WWE is building a new rivalry on Monday Night Raw between Dakota Kai and Women’s Intercontinental Champion Lyra Valkyria.
On this week’s episode of Raw, Dakota Kai earned a title opportunity by winning a match to determine the number one contender for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship. The February 17 edition of Raw featured a major women’s division bout, as Kai faced Ivy Nile. In the end, Kai secured the victory, pinning Nile after delivering her signature G2K finisher.
With this win, Kai will challenge Valkyria for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship, though the exact date of their title match was not announced.
Valkyria became the inaugural champion by defeating Kai on the January 13 edition of Raw. Since then, she has yet to defend the title but did compete in the Royal Rumble, which was won by Charlotte Flair, and later lost to Bayley in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match.
For Kai, she has won two straight tag team matches with IYO SKY. They beat Pure Fusion Collective (Shayna Baszler & Zoey Stark) on the January 20th episode of Raw and then The Judgment Day (Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez) on the February 10th edition.
WWE is expected to welcome back one of its sidelined stars, Dakota Kai, after being away due to injury.
According to PWInsider.com, Kai is “on the cusp of returning,” with the company hoping to have her back on the road with the Raw brand within the next few weeks. One source indicated that she could return by the end of the month, if not sooner.
Kai was last seen in action on the January 20 episode of Raw, where she teamed with IYO SKY against Zoey Stark and Shayna Baszler. During the match, she sustained a concussion, which led to her being pulled from in-ring competition. At the time, speculation suggested the injury may have resulted from a rough bump on a missile dropkick, although it was never confirmed. Kai has yet to publicly address her injury.
The past year has been eventful for Kai, filled with both achievements and setbacks. In August 2024, she underwent surgery for a torn meniscus but made her return in November.
Most recently, Kai competed in the tournament to crown the inaugural WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion. She advanced to the finals but ultimately fell short against Lyra Valkyria.
Posted February 5th, 2025 in WWE. Tagged: Dakota Kai.
Dakota Kai, one of WWE’s most resilient and dynamic performers, is once again on the injured list following a tag team match on the January 20th episode of Raw. Teaming with IYO SKY against Zoey Stark and Shayna Baszler, Kai reportedly suffered an injury during the bout.
According to PWInsider.com, Kai was “hurt” during the match, with one source speculating that the issue may have stemmed from a rough bump taken on a missile dropkick. It was later confirmed to be a concussion. Kai has been pulled from WWE programming and was notably absent from this week’s Raw.
As of now, it’s unclear whether this injury will prevent Dakota Kai from participating in the 2025 Women’s Royal Rumble, which is set to take place this weekend. Kai’s potential absence would be a significant blow to both her and her faction, Damage CTRL, as the group has been a prominent force in WWE’s women’s division.
Kai’s latest setback is part of an unfortunate pattern in her career, as she has dealt with multiple significant injuries over the years:
Right ACL Tear – December 2018
Kai tore her ACL in her right knee during an NXT live event in Green Bay, Wisconsin. This injury sidelined her for over nine months, costing her a spot in the inaugural Women’s Tag Team Championship tournament.
Shoulder Injury – Late 2020
During her NXT run, Kai suffered a shoulder injury that briefly removed her from active competition. While not severe, it slowed her momentum during her growing partnership with Raquel González.
Left ACL Tear – May 2023
In a WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship match on SmackDown, Kai suffered a torn ACL in her left knee after a botched top-rope move. The injury required surgery and kept her out for 9–12 months, sidelining her for the remainder of 2023.
Posted January 27th, 2025 in WWE. Tagged: Dakota Kai.
Dakota Kai is gearing up for one of the biggest matches of her career as she prepares to face Lyra Valkyria in the finals of the tournament to crown the inaugural WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion.
The highly anticipated bout is set to take place tonight on the January 13 episode of WWE RAW. Ahead of the historic contest, Kai took to X to reflect on her journey. She described her seven-and-a-half-year tenure in WWE and her lifelong dream of becoming a champion.
“I’ve been about WWE for 7 and a half years. This has been my dream for as long as I can remember, way back when I was practicing DDTs on my lil bro in the lounge (don’t try this at home, lol).
