NXT LVL Up
Date: November 22, 2024
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Blake Howard, Byron Saxton

I’m getting more curious about what this show is going to be doing as they’ve been making some nice adjustments over the last few months. The show is still nothing exactly worth seeing but I’ll take a bit more effort over the same stuff week after week. Hopefully they can keep something going this time so let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Joe Coffey vs. Harlem Lewis

Coffey grabs a headlock to start and takes Lewis down for some grinding. That’s broken up and Lewis runs him over but Coffey is back up with some whips into the corner. Some kicks to the chest have Lewis in more trouble and we hit something like a seated abdominal stretch. Lewis fights out and pulls Coffey out of the air (dang) for a Jackhammer and a near fall. That’s enough for Coffey, who hits the Glasgow Sendoff into All The Best For The Bells and the pin at 4:31.

Rating: C+. Lewis pulling Coffey out of the air like that was worth at least something of an upgrade as that is impressive for anyone. Coffey actually needed the win after losing that six man a few weeks ago and this got him back on track. Odds are this story isn’t over though and for once, I can go for something like that.

Lainey Reid isn’t happy with being asked if she can beat Tyra Mae Steele. She also seems a bit nervous about Layla Diggs.

Lainey Reid vs. Tyra Mae Steele

Reid spins out of a foot grab to start but Steele takes her down by the leg without much effort. An armbar keeps Reid down but she sends Steele into the corner for a running elbow. A seated abdominal stretch is broken up in a hurry and Reid misses a charge into the post. Steele’s bridging German suplex gets two and she pulls Reid out of the air. After pausing for a second (that was weir), Steele rolls backwards into a Snake Eyes attempt but gets sent into the buckle. Reid rolls her up and grabs the trunks for the pin at 4:25.

Rating: C. Steel’s very early learning curve continues as there is only so much you can get out of these four minute matches. That being said, she’s getting her feet wet at this point and that should do her some good, though putting her in there with someone with some more experience might help. This wasn’t a particularly impressive match, but Steele is certainly a long term project.

Post match Layla Diggs chases Reid back into the ring for a Pounce from Steele.

Post break Diggs says she is tired of playing Reid’s games and revenge is coming.

Shiloh Hill vs. Dante Chen

They fight over wrist control to start as commentary talks about Chen’s desire to help rookies because people helped him when he got here. Hill’s cravate has Chen in some trouble but he avoids a charge to send Hill into the post. Chen stays on the arm with a DDT into an armbar, followed by an armdrag into another armbar. Hill fights up and they trade near falls until the Gentle Touch finishes Hill off at 6:03.

Rating: C. As usual, Chen is treated as nothing short of a superhero around here and it’s still a weird thing to see. I still don’t known if I get the appeal, but the fans around here seem to like him enough. Other than that, Hill goes from a promising star to losing to Chen, which tends to be the opposite of how things work. Kind of a weird way to go, but who am I to question Chen?

Overall Rating: C. The interesting thing here is the Reid/Diggs story, which is getting some time and actually building. It’s not exactly something I want to see, but I’ll take an attempt at something around here rather than just doing the same thing over and over. We’ll call this show a fairly boring step in the right direction, but a step nonetheless.

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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: November 8, 2024
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Blake Howard, Byron Saxton

We’re still stuck with the shorter form shows due to the main roster being in Saudi Arabia. That doesn’t make a ton of difference around here, but it is at last something to shake up the run of the mill nature of this show. Other than that, we’re at least getting some minor continuity, which is more than we’ve gotten forever. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Dani Palmer vs. Kali Armstrong

Armstrong powers her down by the arm to start but Palmer nips up and grabs an armbar of her own. Back up and Armstrong stomps away in the corner before an elbow drop gets two. The abdominal stretch, with the grab of a leg, has Palmer in more trouble but she fights out in a hurry. An enziguri puts Armstrong down and the moonsault gives Palmer the pin at 4:36.

Rating: C. Not much to this one with Armstrong as a fairly generic “I’m strong and better than you” villain. Palmer is only so much better than that made a fine enough match, albeit rather short. It’s not like Palmer has anything going on at the moment though and that doesn’t seem likely to change anytime soon.

Dion Lennox, Shiloh Hill and Cutler James are ready for Gallus.

Gallus is ready for their six man tag. This is being treated like an actual match.

Dion Lennox/Shiloh Hill/Cutler James vs. Gallus

Wolfgang hammers Lennox into the corner to start but it’s off to Hill for some shoulders to the ribs in the corner. Mark gets taken into the corner by the arm and it’s off to James for a wheelbarrow faceplant. The numbers game gets Cutler in trouble though and a Regal Roll gives Joe two. James manages a backdrop though and the tag brings in Lennox to clean house. Some northern lights suplexes put Gallus down but Joe is back with the Glasgow Sendoff. Hill cleans house but gets sent outside, leaving Lennox to grab a rollup for the big upset pin at 6:13.

