Leighty’s NXT Level Up Review 1.12.24

-It’s Episode 100 for Level Up and I have reviewed every show since the start. Thanks to all of you that have been there with me from the beginning. There aren’t many of us, but I appreciate anyone who reads or comments on these weekly reviews. Let’s get to it!

-Announce Team: Blake Howard and Vic Joseph
-Taped: WWE Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, FL

Joe Coffey vs. Tavion Heights

-Lockup to start and neither man gains an advantage. Another go and Heights gets the back and a takes Coffey to the mat. Coffey gets to his feet and runs in circles to get loose and Heights falls through the ropes to the floor. Coffey with a head-butt and he sends Tavion into the corner. He brings him out with a backbreaker and lays in the boots. Coffey gets a two count off a slam and hooks a reverse bearhug on the mat. That doesn’t last long so he throws forearms to the back. Coffey drops a knee and tries another knee, but Heights floats through. Coffey catches him with a left hand and goes back to the reverse bearhug. Heights breaks and sends Coffey into the corner and brings him out with a backdrop. Clothesline from Heights and another. Nice overhead throw! Twisting Belly to Belly Suplex gets a two count! Gutwrench, but Coffey escapes. He lands an elbow, but Heights grabs a leg and fights for a Boston Crab. Coffey escapes, but Heights transitions to an ankle-lock. Coffey uses the ropes to escape and hits The Glasgow Send-off followed by All The Best for The Bells for the pin at 5:18.

Winner: Joe Coffey via pin at 5:18
-I like watching both these guys, so I was expecting more. It was okay and the finishing stretch picked up, but I think they can deliver something better. *1/2

-Video package celebrating Level Up since this is the 100th Episode. They focus on the stars that have risen from Level Up to success on NXT or The Main Roster: Trick Williams, Oba Femi, Lola Vice, Carter and Chance, Ivy Nile, etc.

-Royal Rumble! 2 Weeks!

Amari Miller vs. Jaida Parker

-Parker gets a side headlock to start, but Miller escapes and gets one of her own. Parker escapes, but Miller regains control. Parker tries to run the corner to escape, but Miller takes it to the ground. Miller lands a right hand on the apron and follows with a kick to the back. Step-up double knees to the back get a two count. Parker reverses a whip to the corner, but runs into an elbow. Miller heads up but Parker goes after the previously injured knee. I assume the giant knee-brace gave it away. Parker works on the knee and then lays Miller between the ropes. She gets a step-up ass bomb basically which gets a two count. I am told by commentary that is called a Tear Drop. Noted! Slam from Parker gets a two count. Bow and Arrow from Parker, but Miller is able to escape and starts her comeback. She lands some kicks and sweeps the leg. Miller gets a Rear View in the corner. Parker grabs the knee-brace to regain control and hits a modified belly to back suplex for the pin at 5:27.

Winner: Jaida Parker via pi at 5:27
-This was a little rough and seemed like a struggle at times and not in a good way. Not a fan of Miller losing either and it seemed to bum the crowd out as well. 1/2*

-Shop WWE commercial!

-NXT Vengeance Day commercial!

Joe Gacy vs. Javier Bernal

-Bernal is coming off a loss to Bronson Reed on Main Event (my review is here). Gacy backs Bernal into the corner, but gets caught with a side headlock. Gacy escapes and mocks Bernal’s guitar playing. Gacy grabs an arm and works on that for a bit. Gacy does his upside down flip and creepy smile to play mind games with Bernal. Knockdown by Gacy followed by a Rock Bottom for a two count. Bernal slides out of a slam and plans Gacy coming out of the corner. Bernal throws strikes in the corner and some in the crowd let him know that he still sucks. That’s mean! Chinlock from Bernal is short lived. Gacy dumps Bernal to the floor, but Bernal trips him up and pulls him out. Nothing of note happens, so they go back in and Bernal gets a neckbreaker in the ropes for a two count. Another chinlock for Bernal as this one is not clicking either. The crowd is basically begging them to get going here. Bernal eats an elbow in the corner and then a clothesline. Gacy with some strikes and then a series of running clothesline. Dropkick from Gacy followed by a splash in the corner. Suplex followed by an elbow drop for two. Bernal reverses a whip and gets a corner dropkick. He gets a Full Nelson into a Flatliner for two. Gacy ducks a clothesline and hits his handspring discus clothesline for the pin at 6:57.

Winner: Joe Gacy via pin at 6:57
-I’ve never been the biggest Gacy fan and this didn’t help. I always just see a kind of generic Bray Wyatt rip-off which isn’t fair, but I can’t get it out of my head. Bernal’s match with Reed earlier in the week was much better. Also, that’s two wins by guys throwing what amounts to a discus lariat. *

-Thanks for reading!

3.0

The final score: review Bad

The 411

Such a downer that Episode 100 was one of the weaker ones in the show runs. The opener was okay, but I was hoping for more. The ladies worked hard in the second match and you can see Miller is still working off any rust from injury. The Main Event wasn't for me either. I can't say it was an easy watch this week either as it just seemed to drag more than usual. Here's hoping for better next week as we start the road to Episode 200!