WWE NXT Level Up 1/5/2024

WWE NXT Level Up 1/5/2024

There was no new show last week. The show from the week before is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2023/12/wwe-nxt-level-up-12222023.html 

Brooks Jensen vs Luca Crusifino

Jensen's tron still has Briggs on it and the Brooks and Jensen logo. Jensen has new music, a blue hat, a gray jacket and blue and gray small tights.

Luca's not wrestling with a shirt again. They lock up and Luca takes him down. Luca rolls him on the mat then does a nice trip. Jensen wristlocks him then Luca takes him down. Jensen hammerlocks him and knee drops Luca's arm. Jensen monkey flips him then hits a punch. Jensen throws him  then flying headscissors him. They compare Jensen to Brad Armstrong.

Luca knees him in the gut then Jensen 2nd rope twisting crossbodies him. Jensen goes for corner punches and is pulled down onto the top rope. Luca then hits the hiptoss neckbreaker for 2. They said Luca filed a motion for Javier Bernal over what Von and Stone did to him. Jensen is pulled face first into the middle buckle then Luca forearms him. Luca legdrops him for 2 then does a jumping neckbreaker for 2.

Luca chinlocks Jensen then hits a nice short arm lariat. Jensen hits punches and back elbows. Jensen dropkicks him then powerslams him for 2. Jensen pulls himself up to the top rope then top rope flying kneedrops him. They mention Bobby Eaton and Jensen gets the win.

It was a short and okay match. Jensen hits his stuff clean and looked okay. I'm not sure what the deal is with comparing him with various WCW guys though. I don't see this new direction working for Jensen.

Dion Lennox is interviewed by Kelly Kincaid. He said he played football for Oregon State and the LA Rams. He said he's chasing a dream and said he wants to talk about him as a person. He said he was taught to be kind and polite but says when he takes the glasses off in the ring, he's not here to be anyone's friend. He said he came here to win but says Oro isn't getting Mr. Nice Guy tonight. He then gets polite again when he puts his glasses back on again. It seems like he's doing a Festus like gimmick where he changes personalities when the glasses are on.

Brinley Reece and Kiyah vs Kiana James and Izzi Dame

Kiyah Saint's name seems to be shortened to Kiyah now as it was shown in the graphic that way, though in the other graphic it was Kiyah Saint. Who knows. Kiyah and Brin both wear pink and Brin does push-up's between Kiyah's legs as she stands. Izzi Dame's name was under Kiana's on Kiana's entrance video. They again say Kiana James with Izzi Dame instead of Kiana James and Izzi Dame.

Kiana bangs Brin's arm off her shoulder then throws her back down on the mat. Brin arm throws her then forward cartwheels into a lariat. Brin corner spears Kiana then Kiana takes a double arm yank. Izzi gets in and is arm yanked. Izzi hits a stiff lariat on Kiyah then Kiana talks trash while Kiyah is on the 2nd rope. Kiana armlocks Kiyah then Kiyah armdrags her.

Kiana takes a double shoulder then the faces do a dance and double elbow drop Kiana. Izzi backbreakers Brin then knees her against the 2nd rope. Izzi slams Brin then Brin is stomped by both opponents in the corner. Kiana knees her in the gut then kicks her in the side of the head for 2.

Kiana corner spears Brin then Kiana is whipped into a spear in the corner on Brin. Izzi racks Brin then Brin rolls out. Kiyah and Kiana get in. Kiyah hits a nice pumping knee then hits kicks, punches and knees. Kiyah does a hig jump style pumping knee. Kiyah goes to the 2nd rope and knees Izzi off of it. Izzi does a flapjack on Kiyah then Kiana does a deal breaker single leg codebreaker on Kiyah. Kiana wins it.

It was a good little tag. Kiyah had a good hot tag section here and her jumping offense looked really good. Izzi looked good as well. Fun stuff and pretty good for the experience level of the 3 rookies here. 

Dion Lennox vs Oro Mensah
 

 

Dion takes off the glasses and then fires up. Oro's hair is super pink today and he has Jakara and Lash with him. Oro pushes him into the corner. Oro rolls out of a wristlock and upkicks him. Dion slams him down then chinlocks him. Dion headlock takeovers him twice. Oro trips him by rolling into his legs then Dion hiptosses and dropkicks him.

Dion hits a corner splash and a super high northern lights suplex for 2. Oro is thrown into the buckles and goes over the top rope. Dion argues with Lash outside. Dion goes back in and is superkicked. Oro stomps Dion. The ref hands Dion something then Oro exploders Dion for 2. Oro throws Dion into the 2nd rope, making him whip off of it hard. Oro hits elbows and clubs on him.

Oro lariats him in the back of the neck. Dion throws Oro and Oro takes a twisting bump off of it. Dion hits punches and Oro shin kicks him. Dion sends him flying with a shoulder and hits another dropkick. Oro boots him in the corner then Dion spinebusters him for 2. Oro fish hooks Dion then hits him in the back. Oro running spinning heel kicks him in the corner and wins it.

Dion was good here and actually got over the with the crowd. He's super explosive and moves really well. They have got someone in this guy. Oro did a great job bumping for him here. They should have called an audible for this one because that crowd wanted it.

Overall thoughts: It was a good half hour of wrestling. All 3 matches were good. Dion got over big in the main and seems to have a bright future ahead. The rookies did great in the women's tag and Jensen/Luca had a decent match. Fun stuff. I really do recommend checking out Dion's match as I think we will be seeing a lot more of him soon.