Leighty’s NXT Level Up Review 5.3.24

-There is a new episode of This is Awesome that I just stumbled across thanks to logging on to Peacock. I will have that done sometime this weekend. For now, we Level Up! Let’s get to it!

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

Eddy Thorpe vs. Kale Dixon

-Lockup to start as the crowd starts an “Eddy” chant. Nothing doing as it’s a stalemate, so another lockup. Thorpe controls with a side headlock and takes it to the mat. Howard notes these two faced off about a year ago on this show. I thought we had seen this match before for some reason. Thorpe switches to an armbar and gets a flying forearm. Dixon uses the ropes to gain space and shoots Eddy off and lands a Euro uppercut. Thorpe responds with a chop, but gets caught rushing in with an elbow for two. Thorpe hits a jawbreaker, but runs into a tilt-a-whirl slam for two. Dixon hooks a chinlock as I realize my timer stopped working, so the match time is going to be off on this one. I’ll try to estimate! Dixon buries a knee to the ribs and then starts to toy with Eddy. He lands a crazy loud slap to the back of the head and that only pisses Eddy off. Thorpe goes crazy with forearms and kicks. Snap belly to back suplex! Elbow drop leads to an Impaler for the pin at somewhere around 5:00.

Winner: Eddy Thorpe via pin
-Not much here until the fun ending where Dixon hit the massive chop that fired up Eddy and he steamrolled Dixon from there. *1/2

-Je’Von Evans gets promo time backstage and he is looking to take the top spot in NXT now that Ilja is on RAW.

-Backlash: France! Tomorrow an Noon! Cody vs. AJ!

-WWE Speed commercial! I think I will sit down this weekend and review the tournament since the Champion was crowned with the episode that dropped today.

Kelani Jordan vs. Kendal Grey (w/ Carlee Bright)

-Grey shoots in, but Jordan stuffs that and gets a hammerlock. Standing switch on repeat until Jordan gets a leg trip. She takes Grey down with an arm, but Grey kips up and flips out. They repeat that until Grey gets a head scissors. Jordan goes to a handstand to break and it’s a stalemate. Another got and Grey gets a trip for a two count. She hooks a side headlock and switches to a fireman’s carry into an armbar. Short arm scissors as she fights off a Jordan pin attempt. Jordan shifts the weight again for another two count. Jordan gets a side headlock, but Grey powers out and gets a belly to belly suplex for two. That was a solid one as it was nearly an overhead belly to belly. Jordan is able to shake Grey off and we get a pinfall reversal sequence that is both a little sloppy, but impressive at the same time. They collide in the middle of the ring but Jordan is up first and gets a slam. She heads up top and hits the split legged moonsault for the pin at 5:15.

Winner: Kelani Jordan via pin at 5:15
-This one was weird as I was digging the mat work and pinfall reversals and then they collided in the ring and went right to the end. Not sure if that was a mistake, but that ending came out of nowhere. *1/2

-NXT Battleground! UFC Apex Arena!

-Backlash: France! Tomorrow! Noon! Bayley vs. Naomi vs. Tiffany Stratton!

Riley Osborne vs. Je’Von Evans

-CHASE U IN THE HOUSE! This should be fun! Byron Saxton is no longer at the announce table and Vic Joseph is in his spot. YOUNG OG! YOUNG OG! Lockup to start and the crowd really likes this Young OG! Evans has arm control early, but Riley flips and then spins out into an armbar of his own. To the corner and Evans gets a float over with a twist and catches Evans with a series of armdrags. Both men start flying all over the place to reverse whips and Evans ends up getting a sky high dropkick to show off his bounce. To the floor where Riley sends Evans back first into the apron. Back in the ring a slam gets a two count. Riley goes to a chinlock as the crowd urges on Evans. He gets to his feet and breaks, but gets caught with a strike to the gut. Evans pushes off and lands a forearm to the face. Spin kick from Evans! He bounces around the ring again to make Osborne miss and chase. Springboard crossbody! Riley rolls to the floor and that’s not a safe place to be. Evans clears the top rope with ease and hits a dive on the floor. My word! Evans off the top again, but Osbrone rolls out of the way and backdrops Evans to the apron. He knocks Evans down and gets his own dive over the top. Back in the ring Osborne gets a sunset flip for two. Evans tries a victory roll, but Osborne blocks like Owen did to Bret. No win here though as Evans kicks out. Evans ends up with his own sunset flip and rolls through for extra leverage on the pin and that gets three at 5:55.

Winner: Je’Von Evans via pin at 5:55
-This was a lot of fun and one of the better matches we have had on this show all year. I want to see more of these two against each other. Evans is a star and I can’t wait to see how this man continues to develop. These two are wonderful! ***

-Thanks for reading!

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

The Main Event was enough to make this a good show. The two others matches were solid, but both seemed to rush to the finish. In the opener it made sense as Dixon pissed off Eddy and he destroyed him for it. I loved the opening of the women's match, but not sure what happened at the end there. Still, Evans/Osborne was enough for the show to deliver more than we usually get from the Level Up Kids!