NXT LVL Up
Date: November 15, 2024
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Blake Howard, Byron Saxton

It’s been a bit since I’ve looked at this show and the god thing is that there is very little to be seen around here most of the time. There are a few minor things going on though and that has me slightly interested, if nothing else for the sake of seeing how the show might be changed up a bit. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Oro Mensah vs. Drake Morreaux

They fight over arm control to start until Morreaux takes him down into a gator roll. A shot to the face gives Mensah a quick two and an anklescissors sends Morreaux into the corner. Back up and Morreaux runs him over, setting up a short form chinlock. Mensah’s slam attempt doesn’t work on the much bigger Morreaux and he sends Mensah crashing out to the floor. Back in and we hit the armbar, which doesn’t last long either as Mensah is up to slug away. A flipping kick to the head sets up the slam to Morreaux and a springboard dropkick rocks him again. The running spinwheel kick in the corner finishes for Mensah at 5:49.

Rating: C+. They had a nice little story here with the smaller Mensah fighting against the bigger Morreaux. It’s a story that will always work in wrestling, even if Morreaux can only do so much at the moment. It wasn’t a great match, but it told a nice story and I’ll take that for just shy of six minutes.

Uriah Connors and Kale Dixon are ready to end their losing ways. They wish the interviewer luck, which has him rather confused.

Carlee Bright vs. Izzi Dame

The much bigger Dame powers her down to start but Bright fires off some chops. A running dropkick and hurricanrana have Dame staggered but she’s back up with a running shoulder. The big boot gives Dame two and a belly to back flipping faceplant gets the same. The crossface chickenwing doesn’t do much to Bright, but the Sky High she charges into is enough for the pin at 4:04.

Rating: C-. Not much to see here, as Bright continues to be little more than someone who puts over the other stars. Bright has some potential but she needs something to separate her from the pack other than “she smiles a lot”. Dame’s size makes her stand out, but a name change wouldn’t hurt. What kind of a villain is named Izzi?

Post match Dame goes after her again but Kendal Grey makes the save. Again, a simple, easy story that gives you something to come back and watch later. It’s not that hard.

Post break, Dame says she doesn’t like Grey and Bright, with Kali Armstrong coming up to say she doesn’t either. Dame kind of stares at her.

D’Angelo Family vs. Uriah Connors/Kale Dixon

Stacks headlocks Connors down to start before they both catch a boot to the ribs. With that broken up, Crusifino comes in to clothesline Dixon as the fans approve. Dixon gets sent to the apron and then knocked back over the top but Connors gets a quick tag. That’s fine with Stacks, who trips him own, only to get caught with a baseball slide from Dixon.

A running chop to the back wakes Stacks up but Dixon is smart enough to knock Crusifino to the floor. As tends to be the case, the diving tag goes through a few seconds later and it’s Crusifino coming in to clean house. A Blue Thunder Bomb gets two on Dixon with Connors making the save. The villains grab an AA/sitout powerbomb combination (not bad) for two with Stacks having to make the save. Everything breaks down and Connors jumps into what looked like a double Downward Spiral for the pin a 6:32.

Rating: C+. They still didn’t have a ton of time here but they packed quite a bit in there for a nice main event. The Family are a far bigger team than Connors and Dixon, but the villains are slowly coming along. It’s not like they have anything else to do so throwing them out there in a tag team is far from the worst idea.

Overall Rating: C+. Some decent wrestling here but I’m still liking the idea of stringing some stories together from week to week. You can only get so much out of having one off matches so giving the wrestlers a small angle is better than nothing. The show is still completely skippable, but it could be a good bit worse.

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NXT LVL Up
Date: October 25, 2024
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Blake Howard, Byron Saxton

Things took a bit of a twist last week and it made for a fairly interesting show. Granted the show can only get so far as it’s still fairly limited in pretty much every aspect. There is always the chance that we could get somewhere different this week, though it could always be the norm all over again. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Mark Coffey vs. Dion Lennox

They trade shoulders until Coffey slaps him in the face, which is enough for Lennox to…grab an armbar. Some right hands stagger Coffey but he kicks Lennox throat first into the bottom rope. Lennox strikes away and grabs a northern lights suplex, followed by a spinebuster for two. Cue Gallus for the distraction though and Mark hits a right hand for the pin at 4:23.

