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NXT: TakeOver 31 was an epic event, which needed something special to set it apart from the shows we saw this year. Well, that special something wound up being the Capitol Wrestling Center, a revamped WWE Performance Center tailor-made for the Black and Gold Brand.
The classic Attitude Era-esque look was a perfect fit for NXT, and the WWE Universe wholeheartedly agreed.
Tonight saw four championship bouts. The NXT Championship was on the line as The Prince Finn Balor took on The Undisputed Era's Kyle O'Reilly in an incredible main event. Isaiah "Swerve" Scott battled Santos Escobar, looking to finally take the NXT Cruiserweight Championship from his hands, and Candice LeRae hoped to finally put down her former friend and NXT Women's Champion Io Shirai.
Speaking of Mrs. Gargano, her husband was in the opener tonight. Johnny Gargano had his eyes on the NXT North American Championship, hoping to become the first two-time champion in the title's brief history.
North American Championship match at NXT TakeOver 31: Johnny Gargano vs Damian Priest (c)
Johnny Gargano employed the stick-and-move tactic early on in the match against the Archer of Infamy. The first-ever NXT Grand Slam Champion avoided some major blows by Damian Priest for a time but fell to a leaping wheel kick.
Gargano managed to knock Priest off the ropes after an Old School attempt and sent him from the apron to the floor when yanking his arm through his legs. Priest was bounced around ringside, running into the new steel chained barricade of the Capitol Wrestling Center, and rolled back inside for more punishment at TakeOver 31.
Priest's leg was weakened after a long single leg Boston Crab, but the NXT North American Champion battled back with a big striking combination. The elevated flatliner couldn't put the challenger away. Gargano was then sent spine first onto the apron with a Razor's Edge, but that couldn't finish the job either at TakeOver 31.
Gargano responded with a superkick and standing shiranui for a near-fall. Priest made it to the ropes to break the Garga-No Escape. With steel steps set up on the floor, Gargano tried to send the champion into them. While it didn't work out as he'd planned, Gargano was able to stun Priest for a One Final Beat attempt.
Attempt being the operative word. Priest caught him mid-jump, turning it into The Reckoning for the win at TakeOver 31.
Results: Damian Priest defeated Johnny Gargano via pinfall on NXT TakeOver 31.
Grade: B+
Kushida vs Velveteen Dream at NXT TakeOver 31
Velveteen Dream, dressed as Doc from Back to the Future, couldn't even get out of the gate, as Kushida attacked him during his entrance. The Time Splitter of NXT kicked the Vainglorious One around ringside and immediately focused the arm at TakeOver 31.
Dream struggled to get going as a more aggressive Kushida continued to set up for the Hoverboard Lock. Kushida yanked Dream through the ropes for his running armbreaker, leaving Dream grasping his shoulder in an excess amount of pain.
Dream avoided the Hoverboard Lock for a time, but another arm breaker would connect. Dream shoved the referee away, distracting Kushida long enough to get in some offense. As Kushida was sent to the floor, Dream hit a diving elbow drop to the outside. Dream battered Kushida back inside the ring and turned a handspring back elbow into a sleeper attempt at TakeOver 31.
Kushida fought out and fired up, hitting his hip toss/dropkick combination and rocking Dream with a big elbow. After stomping in the face of NXT's former golden boy, Kushida set up Dream in the steps for a big dropkick, crashing his arm between the steps and ring post at TakeOver 31.
Somehow, Dream withstood more punishment and various armbars, managing to hit a Purple Rainmaker. It seemed to hurt him more than his opponent, though, and Kushida kicked out. A second Rainmaker was blocked when Kushida followed him, trapping him in the Hoverboard Lock.
Dream fought for minutes but was ultimately left with nowhere to go in the middle of the ring.
Results: Kushida defeated Velveteen Dream via pinfall at NXT TakeOver 31.
Grade: B
After the match, Kushida further attacked the former NXT North American Champion. Dream was left screaming in agony as Kushida walked off, still furious about the whole match.
