A major shock occurred during the December 16th episode of NXT as Thea Hail defeated Blake Monroe to capture the NXT Women’s North American Championship. While the crowd cheered the victory, sources have since confirmed that the title change was completely accidental and not the intended finish.
According to Fightful Select, this mishap hit at a particularly bad time for the developmental brand. NXT was in the process of wrapping up its filming schedule for the year to give talent a break for the holidays. Because multiple weeks of television had already been scripted – and in some cases recorded – the surprise win threw future storylines into total disarray.
Behind the scenes, staff members reportedly worked in a “frantic” rush to edit future footage and rewrite scripts to reflect Hail’s new status as champion. The confusion even reached the digital team, as the official WWE website briefly listed Monroe as the winner before staff could fix the error.
The mistake is believed to have happened because Monroe had the wind knocked out of her just before the planned kick-out. While the injury isn’t officially confirmed, WWE officials decided to “lean into” the reality of the situation rather than ignore it. They quickly produced new graphics and filmed an emergency segment after the match showing Monroe confronting Hail to help explain the new direction of the story.
This situation has also led to a significant change in backstage rules. Previously, NXT wrestlers were often allowed to leave the building once their specific segments were finished. Now, management is expected to require all talent to stay until the very end of tapings to ensure everyone is available should another “shoot” finish need immediate correction.
Fightful reported that initial word suggested that referee Felix Fernandez received praise backstage for following the “protect the business” rule by counting the pinfall exactly as it happened. However, that narrative has been pushed back on heavily. An update from their source indicates that Fernandez may actually be in hot water for failing to properly check on Monroe’s condition when it became clear she was physically hurt.
While accidental title changes are rare in WWE history – previously involving names like Kevin Owens, Mickie James, and Razor Ramon – the company is already looking toward the future.
A title rematch between Hail and Monroe will take place at NXT New Year’s Evil 2026.