Rating: C+. And points for the shock here as I never would have bet on Gallus being in anything resembling trouble here but the young guys won. That’s an actual upset and something that could genuinely boost them up. Gallus has been treated as a big (well big enough) deal around here and to have a bunch of mostly unproven stars beat them was rather stunning.

Overall Rating: C+. I’m still trying to get over the main event as you just do not see results like that around here. I’ve been wanting anything important, or at least interesting, to happen on this show forever and, albeit once, they’ve actually done it. Now do something else to keep it going and turn this into an actual show that has some value for the regulars.

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

We’re done with Halloween Havoc and the main roster is on the way to Saudi Arabia so this is another short form edition. Last week’s show featured something of a change in style with some stories being added to spice the matches up a bit. The change wasn’t much but I’ll take what I can get. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Carlee Bright vs. Lainey Reid

They fight over a lockup to start until Reid shoulders her down. Back up and Bright cranks away on the arm before hitting a quick dropkick. A monkey flip out of the corner puts Reid down but she’s right back with the forearms in another corner. Reid chokes on the ropes and hits a gutbuster into the chinlock. That’s broken up and Bright grabs a middle rope hurricanrana for two as the fans are split. A Backstabber rocks Reid but she pulls the hair and grabs a rolling cutter for the pin at 6:34.

Rating: C+. Bright was definitely starting to show some more in the ring here and that’s a good sign for her future. What’s not a good sign is that she still doesn’t have anything that makes her stand out. She’s rather athletic and that’s about the extent of anything that she has going right now. Reid is someone who isn’t exactly great in the ring, but NXT sees something in her and that’s what matters right now.

Post break Reid it’s worried about Layla Diggs.

Oro Mensah vs. Niko Vance

The rather strong Vance powers him into the corner to start and then runs Mensah over with a shoulder. An anklescissors sends Vance to the apron and a flipping kick to the head drops him again. Vance gets smart by going after the leg, though the fans don’t approve. Back in and Vance works on the leg, including slamming it onto the apron.

A shinbreaker into a suplex gives Vance two and he steps on the face for a half crab. Mensah slips out of a powerbomb though and chops away before ramming Vance into the corner a few times. The leg is fine enough for a springboard shot to Vance’s head but Vance sends him into the corner. Vance goes up but Mensah kicks him down, setting up the running spinwheel kick in the corner for the pin at 7:43.

Rating: C-. Well that happened. I have no idea what the point is in having Vance work on the leg for the majority of the match if Mensah is going to come right back with a bunch of jumping and kicking. Vance was wrestling a nice match as a bully here, but what he does doesn’t matter if Mensah isn’t going to do his part.

Overall Rating: C. Not much to this one, but again there is only so much that can be done with about twenty minutes on the whole show. Reid and Vance did well but I would have expected more from Mensah, who has been on the regular NXT show long enough to not do the Mike Bailey Special. Other than that, they are at least building to something with Diggs and Reid, which could be…well it’ll exist.

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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: October 18, 2024
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Blake Howard, Byron Saxton

I’m a good bit behind on this series again and hopefully I’m coming back with a good show. You can get quite the set of surprises around here and it would be nice to see the quality working here. In other words, it depends on who we get in the ring, because the talent selection goes a long way. Let’s get to it.

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

Tyson DuPont/Tyriek Igwe vs. Harlem Lewis/Niko Vance

Igwe and Vance fight over a lockup to start before it’s off to Lewis to work on the arm. A shoulder runs Igwe over again but it’s off to DuPont to run the other two over. Igwe and DuPont clear the ring and get in a quick pose but it’s Vance taking over on DuPont back inside. A dragon screw legwhip takes DuPont back down and we hit the half crab. That’s quickly broken up and it’s off to Igwe to clean house. Everything breaks down and the Heartstopper finishes Vance at 6:19.

Rating: C+. This was better than I was expecting and that’s always a nice surprise around here. Igwe and DuPont continue to be a team who can do well if given the chance but they’re always stuck around here. Give them a few more wins and something to do on the main NXT show and it could be worth a look. Vance and Lewis did well enough, though they felt like two people being thrown out there to give Igwe and DuPont something to do.

Malik Blade is ready for his singles match against Tavion Heights.

Layla Diggs vs. Lainey Reid

This is the result of Reid not wanting Diggs’ opinion. Reid shoulders her down to start but a ram of the knee into the mat is blocked. Diggs works on a wristlock before hitting a quick dropkick for two. Reid is back up with a spinning suplex into a chinlock but Diggs fights up without much effort. Diggs hits a powerslam into a standing moonsault for two but Reid knees her in the back. That and a rollup with the ropes are enough to finish Diggs at 5:36.