An advert played following the match, revealing that NXT would be bringing back Halloween Havoc. The NXT Special will take place on October 28th, with Shotzi Blackheart as the host.
NXT Cruiserweight Championship match at TakeOver 31: Isaiah "Swerve" Scott vs Santos Escobar (c)
Santos Escobar and Isaiah Scott traded pinfalls early on, both hoping to end the match early. The challenger sent the NXT Cruiserweight Champion to the floor, following up with a moonsault off the apron at TakeOver 31.
A corkscrew senton off the turnbuckle connected as well. Escobar couldn't avoid another dive, with Swerve hitting a Fosbury Flop to cap off the trifecta at TakeOver 31.
Swerve began working over Escobar's arm, wrapping it up in the ring post and ropes. A cross arm breaker attempt didn't last long as Escobar squirmed his way to the ropes. There, Escobar took over, hanging Swerve up on the top rope. The suicide dive sent Swerve into the new chain link barricade, giving Escobar a two-count at TakeOver 31.
A super frankensteiner launched Swerve across the ring but didn't secure the pin. Scott began building up momentum once again and hit his rolling flatliner for a two-count. A corner-trapped DDT spiked the NXT Cruiserweight Champ for another close call at TakeOver 31.
At this point, Legado Del Fantasma came in to ruin Swerve's chances. However, NXT and 205 Live newcomer Ashante Thee Adonis drove them to the back, evening up the numbers once again.
Back inside, the distraction allowed Escobar to hit the Phantom Driver but it wasn't enough. The Three Amigos see up for the Frog Splash, which Swerve avoided. The House Call rocked Escobar, but couldn't get the job done.
The end came when Escobar fought off a German on the apron, sending Swerve headfirst into the bottom turnbuckle rung. A double underhook facebuster planted Swerve on Escobar's knee for the win.
Results: Santos Escobar defeated Isaiah "Swerve" Scott via pinfall on NXT TakeOver 31.
Grade: B-
NXT Women's Championship match at TakeOver 31: Candice LeRae vs Io Shirai (c)
Io Shirai and Candice LeRae may be destined to do this forever, as we saw this last summer when Shirai went dark. They've fought several times since then, and this time the tables have been turned. The NXT Women's Champion had her challenger on the ropes early on, forcing LeRae to retreat to the floor at TakeOver 31.
As LeRae came back on the apron, Shirai set up for a slingshot sunset bomb to the ground. LeRae held onto the ropes, shaking her off and hitting a springboard crossbody. Shirai responded with an Asai moonsault. Back inside, Shirai battered her former ally around the ring at TakeOver 31.
In the corner, the Poison Pixie of NXT caught Shirai with a backstabber, slowing down the pace going forward and keeping Shirai on the mat. Shirai attempted to get up but was rocked with a big clothesline from Lerae.
A backbreaker earned LeRae a two-count. LeRae's step-up senton missed, allowing Shirai to stun her with a victory roll into a double stomp. Both women fought back to their feet, where Shirai took the lead again. A flapjack and 619 set Shirai up for the springboard missile dropkick at TakeOver 31.
LeRae countered an Over the Moonsault, or so she thought, with a powerbomb, but as she sat down, Shirai rolled through for a double knee strike in the corner. LeRae rebounded off the ropes for a snap German and backstabber, following that with the lionsault. Shirai kicked out at TakeOver 31.
Shirai fought out of the Garga-No Escape, and LeRae accidentally hit the ref as she pulled herself off the NXT Women's Champion. The ref took another hit from Shirai accidentally, allowing Johnny Gargano to rush the ring. Putting on an NXT official's shirt, he went to count the pin after a curb stomp, but Shirai kicked out.
Gargano handed LeRae the title, and when the ref recovered, was sent to the back. The distraction allowed LeRae to hit Shirai with the NXT Women's Championship, but it still only got a two. As LeRae moved up top, she was caught by Shirai with an avalanche Spanish fly.
