Summary

Charlie, known to WWE fans as Dakota Kai, said her 2025 WWE release was harder to process than the one she went through in 2022.

While speaking with Chris Van Vliet, Charlie explained that the earlier release felt different because she was back with WWE within three months. This time, she said the timing made the news more surprising, especially because she felt like fresh opportunities were opening up during the Intercontinental Championship tournament.

Charlie has since returned to the independent scene. Her latest match came against Shotzi Blackheart for House of Glory. WWE has been in the news for very different reasons this week as well, including Trick Williams saying Lil Yachty wants more than a WrestleMania cameo in WWE.

Quote from Charlie

"It’s so crazy because in 2022, I got re-signed with the company within three months. So that felt different. With this one here, it almost felt like I, especially with the I.C. Championship tournament, it felt like we were doing this, you know? I’m getting more opportunities. So it was more of a shock, I guess. But that’s kind of why I need to take the step back, just for me and emotionally and things like that. So, yeah, 2022 didn’t really even feel like it was that long at all. So I kind of forget that happened, because then SummerSlam came around and that was all last-minute."

What Charlie's WWE comments say about her next move

Charlie made it clear that the 2025 release hit differently because she believed her WWE momentum was moving in the right direction, and that makes her next decision more important than a routine post-release booking update.

Her comments point to two things for wrestling fans to watch. First, she is still framing this as a moment to step back emotionally rather than a permanent retreat from wrestling. Second, her House of Glory appearance shows she is already active again, which keeps the focus on where she chooses to rebuild after a second WWE exit.

Sources

Charlie while speaking with Chris Van Vliet