Interesting news coming out of WWE NXT New Year's Evil tonight (the January 6, 2026 edition of WWE NXT) as this episode was meant to feature Thea Hail defending the NXT Women's North American Championship against Blake Monroe, but someone else has actually won the title instead: Izzi Dame!
How did this go down tonight, what led to this, and what could be on the horizon? Let's break it all down!
How We Got Here:
At NXT Deadline, Blake Monroe had an argument with Ava over wanting to have an open challenge for her NXT Women's North American Championship. Ava warned her that it would be a bad idea, but Monroe refused to heed the warning. When that open challenge happened, Monroe panicked and tried to back out, but was ambushed by Thea Hail, who quickly made her tap out, despite there not being a referee to start the match.
This earned Hail a title shot, wherein she shoot accidentally won the title (at least, supposedly—never fully trust that you aren't being worked) due to a botch wherein she knocked the wind out of Monroe, who was unable to kick out as planned, having been scheduled to win the match to retain.
This then set up an obvious rematch with Monroe challenging for the title at New Year's Evil.
Match Details:
The title bout was supposed to start the show, only for Monroe to attack Hail during the champion's entrance. Monroe was then banned from the building by Ava, but Hail wanted to prove her doubters wrong by defending her title anyway, suggesting an open challenge in return.
This was nearly answered by everyone on the roster coming out, but being separated by a chainsaw-wielding Tatum Paxley, who had earlier in the night defeated Izzi Dame in singles competition. However, Dame was able to get into the ring first, nailing Hail with a kick from behind.
This gave her a significant advantage heading into the match, particularly due to Hail's injuries from Monroe's attack, and given her size advantage as well, Dame won the title by pinfall.
Personal Reactions & What Happens Next?:
This is fantastic in some ways, and disappointing in other ways. It's a shame WWE didn't run with the ball to actually give Hail a title reign and felt the need to take the title off her so quickly, particularly after doing that a few months back with Paxley.
However, the way this went down and putting the title on Dame is a far better option than just giving it back to Monroe, who may now even be called up to the main roster instead.
This feels like a win for all parties, as it also opens up the field for someone like Lola Vice to win the title next and better serve this division, while the only person who takes a hit is Hail, who was never scheduled to win the title in the first place. Hopefully, WWE doesn't just push her to the side.
Tell us what you think about this title change by leaving a comment below! Who do you think will be the next in line to challenge for the title, or possibly even win the belt next? Keep the discussion going!