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We are finally all set for WWE NXT TakeOver 31, and there’s an exciting show lined up for the fans. A total of four titles from the brand will be on the line including the NXT Championship, the NXT Women’s Championship, the NXT North American Championship, and the NXT Cruiserweight Championship.
This time, however, the WWE NXT Tag Team Championships won’t be on the line at the PPV. We will see the likes of Finn Balor and Johnny Gargano back in action. On the other hand, big names like Tommaso Ciampa and Adam Cole won’t be competing tonight.
In this article, we will take a look at things that can transpire during WWE NXT TakeOver tonight. So, without further ado, let’s begin.
#1 Finn Balor defends his WWE NXT Championship against Kyle O’Reilly
Finn Balor defeated Adam Cole to become the WWE NXT Champion for the second time. He will now put his title on the line against Kyle O’Reilly in a Single’s match at TakeOver 31. The latter defeated Bronson Reed, Cameron Grimes, Kushida, and Timothy Thatcher in a Gauntlet Eliminator match to win an opportunity to challenge for the most coveted prize of the black and golden brand.
This high-anticipated title match is expected to be the main event of WWE NXT: TakeOver 31 PPV. Both Balor and O’Reilly are hard-working Superstars, and they will indeed work together to deliver a great match. Although it seems highly unlikely that Finn Balor will lose his championship tonight, O’Reilly will still pose a serious threat to the Prince.
Balor’s move to the black and gold brand allowed him to take time off of main roster. There were also reports that the promotion wants to move Finn Balor to WWE NXT UK where he would lock horns with WALTER. But since that won’t be possible for at least a few months now, Balor’s title reign will see him involved in a lot of feuds before he eventually drops his title.
It will also be interesting to see if Karrion Kross is going to make his presence known during tonight’s PPV. The former WWE NXT Champion was forced to relinquish his title after he sustained a serious injury during the title match against Keith Lee. While there are no reports about his return as of now, he (or Scarlett) could still have a message for the champion and the entire roster.
#2 Velveteen Dream’s feud with Kushida on WWE NXT finally comes to an end?
Velveteen Dream returned on WWE NXT and turned heel after he laid a brutal attack on Kushida following a triple-threat match. Unfortunately for Kushida, Dream wasn’t ready to let go of this feud until the very end. As a result, a match between both Superstars was confirmed for tonight’s TakeOver 31 PPV.
The biggest intention behind this match is to establish Kushida as a serious contender in WWE NXT. He has been impressive on the brand but needs just one good match to find a way into the Cruiserweight Championship picture. A credible victory at TakeOver, especially against the likes of Velveteen Dream, will be enough to ensure that Kushida gets a much-deserved push on NXT.
As far as Dream is concerned, WWE might continue booking him as a heel beyond the PPV. Unfortunately, that will effectively minimise the chances of him having an extended title feud with Finn Balor. However, we could see him end his ongoing rivalry with Kushida following which, Velveteen Dream could leave WWE NXT and move to the main roster next week during Draft 2020.
#3 Johnny Gargano challenges Damian Priest for the WWE NXT North American Championship
It shouldn’t be a surprise to see Mr TakeOver included in the PPV match card. Tonight, Johnny Gargano will challenge Damian Priest for the WWE NXT North American Championship. It would be an understatement to say that Gargano wants to walk out of the pay-per-view with the title. But will his prophecy come true tonight?
In the weeks leading up to the PPV, WWE NXT General Manager William Regal confirmed that Priest would defend his gold against Gargano. The two Superstars will lock horns in a Singles Match. Gargano wants to win the title so that he can be the champion alongside his wife, Candice LeRae who is also booked for a title match tonight.
Damian Priest has only enjoyed a short title reign so far. It would be unfair for him to lose the title this early. There’s a high chance that he will retain his championship against Gargano. That result would further imply that Gargano could be involved in a title feud with Priest on WWE NXT. Sooner than later, he is expected to get his hands on gold once again.
#4 Io Shirai faces Candice LeRae in WWE NXT Women’s Championship match
Io Shirai is set to defend her WWE NXT Women’s Championship against Candice LeRae tonight at TakeOver 31. Candice, who turned heel alongside her husband Johnny Gargano, is now looking to dominate the women’s division on NXT. Not only that, she wants to win the title and together, LeRae and Gargano want to ‘rule WWE NXT’ as the power couple.
While Io Shirai has been good with her title reign, the WWE NXT Women’s Championship has lacked the brutality that surrounded the likes of Shayna Baszler and Rhea Ripley. The blame hardly falls on Shirai who has done her best in making the title look more and more prominent with each passing week. Hence, it is possible that the creative will have her retain the gold tonight at the PPV.
One can’t help but think that the results of this match and the WWE NXT North American Championship match are intertwined. If either one of those bouts sees the title change hands, you can fully expect the other one meeting the same fate. It will be interesting to see if Gargano’s prophecy will come true at the PPV.
#5 Santos Escobar and Isaiah ‘Swerve’ Scott lock horns for the WWE NXT Cruiserweight Championship
Finally, we will see WWE NXT Superstar Santos Escobar defend his Cruiserweight Championship against Isaiah ‘Swerve’ Scott at TakeOver tonight. In the weeks leading to up to the PPV, we saw Scott team up with Fandango to take on Legado Del Fantasma. Since Scott managed to pin Santos Escobar, he was granted a title opportunity against the champion.
Escobar has been pretty entertaining in NXT ever since he turned heel. Given that Legado Del Fantasma where unable to win the WWE NXT Tag Team Championships from Fandango and Tyler Breeze recently, it seems highly unlikely that the last bit of gold will be taken away from the group. That said, it will be interesting to see what Scott has in store, especially after the brutal 6-man Street Fight.
Overall, NXT TakeOver has a stacked card ready for fans tonight. With four titles on the line, there are several huge swerves that WWE NXT could pull off at the PPV tonight. We hope to see the Black and Gold brand produce yet another memorable TakeOver show with its fair bit of drama, surprises, and unbelievable in-ring action.
