WWE NXT Level Up 1/13/2023

WWE NXT Level Up 1/13/2023

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2023/01/wwe-nxt-level-up-162023.html

Oba Femi vs Von Wagner

Oba has some fun new trap music. Von showed up bigtime against Bron and was rewarded for it by not really being on TV since. This could be fun.

They lock up and Oba takes corner spears. Von shoulderblocks him then takes a corner splash and a running shoulderblock. Oba then gorilla presses him but Von escapes and pounds on him. Von hits a short arm clothesline and more punches. Von hits a backdrop for 2 then some kind of shot to the head.

Von chinlocks him and misses a corner charge. Oba hits a sledgehammer shot and a nice uppercut. Oba backbreakers him  and hits a stiff running euro. Oba misses another attempt then takes a nice running facekick from Von. Von then hits an F-U and wins it.

It could have been better but the first part and the last part had some fun hoss wrestling. Oba's not a Myles Borne type of prospect, but he's big, he can move and he's got potential.

Jakara Jackson is interviewed. She said she has never backed down from a challenge and said she's a goal digger. She said Ms. Jackson is bout that action. JJ tried but it wasn't great.

Isla Dawn vs Jakara Jackson

JJ has a weird drop in the water camera effect for her entrance. Sounds weird, I know, but just picture how a drop in the water looks and that's it.

I have no idea who is supposed to be the face here. JJ side headlock takedowns her then Isla headscissors her. JJ handstands out of the headscissors then shoulders her over. JJ hits a decent dropkick then has her head banged hard off the middle buckle. JJ then has her head banged off the mat and takes a meteora knee press into the mat. Isla yells at the ref and is rolled up then Isla hits up kicks.

Isla is rolled up again then she double reverse armbars her. JJ rolls through it and kicks her and slams her, yelling, "Sorry, Ms Jackson". JJ suplexes her for 2 then Isla does her dragon sleeper into a slice and wins it.

JJ was a little better here than last time but it was a tough match since neither one is particularly a face. The crowd had no idea what to do here.

Duke Hudson vs Damon Kemp

Kemp sidesteps a move then taunts the Chase U student section. Kemp does a nice armdrag then takes shoulderblocks. Kemp his a stiff knee to the gut for 2 then firemans carries him into an armlock. Duke does a nice leapdrog into a hiptoss and slam. Kemp hits a stun gun then a neckbreaker for 2.

They trade some shots and Kemp slingshots in and la silla's his back. Kemp then rolls him into a german for 2. Duke hits a german then Hulk's up off of Kemp's punches. Duke hits some bad shots and they botch a flying forearm. Duke then kips up and hits C-H-A-S-E-U punches with an elbow ton win it.

I thought it was kind of fun until the end when Duke's offense started looking bad. Duke's always a tough one because you never know if he's purposely being corny due to the character or if he is just that green. Kemp got a raw deal here going down to such a weak finisher.
 

Overall thoughts: It's Level Up. It's rarely ever going to be great but the opener was fun and main had some fun stuff to it.