With each opportunity to win a singles championship over the years, I’ve given my all every time… even if I fell short, every time. I don’t want to say ‘failure isn’t an option’ because failure has been a part of my story and I’ve learned from it. I hope to make you all proud.”
WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship
In a separate recent interview with The Ringer Wrestling Show, Kai opened up about her excitement for the championship match. Seven years into her WWE run, the “It feels like it’s been a long time coming,” she said.
“I’ve been in the company for about seven years now, and while I’ve had opportunities, it’s almost been like close but no cigar. So for me, next week is a big opportunity to show what I can do… and hopefully finish off that fairytale ending.”
Both Kai and Valkyria have fought their way through the tournament, making this clash one to watch. Fans will be tuning in to see whether Kai can finally achieve her dream or if Valkyria will make her own mark in history as the first-ever WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion.
Posted January 13th, 2025 in WWE. Tagged: Dakota Kai.
This week’s episode of WWE Raw featured the semi-final matches of the Women’s Intercontinental Championship Tournament, narrowing the field to two competitors. Dakota Kai secured her place in the finals by defeating Zoey Stark earlier in the show.
In the other semi-final match, fellow Damage CTRL member IYO SKY faced former NXT Women’s Champion Lyra Valkyria. Despite SKY’s best efforts, Valkyria emerged victorious, setting up a highly anticipated finals showdown against Kai. The tournament finals will take place on January 13, 2025, at the sophomore installment of WWE Raw on Netflix, live from the SAP Center in San Jose, CA.
The January 13 episode already boasts a stacked card, including:
CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins
Tribal Combat: Roman Reigns vs. Solo Sikoa
Women’s World Championship – Last Woman Standing Match: Liv Morgan (c) vs. Rhea Ripley
Jey Uso vs. Drew McIntyre
Women’s Intercontinental Championship Tournament Finals: Dakota Kai vs. Lyra Valkyria
John Cena’s Retirement Tour Kickoff
The inaugural Women’s Intercontinental Champion will be crowned as Kai and Valkyria face off in what promises to be an exciting finale to this groundbreaking tournament.
During the November 11th edition of WWE Raw, Dakota Kai made her surprise return in a backstage segment to reunite with Damage CTRL. The faction comprising – IYO SKY, Kairi Sane and Dakota Kai has now set their sights on the gold.
Damage CTRL joined in for an interview with Byron Saxton in a Raw Exclusive. Kai said that it was very difficult for her to watch SKY and Sane from home during her injury hiatus. She then revealed that they have their sights set on the women’s tag team titles which is held by Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair. Kai said:
“It was so difficult watching from home, you guys held it down for sure, but we’re here to show everyone Damage CTRL, we won our match tonight — Now, we have our eyes on gold, potentially those tag team titles, right?”
Dakota Kai’s comeback took place at a time when SKY is the Number 1 contender for the Women’s World Title, currently held by Liv Morgan. They are set to lock horns with the title on the line soon.
IYO SKY also vowed to become the Women’s World Champion and feels confident that every member of Damage CTRL will be a champion. She said:
“Yes and I need the Women’s World Championship. We will be all the champions.”
Last night, Kai also competed inside the squared circle when she teamed up with IYO SKY and Kairi Sane to face the Pure Fusion Collective (Shayna Baszler, Zoey Stark, and Sonya Deville). In the final moments of the match, SKY performed a moonsault on Baszler to earn the pinfall victory.
Dakota Kai made her highly anticipated return on this week’s WWE Raw after being sidelined for over four months due to injury. Kai joined forces with IYO SKY and Kairi Sane to face the Pure Fusion Collective (Shayna Baszler, Zoey Stark, and Sonya Deville). In a key moment, Kai broke up Baszler’s submission on SKY in the closing moments, allowing SKY to execute her signature moonsault on Baszler and secure the victory for her team.
This return also comes at a pivotal time, as SKY recently became the #1 contender for the Women’s World Title and will soon challenge Liv Morgan for the championship.
Kai last competed on July 27 at a live event in Tokyo, Japan, where she faced Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair. Shortly afterward, she was written off WWE television following an on-screen attack from the Pure Fusion Collective. Kai suffered a meniscus tear in August, with an estimated recovery timeline of eight to ten weeks. Backstage, there was reportedly significant sympathy for her, as she is highly respected and well-liked within WWE.
