wrestling / TV Reports
Leighty’s NXT Level Up Review 04.07.23
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...-Announce Team: Blake Howard and Byron Saxton
-Taped: WWE PC, Orlando, FL
Dante Chen vs. Boa
-Boa is back after being on the shelf for over a year with a knee injury. It was so long that I admit I forgot he was on the roster. Boa charges at the bell with a strike and then looks for a stomp, but Chen is out of the way. Byron lets us know that Boa’s last match was against Solo in Jan of 2022. Chen gets an arm and works that a bit as they continue to refer to Dante as a gatekeeper of NXT. Arm-drag from Chen and then another. Ava heads down to ringside to check out the match as I assume they are moving her away from Schism since two members have requested their release. Boa in control now as he lands kicks to the gut and Ava takes her leave. Suplex from Boa and into a chinlock. Chen uses a jawbreaker to escape, but Boa catches him with a running boot. He continues with the strikes and gets a butterfly suplex for two. Back to the chinlock as he flattens Dante out with the move. Chen fights to his feet and gets a suplex to create some breathing room. They start trading blows and Chen wins the exchange with rapid punches. He lands an inverted atomic drop and then a running boot. Double karate thrust gets the pin at 5:06.
Winner: Dante Chen via pin at 5:06
-Just a super basic match with Boa controlling and Chen making the comeback for the win. It was nice to see Boa back and good on him for fighting his way back from injury. **
-Oro Mensah cuts a promo as he faces Joe Gacy later.
-WWE2K23 commercial!
-Backlash heads to Puerto Rico. Bad Bunny/Rey vs. Prison Dom/Priest seems like a safe bet and perhaps based off SmackDown we get The Bloodline vs. Owens/Sayn/Riddle.
Dani Palmer and Sol Ruca vs. Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson
-Hey, it seems we are back to our three-match format for this show. Ruca and Legend start us out with a lockup and nobody gains an advantage. Another go and Lash gets a take down and shows off the power as she lifts Sol off the mat with one arm. Ruca counters and works the arm with some elbows. Tag to Palmer and we got a cool spot as Ruca launches Palmer into the air where she gets a cross-body for two. That was pretty sweet and she got some good height on that. Jackson in and she takes Palmer down and works the arm. Palmer counters and gets a side headlock. She uses her gymnastics background to avoid and gets a head scissors take down. Jackson goes to the hair to gain the advantage and makes the tag to Lash. She grabs Palmer by the hair and spins her around the ring before letting go. Back to Jackson and she gets a Slingblade for two. Palmer with a jackknife cover for two, but she can’t make the tag as Jackson pulls her back into the corner. Another try and this time Sol gets the hot tag to pop the crowd. She runs wild as she springs into the match. Front flip into a splash in the corner. Ruca gets a roll-up for two as Legend makes the save. All four women battle in a cool way to hit the move, Jackson tosses Palmer through the ropes, but is too close to the corner and Ruca snaps off the Sol Snatcher for the pin at 4:50. That move is still awesome and they are finding inventive ways to allow her to hit it and make sense.
Winners: Dani Palmer and Sol Ruca via pin at 4:50
-Another basic tag match, but I like the team of Palmer and Ruca as they are getting better each time I see them. They have something with Ruca as she is a freak athlete. Keep giving her more matches. **
-NXT Battleground commercial!
Oro Mensah vs. Joe Gacy (w/ Schism)
-Everyone is there for Schism for now. Lockup and Mensah gets a side headlock that he takes to the mat. Gacy counters, but Mensah lands a kick from his back and gets another side headlock. Another up kick from Mensah and then he catches a charging Gacy with another kick. Gacy lands an elbow, but gets taken to the floor with a head scissors. Mensah gets a slingshot plancha and gets distracted by Ava which lets Gacy land a running kick. Gacy throws some heavy blows and then lands some chops. He talks some trash and hits a running knee. A Snow Plow gets two! Gacy hooks a chinlock for a bit. Mensah fights his way out and gets another kick. He runs wild with forearms and chops. Mensah with a release German Suplex and then a springboard kick for two. Ax Kick is missed and Gacy tries a Rock Bottom, but Mensah counters into a roll-up for two. Mensah misses a springboard moonsault and that lets Gacy hit his handspring off the ropes into the clothesline for the pin at 5:08.
Winner: Joe Gacy via pin at 5:08
-I’m still not a fan of Gacy’s gimmick. Mensah does some cool stuff, but he loses a lot on this show. This was okay but the crowd wasn’t as into it as the earlier two matches. *1/2
-Thanks for reading!
