wrestling / TV Reports
Leighty’s NXT Level Up Review 7.28.23
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...-Plug as you can find my Retro Review of WWF International Incident here. Next up is Clash 33, Hog Wild, and SummerSlam 1996. Let’s get to it!
-Announce Team: Blake Howard and Byron Saxton
-Taped: WWE PC, Orlando, FL
Damon Kemp vs. IKEMEN JIRO
-The crowd is happy to see JIRO again and he does a headstand on the top buckle to show off and pop the crowd. Kemp is not impressed and gets a side headlock. He transitions to the mat and JIRO grabs the bottom rope to force a break. JIRO breaks a go behind by spreading his legs and shows up with a kip up. Another kip up and Kemp just throws him back down and stands on his hair. JIRO gets kicked off in the corner, but catches Kemp charging with a foot to the face. Kemp lands a shot and gets a suplex variant for two. He gets top position and throws some hands to boos from the crowd. Slam escaped by JIRO and he lands some non jacket assisted punches. Tilt-a-whirl backbreaker from Kemp gets two and he grabs an arm to slow things down. JIRO punches his way out, but gets knocked down with a forearm. JIRO avoids a charge in the corner and now we get jacket punches. A discus punch knocks Kemp down and he’s lucky he isn’t unconscious. JIRO ends up on the apron and drops Kemp throat first on the top rope. Springboard moonsault gets two but JIRO misses a dive and bounces off the ropes. Kemp with an overhead suplex and then nearly kills JIRO with an Electric Chair German Suplex for the pin at 4:58. That could have been bad as JIRO nearly got dropped right on his head.
Winner: Damon Kemp via pin at 4:58
-JIRO is fun and Kemp is coming along, but man that ending almost got really ugly. *3/4
-Karmen Petrovic, who has a background in karate, makes her debut tonight and gets some promo time. She faces Ivy Nile! Good luck with that!
-NXT Great American Bash is this Sunday!
-Cody Rhodes doc drops on Monday and I can’t wait!
Ivy Nile vs. Karmen Petrovic
-Petrovic has a sword as part of her entrance. She has a good luck and we get more backstory as she has is a 3rd degree black belt in karate. She has roots in Serbia and Canada, so let’s see what she got. Two things going against her though is they love beating people in their debut on this show (which is fine) and she is facing a ticked off Ivy Nile. Karate vs. MMA! Nile gets a quick take down and a one count. Karmen lands a front kick and tells Ivy to bring it. She breaks Ivy down and floats over for a side headlock. Nile rolls out and gets an armbar. Cool! Karmen escapes into a head scissors and gets kicked in the ribs for her trouble. SOS slam from Nile and more leg kicks from Nile. Petrovic ducks an enziguiri and rolls with Nile to tweak her knee on the way down. Pertrovic lands a hook kick and gets a two count. She works the knee and slams it into the mat. She tears back on the knee with her own foot applying pressure. Again, cool! Nile is able to get to Karmen’s head and gets a side headlock. She transitions into a pin for two. This time Ivy hits the enziguiri and starts her comeback. She lands the running kick in the corner followed by a suplex for two. As Petrovic kicks out she gets locked in Diamond Chain Lock for the tap at 4:03.
Winner: Ivy Nile via pin at 4:03
-I enjoyed this cool little match. I liked how their styles meshed and Karmen looked solid in her debut. **
-Next Saturday: Detroit! Ford Field! SummerSlam!
-WWE Live coming to a town near you!
Duke Hudson (w/ Thea Hail and Andre Chase) vs. Luca Crusifino
-Luca has new theme music as it’s not just a rip-off of The People’s Court theme. Lockup to start as they jockey around the ring. Luca gets a slap and bails to the floor as Hudson is a little annoyed by that. Back in the Luca goes to work on the arm and breaks Hudson down to his knees. Hudson reverses and gets a side headlock. He gets shoved off, but runs down Luca, so he bails to the floor again. Hudson gives chase and gets caught back in the ring with a side headlock. Hudson nearly breaks, but Luca pulls him down by the hair. Hudson does get a running shoulder and lands a clothesline followed by a slam. Luca tries to bail again, but Hudson stops him on the apron and brings him back in with a hip-toss. Suplex gets a two count. Luca gets to the ropes again and lands a back elbow. Back to the apron and Hudson tries a hip-toss again, but Luca drops him throat first on the top rope. Running chop block followed by two DDTs and a neckbreaker get two. Man, two DDTs and a neckbreaker would be bringing out body bags in the 80s. Luca talks some trash and he rams Hudson’s face into the mat. Duke starts to Duke up as the crowd starts chanting his name. His Hulk-up routine brought a smile to my face and the crowd is in on it. Hudson runs wild and gets a Senton. He bails to the wrong side of the ring and has Hail scream in his face. Hudson slings in from the apron and gets a release German Suplex on the way in and that is followed by a Razor’s Edge for the pin at 6:19.
Winner: Duke Hudson via pin at 6:19
-Solid match and I enjoyed the story of Luca trying to run to sucker Duke in, and then Duke adjusting to that and Luca adjusting to that adjustment. I’m still not sure about the gimmick but I want to see more of Luca. Duke has become more interesting since the turn to Chase U as well. **1/4
-Thanks for reading!
