September 12th 2022. Portland, Oregon. Monday Night RAW. Yes, Portland. The place where on February 16th 2020 at NXT TakeOver: Portland, the duo of Dakota Kai and Raquel Rodriguez joined forces. But the past was just that. Rodriguez was now one half of the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions alongside Aliyah. They won the vacant tag team titles two weeks ago against Kai and IYO SKY when the illegal competitor was pinned. Kai had returned to WWE on July 30th 2022 after a three month exile, joining Bayley and SKY to form Damage CTRL. In Portland, Kai and SKY would challenge Raquel and Aliyah for the Women's Tag Team Titles.

Prior to the match, Bayley got emotional venting on the need to even have a rematch considering the screw job ending. Kai calmed her friend down, stating wisely that the past is the past and on this night IYO and her would right that wrong. Interviewer Sarah Schreiber couldn't resist asking Bayley about the fact she was the first person to pin RAW Women's Champion Bianca Belair in over 300 days. The selfless but nervous Role Model would not comment because tonight was all and only about Dakota Kai and IYO SKY not Bayley.

In the early going, Bayley's nerves only spiked as Raquel and Aliyah controlled the match with Rodriguez mauling her former tag team partner with a delayed face first suplex. The so-called champions followed up with big splashes in the corner. Kai tried to take control for her team with a sunset flip escape out of a knucklelock slam. She had it until Raquel landed an elbow drop on her. IYO came in for the save only to get backdropped over the rope to the floor. Things would get worse for our favorite ladies with Raquel tossing Aliyah over the rope onto Kai and SKY.

Aliyah worked over IYO with an array of acrobatic offense. The tide finally turned when her sitdown armdrag sent IYO toward the ropes nearby Kai. The tag was made after IYO kicked Aliyah off her. Aliyah went to run the ropes not aware of the tag and got tripped by Kai. IYO observed the five second rule to get in a double knees to the back. Kai reminded her old NXT rival that she's still The Captain of Team Kick smashing her with a running face wash. Dakota went for a pin but Aliyah kicked out at two. The referee checked on Aliyah whose left shoulder seemed troubled. Dakota showed her opponent respect staying back to allow it.

Once it was decided Aliyah was fine to continue, Kai brought her to Damage CTRL's corner and tagged in IYO who hit another double knees before tagging Dakota back in. Kai applied a chinlock to keep Aliyah grounded. As Aliyah tried to momentum her way free, Kai broke the hold and tagged in IYO who applied a surfboard. Aliyah managed to her feet engaging in a struggle with IYO to reach for Raquel's hand. SKY would overpower her opponent, tossing her toward her team's corner. Dakota was tagged in.

Dakota and IYO lifted up Aliyah for a double suplex but Aliyah countered, planting both with a neckbreaker. Aliyah tagged in Raquel who pounced SKY into Kai. Raquel punished Kai with a fallaway slam and second rope corkscrew splash. Aliyah tagged in for a double team move but Kai slipped off Raquel's shoulder only to get smashed to the canvas by a big boot. Raquel and Aliyah followed with a double team where Rodriguez caught a charging Aliyah in powerbomb position and reverse electric chair dropped her onto Kai.

Aliyah went for a pin but IYO made the save for her team. IYO struck Raquel with a Shotei and went for a hurracarrana that Raquel tried to counter with the Tejana Bomb only for IYO to punch her way to headscissors Rodriguez over the top rope to the floor. IYO landed hard and Dakota peaked over the rope to check on her partner, giving Aliyah a shot to roll Kai up for a two count.

Kai got brief control with a jawbreaker but Aliyah fired back with a springboard x-factor for a two count. Kai's arm was under the rope from the start, therefore the referee should have not even started his count. Bayley called rightful attention to his error by placing Kai's foot on the rope. Aliyah foolishly took her attention away from Kai to shout at Bayley for being a better referee than the actual referee. Raquel furiously grabbed Bayley instead of focusing on the match, getting knocked out by SKY's flawless moonsault off the top rope to the floor.

Aliyah continued to keep her eyes off the prize, resulting in Kai slamming her inside out to the canvas. That was the beginning of the end for the so-called tag team champions. Dakota smashed Aliyah into the air and down to the canvas with the Kairopractor. Our Captain would then cover Aliyah to score the championship victory for her team. Justice was served by Damage CTRL. Dakota Kai and IYO SKY are your new Women's Tag Team Champions. They are two of the best in the world. It was a hard-fought fight and well-earned victory.

Later in the evening, Bayley came out to have a word with RAW Women's Champion Bianca Belair whose ego had required to be fed an open title challenge defeating Sonya Deville. The Role Model made it clear she'll come for Belair's title when she chooses too, aggravating the champion whose become even more incensed to avenge that pinfall loss from Clash at the Castle. Dakota and IYO (proudly wearing the titles) entered the ring with Bayley to put the fear of any and all gods in Bianca. They made no move to aggress until Belair started swinging. So Damage CTRL gave her the fight she has been begging for.

Asuka and Alexa Bliss decided Bianca was still their friend and made the save. Team EST might have cleared Damage CTRL from the ring. But it was meaningless. Nothing they did changed the fact Damage CTRL's control of the Women's Division had begun with IYO and Dakota winning the Women's Tag Team Championship. Bianca's ego has her teetering on the edge. When she decides the time is right to give Belair the match she's obsessed with having, Bayley will cut the loom of her title reign.

Damage CTRL addressed their tag title victory in a post show WWE Digital Exclusive. Dakota said they are the champions, that's the headline, they got nothing else to say. And so they took their leave to party. Speaking of parties: It's celebration time for us fans too. So for this chronicler of Dakota Kai's Tale... that important question: Beer or whiskey? Well, I'm just choosing both. It's my birthday this Saturday and tonight was a good start to what will likely be an otherwise blah birthday week. But September 12th 2022 was a nice gift -- getting to watch my heroine Dakota Kai again win some championship gold. Congratulations to The Cap and The Genius.

Additional Information | Dakota Kai & IYO SKY defeated WWE Women's Tag Team Champions Aliyah and Raquel Rodriguez (12:30) to win the titles on WWE Monday Night RAW held at Moda Center in Portland, Oregon on September 12th 2022.