By John O’Connor, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@thereal_JOC)
NXT: Level Up (Episode 83)
Taped in Orlando, Florida at the WWE Performance Center
Streamed September 15, 2023 on Peacock/WWE Network
Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson with the rest of Meta Four made their way to the ring as the broadcast team of Blake Howard and Byron Saxton welcomed us to the show…
1. Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson (w/Noam Dark, Oro Mensah) vs. Dani Palmer and Tatum Paxley. Legend powered Palmer into the ropes as the match started. Jackson was tagged in and continued the beating on Palmer. Palmer rallied and tagged in Paxley who got a near fall on Jackson after a successful double team move. Noam Dar on the outside distracted Paxley which allowed Legend to takeover. Jackson back in, continued to wear down Paxley who eventually made the hot tag to Palmer.
Palmer took it to both Jackson and Legend before making her way to the top looking for a moonsault. Legend moved and nailed Palmer with a reverse elbow. Palmer crawled to Paxley who jumped off the apron, avoiding the tag, leaving her partner high and dry as Jackson and Legend hit the double team wheelbarrow facebuster for the win.
Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson defeated Dani Palmer and Tatum Paxley via pinfall in 5:54.
The commentary team hyped Tyriek Igwe and Tyson Dupont vs. Bronco Nima and Lucien Price for after the break…[c]
2. Tyriek Igwe and Tyson Dupont vs. Bronco Nima and Lucien Price (w/ Scrypts). Igwe and Dupont worked as a tandem in the early going on Nima before Nima made the tag to Price. Nima tagged back in and continued the ground and pound on Igwe gaining a near fall as Igwe continually looked for a tag to Dupont. Nima missed a splash and Igwe made the tag to Dupont as Dupont nailed both opponents with strong shoulder blocks and looked for a splash on Nima but Nima got his knees up and tagged in Price. Price assisted Nima with a double team elevated spinebuster on Dupont for the victory.
Bronco Nima and Lucien Price defeated Tyriek Igwe and Tyson Dupont via pinfall in 4:21.
The commentary team hyped the main event…[c]
3. Tyler Bate vs. Charlie Dempsey in an NXT Heritage Cup tournament Group A match. The rules of the NXT Heritage Cup tournament were again shown before the bell rang. A series of technical counters from Bate and Dempsey as the match started with both men working the wrist. Dempsey hit an uppercut on Bate and allowed Bate to get back to his feet uninterrupted. Dempsey took Bate down to the canvas and worked on the arm before transitioning into a rollup for a two count. Bate worked into a backslide for a near fall of his own.
Dempsey forced Bate to the mat as Bate bridged up avoiding the pinfall once more. Both men exchanged chops from the seating position as Bate forced Dempsey into another pinning combination before muscling him up into a suplex position. Bate looked for the handspring clothesline but Dempsey avoided but Dempsey was caught in the airplane spin. Both men got to their feet and exchanged European uppercuts. Dempsey sent Bate to the corner. Bate rolled through the legs and looked for a dropkick but was caught by Dempsey. Bate rolled through into a jackknife pin for the win.
Tyler Bate defeated Charlie Dempsey via pinfall to earn two points in the ‘NXT Heritage Cup tournament’ in 7:13.
A graphic flashed on the screen as the episode closed to show the current tournament standings. Tyler Bate is now leader of Group A.
John’s Ramblings: Love me some European style wrestling especially from my fellow countrymen (I know Dempsey is representing the U.S. but he is still British to me, dammit!). Bate and Dempsey put on a clinic. Neither were going for the validation of a five star classic but when technical wrestling is this good star ratings do not matter. I would just like to see them get more time to show what they can do on a PLE.
The main event was this show’s highlight, but the tag matches had their moments and we continued the Tatum Paxley story arc with her abandoning of Dani Palmer in her match. A good show this week.
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