As reported by PWMania.com, Thea Hail unexpectedly defeated Blake Monroe on this week’s episode of WWE NXT. Although Monroe was supposed to kick out of the pin attempt, the referee counted the pinfall, declaring Hail the new NXT Women’s North American Champion.
There has been much speculation regarding who is “at fault” for this incident. According to Fightful Select, referee Felix Fernandez received praise backstage for counting the match as a shoot. The report indicated that Monroe had the wind knocked out of her by Hail’s senton, and while she attempted to lift her shoulder, it was too late.
The timing of the incident was particularly unfortunate, as WWE was finalizing its filming for the remainder of 2025 programming. This led to the need for quick changes to the show.
Additionally, some individuals had to return to the WWE Performance Center to re-tape segments to accommodate the title change.
Typically, NXT pre-taped segments are recorded on Mondays before the live taping the following day, and talent is usually required to stay through that taping.
