Thea Hail stuns Blake Monroe. Saya Kamitani honored with the Tokyo Sports MVP award. Kris Statlander to defend her AEW Women’s Championship at Worlds End.
Thea Hail Stuns Blake Monroe
One removed from making Blake Monroe tap out to her Kimura Lock, Thea Hail shocked fans, and even herself, when she pinned Monroe for the NXT Women’s North American Championship on WWE NXT. According to multiple reports, Hail’s expression of surprise was genuine as plans called for her to actually lose to Monroe instead.
In the final moments of her title clash, Hail rocked Monroe with a springboard senton splash, after which she covered Monroe. When Monroe didn’t kick out, the referee continued counting to three, then awarded Hail with the NXT Women’s North American Championship. WWE officials are reportedly under the belief that Blake’s failure to kick out resulted from being her winded.
Due to the unexpected NXT title change, WWE officials were also said to be scrambling to alter creative plans, including some pre-taped content, that had been in place for weeks. One of the new plans will see Hail meet Monroe in a title rematch at NXT New Year’s Evil, slated for January 6.
Additionally, NXT talent policy is reportedly expected to change, with talents soon being required to stay at the end of shows, both pre-taped and aired live, moving forward.
Unplanned or not, Hail’s NXT Women’s North American Championship win marks the first title of her WWE career, which began in 2022.
RELATED: Blake Monroe and Thea Hail React to Title Change Botch On WWE NXT
Saya Kamitani Named Tokyo Sports MVP
For the first time in history, a woman has received the Tokyo Sports MVP award. That distinction belongs to Saya Kamitani, who ruled 2025 as the World of Stardom and NJPW STRONG Women’s Champions.
According to Kamitani, this award foremost serves as validation of the hard work she’s put in, especially this year.
“Saya-sama was the obvious choice!” Kamitani said in a statement released by NJPW. “I won the World of STARDOM title last year in Ryogoku, won with my career on the line in April in Yokohama, then in September got women’s pro-wrestling on broadcast TV for the first time in 23 years. My goal has been for people who have never seen women’s wrestling to know who we are, and I did all the media that I could and worked in that ring to change perceptions stuck in the old women’s wrestling boom years ago.
“I’ve spent the whole year thinking of nothing but wrestling, driving myself half crazy, but this award justifies my not backing down from any of it. I still have any ambition to chase, to have all of you see something you’ve never seen before, bring women’s wrestling to the top of the major scene, and have Saya Kamitani at the forefront. Don’t take your eyes off Saya-sama!”
Looking ahead, Kamitani will raise her NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship in a Winner Takes All match against IWGP Women’s Champion Syuri at Wrestle Kingdom 20. That event will emanate from the Tokyo Dome on January 4.
RELATED: Tam Nakano Retires Following Loss To Saya Kamitani At All Star Grand Queendom 2025
Tag Team & Singles Gold On The Line At AEW Worlds End
Following the Christmas festivities, All Elite Wrestling will head to Chicago, Illinois for its last pay-per-view of the year, Worlds End. So far, two matches within the women’s division have been confirmed, both of which revolve around championship gold.
Firstly, AEW Women’s Champion Kris Statlander will defend her title against Jamie Hayter, a former titleholder. Statlander initially won the title in a four-way match involving Hayter, Toni Storm, and Thekla at AEW All Out.
Statlander and Hayter recently teamed up to defeat Skye Blue and Julia Hart on AEW Collision, but Hayter’s post-match mindset led her to lay out a singles match challenge instead. Now, Hayter has a chance to regain the title by meeting Statlander one-on-one at Worlds End on December 27.
Elsewhere at the PPV, the inaugural AEW Women’s Tag Team Champions Willow Nightingale and Harley Cameron will defend their respective titles against Mercedes Mone and Athena. Nightingale and Cameron, together known as the Babes of Wrath, previously upset Mone and Athena in the opening round of the tag team tournament to crown the champions.
RELATED: Jamie Hayter Reacts To Comparisons To Scooby-Doo’s Daphne Blake
INTERVIEWS
WWE Women’s United States Champion Chelsea Green sat down with Chris Van Vliet to discuss winning the Women’s US Tile for a second time, being paired up with Ethan Page in NXT, her husband Matt Cardona (Zack Ryder) recently making a return to WWE, her infamous dumpster match, being featured on WWE Unreal, the pitch to have her win the Royal Rumble, and more.
Former NXT Women’s North American Champion Sol Ruca joined Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful to talk about how she became the Cinnemoji at WrestleMania, her Sol Snatcher finisher, competing in the Iron Survivor Challenge, main roster advice she’s received, wanting to thank John Cena at Saturday Night’s Main Event, and more.
WWE Superstar Natalya appeared on What’s Your Story with Steph McMahon to talk about John Cena’s comments on her autobiography, cats vs. dogs, battling anxiety, memories from Total Divas, leaving one’s mark in the WWE locker room, and more.
AEW star Alex Windsor spoke with Soundsphere to talk about AEW Collison heading to Cardiff for Winter is Coming, the “full circle” moment of being back in front of UK crowds, balancing motherhood with wrestling, what next year has in store, getting advice from her peers in the women’s locker room, and more.
WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion Maxxine Dupri chatted with The Abe Kanan Show about growing up in the Sacramento area, WrestleMania 42 returning to Las Vegas, potentially wrestling Stacy Keibler, bringing the Nattie Neidhart character to WWE television, modeling tips, and more.