Rating: C. This was shorter than most of the matches around here and I’m not sure why. Lennox is starting to pop up on the main NXT shows but here he is losing in about four minutes. Yeah there was some interference, but at the same time, it wasn’t exactly an impressive showing for Lennox in any way. Kind of a weird match here.

Post match the beatdown is on but Cutler James and Shiloh Hill make the save. I could go for this.

Tyra Mae Steele is ready to beat Izzi Dame for her first win. Dame comes in to doubt it.

Izzi Dame vs. Tyra Mae Steele

Steele powers her back into the corner to start and they go to the mat for a headlock. Back up and Steele wrestles her to the mat again, setting up a rolling shot to the head in the corner. Dame gets in a shot of her own though and stomping ensues to keep Steele down. A Sky High gives Dame two and the chinlock goes on. Steele fights up again and lawn darts her into the buckle, setting up a capture suplex for two. Another rolling something is cut of though and the spinning Side Effect finishes Steele at 5:30.

Rating: C. Steele is still a great prospect but she needs ring time and this is a good place for her to do just that. As much charisma and amateur skill as she has, she has to get more used to doing something new. She looked ok enough here, but that is maybe the third step in a rather long trip.

Uriah Connors and Kale Dixon annoy Drake Drake Morreaux in the gym. Dante Chen comes in and a tag match is set.

Uriah Connors/Kale Dixon vs. Drake Morreaux/Dante Chen

Dixon works on Chen’s arm to start but makes the mistake of talking trash and gets elbowed in the face. Morreaux comes in and gets armdragged but snaps off a slam without much trouble. A belly to back suplex drops Connors and the villains are cleared out to the floor. Chen goes for the chase but charges into Connors’ superkick to put him down. Dixon gets to pose on the ropes and thrust his pelvis a bit before Connors gets to strike away. The chinlock goes on but Chen fights out and makes the tag off to Morreaux to pick up the pace. A chokeslam off the top plants Connors and the Gentle Touch gives Chen the pin at 6:15.

Rating: C. There is something fun about having Chen as the superhero (as he was called in the setup) who never does anything anywhere else. I’m not sure I can imagine him ever going anywhere else, but I guess it’s better than doing nothing. Speaking of nothing, you have the other three here, who have nothing that makes them stand out in the slightest. Even Morreaux’s size is only going to get him so far, but he did well enough here.

Overall Rating: C. This was a show pretty much lacking in anything resembling star power but it did a nicer than usual job of putting the stories together. There is no reason to just have them be the most nothing matches so add in even the slightest something. Even something of a backstage argument better than nothing and it spices things up at bit, which has been needed for the better part of ever around here.

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NXT LVL Up
Date: September 27, 2024
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Blake Howard, Byron Saxton

It’s the last show before the move over the CW and there is a chance that we could be seeing something change around here as well. Granted it’s hard to know what you’re going to be seeing change on this show as things tend to be about as basic as you can get around here. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Tyrike Igwe/Tyson DuPont vs. Uriah Connors/Kale Dixon

Igwe and Connors start things off and run the ropes until Dixon tags himself in for a cheap shot. A double shoulder drops Dixon but he’s right back up to take DuPont into the wrong corner. The chinlock doesn’t last long as DuPont fights up and runs Connors over, allowing the tag back to Igwe. House is cleaned in a hurry and the Heartstopper finishes Dixon at 5:20.

Rating: C. There wasn’t much to see here as Igwe and DuPont are at last a regular team but they haven’t done much of anything in months now. I do like that they’re at least trying to put together some teams to see where they’re going as it isn’t like they’ve done anything else lately. Now if only the matches could actually be better.

Sol Ruca and Dani Palmer are put in a match against each other by the rather excited Mr. Stone and Stevie Turner.

Jasper Troy vs. Stacks

The much bigger Troy powers him into the corner to start but Stacks pulls it down into an early chinlock. That’s broken up and Troy pounds him down with some elbows and a running splash in the corner. Stacks’ sleeper is countered into a swinging slam and we hit the chinlock. Troy switches to an Argentinean backbreaker but Stacks slips out and dropkicks him into the corner. One heck of a cannonball gets two but Troy chases him outside, where Stacks drops his brass knuckles. The referee takes them from Troy, allowing Cement Shoes to connect for the pin on Troy at 5:42.

Rating: C. This felt like more of a focus on Troy and that makes sense. He has the size and movement to be a little something if given the experience. If nothing else, there’s something to him as a bodyguard, as he certainly has the right tools. It’s way too early to make that happen, but at least the potential is there.

