Joe Hendry walked into this week’s NXT with a song in his step and a clear plan for gold. By the end of the night the Scottish star had an ally at his side, a title match in his sights, and two brand new champions squarely focused on him. The story moved fast, it was lively, and it left fans buzzing about a rare three promotion mix on network television. Here is everything that happened, why it matters, and where it could go next.
The setup began away from NXT. Over the weekend in Mexico, Chelsea Green and Ethan Page captured the AAA World Mixed Tag Team Championship by defeating La Hiedra and Mr. Iguana at the Alianzas show in San Pedro Garza Garcia on Sunday November 2, 2025. It was the first reign for the duo, and it immediately positioned them as traveling champions who could take the belts to NXT during this season of cross promotional stories. Reports from multiple outlets confirmed the title change and highlighted the significance of two WWE contracted talents holding AAA mixed tag gold.
WWE and NXT fully embraced that development on the Tuesday November 4 episode on The CW. The closing segment was framed as a championship celebration for Green and Page. Page never met a victory party he did not love, and Green leaned into her over the top persona. The ring featured a giant cake, the champs had Alba Fyre at their side, and the jokes were flying. The gag was simple. Do not say Joe Hendry’s full name or he will appear. Wrestling fans knew what was coming, but the timing still landed. Hendry did not burst out of the cake at first. Instead he stepped onto the stage to a loud response and undercut the celebration with a challenge for the AAA titles. Then came the twist. Hendry revealed his partner for the mixed tag chase would be Thea Hail, one of the most energetic members of the NXT roster and a perfect foil for Green. Several wrestling news sites recapped the moment and noted that the challenge is set for the upcoming two week NXT Gold Rush special.
The cake gag ended the night in fitting fashion. Hendry worked the name joke. Hail popped from the cake after a tease, and the new champions ended up covered in frosting as the show closed. Chelsea Green even leaned into the mess during a backstage reaction that became an instant viral quote among fans. That segment underlined the mood of the story. Yes, there is a real championship on the line, and yes the match carries promotional weight across WWE and AAA. At the same time, the story lives inside NXT’s recent upbeat blend of comedy, character work, and genuine stakes.
To understand why Hendry’s quest feels hot, you have to look at the larger picture. NXT and AAA have been blended into WWE programming throughout the year alongside a steady presence from TNA names. NXT Gold Rush was officially announced during Halloween Havoc as a special event airing on Tuesday November 18 and Tuesday November 25 from The Theater at Madison Square Garden, with matches featuring titles from NXT, TNA, Evolve, and AAA. This is not a one off crossover. It is a planned showcase that rewards viewers who follow multiple promotions and brings fresh styles to television.
Hendry himself has been a major driver of that momentum. He is a TNA headline act who has made frequent NXT appearances, including memorable comedy cutaways and high profile matches. His theme is a singalong magnet, and he has the kind of confidence that turns backstage skits into social media clips. Earlier in the fall the show even used the now familiar Hendry magic trick where saying his name conjures him into a scene, with Thea Hail cheerfully singing the hook. All of that created a natural pathway to an alliance, which the closing segment paid off.
The new champions also walked in with their own momentum and with history on their side. Chelsea Green has made a career of chaotic celebrations, dramatic mishaps, and sneaky wins. Ethan Page brings swagger and a sharp tongue, and he thrives as a foil for Hendry’s singalong bravado. Their title win two nights earlier gave them instant credibility in this mixed tag division and made the challenge to defend on NXT feel earned rather than random. The AAA World Mixed Tag Team Championship has a long lineage in Mexico and has included a wide range of teams since the mid two thousands. Having Green and Page bring those belts to NXT places the title on a larger stage while also spotlighting AAA names who could appear later in the story.
During the segment itself the beats were tight and easy to follow. Page and Green gloated about their weekend victory. They warned each other not to say Hendry’s full name. Alba Fyre played along and then the trap sprung. Hendry stepped out, soaked in the reaction, and announced his intentions. Then he introduced Thea Hail as his partner. Hail’s entrance from the cake turned the party into a food fight. The champs fumed, the crowd laughed, and the announcers framed the moment as a formal challenge for NXT Gold Rush. The flow from celebration to confrontation to challenge was classic wrestling television. It sent fans home with a visual, a hook, and a date to remember.
Reactions backstage and online came fast. Green cut a line about the cake that drew plenty of replies and jokes. Sportskeeda and other outlets picked up the moment, which only amplified the buzz for the match. Thea Hail’s enthusiastic presence gave fans a babyface pairing to rally behind. Hendry posted the usual winking content that keeps his character in the conversation between episodes. For a weekly show that relies on social media to extend stories, this was exactly the kind of segment that works.
