wrestling / TV Reports
Leighty’s NXT Level Up Review 12.15.23
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...-I got home from a work trip just in time for this. I haven’t even eaten dinner yet, so let’s get to it!
-Announce Team: Blake Howard and Byron Saxton
-Taped: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, FL
Scrypts (w/Nima and Price) vs. Javier Bernal
-Scrypts uses his speed and quickness to land an up kick and the taunts Bernal. Another go and Bernal gets a hammerlock. We are informed by Saxton what OTM stands for and in this case Out The Mud. Thank you for clearing that up for me! Bernal knocks Scrypts down and uses the hair to keep him down. Scrypts back as he sends Bernal to the floor, but the heavies don’t get involved yet. Back in the ring Bernal hits a G Rider to taunt Price and Nima. He pays for it though as Nima decks Bernal while he was stuck in the ropes. Basement dropkick from Scrypts. He gets caught with a running elbow, but comes back with a twisting body press for two. To the corner where Scrypts stomps Bernal down, but gets caught with another elbow. He flips out of the way of a clothesline and hits a neckbreaker in a cool spot! Scrypts pours down with some elbows and then hooks a chinlock while keeping an arm tied up as well. Bernal fights back and lands another elbow followed by a boot. He dumps Scrypts to the floor and then hits a dropkick once back in the ring. Enziguiri follows and now Javie beats Scrypts down in the corner. Running bulldog! Full Nelson into a twisting slam gets a two count! Something gets screwy in the corner as I have no clue what they were going for. Javie covers by getting a roll-up with his feet on the ropes, but one of the heavies push them off. The distraction lets Scrypts hit the handspring into a cutter for the pin at 6:13.
Winner: Scrypts via pin at 6:14
-I like the new direction with Scrypts and pairing him with some heavies is a smart decision. The match was solid, but I am still not sure what happened towards the end. This was fine. **
-Amari Miller is back after being out the last 10 months due to a knee injury. She returns to the ring later in this show.
-Royal Rumble commercial!
-WWE Live commercial! Pittsburgh on 4/19!
Valentina Feroz vs. Amari Miller
-Miller looks thrilled to be back out there and I can’t blame her as ten months out is a long time. For those that don’t remember she was on the shelf with a torn ACL. The crowd gives her a “Welcome Back,” chant. Cool! Feroz immediately goes for the knee which is smart obviously. Miller gets arm control as she works to protect the knee. I knew I have seen this match before as Howard tells us they are 1-1 against each other. Senton Back Splash for Miller gets a one count. Feroz goes to the hair and stands on it for good measure. She then targets the knee and plans Miller on her face for two. Feroz gets a hammerlock while hooking a chinlock as well. She keeps planting Miller face down in the mat while maintaining control of the hammerlock. Miller is able to roll for a two count, but Feroz gets a dropkick to put her back down. Arm-drag from Feroz and another. She charges, but Miller catches her with a series of elbows. Kick to the gut followed by a clothesline. Running knee from Miller, but Feroz goes to the knee brace. A grazing shot stuns Miller and Feroz comes off the top with Meteora for the pin at 4:00.
Winner: Velentina Feroz via pin at 4:00
-This was all about getting Miller back out there and good on her for coming all the way back. This was okay and again, I am sure they just wanted to get Miller’s feet wet. They paired her with someone she knows and it was a simple match. No complaints. *1/4
-Vengeance Day commercial!
Drew Gulak and Charlie Dempsey vs. Tony D’Angelo and Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo
-Tony and Stacks are the NXT Tag Champions, but this is non-title. Dempsey starts quick with a shotgun dropkick on Stacks. He starts wrestling him on the mat and controls the arm as he tags to Gulak. He goes to the arm as well, but Stacks uses the ropes to flip out and takes control. Tag to Tony D and he gets a slam. Gulak counters a clothesline, but only for a second as Tony drops him again. Stacks gets a splash in the corner and sends Gulak back to Tony for a slam. Tony then presses Stacks and tosses him on Gulak for a two count. Dempsey gets the tag back in and gets caught with a hip-toss. Stacks avoids a clothesline, but gets caught with a knee from Gulak who made the blind tag. Dempsey tags right back in and gets a suplex for two. Gulak back in and then right back out as he traps Stacks in the corner for Dempsey. Double Chops and a Double Throw get Dempsey a two count. Dempsey misses a charge in the corner and has to bail to the floor, but Gulak rolls him back in and makes the tag. That lets him cut off Stacks. Stacks avoids a suplex and stumbles into a tag from Tony. He gets an elevated backdrop on Gulak and a spine-buster for two. Perfect-plex into a float over for two as Dempsey makes the save. Gulak avoids a powerbomb and Dempsey lands a right hand. German Suplex from Gulak and a Butterfly Suplex into a pin from Dempsey gets two as Stacks comes off the top to break that up. Gulak heads back up, but gets slammed down by Tony D. Dempsey gets caught with a backdrop and we get some double team punches from The Family. Stereo Clothelines sends Dempsey and Gulak to the floor. Tony tosses Stacks over the top onto Gulak and Dempsey. They pull Gulak back in the ring and finish with a double team belly to back suplex. That gets the pin at 6:20.
Winners: Tony D’Angelo and Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo via pin at 6:20
-This was weird as they worked hard, but the crowd was not invested at all. Still, they worked hard enough to get a solid match going. Not enough Dempsey torturing people though. **1/4
-Thanks for reading!