Even Stacks seems to know he escaped there.

Kale Dixon and Uriah Connors say something needs to change, if nothing else for the sake of Dixon’s hair.

Sol Ruca vs. Dani Palmer

Ruca takes her to the mat by the wrist to start but Palmer reverses into an armbar. Back up and Ruca flips out of an anklescissors and it’s an early standoff. A test of strength results in Palmer’s sunset flip attempt being blocked so Ruca grabs a seated abdominal stretch. Back up and Palmer runs her over, setting up a nice frog splash for two. Ruca tries an O’Connor roll so Palmer kicks out…sending Ruca into the ropes so she can hit the Sol Snatcher for the pin at 4:25. That finish was outstanding.

Rating: C+. The match was just ok but that finishing sequence was one of the better looking ones I’ve seen in a bit. Ruca can hit that thing out of anywhere and it looks great every time. She’s an athletic freak and if she can put together some more things besides that, she’ll be a star in the making.

Overall Rating: C+. The awesome ending to the main event and a good showing from Troy made this a worthwhile enough show. The best thing here was that they had a bit of a variety and adding in Stone and Turner for a cameo boosted it up a bit. There are ways to make this show more interesting but for some reason they rarely happen. Spice it up on occasion and things can be more fun, like this show managed to do.

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NXT LVL Up
Date: September 13, 2024
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Blake Howard, Byron Saxton

We’re getting closer to the move to the CW, which isn’t likely to have much of an impact on this show. That’s what commentary will be talking about though, as it is certainly the biggest thing to take place in NXT in a good while. Hopefully we get some better action to go with the excitement so let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Shiloh Hill/Cutler James vs. Uriah Connors/Kale Dixon

Dixon gets elbowed in the face to start and James starts cranking on his ankle. Connors comes in but Dixon gets a blind tag for a cheap shot on Hill and the villains take over. A slingshot hilo gives Dixon two and Hill’s backsplash gets the same. Dixon grabs a chinlock with a knee in the back before switching to the regular chinlock. Hill fights up and a double clothesline gives us a double breather, followed by the tag off to James. A wheelbarrow faceplant gets two on Connors with Dixon making the save. Back up and James hits a spinebuster to finish Connors at 5:15.

Rating: C+. This was a perfectly fine tag match but the best part was not knowing who was winning. Both teams are pretty much thrown together but that gave it a bit of mystery, as neither was the obvious pick. You don’t get that very often and it made what should have been a run of the mill match a bit better.

Kendal Grey and Carlee Bright are ready for Grey’s match with Tyra Mae Steele’.

Kendal Grey vs. Tyra Mae Steele

Steele wrestles her down to start (as you would expect) and Grey can’t sit out. Instead Grey rolls her into a quickly broken cross armbreaker as Steele muscles her up for something like a powerbomb. A snap suplex gives Steele two and she grabs something like an STF. Grey suplexes her way to freedom but walks into something like a Pounce for two. Steele grabs a dragon sleeper but Grey flips out of it and hooks a small package for the pin at 6:02.

Rating: C. Steele continue to feel like a star in the making and more of a matter of time rather than anything else. Getting her some kind of experience is only going to help her and I could go for seeing her do even more. On the other hand you have Grey, who is still desperately in need of something to set her apart.

Niko Vance, speaking very quietly, is ready to prove himself against Luca Crusifino.

Niko Vance vs. Luca Crusifino

Vance is a former football player and rather large. Crusifino can’t power out of a headlock to start and Vance grinds away for a bit. An armbar slows Vance down until he fights up and fires off some knees to the ribs. The neck crank keeps Crusifino in trouble as we hear about Vance’s football resume. A jawbreaker gives Crusifino a breather though and a running clothesline takes Vance down. Crusifino makes the clothesline comeback and finishes with the Codebreaker at 5:48.

Rating: C. This was much more about giving Vance his first exposure on television and it worked well enough. Vance is the latest in the line of athletes from other sports who look good but need polish in the ring. That’s something that can come with time, but for now, he looked passable enough for his first time in front of a camera.

Overall Rating: C+. This was a bit more of what LVL Up felt like it was supposed to be. The biggest thing here was that it seemed to be more about presenting younger, up and coming stars and that is a good thing to do. The opener had four relatively new names, while Steele and Vance are still pretty much unknowns around here. I can go for that kind of show and it worked well enough this week.

