By John O’Connor, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@thereal_JOC)
NXT: Level Up (Episode 150)
Taped in Orlando, Florida at the WWE Performance Center
Streamed December 27, 2024 on Peacock/WWE Network
Wendy Choo made her way to the ring first for the only Six-Woman Tag Team Match in NXT Level Up history as the broadcast team of Blake Howard and Byron Saxton welcomed us to the final edition of show…
1. Wendy Choo, Lainey Reid, and Kali Armstrong vs. Carlee Bright, Kendal Grey, and Layla Diggs. Grey and Reid started the match throwing fists in the early going. Choo tagged in but was caught in a suplex by Grey before Diggs tagged in. Bright entered the ring and splashed Choo for a near fall. Armstrong entered to switch the momentum for her team and Choo reentered.
Reid tagged back in and continued to wear down Bright as Bright looked for the hot tag as Armstrong entered and dropped Bright with a strong shoulder block. Armstrong missed a splash and Bright tagged in Diggs who took it to all of her team’s opponents as the match broke down on the outside. Back in the ring, Diggs avoided a clothesline from Reid and hit her with a pump kick and a scissors kick for the win.
Carlee Bright, Kendal Grey, and Layla Diggs defeated Wendy Choo, Lainey Reid, and Kali Armstrong via pinfall in 5:33.
The commentary team hyped the Dante Chen ‘Open Challenge’ Gauntlet for after the break…[c]
Prior to the main event, a package of still images played on the screen to highlight the stars that began their careers on ‘Level Up’. Lola Vice, Kelani Jordan, Oba Femi, Je’Von Evans, Myles Borne, Tavion Heights and Thea Hail were shown as Blake Howard thanked all of the men and women who competed in the ring and all of the fans who stayed with them across the 150 episodes before throwing it to a still image of Dante Chen who Howard said it was Chen who became synonymous with the show so it was fitting that he was in the main event spot as Chen’s entrance music played.
2. Dante Chen’s ‘Open Challenge’ Gauntlet Match.
2a. Dante Chen vs. Keanu Carver. Chen grabbed the side headlock before transitioning to work on the arm of Carver. Chen looked for an arm drag but Carver powered Chen across the ring and hit Chen with a powerslam. Carver looked for a lawn dart into the corner but Chen surprised Carter with a rollup at 1:33 to eliminate Carver.
Dante Chen defeated Keanu Carver via pinfall at 1:33.
2b. Dante Chen vs. Harlem Lewis. Carver hit Chen with a sky high as Lewis entered and began to wear down Chen with a series of suplexes and knee strikes. Lewis choked Chen in the corner and brought him into the center of the ring for a count of two. Lewis whipped Chen off the ropes but Chen hit a quick roaring chop to the chest to put Lewis away at 3:50.
Dante Chen defeated Harlem Lewis via pinfall at 3:50.
2c. Dante Chen vs. Kale Dixon. Chen struggled to gain his footing as Dixon toyed with Chen and hit Chen with a chop to the back of Chen. Dixon taunted the crowd and hit a crossbody splash on the grounded Chen and looked to finish but Chen powered out of an attempted piledriver. Dixon rolled to ringside looking to escape but Chen followed him outside and brought him back into the ring. Dixon caught Chen with a flatliner for a near fall and looked to finish Chen with his own move but was rocked by a superkick and a pump kick before being put away by Chen’s roaring chop to the chest at 7:25.
Dante Chen defeated Kale Dixon via pinfall to finish the gauntlet at 7:25 overall.
John’s Ramblings: An enjoyable final show with a good build and fitting send off which was the perfect way to wrap on my run here on Dot Net. As the replacement show for 205 Live, Level Up didn’t always hit it out of the park during its near three year run but it can be applauded for giving the opportunity for young wrestlers to hone their skills and showcase their characters on a professional television production.
Not all managed to succeed as the inevitable cuts occurred throughout the years, but given the number of current stars on both the main and NXT rosters that got their start on this show this is an experiment that should be considered a overall success.
I would like to thank Jason and all of the Dot Net team for the opportunity and support while writing for the site and to everyone that enjoyed reading my musings covering this show.
It’s not a goodbye, it’s just a see you down the wrestling road. To quote the legendary announcer Bob Caudle, “So long for now!”
Be the first to comment