WWE News: NXT Takeover 31 Tonight Will Be at “Capitol Wrestling Center” (New Look WWE Performance Center)

It was announced this morning that WWE’s NXT Takeover 31 event (check out our preview here) will be taking at the WWE Performance Center, which we already knew earlier in the week. However, WWE announced a new name for the building in Orlando.

Here’s what they wrote on WWE.com about it.

The black-and-gold brand will have an all new look tonight with the debut of the Capitol Wrestling Center.

As first reported by “Sports Illustrated,” NXT TakeOver 31 will emanate from the completely re-designed WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Fla. The Capitol Wrestling Center name is a tribute to the Capitol Wrestling Corporation that was founded by Jess McMahon in 1953 and run by Vincent J. McMahon, serving as the precursor to WWE.

Similar to Raw and SmackDown’s home at the WWE ThunderDome, the Capitol Wrestling Center will have video walls surrounding the ring with virtual fans but will keep the distinct feel of the black-and-gold brand.

In addition to the virtual fans, NXT will also bring back a limited number of around 100 live fans in attendance as well.

Here are some comments from NXT’s boss Paul Levesque (Triple H) talking to Sports Illustrated about the concept.

“It’s a historic callback to where this all began. We gutted the Performance Center and it’s now rebuilt, so it feels like we’re going back to the beginning. To me, it feels like we’re going back to 1953. Just like then, we’re doing something different and new, taking the business to a whole new level.”

“The Capitol Wrestling Center captures the feel and the vibe of NXT. We will have all the bells and whistles of the ThunderDome, but we’ll keep that NXT feel. It’s edgier, darker and raw—you’re walking into the ultimate heavy metal soundstage.”

“There will be a contingent of fans in attendance, some of which will be talent, others will be friends and family and some will be fans. We will take every safety precaution that there is. All of this was signed off by our medical staff. Everybody that walks in the building will be PCR tested, take a questionnaire and be medically screened. There will be plexiglass pods with fans that are in groups, and the groups will vary in size. Everyone will wear masks, and each group will never be near anyone else.”

Check out the Capitol Wrestling Center and NXT TakeOver 31 at 7 pm ET/4 pm ET tonight on WWE Network.

TJR Thoughts: I look forward to checking it out. I like new concepts like that.