Photo: Dakota Kai Reveals New Look

Photo: Dakota Kai Reveals New Look – Former WWE star Dakota Kai has shared a new selfie on Instagram, giving fans a glimpse of her updated look as she prepares for the next stage of her career. The 37-year-old, released by WWE in May, has been balancing her time between streaming on Twitch and planning her eventual return to the ring. Recently, Kai assured fans she is “gonna get back into it,” signaling that her time away from wrestling won’t be permanent.

Dakota Kai, real name Cheree Crowley, first joined WWE in 2015 before signing a full-time contract in 2016. She rose to prominence in NXT, where her in-ring skill and character development quickly made her a standout. Teaming with Raquel Rodriguez, she captured the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship twice. Despite her popularity, Kai was released in 2022 during budget cuts. Her absence didn’t last long, as Triple H brought her back when he took over WWE creative.

Her main roster debut came at SummerSlam 2022, where she reunited with Bayley and Iyo Sky to form the original Damage CTRL faction. Alongside Sky, Kai went on to win the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship twice, engaging in high-profile feuds with Bianca Belair, Asuka, and Becky Lynch. Unfortunately, her career momentum was halted in mid-2023 due to a torn ACL, which sidelined her for nearly a year. After returning and briefly being written out of Damage CTRL, Kai was released for a second time in May 2025.

Now a free agent, Kai is seen as one of the most notable names available on the market. While her in-ring return is still pending, she has built a growing presence online. Fans can catch her several times a week on Twitch under the name “charliegirl,” and she recently launched a YouTube channel featuring stream highlights and personal vlogs.

Her refreshed look and openness about returning to wrestling have fueled speculation about where she might land next, making Dakota Kai one to watch in the coming months.