WWE Women's Champ IYO SKY Bids Farewell To 'Dearest And Best Friend' Dakota Kai

Another wave of talent releases struck WWE over the weekend, with Dakota Kai as one of the people on the receiving end. In recent years, Kai had been a part of WWE's Damage CTRL stable alongside IYO SKY, Kairi Sane, and Asuka (and previously Bayley). SKY, with whom Kai claimed the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships in 2022, has since sent her a departing message on X.

"She is so much sweet, strong, kind, smart, wonderful, and beautiful woman," SKY wrote of Kai. "My dearest and best friend. I love you. Everyone loves you." Along with SKY's words came a quartet of photographs, the first of which captured Damage CTRL's group debut at the 2022 SummerSlam premium live event. The second featured Kai and SKY posing with the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships, while the third saw them both smiling in front of a "WWE Raw" monitor. SKY capped off the series with an image of herself, Kai, Asuka, and Sane, the latter two of whom held the tag team titles at the time. Meanwhile, SKY had the WWE Women's Championship around her shoulder.

In the present day, SKY reigns as the WWE Women's World Champion. A decade ago, SKY held the World of STARDOM Championship, while Kai (as Evie) enjoyed a run as an Artist of STARDOM Champion. Interestingly, Kai's reign later came to an end at the hands of SKY and Sane, along with Mayu Iwatani, in February 2016. This loss would mark the end of Kai's interactions with SKY and Sane until they all reunited under the banner of WWE.

Kai made her official WWE debut in the summer of 2017 as a part of the inaugural Mae Young Classic. She briefly left the company in late-April 2022 due to another release before returning at the aforementioned SummerSlam event.