From a mixed tag team match in her hometown promotion to a historic last woman standing match that awed the world. From the confines of black & gold to red & blue arenas and stadiums. Dakota Kai’s 17 year pro-wrestling journey has brought her to this historic moment. A chance to become the first in a prestigious lineage. The opportunity for her to get her first solo WWE main roster moment and win her first singles WWE championship.

January 13, 2025. San Jose, California. SAP Center. WWE Monday Night RAW. Dakota Kai battles Lyra Valkyria in the final match of the tournament to decide the first-ever Women’s Intercontinental Champion. The previous and only time Kai and Valkyria battled one-on-one was on WWE Monday Night RAW May 6, 2024. On that night, Lyra came out victorious. It was a hard loss for Kai but from fall comes rise, rebirth. Unlike before, this time there is a healthy respect between them. But like then, the same competitive desire to win.

Dakota Kai embraced her Damage CTRL sister IYO SKY before making her way down the aisle, slapping hands as her new theme music blared throughout the arena and logo variant graced the screens. The match started a back and forth sporting affair, taking a brutal turn when Kai caught Lyra off a wrecking ball dropkick attempt and wheelbarrowed her face first to the apron. Lyra soon took a brutal turn herself, suplexing Kai off the apron to the floor. Lyra continued her aggressive approach once the action returned to the ring, stretching Kai with a surfboard then kicking Dakota off and across the ring. A cover got Lyra two.

Lyra lifted Kai up for Nightwing which Kai reversed into an inside cradle for two. Dakota struck Lyra silly with a superkick. Valkyria caught Kai’s scorpion kick, but Dakota fought back with a nasty barrage of kicks while in Lyra’s grasp. Valkyria still managed to lift Dakota up for a powerbomb only for Kai to counter the bomb attempt with a hurracarrana. Kaio-Kick. Kairopractor. 1-2-Kick Out by Lyra. Dakota was so close yet so far. Kai lifted Lyra up for GTK but Valkyria caught Kai’s leg as Dakota tossed her up for the Pele kick.

Dakota got smashed to the canvas with a running sit-down powerbomb. Lyra waffled her with a spinning kick. Valkyria ascended to the top rope and dug into her past, cutting Dakota down with a flying scissors kick for two. Dakota stung Lyra with the scorpion kick as Valkyria went for a second attempt at Nightwing. The Dakota Stomp. GTK. But Valkyria rolled to the floor, saving herself. Kai tried to pull Lyra back into the ring from the ring but Valkyria was dead weight so Dakota had to retrieve her by going to the floor.

Lyra slumped into the corner and to her feet seemingly prone for attack. Dakota charged at her for a second Kaio-Kick, but this time Valkyria moved. With her foot stuck on the rope, Kai was prone to a brutal neckbreaker. Valkyria scooped Kai up for Nightwing, driving her to the canvas for the three count and win. Lyra Valkyria is the first Women’s Intercontinental Champion. Despite the heartache of defeat, Kai extended her hand for a shake and embraced her fellow warrior.

This Chronicler of The Tale of Dakota Kai shed tears for The Captain’s loss. But I tell you this. Since last spring, those of us who have always supported Dakota Kai are no longer alone. From the woodwork they have come. More and more every week. The King Kota Movement grows by the day. It will not rest until Dakota Kai wins her first singles WWE championship. To echo the rally of her fans, in a RAW Exclusive Dakota Kai made it clear this is only the beginning of her quest for championship gold.

Additional Information | Lyra Valkyria defeated Dakota Kai (8:32) in the Women’s Intercontinental Championship Tournament Finals on WWE Monday Night RAW January 13, 2025 at SAP Center in San Jose, California.