In September 2011, she debuted in
Sydney, Australia-based Pro Wrestling Alliance Australia (PWA Australia) for their annual PWWA show, where she defeated
Kellie Skater. In August 2012, Evie became the first Impact Pro Wrestling NZ Women's Champion, defeating Britenay and Megan Fox in a
triple threat match. A week later, she won the Interim PWWA Championship by defeating
Jessie McKay in the finals.
After Impact Pro Wrestling returned after a few months from folding in mid-2013,[6] all the previous title holders were stripped of their championships. Evie won the IPW Women's Championship back in December 2013 and aligned herself with a new heel faction called 'The Investment'.[5]
Evie began 2014 in
Japan, working on a three-month contract awarded to her through
Pro Wrestling Zero1, and becoming the first female to receive such a contract.
American independent promotions (2013–2016)
Evie made her debut for the all-female American promotion
Shimmer Women Athletes at Volume 53 on 6 April 2013, participating in a five-way match which she lost to
Christina Von Eerie and also included Yuu Yamagata,
Kalamity, and Rhia O'Reilly. At Volume 54, Evie defeated
Kimber Lee to pick up her first win for the promotion, but she was defeated by
Mia Yim the next day at Volume 56. She competed in a losing effort against
Hikaru Shida at Shimmer Volume 62 in April 2014. At Volumes 63 and 64, Evie defeated Rhia O'Reilly and
Nicole Matthews, respectively.
Crowley appeared on the 14 October 2015 episode of NXT as Evie, losing to the debuting
Nia Jax.[11] On 15 December 2016, Crowley signed a contract with WWE,[12] and a few months later she was announced as a participant in the upcoming
Mae Young Classic under the new
ring name Dakota Kai.[13] According to Crowley, she wanted her new ring name to be something that sounded tomboyish but still reflected her
Samoan heritage. The word Kai means sea in the
Polynesian language, indicating her journey to get to WWE, and contrary to popular belief, is not a reference to
Leilani Kai.[4] Kai entered the tournament on 13 July, defeating
Kavita Devi in the first round[14] and
Rhea Ripley in the second round, before being eliminated in the quarterfinals by
Kairi Sane.[15]
Beginnings in NXT (2017–2020)
On 25 October 2017 episode of NXT, Kai returned to television, competing in a women's battle royal won by
Nikki Cross.[16] On 10 January 2018 episode of NXT, Kai lost to the debuting
Shayna Baszler by referee stoppage after Baszler stomped and injured her arm. After the match, Baszler attacked and locked her in the Kirifuda Clutch until
NXT Women's ChampionEmber Moon saved her.[17] On 14 March episode of NXT, Kai scored her first televised victory, defeating
Lacey Evans.[18] Kai made her
WrestleMania debut at
WrestleMania 34 on 8 April, competing in the
WrestleMania Women's Battle Royal and becoming the first female New Zealander to compete at WrestleMania.[19] Kai also participated in a
WrestleMania Axxess tournament which she won, earning herself a match for the
NXT Women's Championship, but was defeated by newly crowned champion Shayna Baszler.[20] In May, Kai earned another shot at the title but was unsuccessful in winning it.[21][22] Throughout the rest of the year, Kai racked up victories and losses against competitors like
Santana Garrett,[23]Bianca Belair,[24] Lacey Evans[25] and
Aliyah.[26]
In parallel to her activities in NXT, Kai also appeared in the newly created NXT UKbrand.[27][28] At
Evolution on 28 October, the first all women's pay-per-view, Kai unsuccessfully challenged
Rhea Ripley (in a
dark match) for the
NXT UK Women's Championship.[29] Before the match, Kai took part in a tournament (that was
taped back in the summer but aired in November) for the vacant championship, defeating
Nina Samuels in the first round[30] but was eliminated in the semi-finals by eventual winner Ripley.[31] After spending a few months away, Kai returned at
NXT TakeOver: WarGames on 17 November, where she and
Io Shirai helped
Kairi Sane during her match with Shayna Baszler by attacking Baszler's allies
Jessamyn Duke and
Marina Shafir.[32][33] On 17 January 2019, Kai announced on her
Twitter page that she sustained a torn
ACL, during an NXT
live event in December, which would sideline her from in-ring competition for the next few months.[34] Kai defeated
Taynara Conti in her return match on 25 September episode of NXT.[35][36] Shortly after, Kai's long-time tag team partner
Tegan Nox returned to NXT and the two reunited their
tag team dubbed "Team Kick".[37][38] On 30 October episode of NXT, Team Kick unsuccessfully challenged The Kabuki Warriors (
Asuka and Kairi Sane) for the
WWE Women's Tag Team Championship.[39][40]
In November, Kai made her main roster debut as part of the NXT talent that were placed in an
invasion angle with
Raw and
SmackDown as part of the
Survivor Series pay-per-view.[41][42]Mia Yim was chosen over Kai as part of Rhea Ripley's team for the first-ever women's
WarGames match against Shayna Baszler's team.[43][40][44][45] On 23 November at
NXT TakeOver: WarGames, just before the match took place, Kai replaced Yim, who was attacked backstage. However, before she entered the ring, Kai attacked her tag team partner,
Tegan Nox, turning
heel for the first time in her career.[46][47] Upon her return in December, Mia Yim revealed that Kai attacked Yim backstage and this led to a grudge match between the two, which Kai won.[48][49][50] On 26 January 2020, at
Royal Rumble, Kai entered her first
Royal Rumble match at #15, but was eliminated by
Chelsea Green.[51] On 29 January episode of NXT, Kai lost to Nox after she used a knee brace following a distraction from
Candice LeRae.[52]
Storyline with Raquel González (2020–2022)
