Dakota Kai

Under the ring name **Evie**, Kai appeared on the October 14, 2015 episode of *NXT*, losing to the debuting Nia Jax. On December 15, 2016, she signed a contract with WWE, and few months later she was announced as a participant in the upcoming Mae Young Classic under the ring name **Dakota Kai**. Kai entered the tournament on July 13, defeating Kavita Devi in the first round and Rhea Ripley in the second round, before being eliminated in the quarterfinals by Kairi Sane.

On the October 25, 2017 episode of *NXT*, Kai made her television return competing in a battle royal, where she was eliminated by Sage Beckett. On the March 14, 2018 episode of *NXT*, Kai scored her first televised victory when she defeated Lacey Evans. A month later, Kai made her WrestleMania debut at WrestleMania 34, competing along with several other *NXT* women in the WrestleMania Women's Battle Royal, becoming the first female New Zealander to compete at WrestleMania. Kai also participated in a WrestleMania Axxess tournament which she would go onto win, earning herself a match for the NXT Women's Championship but she was eventually defeated by newly crowned champion Shayna Baszler. In May, Kai earned herself another shot at the championship but was once again unsuccessful in capturing it. Throughout the rest of the year, Kai would continue to compete in singles competition, racking up various victories and losses against competitors like Santana Garrett, Bianca Belair, Lacey Evans, and Aliyah.

In parallel to her actives in *NXT*, Kai also appeared in the newly created *NXT UK* brand. In October, Kai took part of the first ever all women's pay–per–view, Evolution, where she unsuccessfully challenged Rhea Ripley (in a dark match) for the NXT UK Women's Championship. Before the title match, Kai took part of a tournament for the vacant championship, where she defeated Nina Samuels in the first round but was eliminated in the semi finals by the eventual winner Ripley.

After spending a few months away, Kai returned at NXT TakeOver: WarGames on November 17, where she and Io Shirai helped Kairi Sane during her match with Shayna Baszler by attacking Baszler's allies Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir who would interfere earlier on. Shortly after the event, the trio would continue to feud with Baszler, Duke and Shafir in the following weeks. On January 17, 2019, Kai announced on her Twitter page that she sustained a torn ACL, during an *NXT* live event in December, which would sideline her from in–ring competition for the next few months.

After over nine months of inactivity and a couple of vignettes, Kai defeated Taynara Conti on the September 25 episode of *NXT* in her in–ring return match. Shortly after, Kai's tag team partner, Tegan Nox, also returned to NXT and the two quickly reunited their tag team dubbed "Team Kick". On the October 30 episode of *NXT*, Team Kick unsuccessfully challenged The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane) for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship. In November, Kai made her main roster debut as part of the NXT talent that were placed in an invasion angle with *Raw* and *SmackDown* as part of the Survivor Series pay-per-view. During that time, Kai was chosen over by Mia Yim as part of Rhea Ripley's team for the first ever women's WarGames match against Shayna Baszler's team. On November 23, at NXT TakeOver: WarGames, just before the match took place, Kai replaced Yim who was attacked backstage. Minutes later, before she entered the ring, Kai attacked her tag team partner, Tegan Nox, turning heel for the first time in her WWE career. Upon her return in December, Yim revealed that it was Kai who attacked her backstage and this led to a grudge match between the two, which Kai won. On the January 29 episode of *NXT*, Kai lost to Nox due to outside interfernce by Candice LeRae. At NXT TakeOver: Portland, Kai defeated Nox in a street fight due to outside interference from Raquel Gonzalez.

