NXT LVL Up
Date: October 11, 2024
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Blake Howard, Byron Saxton

NXT is on the road and that means almost nothing around here, as we’re still on taped shows from before the move took place. I’m not sure if that is going to change in a big way when the show gets back home, but at least It’s something to look forward to. In theory that is at least. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Tatum Paxley vs. Kali Armstrong

Armstrong breaks what looked to be a doll held by Paxley’s mother (who is in the crowd). Paxley is so incensed that she locks up with Armstrong and then drops to the mat for a creepy look. A front facelock is broken up so Paxley settles for two off a sunset flip instead. Back up and a dropkick gives Paxley two more but Armstrong grabs a powerslam to take over.

Some elbows to the neck keep Paxley down and Armstrong hammers away with right hands. A running shoulder sets up the neck crank but Paxley is back up with some dropkicks. Something like a torture rack Angle Slam gives Paxley two, followed by the Psycho Trap for the pin at 4:58.

Rating: C. Quick and to the point here, with Armstrong being added to the incredibly long list of talented athletes with college backgrounds who need something to set them apart. Maybe Armstrong can figure out how to do that, but it is likely to take time. Other than that, Paxley continues to feel like a piece of other stories rather than anything of her own and that is going to limit her ceiling in a big way.

Stevie Turner has put Gallus in a tag match against an up and coming team in Shiloh Hill and Cutler James.

Mr. Stone tells James and Hill that they’re facing Gallus and takes credit for the match.

Gallus vs. Cutler James/Shiloh Hill

Joe Coffey is here with Gallus. Hill jumps Mark to start and it’s off to Cutler for a wheelbarrow faceplant. Wolfgang comes in off a blind tag and decks Cutler to take over, setting up an armbar. A basement clothesline gives Wolfgang two and we hit an abdominal stretch. We’ll make that a chinlock before Cutler avoids a charge in the corner. A running shoulder allows Hill to come back in as everything breaks down. The running boot/flapjack finishes Cutler at 6:23.

Rating: C. James and Hill are becoming one of the new teams around here and that isn’t a bad thing. They work well together and could wind up being a little something, though there is no shame in losing to a seasoned team like Gallus. Call this one a learning experience, albeit not a great one.

Overall Rating: C. They were short and to the point here and there wasn’t much to be seen. Hill and James are starting to get a bit of a push and that’s all it needed to be here. Things can pick back up again next week when LVL Up catches up to the main show. Or absolutely nothing changes, as it almost never does around here.

 

 

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NXT LVL Up
Date: September 20, 2024
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Blake Howard, Byron Saxton

We’re coming up on the move over to the CW, with only two shows left before the change. While it isn’t likely, there is always the chance that this show could undergo some changes of its own. Last week’s show was different enough and maybe now we can see things getting better around here. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Lash Legend vs. Lainey Reid

Jakara Jackson is here with Legend. Reid works on the arm to start but Legend powers out and does the same. Legend sends her into the buckle over and over before dropping Reid with a suplex. They head outside with Legend getting posted, setting up the chinlock back inside. That doesn’t work for Legend who powers up and plants her down, setting up a fall away slam. A chokeslam gets two on Reid, who snaps off a middle rope hurricanrana for two. Reid goes up but gets kicked out of the air, setting up the back to back faceplant to finish for Legend at 5:57.

Rating: C+. Reid is starting to make some more appearances around here and that’s going to help her out in the long run. She didn’t show much in the way of the whole southern belle here but it was her best in-ring effort, which could be a positive sign for her. Legend continues to look smooth in the ring, which is hard to fathom given where she was just a year or so ago.

Kali Armstrong is ready to bring speed and aggression against Brinley Reece. Believe it or not, she’s a former NCAA athlete who is trying wrestling.

Kali Armstrong vs. Brinley Reece

Armstrong powers her down to start and chokes in the corner but Reece isn’t having any of that. A drop toehold brings Armstrong down and she cranks away on Armstrong’s arm. Reece goes up but gets pulled down for a face first crash. Armstrong clotheslines her down and grabs something like a seated crossface chickenwing. That’s broken up so Armstrong hits a powerslam, only for Reece to come up with a not great TKO for the pin (ignore her shoulders being down too) at 4:44.

Rating: C. This is a weird one as Armstrong was coming off as the better of the two, with her power stuff working well. On the other hand, Reece just didn’t do anything special here and it’s a bit surprising as long as she has been around. There’s nothing to make her stand out and this wasn’t exactly an impressive performance.

Cutler James gives Shiloh Hill a pep talk before the main event. This was as awkward and badly executed as you would have expected.

Shiloh Hill vs. Mark Coffey

Coffey grabs a headlock to start but Hill powers out and drives him into the corner. Hill works on an armbar and then a headlock but Coffey hits an elbow to the face. The chinlock goes on to keep Hill down, only to have him suplex his way to freedom. A double underhook slam gives Hill two but Coffey hits him in the face for the pin at 5:56.

Rating: C. Hill has impressed in recent appearances and it is a good sign that he is getting this kind of a spot. I could go for seeing him getting another chance, as he is one of the better stars in the new crop of NXT rookies. Losing to Coffey isn’t going to hurt him so this was as logical of a main event as you could have gotten.

Hill lost a tooth on that shot to the face.

Overall Rating: C. Hill and Armstrong showed some promise here, which made for something of an odd night as the two bigger names didn’t do anything special this week. The show went by quickly though and nothing was too bad, but they need to do something a bit more interesting. If nothing else, it’s nice to see some fresh faces on the show and hopefully that keeps up going forward.

 

 

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.