Leighty’s 2024 Countdown: The Matches of NXT Level Up

-We are a month into 2025, but we have one last chance to look back at 2024. For years I have been running columns like this where I count down all the matches I watched on various shows like Main Event, and Level Up. Unfortunately, Level Up came to a close and this will be the last time I get a chance to rank matches from the developmental’s developmental. I grew to really enjoy this show for what it was and I would joke these were my “kids,” as I would see them develop and move to NXT, Main Event and the Main Roster. This column has been running for me every year since I took over reviewing this show after Larry’s tragic passing in 2020. Back then this show was still 205 Live. I am a sucker for countdown shows and always love doing columns like this. As I mentioned in my Main Event Matches of 2024 Countdown, I enjoyed when Larry would do a column like this and rank WrestleMania weekend matches, or Hulk Hogan’s WrestleMania Matches. As a note there are a ton of matches on this list, and I ranked them as each show completed and I would just slot them based on what I felt at that moment. I am human, so I do give preference to those wrestlers I am more entertained by, and the result of a match can also elevate or drop my opinion. As Larry would always write: The only rules are “have a take, be respectful, and don’t be a dick.” Let’s get to it!

138) Brinley Reece vs. Kali Armstrong (9.20.24) 1/2*

137) Karmen Petrovic vs. Wren Sinclair (4.19.24) 1/2*

136) Karmen Petrovic vs. Wren Sinclair (6.21.24) 1/2*

135) Carlee Bright vs. Blair Davenport (2.2.24) 1/2* 



134) Jacy Jayne vs. Carlee Bright (1.19.24) SQUASH



133) Amari Miller vs. Jaida Parker (1.12.24) 1/2* 



132) Stevie Turner and Blair Davenport vs. Kendal Grey and Carlee Bright (4.12.24) *

131) Izzi Dame vs. Layla Diggs (9.6.24) *

130) Wren Sinclair vs. Adriana Rizzo (6.7.24) *

129) Tyson Dupont and Tyriek Igwe vs. Cutler James and Dion Lennox (6.21.24) *

128) Channing Lorenzo and Luca Crusifino vs. Shiloh Hill and Jasper Troy (6.14.24) *

127) Stevie Turner vs. Kendal Grey (5.31.24) *

126) Karmen Petrovic vs. Izzi Dame (3.8.24) *



125) Lola Vice vs. Wren Sinclair * (3.1.24) 



124) Joe Gacy vs. Javier Bernal (1.12.24) *

123) Jakara Jackson vs. Ariana Grace (4.26.24) *

122) Wren Sinclair vs. Tyra Mae Steele (7.5.24) *

121) Wren Sinclair vs. Sol Ruca (3.15.24) *

120) Malik Blade vs. Cutler James (7.12.24) *

119) Wren Sinclair vs. Wendy Choo (5.10.24) *1/4

118) Brooks Jensen vs. Dante Chen (2.2.24) *1/4



117) Tatum Paxley vs. Layla Diggs (7.12.24) *1/4

116) Jazmyn Nyx vs. Dani Palmer (8.23.24) *1/4

115) Layla Diggs and Brinley Reece vs. Carlee Bright and Kendal Grey (5.17.24) *1/2

114) Kelani Jordan vs. Kendal Grey (5.3.24) *1/2

113) Lola Vice vs. Carlee Bright (03.15.24) *1/2

112) Izzi Dame vs. Kendal Grey (6.14.24) *1/2

111) Jazmyn Nyx vs. Kendal Grey (6.28.24) *1/2

110) Dante Chen vs. Harlem Lewis (10.4.24) *1/2

109) Dante Chen vs. Shiloh Hill (11.22.24) *1/2

108) Wendy Choo vs. Lainey Reid (8.9.24) *1/2

107) Riley Osborn vs. Kale Dixon (4.19.24) *1/2

106) Gigi Dolin vs. Izzi Dame (2.16.24) *1/2

105) Dani Palmer vs. Kali Armstrong (11/8.24) *1/2

104) Josh Briggs vs. Cutler James (5.10.24) *1/2

103) Tatum Paxley vs. Brinley Reece (4.5.24) *1/2

102) Carlee Bright vs. Lainey Reid (11.1.24) *1/2

101) Mark Coffey vs. Shiloh Hill (9.20.24) *1/2 



100) Tavion Heights vs Myles Borne (2.9.24) *1/2



99) Brinley Reece and Kiyah Saint vs. Kiana James and Izzi Dame (1.5.24) *1/2 



98) Scrypts vs. Brooks Jensen (1.19.24) *1/2

97) Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo vs. Jasper Troy (9.27.24) *1/2 



