WWE NXT Level Up 8/16/2024
Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2024/08/wwe-nxt-level-up-892024.html
Mark Coffey vs Cutler James
CJ = Cutler James
CJ has stupid tights with multi-colored houses and fences on them. Man, this is such a bad gimmick.
They lock up. CJ side headlocks him and shoulders him over. Mark side headlocks him and CJ rolls him out of it. CJ armlocks him. CJ hits short arm lariats. CJ wheelbarrow drops him for 2. Mark flying euros him and hits some shots.
Mark drops him with a forearm. Mark shoulders him over. CJ hits forearms then takes elbows to the back of the head. CJ hits punches and euros him. Mark back elbows him then 2nd rope diving shoulders him for 2.
Mark boots him out of the corner and misses a 2nd rope crossbody. CJ hits shots then back elbows him. CJ corner spears him then running lariats him. CJ suplexes him in from the apron for 2. CJ samoan drops him for 2.
Mark hits a gamengiri then hits a big forearm to win.
Thoughts: It wasn't any good. CJ is really limited and it was hard to tell if he was throwing punches or forearms half the time. CJ was supposedly an amateur wrestler but he never gets to show any amateur wrestling skills.
Adriana Rizzo and Layla Diggs make a tiktok. Izzi Dame interrupts and mocks them. Rizzo says all Izzi is good for is running her mouth. She says to never back down from a challenge. She challenges Izzi to pick on someone her own size. Layla lifts her up so she's taller than Izzi and she challenges her for Level Up.
Thoughts: It wasn't the greatest segment or anything but it was nice to see a different side of Rizzo.
Cutler James is interviewed. He says he gives Mark Coffey credit. He says he's accomplished but it doesn't make the loss any easier. He said he fell short again. He said he can sulk or learn from the experience. He says the game is all about experience. He says he doesn't lose, he learn and keeps moving forward. He says that is what he will do.
Adriana Rizzo vs Izzi Dame
They say this is the main event so I guess it's back to two matches this week.
Riz gets her back when she charges in. Riz pulls on her chin and arm. Riz yanks the arm and Izzi slams her. Izzi spears the buckles when Riz moves. Riz armlocks her over the rope connector.
Riz bangs Izzi's arm off the ropes and yanks on it. Riz hammerlocks her. Izzi tilt-a-whirl backbreakers her. Izzi hits knees to the ribs then backbreakers her.
Izzi wraps Riz's leg around the post. Izzi bangs Riz's head off the mat. Izzi backbreakers Riz over the shoulder. Riz codebreakers the arm. Riz hits forearms then northern lights suplexes her. Riz then kips up.
Riz flying forearms her in the corner. Izzi pulls the hair and does a running drop on her. Riz jack knifes her for 2. Riz flipping buttdrops her and wins.
Thoughts: I didn't like it. There was just no clear story as they worked various parts for no reason and they had some awkward moments here. Riz didn't seem to be moving as well as she should have been. I feel like Izzi's going to do good things someday but she has a lot of Lash Legend style negative in-ring traits that are bringing her down.
Overall thoughts: There were only 2 matches here for some reason instead of 3. Neither match was good and I wouldn't recommend this.
Cutler is definitely rough around the edges, but he’s a good looking kid and has the tools to be successful. It just might take awhile for him to put it all together so he’s definitely a slow burn.
ReplyDeleteOne issue could be that probably had Cutler wrestling on tv a bit too early. Would’ve helped if he had worked the live event circuit a bit longer first.
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