Shawn Michaels Has High Praise For Dakota Kai: “She’s A Special One”

WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels recently spoke with Sports Illustrated about rising NXT star Dakota Kai, where the Heartbreak Kid sings the praises of the New Zealand native, and breaks down her pairing with current women’s champion, Raquel Gonzalez. Highlights from Michaels’ interview can be found below.

Praises Dakota Kai:

We have an incredibly talented roster, especially our women, but look at Dakota. She’s a special one. Let’s use the WarGames match [from December] as an example. Look at the a—kicking she took, bouncing around and getting back. That’s an art, and she’s mastering it.

How impressed he is with Dakota’s ability to sell for her opponents:

What you see Dakota doing, I always pictured myself in that role because I wanted to Ping-Pong around the ring for my opponent. That’s one of the reasons I became who I became in the business, so watching Dakota, I am so impressed.

Says he doesn’t know if everyone appreciates Kai’s growth:

I don’t want to say she feels under the radar, but I don’t know if everyone gets or appreciates everything Dakota Kai does and everything she brings to the table. She is such a workhorse. She’s really helped propel Raquel, and I keep going back to that WarGames match. She is unbelievable, and doesn’t think twice about the sacrifice that is involved and necessary. She works to the hilt, which is hard not to like and appreciate.