NXT Enforcing Strict New Backstage Rules Following Botched Title Change
Talent schedules are being adjusted to avoid future creative disasters
Summary
– Officials are enforcing mandatory attendance until the end of tapings
– The policy shift stems from the chaotic fallout of Thea Hail’s accidental victory
– Creative teams scrambled to fix pre-taped segments that featured the wrong champion
The accidental title switch on NXT is having major consequences behind the scenes. The botched finish, in which Thea Hail defeated Blake Monroe, has triggered a significant policy change regarding talent attendance at the Performance Center. Fightful Select reports that officials are cracking down on schedules to ensure the roster is available to pivot when things go wrong.
A higher-up within the brand revealed that wrestlers booked for tapings will now be required to stay in the building until the end of the show. This rule also applies to talent filming pre-taped segments on Mondays, who will likely need to remain on site through the conclusion of the Tuesday broadcast. The goal is to have all hands on deck to address any immediate creative changes caused by in-ring accidents.
The decision is a direct response to the scrambling that occurred after Hail’s unplanned victory. Since the win was not in the script, the writing team was forced to frantically edit and recontextualize segments that had already been filmed under the assumption that Monroe was still the champion. The production truck also suffered from confusion, playing the wrong theme music and posting incorrect results online.
Referees are instructed to call finishes as legitimate contests, which led to the three-count being finalized despite the error. The company is now taking steps to insulate itself from similar chaotic situations in the future by maintaining access to talent at all times. The days of leaving the venue early appear to be over for the NXT roster.
#WWE enforcing strict backstage rules for #NXT talent after the botched title change disaster 🚫📝
The company is taking steps to ensure it is never caught off guard again.