The Over the Moonsault connected, and Io Shirai retained.
Results: Io Shirai defeated Candie LeRae via pinfall on NXT Takeover 31.
Grade: A
After the match, NXT received two major surprises at TakeOver 31. The first came from former NXT UK Women's Champion Toni Storm, who appeared on the screen to congratulate Io Shirai on her win. She also revealed that she'd be joining NXT as a member of the roster from here on out.
The "Mystery Superstar" shortly followed up, and it turned out to be none other than former NXT Women's Champion Ember Moon.
The NXT women's division has stepped up quite a bit in just one night.
NXT Championship match at TakeOver 31: Kyle O'Reilly vs Finn Balor (c)
The NXT Champion was in the fight of his life in this match, it seemed. Both men were evenly matched at TakeOver 31. The legendary NXT tag team specialist seemed to have an answer for everything Finn Balor threw at him.
Eventually, Balor was able to slow the Undisputed Era's mat technician down with a headlock, but Kyle O'Reilly was able to escape, nearly setting up Balor for an armbar out of nowhere. O'Reilly focused on the shoulder of The Prince of NXT at TakeOver 31, the same one that was injured in his Universal Championship match many years ago.
Balor was able to tear away from O'Reilly's grasp after several minutes, and looked to give O'Reilly a taste of his own medicine. After all, an injured arm would weaken his submission game, which was rather dangerous. Balor did try to trade strikes with the three-time NXT Tag Team Champion, which was a huge mistake.
O'Reilly battered Balor with an intense series of knees, kicks, elbows and chops, ending with a leg sweep that left Balor gasping for air on the mat. O'Reilly charged in the corner for a running elbow before going back to Balor's arm at TakeOver 31.
A series of double underhook suplexes into a double underhook DDT planted Balor for a two-count. In an ode to the NXT General Manager, O'Reilly set up for a Regal Plex. Balor blocked it but faced more punishment in the ropes with more stiff strikes at TakeOver 31.
This led to a slugfest, which Balor shockingly won after a big kick to the side. O'Reilly crumbled to the mat and the referee nearly stopped the match. Balor took his time here, punishing O'Reilly and working over his sternum. For minutes on end, Balor punished O'Reilly's ribs.
Balor hit the spinning inverted facelock elbow drop and a Sling Blade. O'Reilly countered the shotgun dropkick with a dropkick of his own to Balor's knees. A knee breaker set up or a heel hook, which Balor countered into a Sharpshooter.
O'Reilly escaped, and after another striking trade, caught Balor in a guillotine in the middle of the ring. O'Reilly let go of the hold to deliver a knee to the chest and a brainbuster. It wasn't enough at TakeOver 31.
Balor escaped a cross arm breaker and hit the 1916 DDT, but O'Reilly kicked out. O'Reilly stopped the Coup de Grace, hanging Balor up in the ropes with a dragon screw. O'Reilly weakened the knee some more, hitting a diving knee drop to the back of Balor's leg.
The heel hook was locked in as O'Reilly began to bleed from the mouth. Balor made it to the ropes but was blasted with a knee in the corner and a German suplex. He rolled through hitting a standing double stomp, but it was clear his mouth had been busted open at TakeOver 31.
Balor hit the Coup de Grace to finally put O'Reilly away.
Results: Finn Balor defeated Kyle O'Reilly via pinfall on NXT TakeOver 31.
Grade: A+
After the match, Finn Balor offered his hand to the three-time NXT Tag Team Champion. They celebrated for a moment before noticing Ridge Holland carrying the nearly unconscious Adam Cole ringside. He dumped Cole over the barricade before the Undisputed Era could rush in.
TakeOver 31 Rating: A
We had a few surprises in the form of Ember Moon and Toni Storm tonight. Balor and Kyle O'Reilly fought in what could go down as a Match Of The Year Contender.
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