NXT TakeOver 31

NXT TakeOver 31 was a professional wrestling and WWE Network event produced by WWE for their NXT brand division. It took place on October 4, 2020 at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida. As the name implies, it was the 31st NXT TakeOver event.
==Production==
===Background===
TakeOver is a series of professional wrestling shows that began on May 29, 2014 as WWE's NXT brand held their second WWE Network-exclusive live broadcast, billed as TakeOver. In subsequent months, the "TakeOver" moniker became the brand used by WWE for all of their NXT live WWE Network specials.
====Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic====
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, WWE has had to present the majority of its programming from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida with no fans in attendance, though in late May, the promotion began using trainees to serve as the live audience, which was further expanded to friends and family members of the wrestlers in mid-June. Broadcasts of NXT, as well as previous events, TakeOver: In Your House and TakeOver XXX, however, have emanated from NXT's home base of Full Sail University since mid-March.
===Storylines===
The show included matches that result from scripted storylines, where wrestlers portrayed heroes, villains or less distinguishable characters to build tension and culminate in a wrestling match or series of matches, with results predetermined by WWE's writers on the NXT brand, while storylines were produced on their weekly television program, NXT.
On September 23, NXT general manager William Regal announced that Damian Priest would defend the NXT North American Championship against Johnny Gargano at TakeOver 31.
On the September 23 episode of NXT, Candice LeRae won a battle royal to become the number one contender for the NXT Women's Championship against Io Shirai at TakeOver 31.
On the September 23 episode of NXT, Kyle O'Reilly won a gauntlet eliminator match and would face NXT Champion Finn Bálor for the title at TakeOver 31.
On the August 12 episode of NXT, Kushida and the returning Velveteen Dream competed in a triple threat match, to determine who would qualify for the ladder match at TakeOver XXX. After the match, Dream attacked Kushida. On the September 8 episode of NXT, Kushida returned and attacked Dream. On September 26, a match between the two was scheduled for TakeOver 31.
==Match Preview==
Damian Priest vs. Johnny Gargano 	Preview
Kushida vs. Velveteen Dream 	Preview
Santos Escobar vs. Isaiah "Swerve" Scott	Preview
Io Shirai vs. Candice LeRae 	Preview
Finn Bálor vs. Kyle O'Reilly 	Preview
==Results==
;
;
*Damian Priest (c) defeated Johnny Gargano to retain the NXT North American Championship (18:39)
*Kushida defeated Velveteen Dream (13:00)
*Santos Escobar (c) defeated Isaiah "Swerve" Scott to retain the NXT Cruiserweight Championship (15:14)
*Io Shirai (c) defeated Candice LeRae to retain the NXT Women's Championship (16:45)
*Finn Bálor (c) defeated Kyle O'Reilly to retain the NXT Championship (28:30)
==Other on-screen talent==
;Commentators
*Vic Joseph
*Wade Barrett
*Beth Phoenix
*Marcelo Rodriguez 
;Pre-show Panel
*Scott Stanford
*Sam Roberts	
;Interviewer
*McKenzie Mitchell
;Ring announcer
*Alicia Taylor
;Referees
*Drake Wuertz
*Darryl Sharma
*D.A. Brewer
*Tom Castor
==See also ==
*List of NXT pay-per-view events
==External links==
* NXT TakeOver 31 at WWE.com
* NXT TakeOver 31 Pre-Show on WWE Network
* TakeOver 31 on WWE Network
* NXT TakeOver 31 at CAGEMATCH.net
Category:World Wrestling Entertainment pay-per-view events
Category:2020 NXT pay-per-view events
Category:NXT Takeover
Category:2020 events