Backstage News On Possible Heat On WWE Referee Who Counted Unplanned NXT Title Change

By Brie Coder
Blake Monroe looks stunned after losing her WWE NXT Women's North American Championship to Thea Hail WWE

Although it was a monumental moment in Thea Hail's young career this past Tuesday on "WWE NXT," heat/controversy and pro wrestling, you can't have one without the other.

After Hail trumped Blake Monroe to become the new NXT Women's North American Champion, the call for this victory wasn't in the books for this match at the time. The controversy arose when Hail connected a springboard senton, followed by a pin. Felix Fernandez, the "NXT" referee scheduled to officiate the match, did not register Monroe's shoulder rising before the three-count. Stories circulating around Fernandez this past week at one point painted a positive picture of him, as reports made their rounds that this call for Hail to win her first-ever championship in WWE/ her pro wrestling career was all a shoot. However, Fightful Select is now debunking the original claim, stating that backstage sources said Fernandez received heat for not checking in on Monroe when she was hurt.

With the holidays approaching, hopes that what needed to be recorded for next week's episode of "NXT" were completed were not met. Fightful confirmed with sources that others had to physically return to re-tape material after their match. As they unscramble all of this, Monroe has already reacted publicly to her defeat with a post on X [formerly known as Twitter] that read, "not the first time i've been screwed." Tuesday ended Monroe's 53-day reign with the title, which she originally won at "NXT" Halloween Havoc against Zaria. Like Hail, the Women's North American Title was the first championship "The Glamour" has held since leaving AEW to join WWE this past June.

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