NXT LVL Up
Date: July 22, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Sudu Shah, Nigel McGuinness

This show has started to change a little bit in recent weeks and that is a good thing. There have been some original interviews and even a tease of some storylines. It shouldn’t be that hard to do SOMETHING with this show but unfortunately that doesn’t seem to be WWE’s idea. Maybe they have a different idea this week though so let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Thea Hail vs. Brooklyn Barlow

Chase U is here with Hail. They fight over wrist control to start before trading some rollups for two each. A headlock takeover puts Hail down and we hit the armbar as commentary talks about how much Chase U appreciates Hail. Something like a seated abdominal stretch brings Hail back to life for a side slam. A standing moonsault into Hail Yeah (ok that’s clever) finishes Barlow at 5:37.

Rating: C-. This was a lot of Barlow dominating, or at least dominating as much as you can with a headlock. Barlow continues to be little more than another blonde with an athletic background and that isn’t exactly getting her very far. On the other hand you have Hail, who is a total ball of charisma and she is starting to get somewhere with Chase U.

Hank Walker isn’t going to let Duke Hudson disrespect him tonight.

Ru Feng vs. Bryson Montana

Feng grabs a headlock to start and takes Montana to the mat to crank away. It works so well that Feng does it again before switching to a front facelock. Montana fights up and starts with the most generic power offense you could imagine, including right hands and shoulders to the ribs in the corner. A backbreaker into a side slam mix things up a bit and there’s a Michinoku Driver for two on Feng. The chinlock doesn’t last long as Feng fights up with his variety of martial arts. Montana isn’t having that and hits a Sky High for the pin at 4:34.

Rating: D+. They tried to make beating Feng important but that has never been the case and probably won’t for most of his time around here. Montana got my attention when he debuted and maybe he can do a little something. With that kind of power and look, there might be a chance for him and that is the point of a show like this one.

Hank Walker vs. Duke Hudson

Hudson drives him into the corner to start and puts on a quickly broken headlock. Walker powers up and slams him down for two, only to get driven into the corner for some shoulders to the ribs. A reverse DDT gets two on Walker and we hit the chinlock with a knee in Walker’s back. That’s broken up and Walker pulls the hair before taking off his shirt and faceplanting him for two. Back up and Hudson slips off the shoulders, setting up a big boot for the pin on Walker at 6:04.

Rating: C. Walker feels like quite the dead end gimmick, if nothing else because Brooks Jensen, Josh Briggs and Fallon Henley are already doing it and doing it better. Hudson is someone who should be able to do something of his own but for some reason it hasn’t quite started yet. He feels like a bigger star than most around here and having him around does help a bit.

Overall Rating: C-. You can add in the interview (which is a good idea) and the stories from one week to another (which seems to have already been dropped) but ultimately, the wrestling just isn’t that good. What are you supposed to do when the wrestling is pretty weak at best and you’re lucky to get an ok match? That is LVL Up in a nutshell and I have no reason to believe it is going to change.

Results
Thea Hail b. Brooklyn Barlow – Hail Yeah
Bryson Montana b. Ru Feng – Sky High
Duke Hudson b. Hank Walker – Big boot

 

 

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

NXT LVL Up
Date: July 1, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Sudu Shah

It’s the second half of the year and odds are that is not going to make the slightest bit of difference around here. This show has gotten into another funk as of late and I wonder if that is due to the NXT house show circuit starting up again. Those shows are far more valuable than this one and WWE seems to realize that. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Stacks vs. Hank Walker

Tony D’Angelo is here with Stacks. This is Walker’s debut and he’s…a guy in jeans and a collared shirt (looks a bit like Seth Rogen). Ok then. Walker takes him down into an armbar and does it again for a bonus. Back up and a knee to the ribs cuts off Stacks as we talk about something unfortunate happening to some (unnamed) member of the D’Angelo Family. A shot to the face drops Walker and we hit the neck crank but he is right back with a backslide. Walker fights out of another neck crank and takes off his shirt, revealing a not so great physique. Stacks kicks him down and hits a running big boot to finish Walker at 4:21.

Rating: D+. Walker feels like someone who would fit in a lot better if Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen didn’t exist. They feel like people who are doing a polished version of the country boy gimmick while Walker feels like someone who was given something to do without being ready to go this far. Not impressive here, and Walker needs some work.

Amari Miller vs. Sloane Jacobs

Feeling out process to start with Jacobs taking her down for an early two. Miller does the same (to Jacobs, not herself) and we get a standoff. Jacobs works on the arm before hitting a quick crossbody for two as frustration is setting in less than three minutes into the match. The arm cranking goes on again until Miller sends her throat first into the bottom rope. Back in and Jacobs is right back with the arm cranking but Miller fights up and kicks away in the corner. The Kansas City Knockout finishes for Miller at 5:55.

Rating: C. Miller is coming along rather nicely around here. She isn’t ready for a big spot but she has become a regular on this show and is looking more and more confident in the ring every time. The bubbly personality helps too and she could be something one day. Not a great or even good match, but it did well under the circumstances.

Javier Bernal vs. Duke Hudson

Hudson powers him down to start and looks annoyed that he has to deal with Bernal. With Bernal ready, Hudson drops to his knees to negate some of the size difference. Bernal’s headlock doesn’t get him very far but some strikes do, including a step up enziguri. Hudson runs him over though and a slam gets two.

Back up and Bernal reverses a suplex into a small package for two, only to get dropped for a neck crank. Another slam is countered into a swinging Downward Spiral and Hudson is staggered for a change. A sliding lariat into a high crossbody gets two on Hudson but he crotches Bernal on top. The Razor’s Edge finishes for Hudson at 6:56.

Rating: C+. I was getting into this one by the end and that is the best thing that can be said about a match like this. There was no reason to believe that Bernal was going to pull off an upset but he got in enough offense to stagger Hudson a bit. Pretty nice showing from both of them here, as Hudson can make the matches work well enough to go with his charisma.

Hudson talks a lot of trash to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. This was a better show, though I don’t have much of a reason to believe that it is going to be a game changer. What matters here is that they had some fresh faces in Hudson and Walker and that is what the show can use from time to time. Some stories would do wonders around here as well, but I have long since given up on that being a thing. For now, I’ll take what I can get around here.

Results
Stacks b. Hank Walker – Big boot
Amari Miller b. Sloane Jacobs – Kansas City Knockout
Duke Hudson b. Javier Bernal – Razor’s Edge

 

 

 

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.