NXT TAKEOVER 31 PARTICIPANTS’ TAKEOVER HISTORY

 

Since I do the blogs looking at every Pay-Per-View every month, I thought I would do one looking at NXT Takeover: In Your House. To see the entire history of Takeover, visit the Takeover History HERE. And for any feedback or comments about this, comment below or tweet me (@hbkid718). Thanks.

This will be the 3^rd Takeover in a row to not have a NXT Tag Team Championship Match & the 1^st ever Takeover to not have any Tag Team Match at all. This will be the 1^st Takeover since Phoenix on January 26, 2019 that Adam Cole didn’t wrestle, the 1^st Takeover since Toronto on August 10, 2019 that Keith Lee didn’t wrestle, & the 1^st Takeover of 2020 that Dakota Kai didn’t wrestle. So the only wrestlers to compete on every Takeover of 2020 are Finn Balor & Johnny Gargano.

Since no openers have been announced, here are the facts about it. If Kushida VS The Velveteen Dream opens, it will be the 2^nd Takeover in a row to have a Non-Title Singles Match as the opener, Kushida will be the 3^rd Takeover in a row where someone will be making their Takeover debut in the opening match, & will be Velveteen Dream’s 2^nd opener & 1^st since New Orleans on April 7, 2018. If the North American Title Match opens, it will be the 3^rd time & 1^st since Portland on February 16, 2020, Priest’s 1^st Takeover opener, & Gargano’s 2^nd opener & 1^st since Brooklyn 3 on August 19, 2017. If the Women’s Title Match opens Takeover, it will be the 1^st ever Women’s Title Match to open, the 3^rd Women’s Match to opener, Shirai’s 2^nd opener & 1^st since War Games III on November 23, 2019, & LeRae’s 3^rd opener, which is the most openers for women in NXT, & her 1^st since In Your House on June 7, 2020.

NXT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: NXT CHAMPION FINN BALOR VS KYLE O’REILLY

This will be the 9^th NXT Championship Match of 2020, the 1^st since NXT on September 8, the 29^th at Takeover, & 4^th in a row. This will be Finn Balor’s 14^th Takeover, which is the 2^nd of All-Time, as Johnny Gargano will be competing in his 19^th Takeover, & 5^th in a row. Balor is the 2^nd NXT Champion in a row after Keith Lee to defend the NXT Championship at Takeover after winning it on TV. This will be his 5^th NXT Championship Match at Takeover, tying him with Adam Cole & Johnny Gargano for most NXT Championship Matches at Takeover, & will be his 1^st NXT Championship Match since he lost to Samoa Joe at The End on June 8, 2016, which was his only loss at Takeover. This will be Finn Balor’s 1^st NXT Championship Defense, so if he would lose, he would be the NXT Champion since Johnny Gargano who lost to Adam Cole at Takeover 25 on June 1, 2019 to lose the title in his 1^st Defense. As of Takeover, Balor’s Title Reign has lasted 26 Days, which is the 3^rd Shortest Reign of All-Time, after Karrion Kross (4 Days, 8/22/20 – 8/26/20) & Samoa Joe’s 2^nd Reign (13 Days, 11/19/16 – 12/3/16). This will be Kyle O’Reilly’s 12^th Takeover, tying him & The Velveteen Dream with Roderick Strong for 4^th of All-Time after Johnny Gargano (19), Finn Balor (14), & Tommaso Ciampa & Adam Cole (13), & will be his 1^st Takeover since Portland on February 16. He will be the 5^th wrestler after Aleister Black, Tomasso Ciampa, Adam Cole, & Johnny Gargano to wrestle for both the NXT Tag Team & NXT Championships at Takeover. It will be his 1^st ever Singles Match at Takeover, & only his 5^th Singles Match in his NXT Career (he lost to Aleister Black on August 2, 2017, lost to Pete Dunne on NXT on June 13, 2018, defeated Hanson (Ivar) on NXT on November 14, 2018, & he defeated Drake Maverick on NXT on August 26, 2020). This will be the 23^rd NXT Championship Match to main event Takeover, & 2^nd in a row. This will be Balor’s 5^th Takeover main event, tying him with Samoa Joe for 3^rd most Main Events of All-Time after Johnny Gargano (9) & Tomasso Ciampa & Adam Cole (7), & his 1^st Main Event since The End on June 8, 2016. It will be O’Reilly’s 4^th Takeover main event, tying him with Shinsuke Nakamura, Kevin Owens, & Sami Zayn for 4^th place for most Takeover main events, & his 1^st since War Games on November 23, 2019. The NXT Championship has changed hands 4 times in 2020, with the last title change taking place when Finn Balor won the Vacant Title against Adam Cole on NXT on September 8 & has changed hands 11 times at Takeover, with the last title change taking place at Takeover XXX when Karrion Kross defeated Keith Lee. This will be the 22^nd NXT Championship Change in NXT History.

