Tommy Dreamer Explains His Approach to Recovering From WWE NXT Title Match Botch

Tommy Dreamer believes WWE has an opportunity to turn an unexpected moment on NXT into meaningful storytelling. The ECW legend shared his thoughts after last week’s NXT Women’s North American Championship match finish where Thea Hail defeated Blake Monroe to be the new champion sparked confusion rather than celebration.

Speaking on Busted Open Radio, Dreamer suggested leaning in entirely to Blake Monroe’s emotional unraveling. Instead of avoiding the mistake, he feels WWE should make it part of her character’s evolution.

Dreamer envisioned Monroe retreating into isolation. He described scenes of her replaying the moment repeatedly. In his view, paranoia and self-blame would naturally follow. He said that kind of breakdown fits Monroe’s persona and could add depth quickly (via Wrestling Inc).

“I’d go for the pivot – again, don’t know where they wanted to go or who they wanted to go with – with Blake? I’d have Blake go into their world of madness, which I like for her character.”

The finish itself involved Thea Hail scoring a sudden victory. Dreamer broke down the sequence from experience. He noted the Swanton Bomb likely stunned Monroe first. The springboard follow-up seemed to knock the wind completely out of her.

“Just by watching it over and over, I think [Hail] does like a Swanton thing on [Monroe] first, which looks like it may have caught her, and then the jump-springboard thing? That totally crushed [her],” he noted, speculating that Monroe was likely winded by the move, recalling his own experience getting hit hard in the ring, having both his ears pop.

The aftermath made things more noticeable. There was a delayed announcement. The wrong music was played before being corrected. The crowd reaction felt muted rather than explosive. For a title change, Dreamer felt it lacked clarity. Still, he sees upside. Dreamer argued that moments like this often produce the best stories. Instead of hiding from the error, he believes NXT should highlight it.

“The lack of the announcement, playing the wrong music, then playing her music, and like the fans were – totally didn’t know what was going on,” he added, “So, I don’t think that would be planned. You want the fans to explode when you win the title.”

He suggested portraying Monroe as questioning everyone around her. That includes officials, opponents, and even herself. That spiral could generate both sympathy and tension. It simply reframes it. By acknowledging what happened, WWE can make it feel intentional.

THEA HALE IS THE NEW NXT NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPION

BLAKE MONROE IS PISSED #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/War6SotFIs

— iitsTemper (@iitsTemper) December 17, 2025