This latest injury follows an ACL tear in May 2023 that kept Kai out of action for nearly a year.
Posted November 11th, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: Dakota Kai.
More has come to light about Seth Rollins and Dakota Kai after both Superstars were ambushed on the August 5, episode of RAW. On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer claimed that he was told that these attacks were storyline covers for real injuries both Superstars are dealing with. Rollins’ situation is said to be “not bad” and he is still cleared to wrestle but he is “banged up.”
Rollins was attacked by Bronson Reed during RAW in arguably the biggest showcase for the Australian since arriving on the main roster. The former WWE World Champion was leveled with six Tsunami finishers and was seen bleeding from the mouth after the attack. Rollins was out of action with an injured knee earlier this year and did not compete at SummerSlam 2024, instead serving as a guest referee.
Like Rollins, Dakota Kai fell victim to an ambush on RAW, this time at the hands of Shayna Baszler, Zoey Stark, and Sonya Deville. The Kiwi Superstar was supposed to face Sonya Deville on the show but was replaced by ally IYO SKY.
Kai has a history of injuries, including an ACL tear in May 2023 that kept her out of action until March of this year. Her most recent TV match was on the July 8, RAW while her most recent match in WWE was part of the promotion’s recent tour of Japan. Stay tuned to SE Scoops for the latest on these two Superstars and other ongoing injuries in the world of professional wrestling.
WWE took its first steps towards crowning a new King and Queen of the Ring this week with a total of six first-round matches on the May 6, episode of Raw.
Both tournaments will culminate at the WWE King and Queen of the Ring PLE later this month which will take place in Saudi Arabia. WWE had initially planned on hosting the event last year but nixed the idea in favor of WWE Night of Champions. That event saw Roman Reigns reach 1,000 days as Universal Champion and Seth Rollins crowned World Heavyweight Champion.
King of the Ring Results
On Raw, the recently called-up Ilja Dragunov defeated new WWE Speed Champion Ricochet to advance to the next round. Meanwhile, Jey Uso got payback on The Judgment Day with a tournament victory over 2021 runner-up Finn Balor. Originally, Drew McIntyre was supposed to be in Jey’s spot but his injury forced changes to be made. Dragunov and Jey will face each other in the quarter-finals next week.
Queen Of The Ring Results
Raw also saw Zoey Stark advance with a win over Ivy Nile, while Lyra Valkyria defeated Dakota Kai. Like Jey Uso, Kai was a last-minute replacement for Asuka, who Damage CTRL confirmed is out with an injury. Stark and Valkyria will face each other in the next round on the May 13, episode of Raw.
What’s To Come?
While WWE promoted four matches from each tournament for Raw, only three took place. At a WWE live event this week, Kofi Kingston and Rey Mysterio will face off in a first-round match. This was supposed to be Rey Vs. Xavier Woods but the latter has been replaced due to not being medically cleared. The winner will face GUNTHER next week.
Shayna Baszler and Zelina Vega will also do battle at a WWE live event, despite being previously promoted for the Raw taping. The winner will face IYO SKY on next week’s Raw with a spot in the semi-finals on the line.
First-round matches will continue on the May 10, episode of WWE SmackDown. Carmelo Hayes, LA Knight, and Santos Escobar have all announced their participation.
Dakota Kai has shared her support for her Damage CTRL ally Kairi Sane following criticism by WWE Hall of Famer & AEW correspondent Mark Henry.
At WWE WrestleMania 40, Sane, Kai, and Asuka lost to Bianca Belair, Naomi, and Jade Cargill. During the entrance for the faces, Sane remained in the ring a few seconds longer than Asuka and Kai. You can check out hew delayed exit from the ring in the video clip below.
On Busted Open Radio, Mark Henry shared that he was livid watching WrestleMania 40 when he saw Sane taking slightly too long to exit the ring for his liking. The World’s Strongest Man even went as far as to say the Pirate Princess had shown a level of disrespect to the wrestling business.
“She should have got out the f*cking ring. I was so mad. You got to respect the business first. And she didn’t, but she would if I would have been in the ring.”
