While the NXT Takeover moniker is now dead and gone, it's important to remember just how many incredible events that were produced under the mantra throughout the brand's history. Starting on May 29, 2014, and culminating on August 22, 2021, NXT held 36 events under the Takeover name, giving fans some truly historic shows in the process.
Whether it was 2014's R Evolution and Sami Zayn's epic triumph, or 2021's Vengeance Day and Finn Balor's war with Pete Dunne, NXT could always be counted on to give fans an incredible show whenever it was time for one of their takeovers. With so many great events though, there are a few who have fallen under the radar with fans and critics alike and are not remembered as fondly as they should be.
It is hard to remember just how great every NXT Takeover event was, but one that deserves to be spoken about more is Takeover 31. The first to be held inside the Thunderdome, Takeover 31 was an incredible show from start to finish and might even be one of the best events in Takeover history.
It Had Stellar In-Ring Work From Start To Finish
There is no denying that while the first few NXT Takeovers featured some incredible matches, there was also a fair amount of less than stellar wrestling on show. In fact, some of the best Takeovers in NXT history featured matches that weren't that good, but that is not a problem Takeover 31 suffered.
From top to bottom, the show was littered with incredible wrestling and there wasn't a single match on the card that disappointed. Whether it was the event's electric opener as Damian Priest defended his North American Championship against Johnny Gargano, or the incredible main event between Finn Balor and Kyle O'Reilly, there was not a dull moment in the ring and every match managed to exceed fan expectations to deliver a memorable night.
There Were Several Great Surprises
As well as the fantastic wrestling that was on display throughout the show, fans were also treated to several fun surprises as it progressed. After Io Shirai defended her women's title in an excellent match against Candice LeRae, Toni Storm appeared on the big screen to alert the champion and the rest of the NXT universe that she was returning to the brand soon in a nice twist, but the fun did not stop there as Ember Moon revealed herself as the mystery biker who had been touted for the event just moments later, giving the NXT women's division two superb new additions in a matter of minutes.
Before the night was done, fans were given another surprise as Ridge Holland appeared after the show's main event, attacking Adam Cole and establishing himself as a major player for the promotion, it's just a shame he suffered a long-term injury only days later.
The Show Did Wonders For Kushida
While Takeover 31 was filled with great wrestling, what really raised its impact was the storytelling on show throughout the night. Each match told significant stories and effectively had fans hooked from the very first minute. Never was this more apparent than in Kushida's win over The Velveteen Dream.
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Kushida, wrestling on his first-ever Takeover showed an aggressiveness WWE fans had previously never seen from the former New Japan star and his match with Dream did an excellent job telling the story of him being pushed over the edge by his rival. The 38-year-old dominated his opponent, targeting Dream's shoulder, and eventually won the bout with his 'Hoverboard Lock' submission and showed great resilience in keeping ahold of the move, despite the former North American champion dropping him with the 'Dream Valley Driver'.
Kushida snapped and even went back and continued to place his opponent in the submission after the bell, just to truly emphasize the effect the rivalry had on him. While his WWE career got off to a slow start following his arrival in April 2019, Takeover 31 was Kushida's coming-out party, and he really showed fans just how good he was. The event likely played a huge role in his ascension up the card and future championship success when he eventually won the WWE Cruiserweight title.
While there was no heart-wrenching twists such as Tommaso Ciampa turning on Johnny Gargano at Takeover: Chicago 2017 or earth-shattering debuts like Adam Cole's at Takeover: Brooklyn 2017, Takeover 31 was just a solid card from start to finish and has not received anywhere near the praise it deserves.