WWE NXT Level Up 7/26/2024

WWE NXT Level Up 7/26/2024

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2024/07/wwe-nxt-level-up-7192024.html

Blake Howard and Vic Joseph are on commentary.

Jaida Parker vs Layla Diggs

They lock up. Layla splits to get out of a waistlock, legsweeps her and standing moonsaults her. LD armlocks her. LD is thrown back. LD is laid on the middle rope and JP buttpresses her down. JP bangs LD's head off the mat. LD cradles her for 2.

JP running knees her for 2. JP does something like a calf crusher on her. JP misses an elbow drop. LD hits a punch then shoulders her over. LD double underhook suplexes her then JP throws her into the 2nd rope throat first. JP running hip attacks her and wins.

Thoughts: It was a shorter one here. LD had some green moments but it wasn't bad. LD did some good selling here and made JP's attacks look stiff.

Cutler James and Dante Chen talk in the locker room. James says he was rooting for him against Ethan Page. He says anyone who succeeds here has to test themselves against Chen. He politely asks him for a match on Level Up and Chen agrees. Chen says he's the gatekeeper for a reason and says it'll be the stiffest test of his career so far. James wore some blue wool sweater you'd find in your mom's closet here.

Dion Lennox vs Uriah Connors

They lock up and UC shoves him back. UC shows him in the back of the head. UC hits a euro and a chop. Dion does a stiff headlock hip throw. Dion side headlocks him.

They slap each other and Dion dropkicks him. Dion is pulled throat first down over the middle rope. UC clubs on him then running knees him. UC hits a nice senton for 2. UC stomps on Dion. UC elbow drops him.

UC hits chops then lariats him in the back of the head for 2. They trade some shots. UC stomps him then does some foot slaps. Dion hits a hard lariat. Dion ducks a shot and hits forearms. Dion spinebusters him and fires up.

Dion grabs him and UC slides to the apron. Dion grabs him by the hair. UC back rolls him and holds the ropes on the pin. The ref catches it then Dion rolls him and pins him.

Thoughts: It was an okay match here. Dion's comeback was nice and UC looked like he was carrying the match here at times. They mostly did the basics but they did an okay job with the basics. Dion continues to seem like he has a lot of potential, but it's not time yet.

Layla Diggs is interviewed in the back. She says she hates losing. She said everytime she is headed in the right direction, she doubts herself. Rizzo walks past. She said Diggs was fast, flexible, physical and flipping. She says she's missing the C word - confidence. She says she needs confidence and she will be unstoppable. She tells her to keep her head up and says she has her eye on her.

Thoughts: Even though these segments are simple, they are exactly what these people should be doing. Just short little segments to help themselves and us figure out their characters.

Dante Chen vs Cutler James

Chen waistlocks him and is thrown. They trade hammerlocks. CJ snapmares him then Chen shoulders him over. Chen armlocks him. CJ catches Chen's crossbody and slams him. CJ forearms him in the back. CJ backdrops him for 2.

CJ sideslams him for 2. CJ lariats him from the apron. Chen upkicks him. CJ does a camel clutch variation. CJ sleepers him. Chen hits punches and some strikes then flying lariats him. Chen forearms him then CJ samoan drops him.

Chen pump kicks him. Chen hits a double chop and wins.

Thoughts: It was an average but decent match here. CJ did a little better in the heel role here with various rest holds and Chen made his comeback and won. It was CJ's best showing yet but I can't say he did anything that would catch anyone's attention.

They shake hands after.

Overall thoughts: It was fine but nothing must see. All of the matches were acceptable just not that great. I wouldn't recommend it but there's worse ways to spend 30 minutes. The best match on here would either be the semi-main or the main.