Thea Hail Title Win Reportedly Unplanned

Thea Hail Title Win Reportedly Unplanned After Confusing NXT Finish

Thea Hail Title Win Reportedly Unplanned – As noted, Thea Hail defeated Blake Monroe to win the NXT Women’s North American Championship this week on NXT, but new reporting suggests the title change was not the original plan.

The finish of the match immediately raised questions among viewers. The referee counted the pinfall after Hail’s springboard coffin drop, but replays showed Monroe appeared to get a hand up before the three-count, though not clearly her shoulder. Adding to the confusion, Monroe’s entrance music briefly played after the match before being cut, and there was a noticeable delay before Hail’s music finally hit. The visual presentation left many fans wondering whether the outcome was intentional or the result of a mistake.

According to Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select, Thea Hail’s championship win was not the planned finish. The report stated that NXT sources confirmed Monroe was originally set to retain the Women’s North American Championship. Once the error was recognized, there was reportedly a scramble backstage as officials and creative attempted to process what had happened and figure out next steps.

The report further noted that creative plans had already been laid out with Hail not holding the championship. Because of that, the unexpected title change forced rapid adjustments to ongoing storylines. Those changes reportedly impacted creative plans involving multiple talents over the coming weeks, as the company worked to realign angles that were already in motion.

Fightful also reported that steps were expected to be taken as early as the same night to address the situation on-screen. No immediate blame was placed on any individual involved in the finish, as the focus backstage was said to be on damage control and revising plans going forward rather than assigning fault.

As of now, WWE has not publicly commented on the situation or clarified how the title change will be handled moving forward. Whether NXT chooses to acknowledge the confusion on television, book a rematch, or pivot fully into Hail’s reign remains to be seen. Regardless, the unplanned nature of the finish has made Hail’s title win one of the most talked-about moments on NXT, and it adds an unusual wrinkle to the Women’s North American Championship picture heading into the holiday season.

Thea Hail Title Win Reportedly Unplanned

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Thea Hail Wins NXT Women’s North American Championship After Controversial Finish

Thea Hail Wins NXT Women’s North American Championship After Controversial Finish

Thea Hail Wins NXT Women’s North American Championship After Controversial Finish – Thea Hail is the new NXT Women’s North American Champion following a title match on tonight’s episode of NXT that ended with a disputed pinfall against Blake Monroe.

The championship bout opened with a measured pace, as Hail relied on technical wrestling to gain an early advantage. She focused her offense on Monroe’s arm, attempting to limit the champion’s power and striking ability. Monroe weathered the early pressure and shifted momentum by driving Hail into the turnbuckles, then connecting with a spinning side slam that nearly ended the match.

From there, Monroe took control by continuing to target Hail’s arm. She applied a cross arm breaker using the ropes for leverage, forcing the referee to issue a warning before breaking the hold. Monroe then transitioned into a cobra clutch with a body scissors, grounding Hail and methodically wearing her down in the center of the ring. The champion appeared firmly in control as the match moved into its later stages.

Hail eventually mounted a comeback, firing off a series of clotheslines to regain momentum. She followed with a standing powerslam and a somersault senton, shifting the energy of the match in her favor. With Monroe staggered, Hail climbed to the ropes and connected with a springboard coffin drop. She covered Monroe, and the referee counted to three, awarding Hail the victory and the NXT Women’s North American Championship.

However, the finish immediately drew attention for the wrong reasons. Replays shown after the match appeared to indicate that Monroe may have lifted her shoulder before the referee’s hand hit the mat for the third count. Despite the apparent issue visible on replay, the decision was not reversed, and Hail was officially declared the new champion.

The moment came across as confusing, and the camera caught Monroe looking visibly shocked after the bell. The way the finish unfolded gave the impression that there may have been a mistake in the execution of the ending. Regardless of the controversy, the title change stands, and Thea Hail begins her reign as NXT Women’s North American Champion under unexpected circumstances.

