Backstage Update on Dakota Kai’s Release from WWE & Wrestling Career Future

As noted before, Dakota Kai was released from WWE last week as part of a larger batch of talent releases.

Dave Meltzer reported in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that his sources stated that Kai was nearly unanimously praised within WWE and the general reaction over her release was one of surprise.

Meltzer reported that those spoken to stated that Kai’s age of 37 was one reason for the decision for her release from WWE.

One person spoken to within WWE stated that they currently expect Kai to head to AEW. Meltzer speculated that this might not be a lock due to Kai had previously been in talks with both AEW and Stardom following her first release in April of 2022 and turned both companies down to go back to WWE after WWE CCO Paul “Triple H” Levesque took over power from Vince McMahon. Melzter reported that it is currently not known if AEW holds any ill will or what their feelings are over the way their talks with Kai went nowhere in the end and her taking the WWE offer to return.

In regards to Kai’s usage in WWE during her second stint in the company, one source spoken to stated that Kai still had use on a micro level on the main roster but WWE officials were never going to use her in the top tier with the likes of Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair, Jade Cargill, and others they see as the top women stars for the long-term. This same source reportedly stated that Kai could have worked with Becky Lynch or Liv Morgan, who are also viewed as top stars, but this would only have been a short-term thing for her.

WWE officials reportedly only viewed Kai’s future in the company as just her putting over the likes of Roxanne Perez and Giulia, who are the next stars being pushed for higher stardom. Meltzer reported that the belief within WWE was for the long-term, the salary they were paying Kai was not worth it to have her just lose to people on the way up to stardom.