In a tweet, Dakota Kai didn’t address Henry’s comments directly but made it clear that she supports Sane who has a deep respect for the wrestling business. The former WWE NXT Women’s Champion responded by she loves and respects Kai and was thankful for everything her Damage CTRL ally has done for her.
I love and respect you too? Thank you for everything.
Ultimately, Sane would not have intended to have come across as disrespectful and it appears only Henry felt her actions at WrestleMania were out of line. In the comments, many supported Sane and some pointed out times that Henry has remained in the ring during the entrance of opponents.
The trio of Jade Cargill, Naomi, and Bianca Belair proved to be a force to be reckoned with by emerging victorious at WWE WrestleMania 40.
In the fifth match of WWE WrestleMania 40: Saturday, the trio dispatched of Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai & WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Asuka & Kairi Sane.) The finish of the match saw Asuka accidentally mist Kairi Sane before the Empress of Tomorrow was dispatched of by Bianca Belair. Cargill would then level Dakota Kai to get the win for her team.
You can check out some highlights from the match below.
Going into this six-woman tag-team match, there was a lot of interest in how Jade Cargill would fare at her first WrestleMania. It wasn’t long into the match that “We Want Jade” chants rumbled throughout the massive crowd inside Lincoln Financial Field. Cargill certainly looked like she belonged in the ring at WrestleMania 40 and fans can expect the Storm to be at many WrestleManias and other Premium Live Events to come.
Cargill signed with WWE in September 2023 and was immediately treated as a massive high-profile acquisition for the company. Before arriving in WWE, Cargill made her name in All Elite Wrestling, where she was the first AEW TBS Champion. Her 508-day reign with the gold remains the longest title reign of any champion in AEW history.
Bayley won the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble match, and then she staked her claim against IYO Sky at the show of shows. It seemed that Bayley would have, at least, one ally for the showcase of the immortals, but that is not the case.
The Kabuki Warriors defended the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles against Bayley and Dakota Kai this week on SmackDown. Many fans wondered if a title change would be in the cards, but they got a lot more. This was not Bayley’s lucky moment, either.
Just as Bayley was crawling to her corner for a hot tag for Kai, she jumped off the apron. This was a big heel turn, and it left Bayley all alone.
It didn’t take much time for Asuka and Kairi Sane to take out Bayley in easy fashion. Then there was a four-on-one attack on Bayley.
It appears that Bayley is going into WrestleMania 40 as a huge underdog. She will have nobody in her corner from the look of it, but she also might thrive in that underdog role.
After the match, Damage CTRL was very happy with themselves backstage. Then Jade Cargill stepped around the corner to confront them. Nothing happened at that time, but that definitely planted the seeds of something big in the future.
On a recent episode of WWE Monday Night Raw, Kai was spotted out of her knee brace, raising speculation that she was healed. Kai would later explain that she simply forgot her brace for the show. On Instagram this week, Kai shared a photo of her training session with UFC’s Israel Adesanya, and was once again sans knee brace. The pair trained together at the City Kickboxing event in Kai’s native New Zealand.
While he’s yet to compete for WWE, Adesanya’s love for pro wrestling can’t be denied. For UFC 276 in 2022, Adesanya made an Undertaker themed entrance that caught the attention of the WWE Hall of Famer. Adesanya has also been open to competing for WWE but believes such a match would be a one off.
Posted February 19th, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: Dakota Kai.
Damage CTRL member Dakota Kai recently explained why she was without the knee brace on this week’s Monday Night Raw.
Kai has been recovering from a torn ACL since last May. On the May 12, 2023 episode of SmackDown, Dakota Kai and Bayley squared off against Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez in their Women’s Tag Team Championship match. During the match, Kai tore her ACL and has been away from in-ring action ever since.
Kai made her non-wrestling appearance for the first time after injury at SummerSlam and celebrated IYO SKY’s WWE Women’s Championship victory. Kai not only serves as the manager for Damage CTRL but she also pulls some strings for the Damage CTRL members.
Currently, Dakota Kai is only cleared to stand at ringside during matches. Some fans had the belief that she was already cleared for in-ring action.