Finn Balor (12-1-0)

1. With Hideo Itami defeated The Ascension (Konnor & Viktor) (12/11/14 NXT TAKEOVER: R EVOLUTION)
2. Defeated Adrian Neville in the Finals of the NXT Championship #1 Contender’s Tournament (2/11/15 NXT TAKEOVER: RIVAL)
3. Defeated Tyler Breeze in a NXT Championship #1 Contender’s Match (5/20/15 NXT TAKEOVER: UNSTOPPABLE)
4. Defeated Kevin Owens in a Ladder Match to retain the NXT Championship (8/22/15 NXT TAKEOVER: BROOKLYN)
5. With Samoa Joe defeated Dash & Dawson (Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder) in a Semi-Final Match of The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic (10/7/15 NXT TAKEOVER: RESPECT)
6. With Samoa Joe defeated Baron Corbin & Rhyno in the Finals of The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic (10/7/15 NXT TAKEOVER: RESPECT)
7. Defeated Samoa Joe to retain the NXT Championship (12/16/15 NXT TAKEOVER: LONDON)
8. Defeated Samoa Joe to retain the NXT Championship (4/1/16 NXT TAKEOVER: DALLAS)
9. Lost to NXT Champion Samoa Joe in a Steel Cage Match (6/8/16 NXT TAKEOVER: THE END)
10. Defeated Matt Riddle (11/23/19 NXT TAKEOVER: WAR GAMES III)
11. Defeated Johnny Gargano (2/16/20 NXT TAKEOVER: PORTLAND)
12. Defeated Damian Priest (6/7/20 NXT TAKEOVER: IN YOUR HOUSE)
13. Defeated Timothy Thatcher (8/22/20 NXT TAKEOVER XXX)

Kyle O’Reilly (5-6-0)