96) Jakara Jackson vs. Kendal Grey (7.19.24) *1/2

95) Dion Lennox vs. Eddy Thorpe (4.12.24) *1/2

94) Joe Coffey vs. Tavion Heights (1.12.24) *1/2

93) Josh Briggs vs. Shiloh Hill (7.5.24) *1/2

92) Kale Dixon vs. Eddy Thorpe (5.3.24) *1/2

91) Kelani Jordan vs. Stevie Tuner (2.9.24) *3/4

90) Hank and Tank vs. Dion Lennox and Uriah Connors (7.12.24) *3/4 



89) Luca Crusifino vs. Uriah Connors (7.5.24) *3/4 


88) Jaida Parker vs. Lainey Reed (3.22.24) *3/4



87) Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo vs. Kale Dixon (3.1.24) **

86) Channing Lorenzo and Luca Crusifino vs. Javier Bernal and Drake Morreaux (3.15.24) **


85) Channing Lorenzo and Luca Crusifino vs. Dion Lennox and Dante Chen (5.10.24) **

84) Channing Lorenzo and Luca Crusifino vs. Tyriek Igwe and Tyson Dupont (8.23.24) **

83) Uriah Connors and Kale Dixon vs. Tyson Dupont and Tyriek Igwe (9.27.24) **

82) Harlem Lewis and Niko Vance vs. Tyson Dupont and Tyriek Igwe (10.18.24) **

81) Luca Crusifino vs. Niko Vance (9.13.24) **

80) Drake Morreaux vs. Harlem Lewis (11.29.24) **

79) Jaida Parker vs. Carlee Bright (4.26.24) **

78) Joe Coffey vs. Harlem Lewis (11.22.24) **

77) Izzi Dame vs. Tyra Mae Steele (10.25.24) **

76) Blade and Enofe vs. Dante Chen and Dion Lennox (4.26.24) **

75) Tyra Mae Steele and Layla Diggs vs. Lainey Reid and Kali Armstrong (11.29.24) **

74) Hank Walker and Tank Ledger vs. Kale Dixon and Uriah Connors (8.30.24) **

73) Hank Walker and Tank Ledger vs. Tyson Dupont and Tyriek Igwe (2.2.24) **

72) Shiloh Hill and Cutler James vs. Uriah Connors and Kale Dixon (9.13.24) **

71) Dion Lennox and Cutler James vs. Kale Dixon and Uriah Connors 11.29.24) **

70) Luca Crusifino vs. Brooks Jensen (1.5.24) **

69) Kale Dixon vs. Tank Ledger (5.24.24) **

68) Mark Coffey vs. Dion Lennox (10.25.24) ** 



67) Adriana Rizzo vs. Lainey Reid (7.19.24) **

66) Jaida Parker vs. Layla Diggs (7.26.24) ** 



65) Shiloh Hill vs. Uriah Connors (6.21.24) **



64) Wolfgang vs. Cutler James (8.30.24) **

63) Tank Ledger vs. Tavion Heights (06.07.24) **



62) Meta-Four (Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson) vs. Carlee Bright and Kendal Grey (3.29.24) **