This week on Raw, Damage CTRL made an appearance and celebrated the Kabuki Warrior’s win in the tag match and Bayley‘s Royal Rumble victory. The fans noted that Dakota Kai wasn’t wearing knee braces as she used to. This led to the fans speculating that she might have been finally cleared to return to the ring.
During her Twitch stream, Dakota Kai said that she is getting closer to her anticipated return to the squared circle. When asked about being spotted without a brace on Raw, she said:
“I actually forgot my brace. That’s why I didn’t have it on on Monday. That doesn’t mean anything because I… you’ve probably seen like someone like Zoey, she still wears her brace. I will have to be wearing it when I wrestle, but I forgot it. Don’t read into it you guys. I literally just forgot it.”
Dakota Kai says she is not cleared yet but is getting closer and she wasn't wearing a knee brace on Raw because she forgot it pic.twitter.com/ubHw6tYtZ1
WWE has been consistently teasing Damage CTRL turning on Bayley. ‘The Role Model’ won this year’s Women’s Royal Rumble match, adding a new layer to the storyline. As we are officially on the Road to WrestleMania, it will be interesting to see when Kai makes her in-ring return.
Dakota Kai may play a heel on television for WWE, but she has a heart of gold outside the squared circle. She recently encountered a puppy who needed her help, and she took action.
Dakota Kai’s Puppy Story
The Damage CTRL member recently received a message from her friend. Someone dumped a puppy with her, and she couldn’t keep her. Kai wasted no time taking action.
Dakota posted on her Instagram story to show off this little puppy. She also included a caption to explain this humanitarian situation.
URGENT: Hey Florida people, this sweet anxious baby was ditched with my friend. She can’t keep her. HMU if you can help out even if it’s to foster in the meantime.”
The WWE Superstar updated fans with a few Instagram stories about this puppy. She was very happy to meet the little girl, but she was even happier to let fans know that she found a home for him.
It didn’t take much time for Dakota Kai to let fans know that it appears that they found a fur-ever home for this little girl. That is a great ending for this story.
Dakota Kai appears on WWE television practically every week, but she is not wrestling. She is still out of action with an injury.
Kai recently updated fans with a bit of apparent frustration, stating, “It’s irritating to hear people saying, ‘She can run and jump, so why isn’t she cleared yet?’ That’s not the process. I’ve been running and jumping for the past few months, but there’s a set date for official clearance because I need to go through matches, and they have specific criteria to meet before declaring me fully cleared. I won’t be in a wheelchair for nine months and then suddenly stand up and claim, ‘I’m cured.’ It doesn’t work that way.”
As fans await her in-ring return, this is definitely a great story to hear in the meantime.
Dakota Kai has been recovering from a torn ACL since last May, but some fans may not realize she is injured by the amount of screen time she gets in WWE. She recently shared an update on her recovery progress.
Dakota Kai Speaks on her Injury
Despite being part of the Damage CTRL stable and making appearances on television with her stablemates, Dakota Kai is only cleared to stand at ringside during matches. Some fans mistakenly believed she was already cleared for in-ring action.
During a recent Twitch stream, Kai clarified that although she can move normally, she hasn’t received the necessary medical clearance. Currently, she is still waiting on the green light for her return to the ring.
In the meantime, Dakota Kai is really enjoying all the time she’s having with Damage CTRL on WWE television.
“I’m so sick of seeing people saying, ‘She can run and jump, but she’s not cleared still? No, that’s not how this works. Obviously, I can run and jump because I’ve been doing it for the last few months, but they have a set date for when you actually get cleared because I have to still do matches, and they have to check all the boxes of when I’m actually cleared. I’m not going to be in a wheelchair for nine months and then suddenly stand up and go, ‘I’m cured.’ That’s not how it works.”
How Dakota Kai Was Injured
On the May 12th episode of SmackDown, Dakota Kai and Bayley faced defeat in their Women’s Tag Team Championship match against Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez. Both Kai and Morgan sustained injuries during the match, with Kai tearing her ACL and Morgan injuring her shoulder.
Kai reappeared physically for the first time at SummerSlam, celebrating Sky’s WWE Women’s Championship victory. Subsequently, Kai has consistently taken on a managerial role for Damage CTRL until she receives medical clearance for in-ring competition.