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NXT LVL Up
Date: August 30, 2024
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Blake Howard, Byron Saxton

It’s been a minute since I’ve done one of these and, well, does it really make that much of a difference? The show rarely changes and other than having a few more interviews here and there, it’s basically the same thing you always gt. In this case we should be in for some of the usual good stuff so let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Hank Walker/Tank Ledger vs. Kale Dixon/Uriah Connors

Walker and Connors start things off with Walker slamming him down and handing it off to Ledger. Dixon comes in for a front facelock but gets broken up with a backdrop. Everything breaks down and Connors jumps Walker from behind to take over. A clothesline gives Dixon two and we hit the chinlock with a knee in the back. Back up and Ledger blocks a charge in the corner to save Walker, allowing him to hand it back to Ledger. Everything breaks down and the Collision Course finishes Dixon at 5:54.

Rating: C. Hank and Tank continue to be a thing, which tends to be the case despite little success on the bigger shows. Maybe that’s the kind of buildup they’re going for around here but the team still isn’t that interesting. Dixon and Connors might as well have been any other villains here, though they were only presented as a certain level of threatening.

Cutler James interrupts Gallus and thinks he learned a lot in their previous match. Tonight, he wants a rematch and gets Wolfgang.

Uriah Connors wasn’t happy with his loss but OTM (I think) came up to say he needs their help.

Wolfgang vs. Cutler James

The rest of Gallus is here with Wolfgang. James armdrags him down to start and cranks on the arm, followed by a gutbuster for two. Wolfgang is sent to the apron for a throat snap across the top but he gets in a shot of his own to take over. The reverse chinlock goes on until James powers out and starts the comeback, including a slam for two. Back up and Wolfgang hits a spear into the Howling for the pin at 5:30.

Rating: C. James has been around for a bit now and this might have been his best performance to date. The most important thing is that he looked more comfortable out there rather than just kind of being around as he tends to be. Odds are he’ll get another chance because of his size, but this was a nice showcase for him.

Overall Rating: C-. This was the short form version as they went with the smaller format due to No Mercy taking place over the weekend. That being said, this show could barely have felt less important as it was the lowest of the low part on the roster. Just a nothing show here and they had to know that was coming with what they presented.

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NXT LVL Up
Date: August 9, 2024
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Byron Saxton, Blake Howard

I’m still trying to get my head around the idea that this show is building up stories week to week. No they aren’t big and no they are nothing noteworthy, but after years of the same stuff, I’ll absolutely take what I can get. Last week’s show was decent enough so hopefully this week can improve on that. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Dante Chen vs. Keanu Carver

Carver has been gone for about six months due to an injury. Chen grabs a headlock to start and manages a takeover on the much larger Carver. Back up and they run the ropes until Carver hits a Pounce (which commentary had hyped up) to send Chen outside in a crash. Carver grabs a bearhug and gets two off a backbreaker as things slow down a good bit. A waistlock stays on the ribs before a Sky high gives Carver two. We keep going with the power as Carver grabs a torture rack, only for Chen to fight out and hit some running forearms. Some kicks to the face and the double chop finish Carver at 4:59.

Rating: C+. This was designed to make Carver look like a star and it worked fairly well before he fell to Chen and…..sweet goodness his finisher is a chop. It wasn’t the place for Carver to get a big win but at least he got to look dominant on the way there. Not a great match, but a rather good way to showcase the up and coming Carver.

Lainey Reid is ready for Wendy Choo, no matter how weird she is.

Lainey Reid vs. Wendy Choo

Choo takes her down by the hair to start but Reid gets two off a quick rollup. A missed charge sends Reid into the corner and it’s already time to choke on the ropes. Choo hits a clothesline for two and hammers away, setting up a running dropkick in the Tree of Woe. Choo’s neck crank is broken up and Reid strikes away, including a neckbreaker. A belly to back faceplant sets up a rollup for two on Choo but she’s right back with the Million Dollar Dream for the tap at 5:04.

Rating: C. This wasn’t exactly a great showcase for Reid, who does have something with the Modern Southern Belle deal, but hasn’t had the chance to showcase herself just yet. The match was more about Choo being weird and creepy, which is all she’s done since her return. Not much here, though Reid is somewhat intriguing.

Kale Dixon is glad to be back because it’s awful to be on the bench for so long.