61) Scrypts vs. Dion Lennox (3.8.24) **

60) Eddy Thorpe vs. Shiloh Hill (7.19.24) **

59) Jazmyn Nyx vs. Lainey Reid (5.24.24) **

58) Javier Bernal vs. Keanu Carver (2.9.24) **

57) Dante Chen vs. Drake Morreaux (9.6.24) **

56) Dante Chen vs. Drake Morreaux (4.5.24) **

55) Gallus vs. Cutler James and Shiloh Hill (10.11.24) **

54) Adrianna Rizzo vs. Izzi Dame (8.16.24) **

53) Dante Chen vs. Keanu Carver (8.9.24) **

52) Karmen Petrovic vs. Brinley Reece (2.16.24) **

51) Carlee Bright vs. Izzi Dame (11.15.24) **

50) Tavion Heights vs. Saquon Shugars (3.22.24) **

49) OTM vs. Igwe, Dupont, and Evans (4.5.24) **

48) Tatum Paxley vs. Tyra Mae Steele (8.2.24) **

47) Uriah Connors vs. Cutler James (5.31.24) **

46) Dupont and Igwe vs. Dempsey and Borne (5.31.24) **

45) Lainey Reid vs. Layla Diggs (12.6.24) **

44) Sol Ruca vs. Dani Palmer (9.27.24) **

43) Scrypts vs. Je’Von Evans (3.29.24) **

42) Dante Chen vs. Tavion Heights (3.8.24) **

41) Tavion Heights vs. Uriah Connors (4.12.24) **

40) Oro Mensah vs. Dion Lennox (1.5.24) **

39) Bronco Nima vs. Malik Blade (8.2.24) **1/4

38) Hank and Tank vs. Javier Bernal and Drake Morreaux (4.19.24) **1/4

37) Duke Hudson and Riley Osborne vs. Drake Morreaux and Javier Bernal (6.7.24) **1/4

36) Adrianna Rizzo vs. Lainey Reid (10.4.24) **1/4

35) Andre Chase vs. Lucien Price (6.14.24) **1/4

34) Tatum Paxley vs. Kali Armstrong (10.11.24) **1/4

33) Oro Mensah vs. Niko Vance (11.1.24) **1/4

32) Layla Diggs vs. Lainey Reid (10.11.24) **1/4

31) Wendy Choo vs. Dani Palmer (12.13.24) **1/4

30) Lainey Reid vs. Dani Palmer (9.6.24) **1/4

29) Uriah Connors vs. Eddy Thorpe (3.22.24) **1/4

28) Drake Morreaux and Dante Chen vs. Uriah Connors and Kale Dixon (10.25.24) **1/4

27) Hank and Tank vs. No Quarter Catch Crew (Dempsey and Kemp) (1.19.24) **1/4

26) Lainey Reid vs. Tyra Mae Steele (11.22.24) **1/4


25) Riley Osborne vs. Jasper Troy (6.28.24) **1/4

24) Riley Osborne vs. Shiloh Hill (8.2.24) **1/4

23) Javier Bernal vs. JeVon Evans (3.1.24) **1/4


22) Dante Chen vs. Cutler James (7.26.24) **1/2

21) Edris Enofe vs. Kale Dixon (8.9.24) **1/2

20) Dante Chen vs. Myles Borne (06.28.24) **1/2

19) Hank and Tank vs. Tyson and Tyriek (3.29.24) **1/2

18) Lash Legend vs. Lainey Reid (9.20.24) **1/2

17) Uriah Connors vs. Dion Lennox (7.26.24) **1/2

16) Oro Mensah vs. Drake Morreaux (11/15/24) **1/2

15) Brooks Jensen vs. Je’Von Evans (2.16.24) **1/2

14) Hank and Tank vs. Tyson and Tyriek (2.23.24) **1/2

13) Tavion Heights vs. Jasper Troy (5.17.24) **3/4

12) Lainey Reid vs. Kendal Grey (12.20.24) **3/4

11) Gallus vs. Cutler James, Shiloh Hill, and Dion Lennox (11.8.24) **3/4

10) Mark Coffey vs. Cutler James (8.16.24) **3/4

9) Oro Mensah vs. Niko Vance (12.13.24) ***

8) Luca Crusfino and Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo vs. Uriah Connors and Kale Dixon (11.15.24) ***

7) Wendy Choo, Kali Armstrong, Lainey Reid vs. Carlee Bright, Kendal Grey, and Layla Diggs (12.27.24) ***