Rating: C. Reid is someone who has been getting a lot of extra attention in recent months and I’m sure WWE sees something in her. What we got here was good enough as she cheats to beat another rather athletic star. Diggs hasn’t gotten to prove much about herself but I’ll take a decent showing like this one.

Post break Reid said she did what she had to do but Diggs chases her off.

Malik Blade vs. Tavion Heights

Myles Borne is here with Heights. Blade takes him down to start but Heights shows him a much better way to do so, with the riding ensuing. Back up and Blade hits a quick dropkick into a headlock takeover as Heights can’t power his way out. Heights manages to get up and power Blade into the corner, with a suplex back out of it getting two.

Blade slugs away until a hard running clothesline drops him for two more. Heights mixes it up with a seated full nelson but Blade slips out for two off a crucifix. A swinging DDT gives Blade two more but Heights is right back with the spinning belly to belly to put Blade away at 8:27.

Rating: C+. Nice back and forth match here as Blade was able to hang in there on his own without the injured Edris Enofe. Heights still feels like someone who could be a player if he was given the chance and we saw some of that here. That belly to belly looked good and the match worked well enough, especially for a main event.

Overall Rating: C+. This show had a nice mixture for around here and I’ll take that where I can get it. You’re only going to get so much out of LVL Up most weeks and this was a bit better than usual. What matters is finding the right balance around here and having something possibly continuing with Diggs and Reid is better than nothing. Nice show here, or at least as nice as it’s likely to get.

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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 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.

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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.

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: September 6, 2024
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Blake Howard, Byron Saxton

We’re done with No Mercy and that means we should be back to full strength around here. Granted that means going with three matches rather than two, which isn’t exactly a big upgrade but it feels better than the norm. Hopefully there are some bigger names around here this week though, as it was only so good over the last few weeks. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Izzi Dame vs. Layla Diggs

Dame powers her into the corner to start but Diggs is right back with a running hurricanrana. Diggs works on the arm but slips on the ropes, allowing Dame to drop an elbow. Commentary actually talks about Main Event, reminding us that the show actually exists. A powerbomb onto the knee keeps Diggs in trouble and a regular backbreaker gets two. Dame bents the back over her knee, setting up a Sky High for two more. Back up and Diggs gets in a few shots, only to miss a dropkick. That lets Dame kick her in the face and hit a swinging Side Effect for the pin at 5:45.

Rating: C. This was little more than a squash as Diggs barely had anything going for the most part. Instead it was Dame working on her back and then going to the finish. Dame’s size alone should get her a chance, though she hasn’t exactly stood out yet. That is even more the case for Diggs, who hasn’t done anything to make her feel different.

Earlier this week, Dani Palmer came up to Lainey Reid for a rather badly recited interaction. Either way they’re having a match this week. This was at least different than the standard interview, but that doesn’t mean it was better.

Dani Palmer vs. Lainey Reid

Reid knocks her down to start but Palmer flips out of a headscissors. Palmer’s rollup sends Reid outside, which has her so angry that she grabs a dragon screw legwhip on the apron. Back in and Reid hits a belly to back faceplant for two before grabbing a half crab. That’s broken up and Palmer knocks her down, setting up a Low Down (not Sky High Byron) for two. Palmer goes back up and hits a moonsault for the pin at 5:53.

Rating: C+. Well, they did stand out a bit more, though I’m not sure how well they pulled it off. Palmer is suddenly a daredevil and I’m not sure if just using a moonsault makes that accurate. On the other hand, Reid is the southern belle who snaps when slightly pushed. That is something that could go somewhere, but Palmer is further along right now, despite having a more generic persona.

Drake Morreaux is ready to climb to the top.

Drake Morreaux vs. Dante Chen

They fight over wrist control to start until the much bigger Morreaux grabs a front facelock. A gator roll has Chen in more trouble and his takedown attempt is easily cut off. Morreaux hits a nice dropkick and we hit the seated full nelson. Chen fights up but gets pulled right back down into the same hold. Another comeback works a bit better as Chen hits an enziguri before knocking Morreaux outside for a dive. Back in and Morreaux gets kicked down again, setting up the double chop to finish for Chen at 7:40.

Rating: B-. Bruno Sammartino in his prime would go down to that double chop if it was on this show. Anyway, this was far better than I was expecting as Chen had to deal with the monster but could only get so far against someone that size. At the same time, they have something with Morreaux, but he needs a lot more polishing and experience to really get there. For now though, surprisingly good match and I’ll always take that.

Overall Rating: C+. This show got better as it sent on and that is not a bad way to go. What matters is making this show feel like it is different enough week to week, which is a rather difficult task given how it is set up. For a thirty minute show featuring the lowest people on the NXT roster, this was an entertaining way to go and I liked what I got out of it, so call this one a win.

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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