This week's NXT Level Up matches were taped last Tuesday at the Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.
The team of Edris Enofe & Malik Blade, who were on a five-match win streak, came out to a big pop to start the show. Sudu Shah and Nigel McGuinness are on the call and were joined by Raw Talk and The Bump host, Matt Camp.
Edris Enofe & Malik Blade defeated Bronco Nima & Lucien Price
**1/4
Thumbs Up
I really like how WWE has returned to advertising the next big WWE event (Clash at the Castle) on Level Up even if it has nothing to do with NXT.
It was a good ol' fashioned power vs. agility display to start between Nima and Enofe. This was very back and forth with each team getting their share of double team moves and hidden tags. Blade hit a jumping clothesline for a two count only for Nima to get a blind tag and pull Price out of the way into a split that looked awesome.
Nima took over the match with a big boot, He ripped off Blade's sweater vest that the commentators likened to a ripped off lucha mask due to the family history. Nima and Price each took their turn with Blade who eventually fought out of a cravate for the Enofe hot tag. This was great as Enofe hit an elbow drop for the two count followed a sling blade. Enofe and Blade followed up with the Climax for the win.
Nathan Frazer was backstage with Kelly Kincaid. It's his first appearance on NXT Level Up, and she asked if he was ready for tonight. All he really talked about was how Jiro's style is better than his, how he made the move to the US because of soccer, but they threw him a basketball instead. He then talked about how soccer taught him to have a strong right foot and he kicked the basketball into some poor guy backstage.
Kiana James defeated Amari Miller
**
Thumbs Up
It doesn't get more heel vs. face than this. James was taunting and trash talking while Miller had the biggest smile on her face the entire match.
Miller actually used this to her advantage, but James took back control very quickly. She used every heel move in the book using the turnbuckles and the ropes, even choking Miller with her boot at one point. Miller fought out of a rear chin lock with a headbutt and a roll-up for a two count. She then hit a flatliner for a near fall that almost got me. But of course, James reverted to her heel ways and used the ropes to hit a back elbow and twisting flatliner for the win.
Nathan Frazer defeated Ikemen Jiro
**1/2
Thumbs In The Middle Pointing Up
Given both Frazer's and Jiro's prowess in the air, I was really expecting this to be a good main event. I was mostly right on that assumption.
Jiro kept a wristlock on to start, but they creatively fought out of it after some exchanges. Frazer drove Jiro into the ropes with a running dropkick that Jiro sold really well. Jiro had to fight out of an armbar to get his own offense in. Frazer fought back in with a double leg into a boston crab, transitioning into an STF.
Frazer finally knocked Jiro out of midair with a superkick and hit the phoenix splash for the win. The two closed out the show with a hug.
Overall: Thumbs Down
By: #GeraldRoberts
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