6) Gauntlet Match: Dante Chen vs. Keanu Carver, Harlem Lewis, Kale Dixon (12/27.24) ***

5) Malik Blade vs. Tavion Heights (10.18.24) ***

-We have some veterans of NXT here and this passes as star power for this show. I am excited about this one. Heights controls early with his ground game as you would expect. He gets an early two count as he is toying with Blade on the mat. Blade gets smart and uses his quickness and agility. He hits a dropkick and controls with a side headlock. Should probably keep it off the mat, Malik! Heights to his feet and tries to escape, but Blade rolls with him and maintains the hold. Heights takes it to the corner and forces a break. Heights with a cross-body for two as the commentary team talk about Heights working in Pro-Wrestling NOAH. Cool! Heights sends Blade FLYING with an overhead release suplex. Awesome! Heights with some heavy forearms in the corner and then a gut-wrench suplex. The crowd is rather subdued for this match which is a shame. Another suplex gets two! Heights hooks a reverse chinlock and switches to hit a delayed vertical suplex for two. Blade fights back, but Heights uses the ropes to change angles and hits a sweet-looking running forearm. Now the crowd is starting to get into this one a bit. Heights with a seated Full Nelson and then to a standing one. He looks for an Angle Slam, but Blade punches out and gets a crucifix for two. Blade starts rolling as Heights lost one of his boots. Blockbuster from Blade and he heads up top. Heights catches him, but Blade counters a slam into a DDT for two. Nice! They fight up top, but Blade shoves off. Heights avoids a dive, but Blade lands on his feet. Heights is waiting for him though and gets a Belly to Belly Suplex for the pin at 7:25.

Winner: Tavion Heights via pin at 7:25
-I expected something good here and they delivered. One of the better matches we have had on this show in some time. Good stuff from both men and I want to see each get more opportunities.

4) Dion Lennox vs. Jasper Troy (12.6.24) ***

-It’s been a few months since Troy’s last appearance and both men get in each other’s face before the bell. I dig the intensity! Lockup and Troy shoves Lennox down. Another go and Lennox uses the ropes to gets a side headlock to the mat. Troy to his feet and he hits a sweet short arm clothesline. He runs into a boot in the corner, but catches Troy and his Snake Eyes. Good move for the big man! Lennox back with a clothesline that sends Troy over the top, but he lands on his feet. He rushes back in and misses a clothesline. Dropkick from Lennox ,but he runs into a sit-out spinebuster. I am digging the pace here as they are just hitting each other with bombs. Splash in the corner from Troy to the back and he buries some shoulders into the back as well. Great looking backbreaker gets two! Another splash to the back and that gets two. Troy hooks an abdominal stretch to continue the work on the back. Troy tries another splash in the corner, but this one misses. Lennox counters a chokeslam and gets a SPINEBUSTER! Lennox starts punching the monster down and hits a running forearm and then another. Cross-body, but he tries a suplex and that’s dumb. Troy with a Gourdbuster, but hits shoulder to post on a missed charge. This time Lennox gets the suplex for the pin at 5:20.

Winner: Dion Lennox via pin at 5:20
-Yo! I really enjoyed this as they just kept hitting power moves and I appreciated the back work from Troy. I would have liked to see a better finish, but everything else produced a sweet little match. Good job by both here.

