Why Dakota Kai Hasn't Been Seen In WWE, Explained
Daniel Davis 
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- Dakota Kai's absence from the wrestling ring due to injury has left fans wondering about her recovery and potential return. Despite her prolonged absence, Kai has been teasing her comeback through social media posts, including a recent Instagram teaser as well as a confession on her Twitch stream. Meanwhile, the storyline surrounding Damage CTRL has taken a dramatic turn, with the faction betraying their former ally, Bayley, on SmackDown. Speculation abounds regarding Kai's involvement in the betrayal, as she was notably absent during the altercation. As fans eagerly anticipate Kai's return and ponder her role in the ongoing saga, her injury and subsequent rehabilitation remain a focal point of discussion and if she can get involved at WrestleMania.
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In 2022, Dakota Kai made her return to WWE at SummerSlam after being released only a few months prior. Immediately, she aligned herself with Bayley and Iyo Sky, who were both also making their returns back to WWE. They are collectively known as Damage CTRL. Since then, the group has faced off against a number of different competitors and teams. While the booking of Damage CTRL has been questionable, there have been successes for them as well. Kai and Sky are former two-time WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions. However, in a chance for Damage CTRL to claim the championships for a third time against Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez, Kai suffered a serious knee injury. They lost the match. Since then, Kai has been out of action.
UPDATE: 2024/02/09 13:49 EST BY TONY PARKER
Dakota Kai's absence from the wrestling ring due to injury has left fans wondering about her recovery and potential return. Despite her prolonged absence, Kai has been teasing her comeback through social media posts, including a recent Instagram teaser as well as a confession on her Twitch stream. Meanwhile, the storyline surrounding Damage CTRL has taken a dramatic turn, with the faction betraying their former ally, Bayley, on SmackDown. Speculation abounds regarding Kai's involvement in the betrayal, as she was notably absent during the altercation. As fans eagerly anticipate Kai's return and ponder her role in the ongoing saga, her injury and subsequent rehabilitation remain a focal point of discussion and if she can get involved at WrestleMania.
Dakota Kai Got Injured In May 2023
Kai Was Injured In The Same Match As Liv Morgan
The injury happened on the May 12, 2023, edition of Friday Night SmackDown. As mentioned, Damage CTRL sought to claim their third set of WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships. This time, the team was the combination of Kai and Bayley. They were facing the reigning champions at the time, Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez. During this match, Morgan also injured her shoulder. Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer reported
“The word was that she was injured after Morgan suffered her shoulder injury and the knee injury came in a spot where she knew Morgan was hurt and was trying to protect her.”
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Liv Morgan is one of WWE's most popular female performers. Here we cover Morgan's age, height, relationship status and more.A few days later, it was reported that Kai had suffered a torn ACL. As seen with injuries in the past, such as with AEW’s Kris Statlander, ACL injuries are very serious and can cause someone to be out of action for months. While Kai did have surgery, Wrestletalk said that “...she’ll likely be out of action for anywhere between six months and a year.”
Dakota Kai Has Been Wrestling For Years
Kai Made Her Wrestling Debut Back In 2008
It is truly unfortunate that Kai will likely be out of action for so long. For the years that she has been in WWE, she has shown time and time again that she is one of the most talented members of the roster. With about 15 years in the business, Kai began wrestling for various independent promotions in New Zealand, Australia, and the United States. She also competed in SHIMMER, where she faced names such as Allysin Kay, Hikaru Shida, Mia Yim, and more. Prior to signing with WWE in 2016, she went under the ring name Evie.
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The former AEW Women's World Champion has been dealing with an injury that will keep her out of action for the foreseeable future, including All In.NXT saw Kai’s career grow to new heights. She started off competing in the Mae Young Classic in 2017 and began to steadily rise up the ranks of the NXT roster. This also included her getting NXT Women’s Championship opportunities, making appearances in NXT UK, making appearances on WWE’s main roster, and teaming with Teagan Nox as a member of Team Kick. During this time, she did also have an ACL tear which kept her out of action for a period of time.