Kai defeated Nox twice: first at
NXT TakeOver: Portland in a street fight,[53] and second in a steel cage match, both after interferences from González.[54] On 7 June at
TakeOver: In Your House, Kai, González and Candice LeRae lost to Nox, Mia Yim and
Shotzi Blackheart.[55] At
NXT TakeOver XXX, she failed to win the Women's title against Io Shirai.[56] Kai and González soon aligned with LeRae and
Toni Storm, resulting in a
WarGames match against Blackheart,
Ember Moon, Shirai, and Ripley at
WarGames on 6 December,[57] which her team won.[58] Kai and González won the first ever Women's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, when she defeated Blackheart and Moon in the finals at
Vengeance Day.[59] With this win, they earned a shot at
WWE Women's Tag Team ChampionsNia Jax and
Shayna Baszler, a match that would end in controversy on 3 March episode of NXT, after Kai was submitted by Baszler despite not being the legal competitor in the match.[60] The following week, they were awarded the newly created
NXT Women's Tag Team Championship by General Manager
William Regal, marking Kai's first championship in the WWE. However, the two lost the titles to Blackheart and Moon that night.[61]
On 29 March episode of NXT, after Toxic Attraction took out Wendy Choo, Kai attacked the group and was assisted by a returning Raquel González, whom Kai embraced afterwards, turning
face for the first time since 2019.[70] It was then announced that Kai and González would face Toxic Attraction members Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne for the NXT Women's Tag Team Championship during the pre-show of
NXT Stand & Deliver on 2 April,[71] in which they were successful in winning the titles.[72] Their first title defense was scheduled for the following episode of NXT,[73] losing the titles back to Toxic Attraction due to Mandy Rose’s interference.[74] The following week, Kai unsuccessfully challenged Rose for the NXT Women's Championship in what would be her final appearance in NXT.[75]
On 29 April 2022, Kai was released from her WWE contract.[76] She had reportedly expressed to the company that she was not planning on renewing her contract prior to her release.[77]
On July 30, 2022, Kai re-signed with WWE and returned at
SummerSlam alongside
Bayley and
Iyo Sky (formerly known as Io Shirai).[78] She officially joined the
Rawbrand as a
heel and made her debut for the brand the following night.[79][80] Throughout the summer, the trio became known as
Damage CTRL and they started a
feud with
Bianca Belair,
Alexa Bliss, and
Asuka that led to various singles and tag team matches, with the most notable being a six-woman tag team match at
Clash at the Castle, where Damage CTRL were victorious.[81][82][83] At the same time, Kai and Sky entered a tournament for the vacant
WWE Women's Tag Team Championship. The two made it to the finals, where they lost to
Aliyah and Raquel Rodriguez after Aliyah pinned Dakota even though she was not the legal competitor.[84] This set up a rematch between the two teams, in which Kai and Sky defeated Aliyah and Rodriguez on the September 12 episode of Raw to win the Women's Tag Team Championship for the first time.[85] With the win, Kai and Sky became two of three (the other being Rodriguez) to have won the WWE and NXT Women's Tag Team Championships. Kai and Sky lost the titles on the October 31 episode of Raw to Bliss and Asuka[86] and went on to regain them five days later at
Crown Jewel, which also marked the first time a women's championship changed hands in the
Middle East.[87] The rivalry between the two trios ended at
Survivor Series WarGames on November 26, where Damage CTRL,
Rhea Ripley, and
Nikki Cross lost to Belair, Asuka, Bliss,
Mia Yim, and
Becky Lynch in a WarGames match.[88] Kai then entered the women's
Royal Rumble match at the
titular event on January 28, 2023. She eliminated five wrestlers before being eliminated by
Becky Lynch.[89]
On the February 27 episode of Raw, following interference from
Trish Stratus, Kai and Sky lost the titles to Lynch and
Lita, ending their second reign at 114 days.[90] On Night 1 of
WrestleMania 39 Damage CTRL lost to Lynch, Lita, and Stratus in a six-woman tag team match.[91] As part of the
2023 WWE Draft, Damage CTRL was drafted to the
SmackDownbrand.[92]
On the May 12 episode of SmackDown, Kai and Bayley lost their match for the Women's Tag Team Championship against
Liv Morgan and
Raquel Rodriguez. During the match, both Kai and Morgan suffered injuries, with Kai
tearing her ACL and Morgan injuring her shoulder.[93][94] Kai made a physical appearance for the first time since her injury at
SummerSlam to celebrate Sky's
WWE Women's Championship victory. Kai then began to appear regularly in a manager role for Damage CTRL until she was medically cleared for in-ring competition. On the February 9 episode of Smackdown, Kai saved Bayley from Damage CTRL and was briefly kicked out of the stable as a result.[95][96] However, on the March 1 episode of Smackdown, where Kai and Bayley were set in a match against
The Kabuki Warriors (whom had subsequently joined Damage CTRL) Kai betrayed Bayley and rejoined the stable in the process.[97] On Night 1 of
WrestleMania XL, Damage CTRL (Kai, Asuka, and Sane) were defeated by Belair,
Naomi, and
Jade Cargill in a six-woman tag team match.[98]
Other media
In September 2009, Crowley starred in the music video for "Sweet December" by Auckland band These Four Walls.[99] In the summer of 2013, as Evie, she was profiled on the Māori Television sports show Code.[100]
Crowley currently streams on
Twitch under the username "Charliegirl".[101] In August 2023, Crowley, teaming up with
Thea Trinidad, launched a new podcast titled "ZELVXandCharlieGirl".[102]