Despite an impressive showing from Candice LeRae, Io Shirai managed to retain her NXT Women's Championship last night in the penultimate match at TakeOver 31.
The Poison Pixie pulled out all the stops, hitting her opponent with everything she had, and even taking advantage when the ref was inadvertently taken out of action. Johnny Gargano ran down to the ring with a ref's shirt, allowing LeRae to hit Shirai with her title when the actual official came to and told him to get out of the ring.
The Genius of the Sky still kicked out, however, before planting LeRae with a Spanish Fly and finishing her off with her Over The Moonsault to win the match and retain the title.
Afterwards, former NXT UK Women's Champion Toni Storm appeared on the screen, announcing that she's now part of the black and gold brand proper, and making it clear that she'd soon be coming for Shirai's Championship.
Storm wasn't the former champion whose return was teased in those mysterious vignettes, however!