WWE Superstars are prone to get tattoos, and then they get extra love by sharing their new ink on social media. Now, two WWE Superstars have new art in their skin, and they got those pieces for a good reason.
Zelina Vega has been making waves in WWE since her return in 2022. Apart from WWE, she extends her influence beyond wrestling as she embraces the role of a budding YouTube personality along with Twitch streamer.
Zelina Vega & Dakota Kai’s New Tattoos
Recently, Zelina Vega, in collaboration with Dakota Kai, set a bold target for their YouTube channel. They put their eyes on a goal to reach 15,000 subscribers. Upon successfully attaining this significant milestone, the duo opted for a unique celebration by getting matching tattoos.
In a video shared on Zelina Vega’s Instagram, the two chronicle their tattoo experience. Their new tattoos matched their passions and personalities to a tee, as they got some Pokémon ink.
Choosing Pokemon-themed tattoos to mark the 15k subscriber achievement, Dakota Kai selects a Vulpix tattoo, while Zelina Vega opts for a Seel tattoo.
Happy 15k!! Thank you all for getting @zelvxandcharliegirl to our new milestone! What should our 20k be?? thank you @ownyoursummer for the dope #Pokemon tattoos!
Beyond her YouTube accomplishments, Zelina Vega solidified her commitment to WWE by recently signing a long-term deal. That ensured her continued presence with the company for years to come.
Fans can anticipate with excitement the future ventures from the LWO member. She has also been receiving rave reviews for her character work on WWE television.
Dakota Kai is still going strong as a member of Damage CTRL. Although she may still be waiting out her knee injury, she was still featured on WWE television practically every week, which kept her face out there and her brand relevant. Obviously, both Vega and Kai are connecting with fans in a big way, as evidence by their latest subscriber accomplishment.
The dream team of WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Becky Lynch and Lita, and Trish Stratus, are looking to shut Damage CTRL up for good at WrestleMania 39.
Last month, Lita made her return to WWE to aid Lynch in a steel cage match against Bayley, which had originally been scheduled for the Raw is XXX event.
On last week’s Raw, Lynch and Lita dethroned Dakota Kai and IYO SKY to win the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships, the first title for Lita since 2006.
While Bayley tried to interfere in that match, the returning Trish Stratus (who had been scheduled for the previous week’s Raw but didn’t appear) neutralized the Role Model.
WrestleMania 39
On this week’s Raw, the new champions and Stratus celebrated the victory but were quickly interrupted by Damage CTRL
Stratus then challenged Damage CTRL to a six-woman-tag team match and made it clear that she wanted to shut Bayley up once and for all.
Bayley accepted the challenge on behalf of her team.
The WrestleMania match will mark Stratus’ first match since SummerSlam 2019, when she lost to Charlotte Flair in Canada.
Surprisingly, this will mark the second in-ring WrestleMania appearance for Lita, after she challenged for the WWF Women’s Championship at WrestleMania X8.
Double-Booked?
The announcement of Lynch, Lita and Stratus against Damage CTRL at WrestleMania is an interesting one, given that this isn’t the match many expected.
It has been reported that WWE’s plan initially was for Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler to win the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships at the two-night event in April.
Despite Rousey aggravating an injury (which is why she was in a sling on last Friday’s SmackDown,) she is expected to be fully healed in time for WrestleMania.
There is the possibility that the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions could compete on both nights, a feat Tamina Snuka and Natalya achieved at WrestleMania 37 in 2021.
Kai took to Twitter to react to the setback, noting that the pair still have more to give. She wrote, “We have so much more to give. I love @iyo_sky & @itsBayleyWWE with my whole heart.
Becky Lynch and WWE Hall of Famer Lita recently joined forces to win the Women’s Tag-Team Championships. They defeated IYO SKY and Dakota Kai in the main event on this week’s RAW.
Damage CTRL leader Bayley had been interfering in the title match and tried to assist her team in retaining the gold. At one point ‘The Role Model’ used one of the title belts to distract the referee and pulled Lita from the apron to stop her from tagging in.