1. With Adam Cole & Bobby Fish as The Undisputed ERA defeated The Authors Pain (Akam & Rezar) & Roderick Strong & NXT Tag Team Champions SAnitY (Killian Dain, Alexander Wolfe, & Eric Young) in a 6-Man Triple Threat War Games Match (11/18/17 NXT TAKEOVER: WAR GAMES)
2. With Bobby Fish as NXT Tag Team Champions The Undisputed ERA defeated The Authors of Pain (Akam & Rezar) to retain the titles (1/27/18 NXT TAKEOVER: PHILADELPHIA)
3. With Adam Cole as NXT Tag Team Champions The Undisputed ERA defeated The Authors of Pain (Akam & Rezar) & WWE United Kingdom Champion Pete Dunne & Roderick Strong in a Triple Threat Match to retain the titles & win the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Tournament (4/7/18 NXT TAKEOVER: NEW ORLEANS)
4. With Roderick Strong as NXT Tag Team Champions The Undisputed ERA defeated Danny Burch & Oney Lorcan to retain the titles (6/16/18 NXT TAKEOVER: CHICAGO II)
5. With Roderick Strong as NXT Tag Team Champions The Undisputed ERA defeated Moustache Mountain (Tyler Bate & Trent Seven) to retain the titles (8/18/18 NXT TAKEOVER: BROOKLYN 4)
6. With Adam Cole, Bobby Fish & NXT Tag Team Champion Roderick Strong as The Undisputed ERA lost to WWE United Kingdom Champion Pete Dunne, NXT North American Champion Ricochet, & War Raiders (Hanson & Rowe) in a 8-Man War Games Match (11/17/18 NXT TAKEOVER: WAR GAMES II)
7. With Roderick Strong as The Undisputed ERA lost the NXT Tag Team Championship to War Raiders (Hanson & Rowe) (1/26/19 NXT TAKEOVER: PHOENIX)
8. With Bobby Fish as The Undisputed ERA lost to The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford) along with Danny Burch & Oney Lorcan & The Forgotten Sons (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford) in a Fatal 4-Way Ladder Match for the Vacant NXT Tag Team Championship (6/1/19 NXT TAKEOVER XXV)
9. With Bobby Fish as The Undisputed ERA lost to NXT Tag Team Champions The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford) (8/10/19 NXT TAKEOVER: TORONTO)
10. With NXT Champion Adam Cole, NXT Tag Team Champion Bobby Fish, & NXT North American Champion Roderick Strong as The Undisputed ERA lost to Team Ciampa (Tommaso Ciampa, Dominik Dijakovic, Keith Lee, & Kevin Owens) in an 8-Man War Games Match (11/23/19 NXT TAKEOVER: WAR GAMES III)
11. With Bobby Fish as The Undisputed ERA lost the NXT Tag Team Championship to The Broserweights (Pete Dunne & Matt Riddle) (2/16/20 NXT TAKEOVER: PORTLAND)

NXT WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: NXT WOMEN’S CHAMPION IO SHIRAI VS CANDICE LERAE

This will be the 8^th NXT Women’s Championship Match of 2020 & the 1^st since Takeover XXX on August 22, the 30^th at Takeover & 4^th in a row. This will be Io Shirai’s 7^th Takeover, putting her in 2^nd place for most Takeover matches for a woman after Asuka & Shayna Baszler (10), & 3^rd in a row. This will be her 3^rd Women’s Championship Match in a row, making her the 1^st since Shayna Baszler at Philadelphia on January 27, 2018, New Orleans on April 7, 2018, & Chicago II on June 16, 2018 to compete in 3 Women’s Title Matches in a row at Takeover. If she wins, she will be the 1^st NXT Women’s Champion since Shayna Baszler at War Games II on November 17, 2018 & Phoenix on January 26, 2019 to retain the title at back-to-back Takeovers. It will be her 5^th Women’s Title Match overall, tying her in 3^rd place with Sasha Banks & Charlotte Flair for most Women’s Title Matches at Takeover, after Asuka & Shayna Baszler (8) & Bayley (7). This will be Shirai’s 3^rd NXT Women’s Title Defense, so if she loses, she would be the 1^st Women’s Champion since Rhea Ripley, who lost to Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 36 on April 5, 2020 to lose the title in her 3^rd Defense. As of Takeover, Shirai’s Women’s Title Reign has lasted 119 Days, which is the 9^th Longest Reign of All-Time, making her the 9^th Champion to be Champion over 100 Days, and if she would lose, she would be the 1^st Women’s Champion to lose the title in 119 Days. This will be Candice LeRae’s 4^th Takeover & 1^st since In Your House on June 7 & will be the 2^nd Takeover in a row after Dakota Kai where someone is competing in their 1^st Women’s Title Match at Takeover. If LeRae wins, she will be the 1^st since Asuka at Dallas on April 1, 2016 to win the title in the Women’s Title in her 1^st Takeover Title Match. It will be her 1^st Singles Match at Takeover since she lost to Shirai at Toronto on August 10, 2019, making this the 18^th match to be re-matched at a Takeover & the 1^st since Johnny Gargano VS Adam Cole at New York on April 5, 2019, Takeover 25 on June 1, 2019, & Toronto on August 10, 2019. It will be the 6^th Women’s Match to be re-matched at Takeover & 1^st since Kairi Sane VS Shayna Baszler at Brooklyn 4 on August 18, 2018 & War Games II on November 17, 2018. They also wrestled on NXT on October 30, 2019, with Shirai winning both matches. The NXT Women’s Championship has changed hands twice, with the last title change taking place at In Your House on June 7, with Shirai defeated Charlotte Flair & Rhea Ripley in a Triple Threat Match. It has changed hands 8 times at Takeover, with the last title change taking place at the aforementioned In Your House. This will be the 13^th NXT Women’s Championship Change in NXT History.