Thea Hail Wins NXT Women’s North American Championship After Controversial Finish

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WWE’s Finn Balor Offers Health Update On Tag Partner JD McDonagh Following Surgery

It’s been an up and down 2025 for Judgment Day’s JD McDonagh, though for awhile it was looking up as he and Finn Balor reigned as WWE World Tag Team Champions for nearly four months before dropping them to AJ Styles and Dragon Lee in October. Though McDonagh continued to wrestle regularly in the matches following the loss, he disappeared from the ring after the November 24 episode of “Raw,” and recently announced he would be out of action after having surgery on his right hand.

On Tuesday, Balor provided some good news regarding McDonagh’s state of mind. Taking to X, Balor revealed he had just returned home from checking in on his stablemate and tag team partner. While he didn’t provide any information on how McDonagh’s surgery went nor a timetable for his return, Balor was able to confirm that McDonagh would make a full recovery, and noted that his fellow Irishman was in “good spirits.”

It would be understandable if McDonagh was a bit down in the dumps, as he began the year suffering another injury during a January 27 “Raw” tag match involving him and Dominik Mysterio taking on the War Raiders. While attempting a moonsault to the floor, McDonagh’s follow through saw him crash into the announcer’s table, resulting in him breaking several ribs and even puncturing one of his lungs; despite that, McDonagh managed to finish the match before going to the hospital. It would take him nearly three months to recover before he made his return in April.

AEW Media Partner WBD Fends Off Hostile Takeover From Paramount (For Now)

In the latest update to the ongoing Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition process, Paramount’s initial attempt at a hostile takeover has failed, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Led by David Ellsion, Paramount made a $108 billion offer to WBD shareholders along with claiming that they’d be a better partner to work with than Netflix, but WBD’s Board of Directors is recommending that its shareholders reject that offer.

That means, for now, that Netflix’s acquisition of the WB side of WBD will continue into the regulatory process. This isn’t the end for Paramount, though, as the company is expected to mount an even bigger offer in the coming weeks or months. As opposed to Netflix, Paramount is seeking to acquire all of WBD.

In a statement, WBD Board of Directors Chairman Samuel A. Di Piazza, Jr. said that the lead executives determined that Paramount’s offer wasn’t strong enough to counter Netflix, with the belief that an acquisition by Paramount would carry too much risk due to involvement from the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and questions about other financial backers.

The deal may still end up in a bidding war between Paramount and Netflix, as Paramount leadership will be able to increase their offer and Netflix executives will have an opportunity to match it. Ellison had already publicly indicated that he is open to increasing the latest offer. Since Paramount’s offer consists of cash, some in the industry feel that it’s a realistic proposition for WBD to eventually change course and go with a higher Paramount deal.

As for how all of this will affect AEW, which is in the midst of a multi-year broadcast deal with WBD, that remains to be seen. In all likelihood, it won’t matter until it comes time to negotiate their next contract.

Liv Morgan Fan Called Out For Starting Rumor

Liv Morgan Fan Called Out For Starting Rumor

A wrestling fan has found himself facing criticism online after attempting to start a rumor involving Liv Morgan.

Morgan was recently in Saudi Arabia as part of WWE promotional work tied to Riyadh Season and Royal Rumble 2026. She was joined on the trip by several other WWE Superstars, including Randy Orton, Tiffany Stratton, and Grayson Waller, with the group taking part in appearances and photo opportunities during the visit.

Following the trip, a fan shared photos of Morgan alongside the other WWE stars on X and attempted to suggest there was something romantic going on between Morgan and Waller. In his post, he claimed, “The eyes don’t lie And look who she’s looking at, her man Grayson U all keep lying to yourself tho.”

The post did not sit well with many fans, who were quick to respond and shut down the speculation. Several replies pointed out that the photos did not show anything unusual, with users noting that it was not clear who Morgan was even looking at and that Waller was seated across from her in the image. Others accused the fan of trying to manufacture drama where there was none.

This is not the first time Waller has been the subject of online dating rumors. He was previously linked by fans to Nikki Bella, speculation that Bella herself quickly dismissed.

Away from the online chatter, Morgan has recently returned to WWE action following a shoulder injury she suffered in July. She made a surprise appearance at Survivor Series WarGames, coming back sooner than many expected. According to Judgment Day teammate Raquel Rodriguez, Morgan pushed hard in her recovery to make her return earlier than originally planned.