However, in the closing moments, WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus made a shocking return. She ran down to the ring and attacked Bayley to even the odds. ‘Big Time Becks’ locked in the Disarm-Her on Dakota Kai, which gave Lita the opening to hit the Lita-Sault on SKY for the pinfall victory.
Stratus, Lita and Lynch celebrated together in the ring as the show came to a close.
Backstage after Raw, Lita, Becky Lynch and Trish Stratus spoke about the title change.
A long-asked question about IO Shirai’s name change may have gotten answered.
WWE surprised wrestling fans with the return of IYO Sky (FKA IO Shirai) at Summerslam on July 30, 2022. She made her return alongside Bayley and Dakota Kai to confront Becky Lynch and Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair. At the time, the commentators referred to Sky by her former name. However, the next night she had her name changed to what it is today.
The company has yet to share why it wanted Sky to change her name publicly. Name-changing in WWE happens on a case-by-case basis for new talent. However, Sky’s name seems to result in WWE wanting to own her IO Shirai, according to wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer.
Meltzer was asked a question on Twitter about why WWE changed Sky’s name, which he answered, “They wanted to own her WWE name, and she had used the name Io Shirai her entire career, so they couldn’t own it.” Someone also asked why Chelsea Green, who returned at the Royal Rumble on Jan 28; however, Meltzer has yet to respond.
What’s Next For IYO SKY?
(WWE)
It seems that Sky is headed for a big match alongside her tag team partner Kai at WrestleMania 39. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter on Feb. 6 reported that Sky and Kai would defend their Women’s Tag Team Championship against Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler at the event.
While this is the reported plan WWE has, the company hasn’t acknowledged or hinted that the match will happen. Rousey is also not involved in any storylines at the moment. She lost the Smackdown Women’s Championship to Charlotte Flair at the Friday Night Smackdown episode on Dec. 30, 2022. Although WWE could’ve had Rousey challenge Flair in a rematch, it doesn’t seem like it will happen.
If Sky and Kai are defending their titles against Rousey and Baszler, WWE fans should expect a build to the match soon.
Dakota Kai has opened up on how she found her way into the world of professional wrestling.
Recently, Kai spoke to WWE Deutschland to discuss a variety of professional wrestling topics. During the interview, Kai revealed that it was actually her younger brother who introduced her to the world of professional wrestling.
“He used to watch it way back in the day. I didn’t really give it the time of the day because I was ignorant, I guess. But one day he told me to sit down and watch it and we were right in the middle of a Rock and Austin feud, a promo was happening in the ring, and that was my first introduction into pro wrestling.”
Kai then revealed that her favorite wrestler is none other than WWE legend and former World Champion The Rock.
“He’s charismatic, athletic, but he’s also Samoan, which I’m Samoan too, so there’s a connection there.”
(via WWE)
Kai has been with WWE since 2015 when she joined its NXT brand. There, she was a two-time NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion alongside Raquel Gonzalez. The pair also won the Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament.
Since coming up to the main roster, Kai’s success in the tag team division has continued. Aligning herself with Bayley and IYO SKY as Damage CTRL, Kai and SKY are also two-time WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions themselves.
Dakota Kai made her shocking return to WWE at Summerslam 2022 as part of Damage CTRl, but plans for the group were originally much different.
Damage CTRL, consisting of Kai, IYO SKY, and Bayley, debuted at the July 30 event, in Bayley’s first appearance on WWE TV in over a year.
Since debuting, the group has captured the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships twice and Bayley has challenged for the Raw Women’s Championship.
Original Plans
Bayley had planned on a stable for years, but the Role Model’s plans were only realized earlier this year.
Appearing on the Getting Over podcast, Kai explained how the original line-up for the group had many different members.
“When she [Bayley first mentioned it to me a couple of years…it was myself, Candice LeRae and Tegan [Nox.] Those were the ones that were from the start. And obviously things that happened from then until now, everything changes.”
Dakota Kai.
Kai later explained how a more recent roster for Damage CTRL included herself, SKY, Alba Fyre, and Raquel Rodriguez.
The WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion said that this group would have been “epic” but she is equally pleased to team with Bayley and SKY.
What’s Next for Damage CTRL?
After the group’s debut, Bayley set her sights on Bianca Belair, but failed to dethrone the Raw Women’s Champion.
