Leighty’s NXT Level Up Review 11.03.23

-Welcome to your weekly dose of NXT Level Up. Quick plug for my Royal Rumble 89 Retro Review. Next up is my review of The Main Event II. Yep! The Mega Powers explode! Let’s get to it!

-Announcers: Blake Howard and Byron Saxton
-Taped: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, FL

Ivy Nile vs. Valentina Feroz

-It’s Judo vs. Jujitsu! They head to the mat early and exchange holds and counters. Nile gets a cover for one. She catches Feroz trying a crossbody and gets the SOS Slam. She tries for another slam, but Feroz counters and gets wrist control. She drops Ivy with a hiptoss and looks for an armbar. She rolls around to get extension, but Ivy is able to keep her hands together. Feroz is relentless as she continues to roll with Ivy. Nile is able to roll and get top control. She picks Feroz up and puts her on the ropes, but Feroz still has the arm and uses leverage as she pulls down on the arm which forces Nile to release. Feroz gets a chinlock while holding a hammerlock as the crowd starts a dueling chant. Nile uses leverage to send Feroz to the floor, but Feroz drags Nile out and rams the injured arm off the apron. Back in the ring Nile avoids a move and gets a roll-up for two. Nile is up first and gets a series of running tackles. She hits the running kick in the corner and gets a gutwrench suplex for two. Feroz goes right back to the arm and then hits Meteora. Nile counter a submission with a powerbomb and then catches Feroz trying to flip away with The Dragon Sleeper (I guess they dropped the old name) for the tap-out at 5:47.

Winner: Ivy Nile via tap-out at 5:47
-Good stuff here! I liked all the ground work and the aggression from Feroz. Nile was in a fight and she was able to get the last counter for the win. **1/2

-Trey Bearhill gets some promo time as he notes he took a loss in his debut. Tonight it will be a wiser Trey Bearhill.

-Crown Jewel! Tomorrow! 1 PM!

-WWE Shop! 52 days to Christmas!

Myles Borne (w/ Drew Gulak and Damon Kemp) vs. Trey Bearhill

-Bearhill made his debut four months ago against Borne and finally gets a second match and it’s against Borne. Test of strength which is easily won by Bearhill. He lifts Borne off the mat a few times, but Borne is able to slip out and hit a chop-block. Borne slugs away and lands a knee to the face. Double stomp to the back gets a two count. Baseball slide kick to the small of the back and then Borne uses the middle rope to choke. He hooks a chinlock and buries a knee in the back for good measure. Trey fights his way out and lands a heavy chop. He goes crazy with chops and hits a double chop. The crowd is into Trey! He rakes the back which makes sense as he uses a bear as his logo and it’s part of his name. Kemp gets on the apron to distract Trey and he falls for it. That lets Borne hit a dropkick for the pin at 3:47.

Winner: Myles Borne via pin at 3:47
-I mean, it was under 4 minutes so there wasn’t much to this one. The crowd like Bearhill and Borne seems to be doing well with the heel turn. *

-NXT Deadline commercial!

-WWE Live! Coming to a city near you!

Oro Mensah (w/ Meta-Four) vs. Dante Chen

-Byron nearly wets his pants in excitement over Chen’s entrance. Lockup and Chen gets wrist control but Mensah rolls to his back and hits an up-kick to break. Chen gets sent to the apron, but dives back in and hooks a side headlock. He transitions into an armbar and then blocks the up-kick this time. Smart! Mensah slaps Dante in the face, so Dante responds in kind. Chen gets an arm-drag and goes back to the armbar. Chen gets a backslide, but Mensah rolls out before even a one count. Mensah hits a sidekick and then stomps away. Exploder suplex from Mensah gets a two count. Rock Bottom is blocked and then Chen ducks a pump kick. He gets a roll-up for two, but no more as Mensah sweeps the leg. Mensah gets a hammerlock and throws elbows to the chest for good measure. Chen fights back with headbutts, but Mensah lands a kick to the knee. He ties Chen up in the ropes and breaks before the ref gets to five. Mensah gets a two count off a head kick! He is growing frustrated and goes to another chinlock. Chen gets to his feet and breaks by running Mensah into the corner and then squashes him as he falls backwards. Boa is out to watch from the aisle. Mensah gets backdropped across the ring and Chen follows with a clothesline and inverted atomic drop. Chen charges, but gets dumped on the apron. He springs in with a fist to the face and preps for the double chop. He connects, but Legend puts Mensah’s foot on the bottom rope. The ref had to dumb not to see that one. Mensah lands a shot to the throat and hits a spin kick in the corner for the pin at 7:37.

Winner: Oro Mensah via pin at 7:37
-I wasn’t feeling this one as I expected a little more. I still don’t know if I like Mensah in this role, but we will give it time. Boa coming out adds intrigue and we will see where that goes with Chen. **

-Thanks for reading!

6.0

The final score: review Average

The 411

Back to the three match format and I will say, I was enjoying things at two matches. The opener was fun and something a little different and the rest is what you expect from this show.