Dakota Kai is the perfect choice to hold the WWE Women's Intercontinental Championship

During the December 2 episode of WWE Monday Night Raw, Dakota Kai advanced in the WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship tournament with a win over Katana Chance and Shayna Baszler. The hope is that the Women’s IC title will be the catalyst that spurs opportunities for women’s midcard scenes. If that is the case, Dakota Kai is the right woman to get that momentum rolling.

Dakota Kai would be the perfect woman to build around. She checks all the boxes of a performer that an organization should leverage when establishing a midcard championship.

First, Dakota Kai can work in the ring. Thanks to booking decisions and unfortunate injuries, Kai hasn’t had the opportunity to truly show what she can do as a part of the WWE roster. But hop over to Cagematch for several examples of where her in-ring work stands out. Look back to her entries against the likes of Mayu Iwatani, Hikaru Shida, and Kairi Sane in other organizations if you need more evidence. If you’re a fan of WWE only, then check out some of the singles matches she’s had like those against Iyo Sky and Kay Lee Ray while in WWE NXT.

Second, Dakota Kai has a look that stands out among her peers. There was a time when women who fit a certain look were frequently placed in higher opportunities than others. Kai stands outside of that stereotype and still delivers as a top-notch sports entertainer.

Third, Dakota Kai also has a strong fan following. When she made her surprise return alongside Bayley and Iyo Sky back at SummerSlam in 2022, fans were ready to see her get a stronger push. That hasn’t truly come for reasons outside of her control, but becoming the first woman to hold this championship and getting a lengthy run to create its legacy would solve a lot of those past issues.

WWE needs to establish the Women’s Intercontinental Championship with a strong first name to come out of the tournament. Dakota Kai would be the right choice to hold that title and set it on the path that fans hope to see it take the women’s division.