Edris Enofe vs. Kale Dixon

Malik Blade is here with Enofe. They fight over arm control to start until Dixon hits him in the face and hits a chop to the back. That just fires Enofe up for a dropkick and dancing into a jumping elbow. Dixon is sent outside and gets in a cheap shot, setting up a belly to back suplex for two back inside.

Some snap suplexes get two more and we hit the chinlock with a knee in Enofe’s back. The half crab is broken up and Enofe grabs a monkey flip of all things for a breather. A spinebuster sets up a half crab on Dixon for a change but he’s right at the rope. Dixon pulls him out of the air for a lifting Downward Spiral but Enofe hits a wind up DDT. A top rope elbow finishes Dixon at 7:44.

Rating: C+. The extra time helped a bit here and Dixon is treated as a big deal, but it is still hard to get invested in him when his name is that terrible. It’s still weird to see Enofe (and Blade last week) in a singles match but it’s better than having him sit on the sidelines. The skill is there and if he can get a chance to showcase it, he might just get somewhere.

Overall Rating: C+. And just like that they take away some of the continuity and story building and give us a more more old school (work with me here) LVL Up. While I do like the extra promo time, there wasn’t much to get interested in here, though Carver did look like a monster. Rather standard show from around here though and that’s disappointing after the last few weeks.

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NXT LVL Up
Date: May 24, 2024
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Byron Saxton, Blake Howard

We are on the way towards Battleground but since there is a trip to Saudi Arabia on the way there, we’ll be in for a shortened edition of this show. That can make for a more enjoyable experience around here, though you never know what kind of stars you’ll be seeing from week to week. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Jazmyn Nyx vs. Lainey Reid

Reid trips her down to start and then grabs a quick la majistral for an early two. Back up and Nyx grabs a headlock but Reid armdrags her way to freedom and grabs an armbar. Nyx fights up and sends her into the corner for a quick kick to the ribs. A running kick to the chest sets up a figure four necklock on Reid but she powers up into an electric chair (dang). Reid hits a clothesline into a neckbreaker into a nipup, followed by a belly to back faceplant for two. Nyx manages to block a butterfly suplex and hits a Pele Kick for the pin at 5:39.

Rating: C+. This was better than I was expecting with Reid getting to show off quite a bit of athleticism. She had some rather impressive power stuff in there, with the electric chair especially standing out. It’s just a first match and she was only in there for about five minutes, but she did well while it lasted in one of her first televised matches.

Talk Ledger and Hank Walker discuss the term “literally”. Then they make tank noises.

Tank Ledger vs. Kale Dixon

In a VERY impressive bit of continuity, we actually get a look at Bron Breakker wrecking Dixon on Raw and a “previously recorded” graphic covers his stretcher job. Major points for that one. Ledger powers him into the corner to start and grinds away on a headlock. Back up and a running shoulder into a slam has Dixon in more trouble.

Ledger blocks a ram into the corner but gets superkicked out of the air to put him in trouble for a change. Dixon chokes away in the corner and hits a knee in the head for two. The double arm crank goes on but Dixon stops to pose, allowing Ledger to come back with a heck of a clothesline. Ledger’s middle rope elbow and a Bubba Bomb finishes for Ledger at 6:55.

Rating: C. I still do not get the appeal of Ledger (and/or Hank Walker) but they are semi-regulars around here and get quite a bit of time on this show. Granted so does Dixon, but I’m not expecting to see him around after Breakker smashed him. I know this because they covered it on here, which is a lot more than I was expecting.

Overall Rating: C. Not much to this one with the opener being more of a surprise than high quality. As usual, there is only so much you can get out of this show and that is lowered even more with one of the matches being cut. Nothing to see here, as this felt like a show that they did because they had to.

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NXT LVL Up
Date: May 3, 2024
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Blake Howard, Byron Saxton

It’s back for more of this and I’m not sure what that is going to mean. The good thing is that we had some bigger names last time and, again, it helped a lot. It would be nice to see that continue here as it is the only thing that makes the show feel even slightly worthwhile. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Eddy Thorpe vs. Kale Dixon

Thorpe grabs a headlock takeover to start and then armdrags him into an armbar for some cranking. Back up and a jumping elbow to the face puts Dixon down again but he’s back up with a tilt-a-whirl slam for two. Dixon hits his own elbow to the face to even things up a bit and another tilt-a-whirl slam gets two more. The chinlock goes on for a bit before Dixon chops him in the back, which just wakes Thorpe up. A German suplex into an elbow into the implant DDT finishes Dixon at 5:55.

