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A graphic of the Wwe Speed match on the March 17, 2026, episode of NXT

WWE Speed: Did Fallon Henley Retain the Women’s Championship?

This week, WWE NXT in Houston provided a chance for Texas native Wren Sinclair to win her first WWE title in her home state. But standing in her way was the Women’s WWE Speed Champion Fallon Henley. The Fatal Influence star was hoping to make a successful first defence of her title. But she faced a stern test in the in-form Sinclair.

Sinclair faced a high-pressure situation in her title match against a Superstar well accustomed to championship matches. Henley was in her third WWE title reign, having also captured North American and tag team gold in the past. However, Sinclair would’ve been encouraged by the events from NXT’s opening match.

Henley played her part in helping Fatal Influence leader Jacy Jayne retain her NXT Women’s Championship against Zaria and Sol Ruca. However, the cost to Henley was a shoulder injury at the hands of Zaria during the match. But would it play into the hands of submission specialist Wren Sinclair?

The NQCC member’s road to the final was paved by submissions. Sinclair’s deadly Final Wrench hold was too much for both Nikkita Lyons and Thea Hail in previous rounds. It’s a move that Henley would’ve been very cautious of heading into the title match.

A graphic of the Wwe Speed match on the March 17, 2026, episode of NXT
Photo Credit: WWE

A new WWE Speed Champion or a successful first defence?

For their own reasons, both Superstars tried their hardest to end the bout early. A combination of Sinclair’s nerves and Henley’s shoulder injury led to a succession of surprise roll-ups, with neither competitor able to catch their opponent off guard. The champion’s injury was clearly hampering her offensive work, with Henley at one stage faltering under the weight of Sinclair on her shoulders. An Inverted Pumphandle Slam also saw Henley clutch her shoulder in pain.

After failing to lock in the Final Wrench early on in the five-minute match, Sinclair managed to execute the submission hold with 90 seconds left on the clock. Positioned in the center of the ring with nowhere to go, Henley’s time as WWE Speed Champion ran out there and then. A third straight submission victory for the NQCC star delivered a Texas triumph like no other. Wren Sinclair emerged victorious, capturing her first-ever WWE Championship.

The win brought an end to Henley’s reign, which concluded at 120 days. Sinclair becomes the fourth Women’s WWE Speed Champion after Candice LeRae, Sol Ruca, and Fallon Henley.

About Jordan Osborne

Jordan Osborne is a digital sports journalist and academic. A regular contributor to LWOPW, he specializes in WWE and NJPW content for the site. Jordan graduated from the University of Portsmouth with his Bachelor's, Master's, and PhD in English & Creative Writing, channelling his studies into insightful wrestling content. Outside of Last Word OnSports, Jordan has written extensively about sport for several publications all around the world, including GiveMeSport, The SportsRush, Star & Crescent, The Galleon, Hello Student, and his award-winning digital publication, Vendor. He also currently lectures in Journalism, PR, and Communications at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and was previously a Teaching Fellow in Creative Writing at the University of Portsmouth.

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