December 2, 2024. Everett, Washington. Angel of the Winds Arena. WWE Monday Night RAW. The 12-woman tournament to crown the first WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion had begun. Dakota Kai’s journey to finally winning solo WWE championship gold kicked it off in a triple threat first round match against two rivals she knows well. The first was that pesky Katana Chance. The other Kai’s long-time tormenter Shayna Baszler. Pure Fusion Collective vowed to take Dakota out of the tournament, but that was not to be.

Kai made her way to the ring focused on the battle to come, but not without slapping some hands for there were plenty of King Kota fans in the house. From the woodwork they come, more every week as the King Kota Movement grows. Just as she was about to hit the apron for a pose, Dakota took a moment to give one of her youngest fans in attendance a high-five. Aww. That’s The Captain!

Shayna controlled much of the early going. Kai fought back, striking Shayna with such Klassic Kota offense as the running facewash, Kaio-Kick and springboard curb stomp. The action pressed on with Katana using Kai as a trampoline to fly at Shayna for a hurricanrana that Baszler blocked by catching Chance. Katana soon has Shayna rolled up for a pin, which Kai broke up spiking Chance to the canvas with a DDT. Dakota soon countered Shayna’s attempt at the kirifuda clutch with a victory roll for two.

Dakota clocked Shayna silly with the scorpion kick. Baszler was lifted up for Go to Kick but caught Kai’s leg, maneuvering her into the kirifuda clutch. Kai fought many painful memories of this hold, refusing to tap even as Shayna took her down to the canvas. Dakota held on long enough to cleverly bridge out of it as Katana crashed down from the top rope hitting a 450 splash that took Shayna out of play. Kai scooped Katana up onto her shoulders as Chance staggered to her feet, striking her down with Go to Kick for the pinfall win.

That elusive pinfall victory over Shayna would have made it sweeter, but this wasn’t the time for that. This was the time to get whoever was prime to be finished which was Katana. Dakota had advanced to the semifinal round where she’ll battle the winner of a triple threat match between her former ally Raquel Rodriguez, Zoey Stark and Kayden Carter. Would it be Katana’s bestie? Dakota’s former ally? Or another pure fusion assassin? Time will tell. But for now, it was time for The Captain of Team Kick and her fans to celebrate.

Dakota isn’t the only member of Damage CTRL on a quest for gold. Kairi Sane will compete in another Women’s Intercontinental Championship first round triple threat match on the opposite side of the tournament bracket. IYO SKY challenges Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan on the return of WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 14, 2024.

A bit after Dakota’s triple threat match, Rhea Ripley confronted IYO SKY and Kairi Sane with a warning that she’s next in line to challenge whoever wins the match between SKY and Morgan. IYO told Rhea she’s ready. Rhea left as Dakota arrived. Kai asked IYO what that confrontation was all about. SKY brushed Kai’s question off, claiming it was nothing.

Additional Information | Dakota Kai defeated Katana Chance and Shayna Baszler (7:37) in a WWE Intercontinental Championship Tournament first round triple threat match on WWE Monday Night RAW December 2, 2024 from Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett, Washington.