Rating: C. As usual, Dixon is a perfectly fine hand in the ring who isn’t likely to go anywhere beyond LVL Up. Thorpe on the other hand feels like someone NXT wants to move up but he has only gotten so far. It’s nice seeing him on a bit of a winning streak, so hopefully he gets to keep it going and maybe into something a bit better.

Je’Von Evans is willing to go against anyone and that includes Riley Osborne tonight.

Kendal Grey vs. Kelani Jordan

Carlee Bright is here with Grey. They fight over wrist control to start until Jordan takes him down by the arm. An exchange of leg trips lets Grey crank on the arm before a belly to belly gives Grey two. Back up and they trade rollups for two each until Jordan grabs a fireman’s carry slam. The split legged moonsault gives Jordan the pin at 5:14.

Rating: C. Grey is the latest star on the roster in great shape with very little else to set her apart from the rest of the women’s division. Jordan has the gymnastics background which allows her to do some impressive things, though she is only starting to feel like something of a player. Both of them need the ring time so this works as well as anything else.

Riley Osborne vs. Je’Von Evans

Evans spins out of a wristlock to start and grabs one of his own. Back up and Evans snaps off a springboard hurricanrana to send Osborne to the floor. Osborne is fine enough to hit something like a 619 off the apron and we hit the reverse chinlock back inside. Evans fights up for a kick to the head into a springboard clothesline for the big knockdown. There’s the big dive to the floor to drop Osborne again but he switches places and hits a dive of his own. Back in and they trade rollups until Evans grabs a sunset flip for the big upset at 5:52.

Rating: C+. That is a heck of an upset as Osborne has been treated as someone with a big future around here. It made for a good moment and Evans is instantly a bigger deal. I’m not sure how far he is going to go but at some point you need to just try something with someone new. Evans is getting that treatment and now we get to see where it goes.

Overall Rating: C+. That ending helped a lot and it was the first moment in a long time around here that felt like it could matter going forward. For now, the show itself wasn’t much but I’m wanting to see what they’ll do next with Evans. The fans are behind him and now he’s getting an upgrade, which is kind of the point of this entire show. For once.

Results
Eddy Thorpe b. Kale Dixon – Impaler DDT
Kelani Jordan b. Kendal Grey – Split legged moonsault
Je’Von Evans b. Riley Osborne – Sunset flip

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NXT LVL Up
Date: April 19, 2024
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Blake Howard, Byron Saxton

It’s time to finally get caught up on this show as I’ve been a few weeks behind. Things have not been their sharpest around here lately as it has certainly felt like the way the show has been going for a very long time. Hopefully that changes this week, as a dull LVL Up is among the least interesting things in all of wrestling. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Kale Dixon vs. Riley Osborne

Dixon shrugs off an early wristlock and sends Osborne outside, meaning we get a bit of respect on the way back in. Osborne hits a quick dropkick out to the floor and this time he lets Dixon come back in. Dixon isn’t having that and decks Osborne, who knocks him right back down. Some kicks to the chest keep Osborne down and Dixon chops him in the back. The chinlock goes on but Osborne fights up and hits a jumping elbow. A knee to the face sets up a shooting star press to give Osborne the pin at 6:17.

Rating: C. Osborne gets a win here, though there is only so much that he is going to get from beating Dixon. While Dixon has a good look and enough ability, he is running with the anchor that is his first name. WWE can’t expect him to go far with that kind of a name, yet here we are anyway, with Dixon continuing to be stuck in limbo, at least partially due to being named after a vegetable.

Karmen Petrovic is ready for Wren Sinclair.

Karmen Petrovic vs. Wren Sinclair

Petrovic grabs a headlock to start and grinds away but Sinclair kicks away for a standoff. Another headlock goes on to keep Petrovic in control and she grabs a running basement Blockbuster for two. Sinclair pulls her down into a chinlock and even gets the knees into Petrovic’s back to make it worse. Petrovic fights out and makes the clothesline comeback, setting up a spinning kick to the back of the head for the pin at 4:59.

Rating: C. I don’t know if they’re building up Sinclair’s first win as a big deal or something else, but it’s almost weird to see her lose so often despite being good enough to do something. On the other hand you have Petrovic, who has a cool gimmick but is going to need something more besides being able to kick people.

Respect is shown post match.