Kai’s time as a heel in NXT began when she turned on Nox at NXT TakeOver: WarGames, leading to a rivalry between the two. She later formed an alliance with Raquel Rodriguez, which was highly successful. They won the Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic and became the inaugural NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions. During their time in NXT, Rodriguez and Kai were on and off allies and enemies. Kai’s last match in NXT saw her compete against Mandy Rose for the NXT Women’s Title but she was unsuccessful. Kai was also released from WWE after this, not being a member of the roster for months.
Dakota Kai Made An Appearance At SummerSlam 2023
At SummerSlam 2023, Dakota Kai finally made her return to WWE television, coming to the ring to celebrate alongside her Damage CTRL stablemate Iyo Sky who had just won the WWE Women’s Championship. Sky cashed in her Money in the Bank briefcase following the triple threat Women’s Title match between Bianca Belair, Asuka, and Charlotte Flair. Belair picked up the match, and Sky took advantage of an injury she picked up in the match to cash in and win the match. Kai and Bayley stood tall in the ring with her. WWE wanted to have her closest allies and friends there for her special moment.
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Kai stated on her Twitch channel that her arrival at SummerSlam was something that came about whilst the show was ongoing, being asked just hours prior; "It's my sleep-in day. I'm gonna chill, not even gonna set my alarm. My phone was on 'Do Not Disturb'...I wake up, my phone is blowing up. My anxiety was just through the roof, I saw all of these missed calls, all these texts...and [Bayley's] like 'We need you here!'". (H/T F4WOnline)
On the SmackDown following SummerSlam, Dakota Kai arrived at the last minute too. She was again contacted per PWInsider, “Dakota Kai was not initially scheduled for Smackdown we are told. The story backstage making the rounds was that once again, she was called at the last minute to fly into the taping, just as she was at Summerslam.” WWE have made the call to have Kai remain on-screen as a member of Damage CTRL instead of waiting around until she is fully recovered. This keeps her in the minds of fans and ensures that the stable still looks strong with having all their numbers involved.
Dakota Kai Teases Return To The Ring
Where Does She Fit In The Damage Ctrl Breakdown?
- Dakota Kai has continued to make appearances on WWE Smackdown despite not wrestling.
- Kai is expected to be involved heavily with Damage CTRL's break up.
- Kai will still have to wear a knee brace when she returns to wrestle.
Recently, Dakota Kai has been a regular presence on television screens, yet fans have noticed her absence from the wrestling ring, a departure from her usual in-ring activities despite her injury. She was still on TV even though but competing but then she was taken off TV. This shift coincided with significant changes within her faction, Damage CTRL, indicating a period of transformation for the group. However, the most notable event occurred during a recent episode of SmackDown, where the group unexpectedly turned against their former ally, Bayley. Shockingly Bayley revealed that she understood some Japanese and understood exactly what Asuka & Kairi Sane were saying about her. This sparked speculation about Kai's involvement, especially since she was conspicuously absent during this betrayal. Fans began to wonder if Kai might have been the informant who divulged these disparaging comments to Bayley, adding intrigue to the unfolding drama within the faction.
Meanwhile, on Instagram, Kai stirred excitement among her followers by sharing a teaser image featuring her adorned in wrestling gear, during a photoshoot, a sight fans hadn't witnessed in quite some time. She wrote the caption “Comeback szn. (Not cleared yet.. soon)” This glimpse hinted at a potential return to the ring, igniting anticipation among fans eager to see Kai resume her in-ring duties. With speculation rife about her impending comeback, fans are eagerly awaiting her return and speculating on the role she might play in the ongoing saga involving Damage CTRL and Bayley.
Furthermore, during a recent Twitch stream, a fan raised a pertinent question about Kai not wearing her usual knee brace, prompting inquiries about her recovery status. In response, Kai clarified that her omission of the knee brace was merely an oversight and emphasized that, despite her eventual return to in-ring competition, she would continue to require the brace for an extended period during matches, but she is going to return soon. This revelation underscores the severity of Kai's injury and highlights the challenges she faces as she navigates her rehabilitation process.
Amidst these developments, Bayley has undergone a significant character shift, transitioning from a villainous persona to a heroic figure. This newfound alignment positions her as a challenger for the WWE Women's Championship at WrestleMania 40, following her victory in the prestigious Royal Rumble match. As Bayley prepares to face off against Iyo Sky for the championship, speculation mounts regarding Kai's potential involvement in the highly anticipated WrestleMania showdown.
