might take some more seasoning to get him ready.
Kelani Jordan and Wendy Choo are ready to team together against Elektra Lopez and Lola Vice. Apparently karma is a bi….scuit.
Kelani Jordan/Wendy Choo vs. Elektra Lopez/Lola Vice
Lopez powers Jordan around without much effort to start and it’s Vice coming in for a double shoulder. Back up and Jordan takes Vice over to Choo for an assisted moonsault. A tornado DDT hits Vice but she brings Lopez in off a blind tag to take over. Jordan gets knocked hard into the corner and a gutbuster sets up a body vice to stay on the ribs. A quick kick away allows the tag off to Choo as everything breaks down. The Snooze Button gives Choo the pin on Vice at 5:36.
Rating: C. I can see why WWE wants to push Jordan, who has the impressive athleticism and appeal to become something down the line. She needs experience though and getting her feet wet on this show is a good start. Jordan has a long way to go, but at least she is getting started with a solid base.
Dante Chen vs. Luca Crusifino
They fight over a lockup to start as we get a LET’S GO LAWYER chant. Chen goes for the hammerlock to take over before some armdrags into the armbar have Luca in more trouble. Back up and Luca grabs a neckbreaker for two, followed by the double arm crank. With that broken up, Chen hammers away in the corner but the threat of the double chop sends Luca outside. Luca loads up the briefcase but when it’s taken away, a thumb to the eye lets him roll up Chen for the pin at 5:15.
Rating: C. I’m sorry what now? A young up and comer beat Chen? I’m not sure how to handle this but it’s nice to see for a change. As usual, Chen is fine enough in the ring and certainly not bad, but he has such a history of running people over and I do not get the point having him beat so many people without actually going anywhere. That being said, Luca is a bit of a weird case and I could go for having him around a bit more in the future.
Overall Rating: C-. It says a lot when your star power is comprised of Thorpe, Choo and Chen, which isn’t exactly top level talent in NXT. The wrestling was completely watchable and the show is less than thirty minutes from beginning to end so it isn’t like you feel you’re wasting your time. In other words, this was the weaker end of LVL Up and that’s not exactly thrilling stuff.
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