Leighty’s NXT Level Up Review 9.22.23

-The bloodletting in the WWE has taken away some of the men and women we have grown to know on this show. It sucks, but it’s business. They always have a new crop waiting to debut. Let’s get to it for NXT Level up!

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

Ivy Nile vs. Izzi Dame

-Dame gets a slam which doesn’t happen often to Nile on this show. She then lands an elbow and gets another slam. Nile hooks a side headlock and takes it to the mat. She lands a knee to the face and gets a crossbody for two. Nile back to the side headlock and she takes it back to the mat as Dame tries to flip out. Dame lifts Nile off the mat and runs her into the buckle to break. Nile throws a few strikes but gets booted down. Dame grabs a leg and whips Nile to the mat for a two-count. Dame goes to work on the knee as she grabs a modified knee bar. Front slam gets a two-count. Dame goes back to the knee as you don’t see Nile getting dominated like this often. Nile rallies back with kicks including a head kick. Dame drops Nile’s throat first on the top rope and then rams the knee off the apron for good measure. Nile back with another kick, and Nile counters a counter into The Diamond Chain for the tap at 5:24.

Winner: Ivy Nile via submission at 5:24
-This was something different with Nile being on the defensive which wasn’t as much fun as when she is smashing someone. Dame has good size and power and I am curious to see how she develops. *

-Luca Crusifino gets promo time!

-NXT No Mercy commercial!

-WWE Live commercial!

IKEMEN JIRO vs. Luca Crusifino

-I shed a tear as this is the last IKEMEN match as he was one of the roster cuts over the last two days. I enjoyed JIRO on this show as he always brought great energy and was just fun to watch. The crowd loves him as well. IKEMEN smacks Luca on the ass a few times and is having some fun. Luca pushes him down, but IKEMEN kips up and shows off the jacket. As always, it is an impressive jacket! Luca trips JIRO up and throws clubbing blows on the apron. Neckbreaker gets a two count, so Luca goes to a head scissors. JIRO escapes and starts firing off JACKET PUNCHES! Luca is somehow breathing after four of them! JIRO hangs Luca throat first on the top rope and gets a springboard into a moonsault for two. Luca somehow gets the JACKET off IKEMEN and he looks naked without it. Luca tosses the JACKET at IKEMEN to blind him and then grabs the trunks to get the pin at 3:00.

Winner: Luca Crusifinio via pin at 3:00
-Sucks that JIRO gets sent out with a 3-minute loss to the wrestling lawyer. Best of luck Jacket Man! You will be missed! *

-Fastlane! Indianapolis!

-WWE and NFL team up for team Championship Belts. Go Niners!

Global Heritage Invitational Match: Group A: Axiom (0-1-1, 1 point) vs. Charlie Dempsey (0-2-0, 0 points)

-Neither man can advance as this is the last match of Group A, so this is all about pride. Dempsey quickly dumps Axiom and wants him to bring it. Dempsey gets another throw and goes to work on the arm. He breaks Axiom down, but Axiom gets back up and gets wrist control. Dempsey misses a clothesline and eats a dropkick that gets a one count. Axiom hooks a side headlock as the crowd chants, “Thank You, Regal,” I think. Dempsey back in control as he buries some knees into the back and constantly goes for the pin, but Axiom is out each time. Axiom with a heavy slap to the face, but Dempsey just eats it and gets a trip. He hooks an abdominal stretch, but Axiom escapes and they start trading strikes. Dempsey wins that exchange as he pounds Axiom into goo and gets a two-count. Axiom fires up with strikes and gets a dropkick. Dempsey rolls to the floor, but Axiom follows with a suicide dive and hits his back off the announce desk. Axiom off the top, but Dempsey catches him and turns it into an SOS slam, but he bridges into a pin for two. More heavy strikes between the two and the crowd is starting to groan with each shot delivered. Dempsey gets a deadlift German Suplex into a bridge for two. Dempsey gets set up top and he slugs Axiom down. Axiom back with a head kick and he hits a Spanish Fly from up there. Golden Ratio finishes at 6:53.

Winner: Axiom via pin at 6:53
-This was fun as you would expect. Dempsey is the newbie in his group so it’s not shocking he ended up going 0-3. I enjoyed having these matches on this show as they carried some importance. Give me more of both of these guys in the ring. ***

-Thanks for reading!

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

The Main Event is enough to make this a good show. Seeing IKEMEN go out in a 3-minute loss is kind of a bummer. The opener was different and I will have to get used to seeing Nile fight from underneath. As always, an easy show to watch and this week we were rewarded with a nice match to close things.