At Survivor Series: WarGames, Team Damage lost to Team Bianca, seemingly marking the end of the feud.
On this week’s Raw, IYO SKY and Dakota Kai brawled with Becky Lynch, starting the group’s newest feud.
Lynch returned to WWE after four months away as the fifth member of Team Bianca and scored the pinfall for her team inside WarGames.
Nikki Cross may be aligned with Damage CTRL, but the group isn’t ready to welcome her as a member just yet.
Cross returned to WWE programming on the October 24, 2022 Raw, reverting to the unhinged persona she had used in NXT.
The former Raw Women’s Champion has ditched her Superhero character and the Nikki A.S.H. name.
Damage CTRL
Despite attacking Bayley during her return, Cross has been on the same side as the Role Model and Damage CTRL since then.
At WWE Crown Jewel, Cross interfered to help Dakota Kai and IYO SKY recapture the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships from Alexa Bliss and Asuka.
Fightful Select reports that on WWE’s internal listings before this week’s Raw, Cross was not listed as a member of the stable.
On this week’s Raw, IYO SKY defeated Dana Brooke, while Bayley, Kai, and Cross were ringside, though Cross did not seem interested in what was going on in the ring.
WarGames
Cross is not an official member of the Damage CTRL stable, but she will soon be entering WarGames with Bayley, Kai, and SKY.
On Raw, it was confirmed that Rhea Ripley will be joining the four for WWE’s upcoming Premium Live Event.
The group will face Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair, Alexa Bliss, Asuka, Mia Yim, and one final teammate yet to be named.
While it is believed that Candice LeRae will be the final member of the group, that has yet to be confirmed on TV.
Dakota Kai and IYO SKY are once again the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions as they dethroned Alexa Bliss and Asuka.
The title change happened at the WWE Crown Jewel premium live event from Saudi Arabia. This was a rematch that saw Kai and SKY dominate the major of the match until Bliss got the hot tag and cleared house.
It looked like Bliss was on her way to retaining the titles, but Nikki Cross appeared from nowhere to hit a DDT from the top rope to Bliss, allowing Kai to pin her for the win. The referee didn’t see the outside interference because the referee was busy dealing with a brawl between Asuka and SKY.
Bliss and Asuka won the titles during this week’s Raw, in what was Asuka’s first televised match in close to two months. It marked an important milestone for Asuka and Bliss as it was both women’s third reign as Tag Champions (albeit with different partners) and the third partner for Asuka, who previously held gold with KAIRI and Charlotte Flair.
Kai and SKY were champions for 49 days before the title change happened on Monday’s Raw.
What are your thoughts on Kai and SKY winning back the Women’s Tag Team Titles? Was this the right call by WWE officials? Sound off in the comment section.
New WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Asuka and Alexa Bliss won’t have long to savor their win, as the titles will be up for grabs at this Saturday’s Crown Jewel.
Bliss and Asuka won the titles during this week’s Raw, in what was Asuka’s first televised match in close to two months.
This marks both women’s third reign as Tag Champions (albeit with different partners) and the third partner for Asuka, who previously held gold with KAIRI and Charlotte Flair.
The Rematch
Just five days after winning the titles, Asuka and Bliss will put the Women’s Tag Team Championships on the line against Damage CTRL.
Bliss and Asuka will face former Champions Dakota Kai and IYO SKY, who had a 49-day reign before it was ended this week.
On Twitter, Damage CTRL’s Bayley added that she will “stop at nothing” to make things right for the group.
Bayley will also compete at Crown Jewel, where she will face Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair for the gold in a Last Woman Standing match.
Crown Jewel 2022 will mark the first time Asuka, SKY, and Kai have competed at a Saudi Arabia event.
Crown Jewel 2022
In addition to these two title matches, WWE Crown Jewel will see Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns defend against Logan Paul.
The O.C. will be in action against the Judgment Day while Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley will have their long-awaited rematch from January.
Drew McIntyre will face Karrion Kross inside a Steel Cage, as the Scottish Warrior seeks to finally defeat his nemesis.
The Usos will put the Undisputed WWE Tag Titles on the line against the Brawling Brutes while Braun Strowman will have a meeting of the giants with Omos.