On the March 4 episode of *NXT*, Kai defeated Nox in a steel cage match after interference from González. On June 7 at NXT TakeOver: In Your House, Kai teamed up with González and Candice LeRae in a losing effort against Nox, Mia Yim and Shotzi Blackheart in a six-woman tag team match. On the July 1 episode of NXT The Great American Bash, Kai, LeRae and Yim lost to Nox in a number one contender's fatal four-way elimination match for the NXT Women's Championship. Two weeks later on the July 15 episode of *NXT*, Kai attacked Io Shirai after Shirai had successfully defended her title match against Nox. On August 5, Kai defeated Rhea Ripley to become number one contender for Shirai’s championship at NXT TakeOver: XXX. On August 22 at the aforementioned event, Kai was defeated by Shirai. Into November, Kai began feuding with the returning Ember Moon, resulting in a match on the November 4 episode of *NXT*, which Kai won after interference from González. Afterwards, Kai and González aligned with LeRae and Toni Storm, resulting in a WarGames match against Blackheart, Moon, Shirai, and Ripley at NXT TakeOver: WarGames on December 6, where Kai's team won after González pinned Shirai. Kai and González were soon announced as competitors in the first ever women's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. On February 14, 2021, at NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day, Kai and González defeated Shotzi Blackheart and Ember Moon in the women's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic finals match. With this win, Kai and González earned a shot at WWE Women's Tag Team Champions Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler, a match that would end in controversy on the March 3 episode of *NXT*, after Kai was pinned despite not legally being in the match. The following week, Kai and Gonzalez were awarded the newly created NXT Women's Tag Team Championships by General Manager William Regal, marking Kai's first championship in the WWE. They would however lose the championships on the same night to Shotzi Blackheart and Ember Moon. After González won the NXT Women's Championship at NXT TakeOver: Stand and Deliver, tension began to show between the two as González began displaying more face tactics. On the July 27 episode of *NXT*, Kai turned on González. Kai then grabbed the title belt and kneeled down over Gonzalez, thus ending the alliance between the two. At NXT Halloween Havoc, Kai returned as the mysterious person to cost Raquel González the NXT Women's Championship to Mandy Rose in a Trick or Street Fight match. On the Roadblock edition of *NXT*, Kai and Wendy Choo defeated Raquel Gonzalez and Cora Jade to advance to the *NXT* women's Dusty Cup tournament finals. However during the match, Toxic Attraction injured Gonzalez and Kai began to show signs of a face turn when she was reluctant to win the match in that sort of way. Kai and Choo would end up losing in the finals to the team of Io Shirai and Kay Lee Ray.

On the March 29, 2022 episode of *NXT 2.0*, after Toxic Attraction took out Wendy Choo, Kai attacked the group and would be assisted by a returning Raquel González, whom Kai embraced afterwards, thus thus completing her face for the first time since November 2019. It was then announced that Kai and González would take on Toxic Attraction members Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne for the NXT Women's Tag Team Championship during the kickoff pre-show of NXT Stand and Deliver. At the namesake event, Kai and Gonzalez would defeat Toxic Attraction to win the NXT Women's Tag Team Championships for a record-setting second reign. In their first title defense on the following episode of *NXT 2.0*, Kai and Gonzalez lost the titles back to Toxic Distraction due to Mandy Rose’s interference. On April 22, Kai would be released from her contract.

On July 30, 2022, Kai returned to WWE at SummerSlam alongside Bayley and Iyo Sky, with the three being allies and Kai officially debuting on the main roster. She officially joined the *Raw* brand as a heel and made her debut for the brand the following night, attacking Becky Lynch, Alexa Bliss, and Asuka alongside Bayley and Sky. On the August 8 episode of *Raw*, Kai and Sky defeated the team of Dana Brooke and Tamina in the first round of the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship tournament, before going on to defeat Alexa Bliss and Asuka in the semifinals. Kai and Sky were defeated in the finals by the team of Aliyah and Raquel Rodriguez, but would get a hold of the title after winning a rematch two weeks later on *Raw*. On the September 12 episode of *Raw*, Sky and Kai defeated Women's Tag Team Champions Aliyah and Raquel Rodriguez in a rematch to win the championships. Kai and Sky successfully defended the title against Rodriguez and Shotzi on October 21 episode of *SmackDown*. The following week on *Raw*, Asuka and Alexa Bliss defeated Kai and Iyo Sky for the titles, thus ending their reign at 49 days. However, at Crown Jewel on November 5, Kai and Sky defeated Alexa Bliss and Asuka to regain the titles. The rivalry between the two trios ended at Survivor Series WarGames on November 26, where Damage Control, Rhea Ripley, and Nikki Cross lost to Belair, Asuka, Bliss, Mia Yim, and Becky Lynch in a WarGames match.

Kai then entered the women's Royal Rumble match at the titular event on January 28, 2023. She eliminated five wrestlers, four of which were done by her, Bayley, and Iyo Sky, before being eliminated by Becky Lynch. On the February 27 episode of *Raw*. Kai and Sky lost titles to Lynch and Lita, ending their second reign at 114 days. As part of the 2023 WWE Draft, Kai, along with stablemates Bayley and Sky, was drafted to the *SmackDown* brand. On the May 12 episode of *SmackDown*, Kai and Sky lost their match for the Women's Tag Team Championships against Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez. During the match, both Kai and Morgan suffered injuries, with Kai tearing her ACL and Morgan injuring her shoulder. Kai made a physical appearance for the first time since her injury at SummerSlam to celebrate Sky's WWE Women's Championship victory.