Io Shirai (3-3-0)

1. Lost to NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler along with Bianca Belair & Kairi Sane in a Fatal 4-Way Match (4/5/19 NXT TAKEOVER: NEW YORK)

2. Lost to NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler (6/1/19 NXT TAKEOVER XXV)

3. Defeated Candice LeRae (8/10/19 NXT TAKEOVER: TORONTO)

4. With NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler, Bianca Belair, & NXT UK Women’s Champion Kay Lee Ray as Team Baszler lost to Team Ripley (Dakota Kai, Candice LeRae, Tegan Nox, & Rhea Ripley) in an 8-Woman War Games Match (11/23/19 NXT TAKEOVER: WAR GAMES III)

5. Defeated NXT Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair & Rhea Ripley in a Triple Threat Match to win the title (6/7/20 NXT TAKEOVER: IN YOUR HOUSE)

6. Defeated Dakota Kai to retain the NXT Women’s Championship (8/22/20 NXT TAKEOVER XXX)

Candice LeRae (1-2-0)

1. Lost to Io Shirai (8/10/19 NXT TAKEOVER: TORONTO)
2. With Dakota Kai, Tegan Nox, & Rhea Ripley as Team Ripley defeated Team Baszler (NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler, Bianca Belair, NXT UK Women’s Champion Kay Lee Ray, & Io Shirai) in an 8-Woman War Games Match (11/23/19 NXT TAKEOVER: WAR GAMES III)
3. With Raquel Gonzalez & Dakota Kai lost to Shotzi Blackheart, Tegan Nox & Mia Yim in a 6-Woman Tag Team Match (6/7/20 NXT TAKEOVER: IN YOUR HOUSE)

NXT NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: NXT NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPION DAMIAN PRIEST VS JOHNNY GARGANO

This will be the 12^th NXT North American Championship Match of 2020, the 1^st since NXT on September 16, the 10^th at Takeover & 4^th in a row. This will be Damian Priest’s 4^th Takeover & 3^rd in a row. It will be his 2^nd North American Championship Match in a row, making it the 3^rd Takeover in a row that someone will be competing in 2 North American Title Matches in a row after Keith Lee (Portland on February 16 & In Your House on June 7) & Johnny Gargano (In Your House on June 7 & Takeover XXX on August 22). Priest will be the 1^st North American Champion since Adam Cole at New Orleans on April 7, 2018 & Brooklyn 4 on August 18, 2018 to win the North American Title & then defend it at back-to-back Takeovers. If he retains, he will be the 1^st ever North American Champion to win the title & then successfully defend it at back-to-back Takeovers. This will be Priest’s 2^nd North American Title Defense, so if he loses, he would be the 1^st ever North American Champion to lose the title in his 2^nd Defense, which is still 1 more than Johnny Gargano who lost title to The Velveteen Dream on NXT on February 20, 2019 in his 1^st Defense. As of Takeover, Priest’s North American Title Reign has lasted 42 Days, which is still the 2^nd Shortest Reign of All-Time after Gargano’s 25 Days (1/26/19 – 2/20/19). This will be Johnny Gargano’s 19^th Takeover, keeping him as the wrestler with the most Takeover Matches in History & his 4^th in a row. This will be his 3^rd North American Title Match in a row, making him the 1^st since The Velveteen Dream at New York on April 5, 2019, Takeover 25 on June 1, 2019, & Toronto on August 10, 2019 to compete in 3 consecutive North American Title Matches & his 4^th Overall, tying him with The Velveteen Dream for most North American Title Matches in Takeover History. He will be the 1^st ever to challenge for the North American Title at 3 consecutive Takeovers. If he wins, he will be the 1^st ever 2-time North American Champion. The North American Championship has changed hands 2 times in 2020, with the last title change taking place at Takeover XXX on August 22 when Priest won a Ladder Match for the Vacant Title & has changed hands 4 times at Takeover, with the last title change taking place at the aforementioned Takeover XXX. It would be the 8^th North American Championship Change of All-Time.

