Leighty’s NXT Level Up Review 2.2.24

-There is still some time to tell the story, but I want no parts of Rock/Reigns at WrestleMania if it is for Roman’s Championship. Neither ending to that match helps anyone as Rock doesn’t need to be the one to end Reigns monster run and having Roman close Mania for a 4th year in a row standing tall sucks as well. If this sticks, Cody also looks like an idiot letting someone stroll in and take his spot. Again, time to see how it all plays out, but right now I am not feeling this. Let’s get to it!

-Announce Team: Blake Howard and Byron Saxton
-Taped: WWE Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, FL

Hank Walker and Tank Ledger vs. Tyson Dupont and Tyriek Igwe

-Hank and Tyriek start us out and push each other around, but no real advantage. Tyriek gets a dropkick, but Hank back with a clothesline. Tag to Tank and he works Tyriek over in the corner. Tyriek eats an elbow in the corner, but makes the tag to Tyson. Sidewalk slam from Tyriek is followed by a splash from Tyson for a one count. Tyson controls with a side headlock, but a blind tag is made to Hank. He runs Tyson down and Tank gets in a shot before he goes back to the apron. All four en in the ring and stereo World’s Strongest Slams from Hank and Tank. Hank gets sent into the corner and Tyson gets a running uppercut for two. Back to Tyriek and he lands a gut-wrench suplex. Tyson back in as Hank fights off both men, but can’t make the hot tag. Splash in the corner from Tyson gets a two count. Walker fights to the corner and gets the hot tag to Tank. He runs wild and gets a springboard from the middle ropes to deliver a flying headbutt. Modified Fall-away slam, but Tyson drops him with a discuss lariat. Double team sidewalk slam gets two as Hank makes the save. Bubba Bomb from Tank and now the tag to Tank. Collision Course finishes at 6:23.

Winner: Hank Walker and Tank Ledger via pin at 6:23
-They hit each other hard and it wasn’t pretty or didn’t have any finesse, but big dudes hitting each other hard can be fun. **

-WWE Live!

-40 Years of Hulk-a-mania commercial! WWE Shop!

Blair Davenport vs. Carlee Bright

-We all need a ray of sunshine after that SmackDown ending! Sorry, sorry..let it play out! Lockup and Blair quickly grabs an arm and we get a good old fashioned knuckle lock. They got into a pin-fall sequence and after a couple counts both women are back to their feet. Davenport with a heavy right hand but misses a clothesline. Bright gets a head scissors, but gets elevated in the corner and Blair punts her on the way down. Cool! Davenport with some shots to the stomach and then hooks an abdominal stretch but, Bright quickly escapes and gets a roll-up for two. Gut buster from Davenport as she continues to target the midsection. To the corner with shoulders to the stomach and this time she properly hooks the abdominal stretch. Davenport pulls the hair for good measure, but gets caught by the ref. Davenport pulls the hair again but misses an elbow. Bright gets a kind of Sling Blade and again. She ducks a clothesline and gets a cross-body for two. Davenport with an elbow in the corner and she yanks Bright down by her hair. Double stomp by Blair and the knee to the face finishes at 5:06.

Winner: Blair Davenport via pin at 5:06
-Probably went a bit too long for Bright as she is still working on things as this was only her second match on this show. The crowd was dead and that didn’t help matters. They worked hard, but I wasn’t feeling this one. 1/2*

-WWE2K24 commercial! Cody: “This story is not finished.” I guess he warned us!

Brooks Jensen vs. Dante Chen

-Crowd chants Welcome Back for Chen, which I am sure he appreciates. Lockup and the trade holds and Jensen offers a handshake. Chen accepts and we go again. Deep arm-drag from Chen, but Jensen counters with a head scissors. Another arm-drag from Chen into an armbar. Jensen tries one, but Chen counters with a hip toss and scissors the arm. Jensen rolls back to get a one count and that gets repeated a few times. Rope running sequence and Chen gets another hip-toss. Jensen bounces back with a spinebuster! Chen gets fired into the corner as Saxton talks about Jensen doing a deep dive into the archives to educate himself. Chen reverses a whip and Jensen goes chest first into the buckle alas Bret Hart. They start trading strikes and Chen wins that battle. He lands a few clotheslines and gets a flying shoulder off the middle rope. Big boot gets a two count! Chen up again, but slips off the middle rope and that looked bad. Jensen with a slam and he comes off the top with a knee for the pin at 5:08.

Winner: Brooks Jensen via pin at 5:08
-That ended quickly as they went from the slip to the ending in no time flat. Not much to this one as it was just super basic stuff. I appreciate Jensen’s gimmick, but it didn’t show much here. *1/4

-Thanks for reading!

4.0

The final score: review Poor

The 411

Not the best episode this week, but as I say every week, an easy watch. You will have some down episodes just due to the nature of the show, but even those can be interesting as the kids develop and work on new gimmicks.