Thea Hail is a professional American wrestler contracted by WWE and wrestles on the NXT brand. Her real name is Madison Knisely, and she was born on September 9, 2003, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Thea Hail has come into fame through her wrestling career in WWE, formerly as a gymnast, as a part of the Chase University team and, in December 2025, as the youngest ever NXT Women’s North American Champion.
This profile covers all the information that you would like to know about her, from her physical details, childhood and family, gymnastics career, complete WWE career, her championship record, estimated net worth, relation with Nathan Frazer, and hobbies and trivia, among other things.
The Record That Sets Thea Hail Apart
This is a major accomplishment that most wrestling profiles fail to mention, so here goes. In December 2025, she won in an unexpected turn of events against Blake Monroe to win the NXT Women’s North American Championship, her first championship in WWE.
This made her the youngest champion to ever win this particular championship, having done so when she was 22 years and 98 days old. This record still stands even though she only held the title for 21 days before losing it to Izzi Dame in January 2026 at New Year’s Evil.
Thea Hail Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
| Real Name | Madison (Maddie) Knisely |
| Ring Names | Thea Hail (WWE), Nikita Knight (early indie/AEW) |
| Date of Birth | September 9, 2003 |
| Age | 22 years (as of 2026) |
| Birthplace | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Height | 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) |
| Weight | around 57 kg (125 lb) |
| Profession | Professional wrestler, former gymnast |
| Pro Debut | September 11, 2021 |
| Current Brand | WWE NXT |
| Partner | Nathan Frazer (fellow WWE wrestler) |
| Estimated Net Worth | not officially disclosed (see section below) |
Who Is Thea Hail
Thea Hail is the ring name of Madison Knisely, one of the youngest members of the WWE roster. Her initial fame came as a high-flying pupil in the Chase University comedy stable, after which she started working towards shaping herself into a more mature singles competitor.
A wrestler with a fiery submission game and a penchant for judo takedowns as well as for an offensive run that went from being the underdog to becoming the record holder champion, Thea Hail has emerged as one of NXT’s best-known young wrestlers. In recent times, her persona has undergone an edgier evolution after the break-up of Chase U.
Early Life and Gymnastics Background
Madison Knisely was born on September 9, 2003, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Before wrestling, she was an accomplished gymnast, reportedly trained for eleven years and won six state titles in the vault category. Her background in gymnastics provided her with the athleticism and physical agility that have been evident in her wrestling since then.
Madison Knisely graduated from Plum Senior High School in Pittsburgh in 2022 and, in what can only be called a remarkable feat, went almost immediately from school to WWE developmental contract in Orlando, Florida.
Parents, Siblings and Family
Thea Hail keeps her family life largely private, and she rarely discusses her parents in interviews. Some fan sources describe her parents as teachers and mention a younger sibling with an interest in wrestling, but WWE and other reliable outlets have not confirmed these details.
Note: Names and professions of her parents and any siblings are not officially confirmed, so unverified fan claims are flagged as such rather than stated as fact.
Physical Stats and Appearance
Thea Hail competes as a compact, powerful athlete whose gymnastics background shows in her agility and strength. In 2026 she debuted a bolder new look with dyed hair, reflecting the shift in her on-screen character.
| Attribute | Detail |
| Height | 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) |
| Weight | around 57 kg (125 lb) |
| Build | Athletic, powerful, gymnastics-trained |
| Eye Colour | Hazel (commonly reported) |
| Distinctive Features | Recently dyed hair, high-energy expressive style |
| Billed From | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
Career Timeline Year by Year
| Year | Milestone |
| 2021 | Makes pro debut on AEW programming as Nikita Knight |
| 2022 | Signs with WWE; debuts on NXT Level Up as Thea Hail; joins Chase University |
| 2023 | Challenges Tiffany Stratton for the NXT Women’s Championship in a Submission Match at Great American Bash |
| 2023 to 2024 | Tag-team run alongside Jacy Jayne |
| 2024 | Chase U shuts down for the first time after Andre Chase’s loss to Ridge Holland |
| 2025 | Chase U reforms, then disbands; she wins the NXT Women’s North American Championship over Blake Monroe |
| January 2026 | Loses the title to Izzi Dame after a 21-day reign |
| Mid 2026 | Character turns darker; reported to begin appearing on WWE EVOLVE |
WWE Career and the Chase University Story
Prior to WWE, she had worked as an indie wrestler as well as on AEW shows where she wrestled under the name of Nikita Knight. Knisely got signed with WWE in March 2022 and made her debut on NXT Level Up show as Thea Hail and lost in her first match against Ivy Nile.
