Leighty’s NXT Level Up Review 05.27.22

-Today is my 41st Birthday and I get to spend the night Leveling Up! More importantly, today my oldest sone graduated from his preschool. So overall it was a great birthday and after this show, I am watching Spider-Man No Way Home that my children “bought” for me. Let’s get to it!

-Announce Team: Sudu Shah and Nigel McGuiness
-Taped: WWE PC, Orlando, FL

Andre Chase and Bodhi Hayward vs. Bryson Montana and Damaris Griffin

-CHASE U Student Section out in full force in the crowd! Hayward and Griffin start and Bodhi gets a headlock take down, but gets caught with a head scissors. He escapes, but Griffin grabs a headlock. Rope running sequence and Hayward gets a hiptoss. He lands shoulders in the corner, but runs into a knee and the tag is made to Montana. Bodhi fights back as the announcers mention Bryson and Damaris are Kobe fans and live the Mamba Mentality. Chase gets the tag and he does the C-H-A-S-E-U stomp which the crowd always loves. Sadly, he gets blind sided and Griffin takes control. Double shoulder on Chase. He uses his quickness to avoid a splash and rolls for the hot tag. Bodhi throws out shoulder tackles and hits the leaping splash. Tag back to Chase and The Fratliner finishes at 3:53.

Winners: Chase U via pin at 3:53
-The crowd was into this one as they lose the Chase U deal and it has become one of the high points of this show. It was a basic tag match that lasted less than 4 minutes. *1/2

-WWE and Special Olympics partnership commercial! This commercial is the last we are going to see of Stephanie for some time it seems.

-One week from tomorrow it’s NXT 2.0 In Your House!

Amari Miller vs. Arianna Grace

-Rematch from a few weeks back when Grace made her debut and upset Miller. I don’t remember that match at all! Miller offers a handshake and Grace punches her in the face. Miller returns fire and gets an armbar. Miller clows her a bit and gets a roll-up for two. Elbows from Miller and a neckbreaker gets two. Miller back as she gets a headlock and then hammers Miller in the back with forearms. She buries a knee in the back and stretches Miller out as she looks for a submission. No dice though as she pulls the hair for leverage and the ref forces a break. Slam gets a two count and then Grace goes right to the back again. Another well placed knee to the back as she hooks a chinlock. Miller fights her way out and gets a clothesline and then an elbow. Grace with a knee and tries a sunset flip, but Miller rolls through and gets a jackknife cover for the win at 5:14.

Winner: Amari Miller via pin at 5:14
-Better match with a better story than the opener, but the crowd wasn’t into this one which hurt a little. It was okay. *1/2

-Hell in a Cell commercial!

-NXT2.0 is on tour and is flexing all over Florida according to the commercial!

Dante Chen vs. Trick Williams (w/ Carmelo Hayes)

-Chen tries a take down, but Williams elbows him and talks trash. Chen tries again, but Williams uses the ropes to avoid. Nigel tells us that Trick took Chen’s sister on a date this weekend and Shah mentions she lives in Singapore. Armbar from Chen and he maintains that for a bit. Williams pulls the hair and lands a knee. Chen tries a monkey-flip, but Williams cartwheels his way out. Nigel scoffs at the idea that Dante gets ready for matches by playing WWE 2K22. Williams works the arm for a bit as this one is dragging. The crowd has been rather subdued since Chase U left. Chen tries to power out of the hold, but Williams is too strong. Another try forces a break and Chen gets a jawbreaker. Williams charges into a boot and then Chen stomps away on the mat. Inverted atomic drop followed by a belly to back suplex gets two. Williams plants Chen on his face, but gets rolled up for two. Trick Kick out of nowhere finishes at 6:05.

Winner: Trick Williams via pin at 6:05
-Most of the match was the rest hold before a small comeback and then a quick ending. *

-Thanks for reading!

4.5

The final score: review Poor

The 411

Things went downhill after Chase U left and never recovered. I would have enjoyed this more had the tag opener been put in the Main Event and given more time.