Dakota Kai Turns On Bayley In First Match Following Her Return, Rejoins Damage CTRL

Dakota Kai made her in-ring return Friday night on "WWE SmackDown," and Bayley found herself at the receiving end of yet another backstabbing.

Kai has been out for nearly a full year after sustaining a torn ACL during a WWE Women's Tag Team Championship match in May 2023, and was slated to fight alongside Bayley, in a tag match against Asuka and Kairi Sane, known collectively as WWE Women's Tag Team Champions The Kabuki Warriors. The match was made official after Kai was allegedly attacked backstage by Damage CTRL last week. Bayley and Kai have been on uneasy terms following Bayley's departure from Damage CTRL, and Kai's true allegiances were expected to be uncovered during the contest.

Kai met all expectations and abandoned Bayley with stone-cold apathy. Despite feigning support in the early goings of the match, Kai made no effort to defend Bayley from a two-on-one assault by The Kabuki Warriors. Once Bayley finally fought off both women and sought the tag, Kai jumped off of the apron, leaving Bayley to be ravaged by Asuka and Sane.

Betrayal is a concept Kai is very familiar with, as Bayley is only the latest name in her long list of victims. During her time in "WWE NXT," Kai betrayed former teammate Raquel Rodriguez (then known as Raquel Gonzalez) multiple times: once before "NXT" Takeover 36, and another time in the final moments of Rodriguez's "Trick or Street Fight" against Mandy Rose for the "NXT" Women's Championship. Kai's reputation as a turncoat can be traced back to the first-ever women's WarGames match, where she ruthlessly attacked then-friend Tegan Nox, putting Rhea Ripley's team at a severe disadvantage.

While her loyalty is inconsistent at best, it seems that for now, Kai has re-aligned herself with WWE Women's Champion IYO SKY, Asuka, and Sane. How this will impact Bayley and SKY's upcoming contest at WrestleMania 40 remains to be seen.