4 things Dakota Kai can do outside WWE

WWE is the biggest wrestling promotion on the planet. They have numerous shows that air weekly, such as RAW, SmackDown, NXT, EVOLVE, and Main Event, hence, their large roster is justified.

The unfortunate thing about having a big roster and constant new signings is that it leads to downsizing. Inevitably, some pro wrestlers are released from the company, and that was what happened on Friday when over a dozen stars from RAW, SmackDown, and NXT were released. While there were multiple surprises, the biggest shocker was arguably Dakota Kai. The now former Damage CTRL member had been receiving her strongest push as a singles competitor on television this year.

Now, many are wondering what will happen with Dakota Kai and her pro wrestling future following her surprising release. While she could return to the global juggernaut in the future, what might she do once her 90-day non-compete clause ends? This article will look at a handful of potential career moves for the former Women's Tag Team Champion.

Below are four things Dakota Kai can do outside WWE:

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#4. Dakota Kai could join Indi Hartwell and others in TNA Wrestling

TNA Wrestling was once the second-largest wrestling company in the United States. Nowadays, they have fallen behind another prominent promotion and occupy the third spot, but the popularity of TNA has been growing in recent times.

The wrestling promotion is known for its women's division, and it even features a number of former WWE stars. Indi Hartwell, Xia Brookside, Lei Ying Lee, Ash by Elegance, and others on the roster were once part of the World Wrestling Entertainment system.

Dakota Kai could follow her former co-workers to TNA Wrestling. Not only might she find success as a singles star, but since the company is affiliated with WWE, it could land her back in the sports entertainment juggernaut one day.

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#3. She could join AEW, WWE's rival promotion

All Elite Wrestling is the promotion that replaced TNA as the number two company in the United States. In fact, an argument could be made that AEW is the second biggest pro wrestling company in the world.

AEW has often been criticized for its use of the women's division. For a long time, there was only one women's match on Dynamite each week, and it usually happened towards the end of the show.

With that being said, AEW has a wealth of talented performers. If Dakota could work with names like Mercedes Mone and Toni Storm, she could really flourish in the Jacksonville-based promotion.

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#2. Kai could compete in Japan

Dakota Kai was not a creation of the WWE Performance Center. In fact, she came up through the indies. She also competed in Japan before joining World Wrestling Entertainment.

In 2025, Dakota could return to her old stomping grounds. In addition to competing for various independent promotions, Kai could decide to wrestle in Japan. There are several women's wrestling companies in the region that could be perfect for the former Damage CTRL member.

She could opt to go to STARDOM, which could be a gateway to AEW. Alternatively, the Marigold promotion has ties with WWE, so working there could be another way for the kicking Kiwi to find her way back to RAW or SmackDown at some point in the future, if she wanted to return.

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#1. She could retire from pro wrestling

Dakota Kai is an excellent pro wrestler. She is a former multi-time WWE Women's Tag Team Champion and a former NXT Women's Tag Team Champion. Many fans believe she should have been a singles champion, too. Unfortunately, the 36-year-old has also dealt with a lot of injuries over the years. This caused her to miss a lot of time.

There is a chance Kai could be feeling the effects of the years of wear and tear on her body. Hence, she could choose to retire instead of returning to the ring again. She has a charismatic personality and is a popular streamer, and if she wanted, she could opt to make that her primary profession. It would ultimately just come down to what she wants to do with her career at this time.