3) Riley Osborn vs. Je’Von Evans (5.3.24) ***

-CHASE U IN THE HOUSE! This should be fun! Byron Saxton is no longer at the announce table and Vic Joseph is in his spot. YOUNG OG! YOUNG OG! Lockup to start and the crowd really likes this Young OG! Evans has arm control early, but Riley flips and then spins out into an armbar of his own. To the corner and Evans gets a float over with a twist and catches Evans with a series of armdrags. Both men start flying all over the place to reverse whips and Evans ends up getting a sky high dropkick to show off his bounce. To the floor where Riley sends Evans back first into the apron. Back in the ring a slam gets a two count. Riley goes to a chinlock as the crowd urges on Evans. He gets to his feet and breaks, but gets caught with a strike to the gut. Evans pushes off and lands a forearm to the face. Spin kick from Evans! He bounces around the ring again to make Osborne miss and chase. Springboard crossbody! Riley rolls to the floor and that’s not a safe place to be. Evans clears the top rope with ease and hits a dive on the floor. My word! Evans off the top again, but Osbrone rolls out of the way and backdrops Evans to the apron. He knocks Evans down and gets his own dive over the top. Back in the ring Osborne gets a sunset flip for two. Evans tries a victory roll, but Osborne blocks like Owen did to Bret. No win here though as Evans kicks out. Evans ends up with his own sunset flip and rolls through for extra leverage on the pin and that gets three at 5:55.  

Winner: Je’Von Evans via pin at 5:55
–This was a lot of fun and one of the better matches we have had on this show all year. I want to see more of these two against each other. Evans is a star and I can’t wait to see how this man continues to develop. These two are wonderful!

2) Kendal Grey vs. Tyra Mae Steele (9.13.24) ***

-Amateur backgrounds abound with these two. I am intrigued by this one. Steele gets the first take down and gets back control. She rolls Grey around the ring and then another take down. Grey rolls over in a pin attempt, but Steele counters. Grey now with a standing switch and then a trip to get Steele down. Steele lands an up kick and they we get more mat wrestling. Grey with a take down into a short arm scissors. She looks for a cross-arm breaker, but Steele lifts Grey off the mat and slams her down to show off her power. Cool! Kicks from Steele in the corner and she sends Grey into the corner with a whip. More kicks! Suplex from Steele into a float over for a two count. Steele flattens Grey out and hooks a submission where she bends the leg and neck at the same time. Nice! Grey tries to escape, but Steele just puts her in another wacky submission. Grey is able to turn Steele on her back for a two count. Grey with a series of back elbows and a belly to belly suplex for two. Grey favors the back as she comes off the middle rope. Steele catches her and hits Snake Eyes. Massive POUNCE as Grey WENT FLYING. Oh Man! That only gets two so Steele hooks a Dragon Sleeper but Grey flips over and rolls into a pin while hooking the leg and it gets three at 5:44.

Winner: Kendal Grey via pin at 5:44
-These women were cooking out there and I dug this match. I loved the amateur stuff to start and that POUNCE was fantastic. Good stuff from both women here and I want to see more from both. Run this one back down the line when they have more experience.

1) Joe Coffey vs. Keanu Carver (12.20.24) ***1/4

-It’s been a bit since we have seen Carver. Coffey with a side headlock, but gets shoved off and Carver runs him down. Coffey back with a dropkick, but gets DECKED with a forearm on the apron. Coffey with a trip, but Carver kicks him off into the announce table. Coffey back with a forearm as I am cool with these two just trading bombs. Coffey slings in, but gets caught and Carver with the SOS Slam. Carver throws heavy forearms to the small of the back. Powerslam from Carver gets two! Coffey with some strikes, but Carver traps the arm and gets a clothesline. Cool! Backbreaker submission, but Coffey breaks the hands and is able to slide out. Head-butt knocks both men back. They stare each other down and then a double clothesline as we get a “Level Up” chant. I agree! Coffey uses his boxing background and works the ribs. Carver misses a series of clotheslines and Coffey gets a leaping shoulder tackle for two. CARVER WITH A POUNCE OUT OF NOWHERE as Coffey was looking for the discus. Carver tries an alley-oop, but Coffey lands a punch in mid-air. Coffey off the middle ropes with a stroke and now All The Best for The Bells finishes for the pin at 5:24.

Winner: Joe Coffey via pin at 5:24
-This was a wonderful 5-minute Mean Guy HOSS FIGHT! Just trading blows until someone dropped. I enjoyed this a lot.

-And there you have it! Thank you to everyone who followed along with my Level Up Reviews since day one of the show and going back to when it was 205 Live. I greatly appreciate all the comments and feedback. Thanks for reading!

2023 Level Up Match of The Year: Axiom vs. Riley Osborne
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