Shawn Michaels to host Balor-O'Reilly face-to-face on WWE NXT

An appearance by Shawn Michaels is set for NXT’s go-home show for TakeOver 31.

WWE has announced that Michaels will host a face-to-face segment with Finn Balor and Kyle O’Reilly on Wednesday’s episode of NXT. Balor is defending his NXT Championship against O’Reilly at TakeOver 31 on Sunday, October 4.

O’Reilly became the number one contender to Balor’s title by winning a gauntlet eliminator match in the main event of this week’s NXT. Kushida, Bronson Reed, Timothy Thatcher, and Cameron Grimes were the other participants in the match. It came down to O’Reilly and Grimes at the end. After O’Reilly submitted Grimes to get the win, Undisputed Era’s Adam Cole and Roderick Strong came out to celebrate with O’Reilly. Balor then appeared on the stage and stared O’Reilly down.

Balor won the NXT Championship by defeating Cole on NXT two weeks ago. The title was vacant after Karrion Kross had to relinquish it due to injury. A four-way Iron Man match between Balor, Cole, Johnny Gargano, and Tommaso Ciampa took place to decide the new champion, but it ended in a two-way tie between Balor and Cole. Balor and Cole then faced off for the title in a singles match the next week.

NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai & NXT North American Champion Damian Priest will face Candice LeRae & Gargano in a mixed tag match on Wednesday’s NXT. That will preview two of the title matches for TakeOver 31. Shirai is defending her title against LeRae at the event, and Priest is defending his title against Gargano.

Shotzi Blackheart vs. Dakota Kai has also been announced for Wednesday’s NXT.