Leighty’s NXT Level Up Review 02.18.22

-It’s a new era as 205 Live is no more. I’ll miss the purple brand that I have been covering for the last twenty-one months, but for almost a year that show hasn’t really existed anymore. The name change has been coming for a long time and it’s finally here and I like it. It makes sense and since my 4-year-old does nothing but play Mario and other video games he is a fan of the name as well. Let’s get to it!

-Announce Team: Sudu Shah and Nigel McGuiness
-Taped: WWE PC, Orlando, FL

-Then. Now. Forever. Together.

-The show intro fits NXT2.0 with all the bright colors and loud music. Nigel and Sudu explain this is a show for the young stars of NXT to make a statement. Again, this has been much needed and while it will be the same show we have seen since October, at least it makes more sense than 205 Live.

-Joe Gacy and Harland are out and Gacy brags about being the engine of change that got the name of this show changed.

Harland (w/ Joe Gacy) vs. Javie Bernal

-Well, here is a trivia question now as we have the first match in the history of WWE LVL Up. Harland mauls Bernal to start and just pounds him into a pile of goo. He rakes the eyes and grinds his forearm against the face. He squeezes the head as Bernal throws kicks to get on track. Harland staggers off a dropkick, but then swats Bernal down off another try. Massive delayed belly to back suplex finishes at 1:55.

Winner: Harland via pin at 1:55
-As expected, a SQUASH. SQUASH

-Elimination Chamber commercial!

-WWE 2K22 commercial. I am getting excited for the release of the game actually.

Fallon Henley and Kayla inlay vs. Tatum Paxley and Ivy Nile (w/ Malcolm Bivens)

-The crowd is all about Ivy as she has looked like a star on this show. Ivy starts with Kayla and that doesn’t go well for Kayla. “Ivy’s gonna kill you,” according to the fans. So she tags out to Henley and she is able to get a pin for one. Back elbow from Henley gets another one count. Roll-up, but Tatum is in to make the save as she made a blind tag. She lands a slam and bends Henley’s neck backwards over the middle rope. Tag back to Ivy which makes the crowd happy. She hits a suplex and Paxley hits a standing, twisting press. Delayed German Suplex from Ivy gets a two count. “Suplex City,” from the crowd next. Ivy ties up Henley with her legs and does some push-ups to show off as the crowd counts each one. Henley rolls through for a pin and then Ivy gets one of her own. Inlay back in and she gets a slam. She hits a shoulder in the corner and follows with a side walk slam for two. Everyone starts hitting everyone as it breaks down. In the ring catches Inlay in a submission and chokes her out for the tap at 4:18.

Winners: Tatum Paxley and Ivy Nile via tap-out at 4:18
-Energetic little tag match here that highlighted Nile and let Paxley show off a few flashy moves. Nothing special, but a fine match and again, the crowd was into it. *3/4

-Black History Month: Rocky Johnson as narrated by his son, The Rock. Good stuff!

-WrestleMania Dallas! Cody? Austin?

KUSHIDA (w/ Ikemen Jiro) vs. Edris Enofe (w/ Malik Blade)

-I smell a tag match between these teams coming at some point soon on this show and it will probably fun. For whatever reason the announcer’s mic volume is really low compared to the crowd and entrance music, so I don’t even know what they are saying. Feeling out process to start with neither man gaining an advantage. KUSHIDA gets a side headlock on the mat, but Enofe escapes. KUSHIDA gets Enofe on his back and transitions to a head scissor. Enofe escapes and they go again. Standing side headlock from KUSHIDA. Pace picks up as KUSHIDA snaps off a head scissors take down and then gets a hammerlock. He snaps the arm with his legs and hits a baseball slide on the floor. Back inside KUSHIDA runs into an elbow and Enofe gets a two count. He goes to a chinlock, but KUSHIDA breaks with ease. Enofe catches him charging again and rolls into a Half Crab. KUISHIDA breaks as he gets to the bottom rope. Snap suplex from Enofe gets another two count. He heads up top as the crowd tries to tally KUSHIDA. He answers as he meets Enofe up top, but he elbows KUSHIDA down. He comes off top, but KUSHIDA catches him with a dropkick on the way down. That draws a Holy Shit chant from the crowd. KUSHIDA starts to run wild with kicks but misses a clothesline in the corner. Tornado DDT into the Hover Lock, but Enofe rolls into a pin which forces KUSHIDA to break. They start trading blows and KUSHIDA wins that exchange. Handspring elbow is countered with a well placed dropkick to the back. Enofe heads up and hits The Shooting Star Press for the win at 7:07.

Winner: Edris Enofe via pin at 7:07
-This was a pretty sweet match as they let them loose a little bit here. KUSHIDA is KUSHIDA so you know what to expect, but Enofe showed out a little bit here and it was nice to see. Again, give me something like this in the Main Event of this show each week and it will go a long way in making this a solid show. ***

-KUSHIDA shakes Enofe’s hand after the match.

-Thanks for reading!

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

I may have been a little generous with the Main Event but it's what I have been wanting out of that spot on this show for months. I am fine with this format of a SQUASH to get someone over, a showcase for the women or tag teams and then a solid Main Event (whether it be men or women). It was a new show in name only, but as noted it at least makes sense now. The Main Event made this a good show and credit to the crowd for eating up everything they are seeing. Having a hot crowd, even a small one, always helps.