There's nothing quite as deflating as working towards a championship match, finally getting it, and ultimately falling to win the gold. That's exactly what happened to Dakota Kai this past Monday on "Raw," when the Damage CTRL star challenged Women's Intercontinental Champion Lyra Valkyria, with Valkyria picking up the victory with Night Wing.
Despite the loss, and disappointment that came with it, Kai showed good sportsmanship after the match, embracing Valkyria. She proceeded to show even stronger resolve not long after the defeat, taking to X to motivate herself.
"Fall down. Get up," Kai tweeted. "Fall down. Get up. Fall down...GET. UP."
Getting back off the mat has been a recurring theme for Kai, especially over the last year. Kai had previously reached the finals to crown the first ever Women's Intercontinental Champion, only to be bested by Valkyria in that match as well. Perhaps even more treacherous has been Kai's dealings with numerous injuries. The former WWE Women's Tag Team Champion was out of action from August till November last year while recovering from a torn meniscus in her knee, only a short time after she had returned from a 9 month absence caused by a torn ACL. Kai also missed time at the start of 2025 after suffering a concussion.
With Kai now having to work her way back into title contention, the next challenge for Valkyria's title looks to be Ivy Nile, whom Kai defeated to earn her title shot just one week ago. No sooner had Kai left ringside following her defeat this past Monday did Nile blindside Valkyria from behind, delivering a beatdown to the champion before holding up the Women's Intercontinental Title.
