Former Dakota Kai addresses WWE Intercontinental Championship rumors

Dakota Kai spent close to ten years wrestling for WWE, winning championships in NXT and on the main roster. But her biggest championship win never came to pass.

In January of 2025, in perhaps the biggest match of her career, Kai faced Lyra Valkyria in the finals of a tournament to crown the inaugural WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion. It was the second episode of Monday Night Raw to air on Netflix, and reportedly, Kai was at one point planned to win that match. 

Instead, Valkyria won and held the championship for 144 days. Kai lost the match, never again won gold with WWE and was released from her contract last March. 

Kai (who is now wrestling as Charlie on the independents) talked about that match in a conversation with D.S. Shin of Ring The Belle.

“She’s awesome too,” Charlie said about Valkyria. “We had such good chemistry and we never wrestled each other before—I don’t think any singles capacity at least. But, she’s amazing. … She’s insane. Everything she did was awesome.” 

Shin then asked Charlie about any plans to crown her as champion. “Things change all the time, you know what I mean?” Charlie replied. “Like last minute and I get that too but, I don’t know. I’m so happy for her.”

Since her release from WWE, Charlie has challenged Kris Statlander for the EVE International Championship and Shotzi Blackheart for the HOG Women’s Championship. 

She also hosts a show with the former Zelina Vega (now known as ZELVX) on YouTube.