Damian Priest (1-2-0)

1. Lost to Pete Dunne along with Killian Dain in a NXT Championship #1 Contender’s Match (11/23/19 NXT TAKEOVER: WAR GAMES III)
2. Lost to Finn Balor (6/7/20 NXT TAKEOVER: IN YOUR HOUSE)
3. Defeated Johnny Gargano, Cameron Grimes, Bronson Reed, & The Velveteen Dream in a Fatal 5-Way Ladder Match to win the Vacant NXT North American Championship (8/22/20 NXT TAKEOVER XXX)

Johnny Gargano (4-14-0)

1. With Tommaso Ciampa lost to NXT Tag Team Champions The Revival (Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder) (8/20/16 NXT TAKEOVER: BROOKLYN II)
2. With Tommaso Ciampa as #DIY defeated NXT Tag Team Champions The Revival (Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder) in a 2 Out of 3 Falls Match to win the titles (11/19/16 NXT TAKEOVER: TORONTO)
3. With Tommaso Ciampa as #DIY lost the NXT Tag Team Championship to The Authors of Pain (Akam & Rezar) (1/28/17 NXT TAKEOVER: SAN ANTONIO)
4. With Tommaso Ciampa as #DIY lost to NXT Tag Team Champions The Authors of Pain (Akam & Rezar) along with The Revival (Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder) in a Triple Threat Elimination Match (4/1/17 NXT TAKEOVER: ORLANDO)
5. With Tommaso Ciampa as #DIY lost to NXT Tag Team Champions The Authors of Pain (Akam & Rezar) in a Ladder Match (5/20/17 NXT TAKEOVER: CHICAGO)
6. Lost to Andrade Almas (8/19/17 NXT TAKEOVER: BROOKLYN III)
7. Lost to NXT Champion Andrade Almas (1/27/18 NXT TAKEOVER: PHILADELPHIA)
8. Defeated Tommaso Ciampa in an Unsanctioned Match to reinstate his NXT Contract (4/7/18 NXT TAKEOVER: NEW ORLEANS)
9. Lost to Tommaso Ciampa in a Chicago Street Fight (6/16/18 NXT TAKEOVER: CHICAGO II)
10. Lost to NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa in a Last Man Standing Match (8/18/18 NXT TAKEOVER: BROOKLYN 4)
11. Lost to Aleister Black (11/17/18 NXT TAKEOVER: WAR GAMES II)
12. Defeated NXT North American Champion Ricochet to win the title (1/26/19 NXT TAKEOVER: PHOENIX)
13. Defeated Adam Cole in a 2 Out of 3 Falls Match to win the Vacant NXT Championship (4/5/19 NXT TAKEOVER: NEW YORK)
14. Lost the NXT Championship to Adam Cole (6/1/19 NXT TAKEOVER XXV)
15. Lost to NXT Champion Adam Cole in a 2 Out of 3 Falls Match (8/10/19 NXT TAKEOVER: TORONTO)
16. Lost to Finn Balor (2/16/20 NXT TAKEOVER: PORTLAND)
17. Lost to NXT North American Champion Keith Lee (6/7/20 NXT TAKEOVER: IN YOUR HOUSE)
18. Lost to Damian Priest along with Cameron Grimes, Bronson Reed, & The Velveteen Dream in a Fatal 5-Way Ladder Match for the Vacant NXT North American Championship (8/22/20 NXT TAKEOVER XXX)

NXT CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: ISAIAH SCOTT VS NXT CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPION SANTOS ESCOBAR

