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Leighty’s NXT Level Up Review 08.26.22
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...Leighty’s NXT Level Up Review: 08.26.22
-Announce Team: Sudu Shah, Nigel McGuiness, and Matt Camp
-Taped: WWE PC, Orlando, FL
Malik Blade and Edris Enofe vs. Bronco Nima and Lucien Price
-Blade and Enofe are riding a five-match win streak on Level Up. Nima and Price recently made their debut in a loss to Chase U. Nima starts with Blade and powers him around the ring. Blade tries to wrestle but gets mowed down with a shoulder. Blade cartwheels out of a boot and makes the tag to Enofe. They take turns coming off the top with a double axe to the arm of Nima. Tag is made to Price and they hit a double back elbow which gets two. Enofe tries to punch his way out but gets dropped with one blow. Enofe gets a boot up on a charge and makes the tag to Blade. He runs wild for a bit and hits a dropkick. He celebrates too much though and Nima is able to pull Price out of the way of a move which causes Blade to crash and burn. Nima gets heel heat by tearing off Blade’s sweater vest. The crowd starts a “not the vest” chant. They work Blade over in their corner and then hit a double Superman punch in the corner. Suplex from Price is escaped and a hot tag is made to Enofe. He runs wild on both men for a bit. Connects with a faceplant on Price and then heads up top. He connects with an elbow ¾ of the way across the ring and almost came up short. It gets two as Bronco makes the save. Blade takes him to the floor and then The Climax finishes at 5:50.
Winners: Malik Blade and Edris Enofe via pin at 5:50
-Basic tag match using the time-tested tag formula. That sweater vest spot got some good heat as well. **
-Nathan Frazer gets interviewed backstage to hype his match tonight with IKEMEN. Kind of a goofy interview as he talks about his love of soccer and they throw him a basketball. He was told it would be a soccer ball.
-Rey Mysterio bio this Sunday on A&E
-WrestleMania Hollywood The Sequel Reboot Part II commercial!
Amari Miller vs. Kiana James
-Lockup and James gets a shove. Another go and she backs Miller into a corner and clowns her a bit. Miller gets a side headlock and goes to work on the arm and shoulder. She grounds James, but a hair pull breaks the hold. Miller ducks a move and taunts James. That gets her frustrated and Miller continues with the mind games. James drops her, but Miller grabs hold of a leg and gets a roll-up for two. James powers Miller into the corner and stomps away. James tries for a crossface, but Miller keeps fighting her off, so James switches to a reverse chinlock. This crowd is dead for this one which is weird from this crowd. Clothesline for Miller wakes them up a little bit. She lands a standing heel kick and a basement Flatliner gets two. James grabs the ropes to fight out of a hold and hits a twisting bulldog into a modified X-Factor. I need Nigel to name that one for me! That gets the win at 4:59.
Winner: Kiana James via pin at 4:59
-The crowd wasn’t into this one and it was just blah. Finish was solid! *
-Broken Skull Sessions commercial: Charlotte Flair. My review of that is here!
-Roman/Drew commercial!
IKEMEN JIRO vs. Nathan Frazer
-Frazer apparently comes out of Seth Rollins’ school, so let’s see what he’s got. Weird that he has been on NXT and NXT UK and now is just making his Level Up debut. Chain wrestling to start which JIRO controls. Monkey Flip from Frazer, but JIRO maintains the hold. They each flip out of moves and it’s a stalemate. JIRO hits a cartwheel because he can! Frazer with a side headlock, but JIRO escapes. Frazer runs the ropes with crazy speed and after three times hits a shotgun dropkick. Nice! Frazer goes to an armbar, but JIRO reverses which is reversed back. JIRO uses the ropes to flip out and gets a hiptoss. He lands an elbow to the face, but Frazer slides underneath and transitions into a Boston Crab. JIRO crawls to the ropes, but Frazer pulls him back and transitions to an STF. JIRO goes to the fingers to break, so Frazer switches to a side headlock. That lets JIRO gets a roll-up for two. JIRO backdrops out of an attempted move and runs wild with forearms and JACKET PUNCHES! Frazer misses a charge in the corner and then JIRO misses the springboard moonsault. Frazer off the top with a kick to the face and the crowd loves what they are seeing. “Level Up” chant from the crowd! They trade blows in the middle of the ring, but Frazer gets an armbar. JIRO rolls out but gets caught with a superkick trying a lionsault (a little sloppy but looked okay). Phoenix Splash finishes at 6:29.
Winner: Nathan Frazer via pin at 6:29
-One of the better matches we have had on Level Up in quite some time. The superkick spot got a little wonky as mentioned but still looked good. More of this, please! ***
-They shake hands after the match and the fans applaud the effort of both men.
-Thanks for reading!
