Leighty’s NXT Level Up Review 10.21.22

-Announce Team: Sudu Shah and Byron Saxton
-Taped: WWE PC, Orlando, FL

-Halloween Havoc 97 Review will be up sometime this weekend as I continue with PPVs from 25 years ago. After this will be some PPV in Montreal. I’m sure nothing noteworthy happened there. Let’s get to it!

Myles Borne vs. IKEMEN JIRO

-Well, the feed kicks in just as this match starts though there is no sound. Lockup to start and they trade standing switches. Borne with a side headlock and gets a shoulder tackle. JIRO kips up and flashes his jacket. He controls with a side headlock and takes it to the mat. Borne escapes and gets one of his own, but IKEMEN reverses to a head scissors. Borne breaks and they shake hands. Another go and Borne gets a dropkick and goes back to the side headlock. IKEMEN shoves off and Borne leaps, but hurts his knee on the landing. IKEMEN seems concerned, but smartly goes after the leg. The sound kicks in at the 2:20 mark. JIRO works the knee and lands a kick to it as Borne tried to fight back. Borne hobbles around the ring so JIRO Hooks a half-crab. Smart! Borne fights into a small package and hits a dropkick that he sells. Borne with a belly to belly suplex followed by a belly to back for two. JIRO hits a kick to the knee as the crowd chants one more time. JACKET PUNCHES connect. IKEMEN SLASH misses though and Borne gets a roll-up for the win at 5:17.

Winner: Myles Borne via pin at 5:17
-Not much to this one though it does let Borne rack up another win. *1/2

-They shake hands after the match and JIRO offers a hug.

-Javier Bernal is backstage with Kelly and he wants to be called Big Body Javy! He faces Andre Chase later tonight!

-Halloween Havoc commercial!

-WWE Live commercial!

Duke Hudson vs. Bryson Montana

-These two were partners last week and Hudson walked out leaving Montana on his own. Hudson is coming off a strong match against Cedric Alexander on Main Event. My review can be found here. Lockup to start and Montana gets control with some clubbing blows. Hudson gets to the ropes to break and makes sure the ref backs Montana up. Hudson lands a forearm and then a running back elbow. Neck crank from Hudson which gets turned into a side headlock. Hudson releases to deliver some blows. He connects with elbows to the ears and poses to pop the crowd. Kick is caught and Montana hits a heavy clothesline. He sends Duke into the top buckle and delivers chops in the corner. Sit-out Slam from Montana gets two. Hudson bails to the floor and is able to get in a shot to the throat. He slings in and gets the release German Suplex followed by a big boot for the win at 3:51.

Winner: Duke Hudson via pin at 3:51
-Just a slightly competitive SQUASH for Hudson as Montana got in a little offense before Hudson finished without breaking much of a sweat. Probably should have been a little more dominating considering Hudson has had matches on Main Event, but this is about what you would expect. *

-Roman/Logan! Crown Jewel!

-WWE Shop commercial!

Javier Bernal vs. Andre Chase (w/ Thea Hail)

-CHASE U STUDENT SECTION IN THE HOUSE! Lock-up to start and Chase immediately gets an overhand wristlock and takes it to the mat. The crowd starts a “Bodhi’s Got Detention” chant, which is cute! Side headlock from Chase. Bernal pulls the hair to break and bails as Chase gets up off the mat angry. Back in Chase gets a take down and walks over Bernal to clown him a bit. Bernal sets too early on a backdrop and eats a hiptoss. Mounted punches in the corner and then a backdrop gets two for Chase. Bernal lands a knee on the apron and gets a neckbreaker with Chase caught between the ropes. That gets two so Bernal opts to just throw hands. He pounds away in the corner and then stomps as Chase slumps to the mat. Bernal takes a chinlock to the mat as the crowd gets into it to rally Chase. Charge in the corner is blocked and Chase gets a knee. He comes off the middle rope with a sunset flip for two. Running bulldog from Bernal followed by an elbow drop for two. Kick to the chest from Bernal and another. He mocks the student section and a third kick gets caught. Chops from Chase, but Bernal lands a knee. Bernal tries a suplex, but Chase counters to one of his own to leave both men down. They meet in the middle of the ring and Chase throws some right hands. Inverted Atomic Drop followed by a Side Russian Leg Sweep. That gets us to the C-H-A-S-E-U STOMP! Chase up top and he connects with a crossbody for the win at 6:49.

Winner: Andre Chase via pin at 6:49
-This was solid as are most matches featuring Andre Chase. The crowd loves him and loves this gimmick and it always brings some great energy to the show. This was a fun little match. **1/4

-Thanks for reading!

5.5

The final score: review Not So Good

The 411

Main Event was solid and the rest was sub 5 minute matches with the developmental kids. Nothing bad as this show continues to be an easy watch and by this point anyone who watches knows what this show is about and the purpose of it.