August 12, 2021. Orlando, Florida. Amway Center. WWE Main Event. She had been a mainstay in NXT. The glue of its women's division. Finally, the time had come for Our Captain to get a look at for a main roster call-up. For the first time since TakeOver: Portland in February 2020, Dakota Kai competed on a larger stage working a dark match against regular NXT rival Aliyah prior to the August 6, 2021 WWE SmackDown. Kai would win that match but it wouldn't be long until they met again. Three days later they would clash in a match taped for WWE Main Event.

There was something different about Dakota Kai that night. She smiled. Slapped some hands. Our Captain was in a much happier mood than she had been since NXT TakeOver: WarGames 2019. It wasn't NXT and some might think certain forces encouraged that the Black & Gold didn't matter here. Who knows. But this Chronicler has a different take. Orlando was the home of NXT. Many of the same fans who attended the CWC every week for NXT were at this event. Those same fans had cheered Dakota on as she violently ended her business relationship with Raquel Gonzalez.

For all the drastic things she did to her opponents over the last two years, Our Captain was rarely cruel to the fans. Orlando was where she made her home in the United States. These were her people. She held no ill will against them and decided to show them some love back. For the last couple years, deep down she had to be hurting from the rejection that led to her darker turn. She could see people still cared. Perhaps it was a feeling she longed for. Unfortunately, Aliyah wasn't one of those people. She was getting a look at too for a call-up and in her usual unpleasant mood.

Aliyah dominated much of the early going. Dakota made a comeback with the Scorpion Kick, corner running face wash and Kaio-Kick. The Kairopractor failed to get her a victory. Kai reversed a reverse attempt with a pump kick. Aliyah caught her with a northern lights suplex. Kai countered a suplex attempt with an inside cradle for one. Aliyah missed a running boot in the corner leading Kai to waistlock her into a roll-up for two. An angry Kai came at Aliyah who sent her throat first across the middle rope. A jumping DDT got Aliyah the victory.

It was a good showing for Dakota Kai but not the momentum builder she hoped for heading into her NXT TakeOver 36 title match against NXT Women's Champion Raquel Gonzalez. Days later Kai would take another loss during a WWE SmackDown dark match, teaming with former rival Kacy Catanzaro against Aliyah and Xia Li. It wasn't the path Dakota Kai wanted heading into the biggest match of her life on August 22, 2021, however she wasn't going to let it deter her focus.

Additional Information | Aliyah defeated Dakota Kai (5:25) on WWE Main Event at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida on August 12, 2021.