The rise of her career came when she joined Chase University, the highly popular comedy stable which is headed by Andre Chase with Duke Hudson as a member of it. Being the earnest student of this stable, she charmed the NXT audience with her performances, particularly with her match against Tiffany Stratton for the NXT Women’s Championship in Submission Match in 2023.
Championships and Accomplishments
| Title / Honour | Detail |
| NXT Women’s North American Championship | 1 time (2025); youngest champion in title history |
| NXT Women’s Championship match | Challenged Tiffany Stratton at Great American Bash 2023 |
| Chase University | Core member of one of NXT’s most popular stables |
| Gymnastics honours | Six state vault championships before wrestling |
Net Worth and Earnings
There is no official or reliable figure for how much Thea Hail is worth. As a young developmental-brand talent still building her main-roster profile, any number online is guesswork rather than confirmed reporting, so this profile does not invent a precise total.
| Financial Snapshot | Estimate |
| Net worth | Not officially disclosed; any figure online is speculative |
| Main income sources | WWE contract, NXT bookings, merchandise, appearances |
| Career stage | Young talent still growing her earning profile |
No confirmed net-worth figure exists in public reporting. Treat any specific number found elsewhere as unofficial and unverified.
Personal Life and Relationship with Nathan Frazer
The most widely known fact regarding her personal life would be her long-time relationship with another WWE wrestler Nathan Frazer, who goes by Benjamin Timms in his personal life. The two started dating in 2022 and never tried hiding their romance from the public eye, thus becoming a well-recognised pair of NXT.
Other than that, she tries keeping her personal matters under wraps and prefers letting her professional growth and development as a wrestler speak for itself.
Hobbies and Interests
- Gymnastics, her first sport and basis of her wrestling style.
- Staying fit through strength training due to the physical nature of her work.
- Becoming acquainted with her fans through social networks and sharing herself.
- Reinventing herself fashion-wise, including dramatic hair styling in 2026.
- Visiting theme parks while staying in Orlando.
Trivia and Lesser-Known Facts
- Her real name is Madison Knisely, and she first wrestled as Nikita Knight.
- She is a former competitive gymnast with six state vault championships.
- She went almost straight from her high-school graduation into WWE developmental.
- She is the youngest NXT Women’s North American Champion in the title’s history.
- Her North American title reign lasted just 21 days, one of the shortest for the belt.
- She was the star student of the fan-favourite Chase University stable.
- She is in a long-term relationship with WWE wrestler Nathan Frazer.
- She is among the youngest full-time performers on the entire WWE roster.
Final Take
Thea Hail has accomplished more by her mid-twenties compared to what other wrestlers accomplish throughout a decade. Whether it is winning a state vault title in Pittsburgh or setting a record in winning the NXT championship, Thea Hail has accomplished many feats. As a result, she seems to be one of the most talented wrestlers in the WWE at such an early age of her career.
Frequently Asked Questions
Her real name is Madison Knisely. She also wrestled early in her career as Nikita Knight.
She was born on September 9, 2003, which makes her 22 years old as of 2026, one of the youngest wrestlers on the WWE roster.
She is billed at 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) and weighs around 57 kg (125 lb).
She is in a long-term relationship with fellow WWE wrestler Nathan Frazer, whose real name is Benjamin Timms.
She won the NXT Women’s North American Championship in December 2025, becoming the youngest champion in that title’s history.
Yes. She remains signed to WWE on the NXT brand and is reported to also be moving toward appearances on WWE EVOLVE.
There is no confirmed figure. As a young talent, any net-worth number found online is unofficial and speculative.
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