WWE NXT’s unexpected title change triggered significant backstage confusion, forcing the creative team to scramble and revise pre-recorded content that had already been filmed, as wrestlers were scheduled for holiday breaks.
The NXT brand recently wrapped up its final television tapings of the year, but the outcome of the match between Thea Hail and Blake Monroe is causing major issues. On the December 16 episode of NXT, Hail won the NXT Women’s North American Championship by defeating Monroe, but according to Fightful Select, this finish was unplanned. Reports suggest Monroe may have been caught off guard during the match and failed to kick out before the referee’s three-count. Because the segment was already taped, Monroe being champion in future episodes would create inconsistencies, leading to backstage complications. WWE subsequently planned to reshoot many scenes to address the problem.
The timing of this mishap couldn’t have been worse, prompting WWE to consider policy changes to ease production challenges. Monroe was supposed to be champion in upcoming segments, leaving WWE in a “desperate rush” to rewrite storylines, edit footage, and redo scenes to align with the unexpected title change. To prevent similar issues, WWE is reportedly rethinking its policy of releasing talent before tapings conclude. The confusion extended to WWE’s website, which initially still listed Monroe as the winner despite Hail’s victory. Should WWE fail to correct the mistake through reshoots, it would face serious problems.
Ultimately, WWE accepted the surprise title change. They quickly filmed a post-match confrontation between Hail and Monroe, a scene not originally planned, and created new graphics followed by an official social media announcement declaring Hail the champion. Moving forward, WWE may require talent to stay available until all recordings are finished. While this won’t eliminate errors entirely, it will make it easier to fix mistakes without needing to bring everyone back for reshoots. A rematch between Hail and Monroe is already under discussion.
Fan Take: This unexpected title switch highlights the unpredictable nature of wrestling and the challenges in live storytelling. WWE fans should be excited to see how these quick adjustments affect future storylines, as they promise fresh matchups and added drama within NXT.
