Former WWE Star Dakota Kai Says Original Idea For Damage CTRL Was Vastly Different

At SummerSlam 2022, Dakota Kai returned to WWE alongside Bayley and IYO SKY to officially form Damage CTRL, which would be one of the company's most featured groups on television for three years. Over time, other members would join the faction like Asuka and Kairi Sane, but according to Kai during a recent interview with "Ring The Belle," there were two other stars that were considered to be part of the first iteration of Damage CTRL.

"We were pitching ideas and doing photo shoots of Damage CTRL like the year before with the addition of Kay Lee Ray, Alba, and then also Raquel [Rodriguez] ... So it was Bayley, IYO, me, and then Raquel, and Alba, and we were doing photo shoots and trying to pitch this idea."

Kai continued to explain that she was given just 24 hours notice about joining Damage CTRL at SummerSlam, as she had not been under contract with the company at that point, but decided to sign a new deal knowing that she would be part of Bayley's vision for a new faction.

"This is what Bayley had pitched for us and she's been pitching the idea of a women's faction for years since I was in 'NXT' ... So the fact that this moment it finally came to fruition for us was a beautiful thing," she explained. "I got to do it for my girl cause I support this idea as much as she had throughout the years. She'd been talking to me about it for ages. So I'm like this is perfect. This is the honestly the best way to come back with IYO as well."

Kai was released from WWE in May 2025 as part of the company's post-WrestleMania cuts, and after a year away from the ring, she's recently started to compete on the independent wrestling scene. 

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Ring The Belle" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.