“It Caught Me Off Guard,” Says 4-Time Champion On Shocking WWE Release

A popular star revealed that the release from the WWE caught her off guard. The 4-time champion in discussion is Charlie (fka Dakota Kai).

Dakota Kai had a decent run in the WWE from 2017 to 2025. During her tenure, Kai became a four-time Women’s Tag Team Champion, combining both NXT and the main roster. She also had a memorable run in the Damage CTRL faction alongside the likes of Bayley, Iyo Sky and more.

Last year, Dakota Kai was unfortunately released from the WWE. Earlier this year, the 38-year-old star opened up on her release, explaining how it was hard for her:

It was hard. I think I definitely needed to take that sort of step back from it, and I was incredibly grateful for my time at WWE. Everyone I met there and worked with, it’s just …the locker room, especially. I have such a big part of my heart…loved that time, but I think I just really needed to take a step back and could sort of rebuild myself in terms of confidence and what I thought about myself as a wrestler in this world.”

So, I just needed to build my confidence back up, and I think we’re really there, and I’m really excited to get back into the ring. I think that’s just gonna be an amazing, amazing feeling, and I’ll get that passion and why I started this, however many years ago.”

WWE release caught the 38-year-old star off guard

The 38-year-old star, Charlie (fka Dakota Kai) has only wrestled two matches on the independent wrestling scene since her WWE release last year. Meanwhile, Dakota recalled the moment she was released from the Stamford-based promotion.

Speaking with Ring The Belle, Charlie revealed she was caught off guard by her WWE release, as she had a new song and was gaining traction at that time:

It was one of those things where I thought ‘I’m finally getting some traction, I got a new song’ and things like that, so it caught me off guard too.”

The erstwhile Dakota Kai also admitted that it’s a business and she is looking forward to wrestling a list of women:

At the end of the day, it is business, for better or for worse, and now I can just do what I love and go out there; I’ve got a whole bucket list of girlies I want to wrestle.” [h/t f4wonline.com]

Only time will tell what the future holds for the former Damage CTRL member.