WWE NXT Level Up 7/12/2024
Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2024/07/wwe-nxt-level-up-752024.html
Malik Blade vs Cutler James
CJ does some lame roof raising during his entrance. CJ throws him off the waistlock attempt. CJ shoulders him over. Blade cartwheels over a back body drop and they each evade side headlocks. Blade chops CJ then hits mounted punches. Blade takes a big back body drop.
CJ throws him down by the arm then shoulderbeakers him. CJ armlocks him. Blade is in the wheelbarrow position and CJ revs him like he's a pull-string lawnmower.
CJ armlocks him again then Blade rolls him up. Blade back elbows him then lariats him. Blade hits a nice dropkick then 2nd rope corkscrew blockbusters him. Blade top rope springboard splashes him and wins.
Thoughts: James' gimmick is so bad. Easily one of the worst gimmicks of the last year. Nobody could get that over. It was super distracting and CJ didn't get to do a lot here. Blade did some okay flying though here. This was nothing special.
Hank Walker and Tank Ledger are interviewed. Tank interviews Hank during the interview and says his running an I-formation against his opponents tonight. Tank says they are going into the A-Gap.
Layla Diggs vs Tatum Paxley
This is LD's first singles match on TV and her 2nd match on TV.
LD takes her down and TP kips up. LD armdrags her off the wheelbarrow and armdrags her into an armlock. LD throws her down off the armlock. LD cartwheels out of an armthrow and LD armlocks her.
TP hits chest forearms and LD goes up and over into a sunset flip. TP takes her down by the leg then hits boots to the leg. TP hits kicks to the leg. LD boots her out of the corner and takes a forearm. TP corner crossbodies her.
TP rakes LD's face then figure fours her legs. LD upkicks her then TP misses a corner crossbody. LD shoulders her over then double underhook suplexes her. LD does a cartwheel moonsault onto TP. TP then hits a psycho trap and wins.
Thoughts: It wasn't bad. Layla looked decent here and seems like yet another decent find. I think Tatum butsted out of a new move here with the corner crossbody. Layla definitely did some new stuff.
Uriah Connors and Dion Lennox are interviewed. Dion says him and UC have been OK on Level Up but want to find more success. He says everyone loves Hank and Tank. UC says they don't love Hank and Tank and says nice guys finish last. He tells him to take his glasses off and tries to pump him up to get the win tonight.
Uriah Connors and Dion Lennox vs Hank Walker and Tank Ledger
Hank and Dion go at it. Hank side headlocks him and shoulders him over. Hank shoulders him over again and Dion dropkicks him. Dion shoulders him over again then UC step up sentons Hank on his back.
Tank shoulders over UC. UC euros Tank then Tank hits a punch on him. Tank corner splashes him. UC takes a sandwich bodyblock. Hank is pulled down face first on the apron and stomped outside. Dion backdrops Tank for 2 then armlocks him.
Dion back elbows Tank. Dion declines to cheat and UC stomps Tank. Hank chops Dion. Dion gets mad, takes him down and hits mounted shots. Hank catches UC in the corner then UC hits shots on him. Dion and UC argue. Tank is tagged in. He cartwheels out of a double clothesline then hits a springboard double crossbody. Tank atomic drops Dion then nails him off the buckles. Tank lifts Dion like a suplex but spinebusters him down.
Tank runs into UC's superkick. Hank black hole slams UC. Dion spinebusters Hank for 2. UC tries to take off the turnbuckle and argues with Dion. UC is knocked off the apron and Dion takes a double team slam. Dion is pinned.
Thoughts: It was average with them pushing the idea of UC wanting to cheat and Dion not going along with it. This resulted in them losing the match. Hank and Tank were fiery as usual and Dion looked good in the little he got to do here.
Overall thoughts: Nothing must see here this week. None of the matches were that great though the women's match was maybe the best thing on here. Cutler James' gimmick is one of WWE's worst gimmicks in years and he's doomed as long as he's doing it. Layla Diggs looked decent and seems to be yet another prospect.
I can’t tell if Cutler came up with this gimmick or if WWE did, but if WWE did they’re doing him a disservice unless this is a rib to test him to see how he handles the situation because I feel like they like him because he’s booked more than any of the other rookies who are still left from that Next Gen show. On the other hand if this was his idea he’s not going to make too long but on Next Gen he did the best in the promo exercises so he must have some kind of creative aptitude, so I’m more inclined to go with the former theory.
ReplyDeleteWhoever came up with this idea should say someone else came up with it haha.
DeleteI saw one of the WWE Next Gen shows. I'd definitely like to see the whole series.