Drake Morreaux/Javier Bernal vs. Hank Walker/Tank Ledger

Ledger powers Bernal into the corner to start and it’s quickly off to Morreaux, who runs Ledger down. Bernal comes back in and is promptly slammed by Walker, setting up Ledger’s slingshot splash for two. With Morreaux down, a double slam puts Bernal onto him for a rather nasty crash. Morreaux takes Walker down though and Bernal gets to stomp away.

The chinlock doesn’t last long and it’s Ledger coming back in to clean house. Everything breaks down and Morreaux knocks Walker outside, allowing Bernal’s top rope splash to connect for two. Back up and Walker and Ledger knock Morreaux to the floor, setting up a running powerslam/forearm to the back of the head combination to finish Bernal at 6:29.

Rating: C+. Match of the night here though that’s not saying much. At least Morreaux, who has some promise, didn’t take the loss here, as Bernal is the definition of expendable. Ledger and Walker are becoming LVL Up guys and that isn’t the best thing, as they’re only so interesting in the first place.

Overall Rating: C. Pretty nothing show this week and unfortunately you just have to be used to that around here. The main event was the best match if that means much, as this was just another thirty minutes that came and went without much happening. Completely average edition here, and that means nothing about what is to come around here.

Results
Riley Osborne b. Kale Dixon – Shooting star press
Karmen Petrovic b. Wren Sinclair – Spinning kick to the back of the head
Hank Walker/Tank Ledger b. Drake Morreaux/Javier Bernal – Running powerslam/forearm combination to Bernal

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

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NXT LVL Up
Date: March 1, 2024
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Blake Howard, Byron Saxton

We’re just over a month away from Stand & Deliver and that means we get to see people who will have nothing to do with that show. LVL Up is back to its old self with little in the way of interest, but at least we could be in for a surprise, which the show has had over its history. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Stacks vs. Kale Dixon

Riz is here with Stacks and Dixon is back after about eight months away. Dixon powers him into the corner to start so Stacks wrestles Dixon down to the mat. An armbar into an armdrag has Stacks down and Dixon sends him outside. A baseball slide lands Dixon in the ring skirt though and Stacks hammers away. Dixon gets a boot up in the corner back inside, only to get hit in the face. Cement Shoes finishes for Stacks at 5:22.

Rating: C. Stacks isn’t the biggest name in the world but he’s a bigger deal than you usually see around here. That’s a nice little bonus around here, even if it is just for a week, and helps a good bit. At the same time, Dixon is back and his name is still Kale Dixon, meaning I think you know how far he is getting around here.

Je’Von Evans is happy to be back and ready to go in another try against Javier Bernal.

Lola Vice vs. Wren Sinclair

They fight over wrist control to start until Sinclair gets her down to work on the leg. Vice isn’t having that though and takes her into the corner to start in on the arm. Some right hands in the corner put Sinclair down and Vice cranks on the arm again. Back up and a legdrag has Vice down and Sinclair rolls her up for two. Vice shrugs it off and hits a spinning backfist for the pin at 4:45.

Rating: C. What matters here is that I could see this match taking place on a regular episode of NXT. Vice was challenging for the Women’s Title not too long ago and Sinclair has been something of a featured name in recent weeks. It wasn’t exactly a great match but it felt like something a bit more important than usual and I’ll certainly take that.

Je’Von Evans vs. Javier Bernal

Bernal works on the arm to start and shrugs off a dropkick attempt. Back and Evans snaps off a headscissors but Bernal knocks him down again. A knee to the ribs cuts off Evans’ comeback and Bernal gets in a shot on the apron. Back in and they slug it out with Bernal hitting a jumping kick to the head. Evans’ springboard clothesline gets two but Bernal’s DDT gets the same. Some rollups give Evans two each and he kicks Bernal down. A springboard spinning splash gives Evans the upset pin at 6:23.

Rating: C+. At some point, if you’re going to make these new wrestlers into stars, you have to do something like this. Evans certainly has a certain something to him and giving him a win over someone like Bernal is a nice start for him. He has a long way to go but at the end of the day, at least he has a win under his belt and that is the right first step.

Overall Rating: C+. Egads this show cannot pick what it needs to be most of the time but at least in this case they went with the right choice. There was more star power here and Evans got his big win. Good enough show here, as it felt like something you might want to see rather than something that is just kind of there.

Results
Stacks b. Kale Dixon – Cement Shoes
Lola Vice b. Wren Sinclair – Spinning backfist
Je’Von Evans b. Javier Bernal – Springboard spinning splash

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

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AND

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