WWE’s Dakota Kai to undergo surgery for torn ACL
Dakota Kai is going to be on the shelf for an extended period of time.
Our own Dave Meltzer has confirmed that Kai suffered a torn ACL during the women’s tag title match on the May 12 edition of SmackDown. She is scheduled to have surgery tomorrow.
Liv Morgan sustained an injury to her shoulder in the same match. Bryan Alvarez noted on Wrestling Observer Radio that she may require surgery as well.
Kai’s injury is said to have occurred when she was trying to protect an already-injured Morgan during the match.
“The word was that [Dakota Kai] 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,” Meltzer wrote.
We love you @ImKingKota ❤️🩹 pic.twitter.com/Ua6uaYmPX4
— Bayley (@itsBayleyWWE) May 20, 2023
Recovery time from ACL surgery can range from six months to a year.
The members of Damage CTRL appeared to be starting an angle that could lead to the group breaking up. However, with Kai injured, it’s not clear how that storyline will move forward.
Bayley and IYO Sky are scheduled to team up to face Raquel Rodriguez and a partner of her choosing on this week’s SmackDown.
Ian Carey is a writer from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, whose work has appeared in award-winning publications such as NOW Magazine and The Huffington Post. He joined the F4WOnline team in 2019 and was named managing editor in the summer of 2026. Born in Calgary, Alberta, Ian has covered professional wrestling for more than 15 years.