Leighty’s NXT Level Up Review: 4.26.24

-I saw the results of the WWE Draft but didn’t see the show yet (DVR) as I was watching The NFL Draft. Go Niners! Let’s get to it for WWE NXT Level up!

-Announce Team: Blake Howard and Byron Saxton
-Taped: WWE Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, FL

Jakara Jackson (w/ Meta-Four) vs. Ariana Grace

-Lockup to start and Jackson gets an armdrag and then another. She hooks the arm and works that for a bit. Grace rolls over and over until she can reverse. Now she has arm control and takes it to the mat with an armbar. Jackson keeps the hands locked and is able to roll to get a one count, which forces Grace to break. Another got a Grace takes things right back to the mat. Grace ends up on the apron and Meta-Four distracts long enough for Jackson to regain the advantage. She knocks Grace to the floor and once back in the ring, sends her into the corner. They fight over a backslide, which Grace gets for a two count. She charges, but Jackson moves and Grace gets caught throat-first on the middle rope. Slingblade gets a two-count! This crowd is very quiet tonight! Jackson with a modified chinlock and that gets the crowd into it a bit as they cheer on Grace. She is able to break and starts her comeback with a charge in the corner followed by a suplex. Lash Legends up on the apron and eats a right hand. Running knee from Grace gets a two-count! Meta-Four distracts the ref again, which lets Jackson go to the eyes. Sugar Rush finishes at 5:46.

Winner: Jakara Jackson via pin at 5:46
-Dead crowd didn’t help this one. They worked hard, but there wasn’t much here as they just traded armbars and chinlocks in between Meta-Four interference leading to the win. *

-Dion Lennox and Dante Chen get promo time backstage. It seems they are teaming up tonight.

-WWE Shop commercial!

-NXT Battleground is at UFC Apex Arena!

Jaida Parker (w/ OTM) vs. Carlee Bright (w/ Kendal Grey)

-Blake notes the two were friends when they arrived at The PC, but things have changed. Bright controls early with a side headlock. Parker escapes and tries a drop-down, but Bright goes right down to apply the side headlock again. Dropkick by Bright and another! A third is missed as Parker grabs the top rope. She laughs at Bright and then catches her in the corner. She lays Bright between the ropes, lands a chop, and then hits an ass splash in the corner. She tells Kendal to watch what she is doing. Bright tries a cross-body but gets caught and Parker gets a backbreaker for two. Kneeling abdominal stretch as again I am saddened by how quiet the crowd is this week. Bright throws kicks from the mat to break and getting a running clothesline. Another! Handspring kick in the corner, but she gets caught and dropped on the middle rope throat first. Parker with a flipping neckbreaker and a running Hip Attack gets the pin at 4:52.

Winner: Jaida Parker via pin at 4:52
-I enjoyed this more than the opener. Parker winning was an easy call as she is notches above Bright, which is fine at this point. Parker has something and it will be fun to continue to watch her develop. Bright is a good athlete obviously and is showing me more each time out. **

-WWE and Make-A-Wish commercial!

Malik Blade and Edris Enofe (w/ Brinley Reece) vs. Dante Chen and Dion Lennox

-Dion starts with Malik and they run around the ring for a bit before a tag to Enofe. He gets a slam and drops an elbow on Lennox. He rips off the shirt to show off that he is shredded. That backfires though as he gets picked up and ran into the wrong corner. Tag to Chen, but he gets caught trying to charge in the corner. Tag to Blade and he grabs an arm to work on that. Blind tag to Lennox and he catches Blade trying a cross-body. Lennox drops him for a two count and a tag to Chen. He buries a knee in the back and hooks a chinlock. Blade can escape and gets a sunset flip for a two-count. Chen cuts off the hot tag though and drives Blade back into his corner. Lennox in and he gets a nice Northern Lights Suplex for two. TORTURE RACK as Reece gets on the apron for some reason. Blade escapes and ducks a clothesline to make the hot tag. Enofe runs wild and plants Chen with a spinebuster. All four men are in the ring and Lennox eats a superkick. Chen hist Gentle Touch on Enofe which also takes out Lennox. Blade with a fireman’s carry into a cutter for the pin at 5:19.

Winners: Malik Blade and Edris Enofe via pin at 5:19
-This was a little clunky and again, the crowd was not really into this one. I don’t see the Chen/Lennox team sticking, but stranger things have happened. Blade and Enofe winning made all the sense as they shouldn’t be losing to first-time teams. **

-Thanks for reading!

6.0

The final score: review Average

The 411

Just a basic episode of Level Up which is fine. Always a breeze to watch and two okay matches makes this your average episode of Level Up.