Referee Praised After Thea Hail’s Unplanned NXT Title Win – The unexpected NXT Women’s North American Championship change involving Thea Hail on the December 16 episode of NXT continues to reveal new layers, with the latest update shifting attention squarely to the referee’s role in the situation.
While it was previously reported that Hail’s victory over Blake Monroe was the result of a botched finish, Fightful Select has now confirmed that the referee involved was not criticized backstage. Instead, NXT referee Felix Fernandez was reportedly praised internally for doing exactly what WWE officials expect referees to do in those situations.
According to Fightful Select, Fernandez was given credit for treating the pinfall as legitimate and counting the three-count as a shoot, even though the planned outcome was for Monroe to retain the championship. WWE referees are instructed to call matches straight unless they are explicitly told otherwise, and Fernandez followed that directive without hesitation.
NXT referee Felix Fernandez got props backstage for counting the Thea Hail vs. Blake Monroe match as a shoot and doing the title change.
The fallout from the decision was immediate and extensive. With the championship switching hands unexpectedly, WWE’s production and creative teams were forced into emergency mode. Fightful Select reported that the situation escalated beyond simple script changes, with personnel needing to physically return to the venue to re-shoot and re-record material in order to realign future episodes with the new championship reality.
NXT sources confirmed people had to physically come back to the venue to re-tape materials after the Thea Hail/Blake Monroe match.
The confusion stemmed from Monroe having the wind knocked out of her late in the match, which prevented her from kicking out in time. The mistake was evident in real time, as Monroe’s entrance music briefly played after the bell, reflecting the original plan for her to retain. That music was abruptly cut, and Hail’s theme was played once officials realized the title had officially changed hands.
Because multiple future segments and story beats had already been structured around Monroe continuing her reign, the unplanned result created a ripple effect throughout NXT’s taped content. What was meant to be a straightforward title defense quickly turned into a full-scale production challenge.
As NXT moves forward with taped episodes, questions remain about whether WWE will reverse course with a quick rematch or creatively pivot around Hail’s sudden championship reign. Regardless of the direction chosen, Fernandez’s decision to follow protocol has become one of the most impactful moments of the night, reinforcing WWE’s long-standing policy that once the referee counts three, the result stands.
Referee Praised After Thea Hail’s Unplanned NXT Title Win
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