AEW’s Thunder Rosa Helped Get Blossoming NXT Star Signed to WWE

AEW's Thunder Rosa Helped Get Blossoming NXT Star Signed to WWE

As a dedicated fan of professional wrestling and someone who closely follows the careers of up-and-coming talent, I can’t help but be impressed by Thea Hail’s inspiring journey into the world of sports entertainment. Having started her training at Stronghold Training Center and Iron City Wrestling Academy in Pittsburgh only a year ago, Hail’s determination and passion for wrestling have led her to sign with WWE and now challenge for the NXT Women’s Championship against Roxanne Perez at The Great American Bash.


1) The transition from All Elite Wrestling (AEW) to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has been modest, with only a few talent making the leap so far. Cody Rhodes was the first major star to depart Tony Khan’s wrestling company and rejoin his former employer, WWE, in April 2022. Later, Brian Pillman Jr., who had previously worked for AEW, joined WWE NXT. Over the past year, Jade Cargill, Shawn Spears, and Ethan Page also moved from AEW to WWE. While only a small number of contracted talent have made the switch, many wrestlers have competed in individual matches for AEW before signing with WWE. Current NXT stars Je’Von Evans and Nathan Frazer both participated in matches on AEW Dark before securing developmental contracts with WWE.

AEW’s Thunder Rosa Helped Thea Hail Land WWE Deal

AEW's Thunder Rosa Helped Get Blossoming NXT Star Signed to WWE

Similar to Evans and Frazer, Thea Hail of NXT shares a comparable stardom. Before joining WWE, she fought under the name Nikita Knight on AEW Dark. In a hard-fought match, she lost against Thunder Rosa, who later became an AEW Women’s Champion.

As it turns out, Rosa’s help to getting Hail exposure went beyond just wrestling her.

In an interview with Pittsburgh City Paper, Hail shared that following a training session with QT Marshall, they found themselves participating in a non-televised bout for AEW. Additionally, Hail had the opportunity to wrestle Thunder Rosa. Through this encounter, Hail was introduced to a WWE recruiter, as they disclosed.

In the year 2022, WWE welcomed Hail into their ranks, introducing her as a new addition to their roster in March. Her television wrestling debut occurred only a few weeks later, and by May 2022, she had become a part of the beloved stable Chase U.

In 2021, Hail made the decision to leave gymnastics and cheer behind. She was feeling uncertain about her future and was aimlessly browsing through Instagram when she came across WWE. Having always admired the spectacle of professional wrestling, but never believing it was a viable career option, she was taken aback by a video featuring Rey Mysterio. Inspired, she set down her phone and declared, “I’m going to do that.”

Tonight at 8 PM ET on USA Network, Roxanne Perez’s NXT Women’s Championship is up for grabs as she faces a challenge from Hail during NXT The Great American Bash.

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2024-07-30 18:09