This will be the 6^th NXT Cruiserweight Championship Match of 2020, the 1^st since NXT on August 26, & the 1^st ever at Takeover. This will be Isaiah Scott’s 2^nd Takeover & 1^st since War Games III on November 23, 2019, but 1^st ever match on the main Takeover card. This will be Santos Escobar’s Takeover debut, making him the 1^st ever wrestler to make his Takeover defending the Cruiserweight Title & will be the 1^st Champion since Tyler Bate at Chicago on May 20, 2017 to make their Takeover debut as a defending NXT Champion. If he retains, he will be the 1^st NXT Champion since Blake & Murphy at Rival on February 11, 2015 to retain a title in their Takeover debut. This will be Escobar’s 2^nd Cruiserweight Title Defense, so if he loses, he would be the 1^st Cruiserweight Champion since Neville who lost to Enzo Amore at No Mercy on September 24, 2017 to lose the title in his 2^nd Defense. As of Takeover, Escobar’s Cruiserweight Title Reign has lasted 124 Days, which is the 4^th Longest Reign of All-Time after Neville (196 Days, 1/29/17 – 8/14/17), Buddy Murphy (183 Days, 10/6/18 – 4/7/19), & Cedric Alexander (180 Days, 4/8/18 – 10/6/18). This will be the 3^rd 1-on-1 match between them, after NXT on April 29, 2020, which was won by Scott, & on NXT on August 26, 2020, which was won by Escobar, so they each have won 1 match. The Cruiserweight Championship has changed hands twice in 2020, with the last title change taking place on NXT on Escobar defeated Drake Maverick to win the Vacant Title. It would be the 18^th Cruiserweight Championship Change of All-Time.

Isaiah Scott (0-1-0)

1. Lost to Angel Garza in a Pre-Show Match prior to Takeover (11/23/19 NXT TAKEOVER: WAR GAMES III)

Santos Escobar (0-0-0)

This will be Santos Escobar’s debut

KUSHIDA VS THE VELVETEEN DREAM

This will be Kushida’s Takeover debut. This will be The Velveteen Dream’s 12^th Takeover, tying him & Kyle O’Reilly with Roderick Strong in 4^th Place for Most Takeover Matches of All-Time after Johnny Gargano (19), Finn Balor (14), & Tomasso Ciampa & Adam Cole (13) & 2^nd in row. This will be the 1^st time he’s not in a Title Match since he defeated EC3 at Brooklyn 4 on August 18, 2018.

Kushida (0-0-0)

This will be Kushida’s Takeover debut

The Velveteen Dream (5-6-0)

1. Lost to Aleister Black (11/18/17 NXT TAKEOVER: WAR GAMES)
2. Defeated Kassius Ohno (1/27/18 NXT TAKEOVER: PHILADELPHIA)
3. Lost to Adam Cole along with Killian Dain, EC3, Ricochet, & Lars Sullivan in a 6-Way Ladder Match for the Vacant NXT North American Championship (4/7/18 NXT TAKEOVER: NEW ORLEANS)
4. Lost to Ricochet (6/16/18 NXT TAKEOVER: CHICAGO II)
5. Defeated EC3 (8/18/18 NXT TAKEOVER: BROOKLYN 4)
6. Lost to NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa (11/17/18 NXT TAKEOVER: WAR GAMES II)
7. Defeated Matt Riddle to retain the NXT North American Championship (4/5/19 NXT TAKEOVER: NEW YORK)
8. Defeated Tyler Breeze to retain the NXT North American Championship (6/1/19 NXT TAKEOVER XXV)
9. Defeated Pete Dunne & Roderick Strong in a Triple Threat Match to retain the NXT North American Championship (8/10/19 NXT TAKEOVER: TORONTO)
10. Lost to NXT Champion Adam Cole in a Backlot Brawl (6/7/20 NXT TAKEOVER: IN YOUR HOUSE)
11. Lost to Damian Priest along with Johnny Gargano, Cameron Grimes, & Bronson Reed in a Fatal 5-Way Ladder Match for the Vacant NXT North American Championship (8/22/20 NXT TAKEOVER XXX)