The stakes are bigger than one match. NXT Gold Rush is a two episode showcase that WWE promoted as a cross branded special, with titles from several partner promotions set to be highlighted. Bringing the AAA mixed tag belts into that mix is a smart move. It introduces NXT viewers to a championship that requires male and female teammates to mesh their styles. It also offers chances to feature AAA talent on NXT in short bursts, either as challengers later on or as enforcers who tip a finish. That kind of talent exchange has already popped up across the season with names from TNA and AAA appearing in both rings. The Gold Rush setting gives that formula a clear banner and a New York stage.
From a pure match analysis perspective, Hendry and Hail create an intriguing balance. Hendry’s power offense and crowd control harmonize well with Hail’s speed and submission game. Green and Page are trickier than they look. Page is a veteran counter wrestler who baits opponents into mistakes, while Green wins by embracing chaos and by using ringside distractions better than almost anyone in the division. Look for Page to slow Hendry down with holds, and for Green to take a cheap shot on Hail near the ropes to swing the momentum. The champs will try to split the ring and isolate Hail. The challengers will aim to create fast tags and a late surge with Hendry’s signature slam and Hail’s Kimura attempts. None of that guarantees a title change, but it gives the match a structure that fans can read as it unfolds.
There is also the wider web of NXT stories to consider. Chelsea Green has been juggling allies and assistants for months, and those moving parts create opportunities for run ins or misdirection. If Alba Fyre stays at ringside she can be a difference maker. On the other side, Hendry is known to recruit help at key moments. We saw Mike Santana appear for him earlier this year, and there are plenty of TNA names who could show up for a one night assist during Gold Rush. Those possibilities add spice without taking the focus away from the four legal competitors.
What do fans think right now The immediate reaction has been a mix of excitement and curiosity. Excitement because the match has personality to spare and because the AAA titles feel fresh on NXT. Curiosity because viewers want to know how the rules will be enforced with two promotions involved and because the champions just won the belts. Many fans expect Green and Page to escape with the titles thanks to a crafty finish, possibly to extend the feud into the second Gold Rush episode or a return visit to AAA. Others see a storybook moment for Hendry and Hail, who have fast chemistry and a ready made call and response entrance that would play huge at The Garden. The debate is the point. A good television angle should give people reasons to argue in good faith about the outcome, and this one hits that mark.
Expert voices have framed the program as a showcase for how NXT is using partner titles to elevate its own roster while giving fans fresh matchups. Post Wrestling and other outlets made it clear that Gold Rush is meant to feature championships from WWE’s developmental brand alongside TNA and AAA. It is a clear pivot from the usual silo approach to pro wrestling. For Thea Hail in particular this is a timely platform. She challenged for the NXT women’s title during the 2023 Gold Rush and came up short. Now she returns to the Gold Rush banner with a chance to leave with AAA gold. That circular storytelling is the kind of detail that rewards long time viewers and gives Hail a personal hook in pre match promos.
So what happens next Expect a lively contract signing or a final face to face on the next episode, with at least one more gag built around Hendry’s surprise entrances. Green and Page will brag about winning in Mexico and will likely unveil a long list of demands for their title defense. Hail will bring the heart, and Hendry will promise that belief makes titles possible. The show will remind viewers of the dates for Gold Rush in New York and will probably tease other cross branded matches to fill out the cards. Then the bell will ring in The Theater at Madison Square Garden, and the four wrestlers will try to match a high bar set by the build.
Prediction time If the match opens the first night, the champions have a better chance to retain through trickery and then move into a rematch on the second week. If the match closes the first night, the door opens for a feel good win by Hendry and Hail to send the crowd home smiling. The safest read is a dramatic near fall sequence where Hail taps Green with a hold after a Hendry slam only for Page to save the match at the last moment. From there a distraction finish keeps the belts with the new champions while leaving Hendry and Hail protected. That would keep the chase alive and give AAA and NXT another shared spotlight later in the season.
Regardless of the finish, this angle already works. It ties a fresh title change in Mexico to a television beat in the United States. It uses character comedy to set up real stakes. It gives Thea Hail a meaningful arc under the same special event banner where she once fell short. It lets Chelsea Green and Ethan Page flaunt brand new gold on a bigger stage. And it gives Joe Hendry a stage where the crowd can believe and then see whether belief turns into a championship moment. With NXT Gold Rush set for Tuesday November 18 and Tuesday November 25 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden, the countdown is on and the mixed tag division has our attention.
If you are a fan of fun segments that lead to clear match stakes, this is the good stuff. One entrance, one cake, one big challenge. Now we wait to see if belief and energy can outsmart attitude and mischief when the AAA World Mixed Tag Team Championship comes to NXT during Gold Rush.
