wrestling / TV Reports
Leighty’s NXT Level Up Review 9.13.24
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...-With The SmackDown LowDown now airing live, Level Up has been pushed back to 11 PM. That works for me as both my kids are soundly asleep by this point and my wife is cool with me heading downstairs to get things done. Let’s get to it!
-Announce Team: Blake Howard and Byron Saxton
-Taped: WWE Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, FL
-Well, it seems starting at 11 PM was a lie as I tune it and the show is already twenty three minutes into it’s run. I go back to the start and we will see how much I can get in before it kicks me off the live feed and I have to continue with Hulu’s version on Sunday.
Shiloh Hill and Cutler James vs. Uriah Connors and Kale Dixon
-Connors got a taste of Main Event this week and my review is here. James and Dixon start us out and James controls the leg. Dixon escapes and tags in Connors who gets slammed down. Tag to Hill and he splats Connors with a tilt-a-whirl slam. Dixon saves and runs Hill into the corner. Connors in with a slingshot plancha to the bag. Back to Dixon who gets in some shots to the back. Tag back to Connors for another slingshot plancha to the back. Quick tags from Connors and Dixon as they are just switching out every 15-20 seconds. Chops light up the chest of Hill and Connors cuts off a tag attempt to get a two count. Dixon back in and he drops a knee to the back before hooking a modified camel clutch. He transitions to a side headlock, but Hill punches him way out. They collide in the middle of the ring with dueling clotheslines and the race is on. Tag to both partner and James is running wild. She splashes both men in the corner and hits a double clothesline. Lawn Mower drops Connors on his face, but Dixon breaks up the pin with a superkick. Connors hits a kick, but tries a splash from the middle rope and gets caught by James. He drops Connors with a spinebuster for the pin at 5:13.
Winners: Shiloh Hill and Cutler James via pin at 5:13
-Just a basic tag match and the crowd enjoyed it. Good enough. **
-NXT Shop commercial!
-Survivor Series: War Games commercial! Vancouver! Nov. 30th!
Kendal Grey vs. Tyra Mae Steele
-Amateur backgrounds abound with these two. I am intrigued by this one. Steele gets the first take down and gets back control. She rolls Grey around the ring and then another take down. Grey rolls over in a pin attempt, but Steele counters. Grey now with a standing switch and then a trip to get Steele down. Steele lands an up kick and they we get more mat wrestling. Grey with a take down into a short arm scissors. She looks for a cross-arm breaker, but Steele lifts Grey off the mat and slams her down to show off her power. Cool! Kicks from Steele in the corner and she sends Grey into the corner with a whip. More kicks! Suplex from Steele into a float over for a two count. Steele flattens Grey out and hooks a submission where she bends the leg and neck at the same time. Nice! Grey tries to escape, but Steele just puts her in another wacky submission. Grey is able to turn Steele on her back for a two count. Grey with a series of back elbows and a belly to belly suplex for two. Grey favors the back as she comes off the middle rope. Steele catches her and hits Snake Eyes. Massive POUNCE as Grey WENT FLYING. Oh Man! That only gets two so Steele hooks a Dragon Sleeper but Grey flips over and rolls into a pin while hooking the leg and it gets three at 5:44.
Winner: Kendal Grey via pin at 5:44
-This women were cooking out there and I dug this match. I loved the amateur stuff to start and that POUNCE was fantastic. Good stuff from both women here and I want to see more from both. Run this one back down the line when they have more experience. ***
-Niko Vance gets promo time.
-Metro and Cody are still sitting in a car in Atlanta. Maybe Metro should partner with Roman and Cody so we can get a 6 Man Tag at Bad Blood.
-NXT on UPN: Oct 1st!
Luca Crusifino (w/ The D’Angelo Family) vs. Niko Vance
-Vance actually made his debut on Main Event against Dante Chen last week and now gets his Level Up debut. He has had a name chance alread as he was Skylor Clinton on Main Event (which I believe is his real name). My review of that show is here. I remember Vance as he is rocking the tights where one leg is black and the other is white. He also has one black shoe and one white shoe to complete the look. Luca with a cross-body and then an arm-drag into a hammerlock. Byron notes Vance started in the PC about six months after Luca. He continues to work the arm and goes for another cross-body, but Vance rolls through on this one and runs Luca, upside down, into the corner. He stomps away as he shows off some good aggression. Slam gets a two count. I can’t get over the tights as they look like something a B Team member of he nWo would wear. Vance hooks a neck crank which lets the crowd rally Luca. He throws blows to break the hold and avoids Snake Eyes in the corner, but Vance gets a running head-butt for two. Then another two and another two! Luca with a small package for two as Vance was too worried about the ref’s count. Jawbreaker for Luca gets two. Both men get knocked down and then start trading blows as they get to their feet. BOO and YAY chants from the crowd. Luca wins the battle and hits a series of clothesline. Running shoulder tackle follows. Superkick into modified Codebreaker (Lawbreaker I guess) for the pin at 5:48.
Winner: Luca Crusifino via pin at 5:48
-Not much to this one as I found it a little dull. Vance has a good look so we will see how he develops. Luca continues to get better which is good to see. **
-Thanks for reading!
