Leilani Kai Confirms Signing WWE Legends Deal

WWE is giving flowers to one of its original trailblazers. Leilani Kai, a name forever linked to the early years of WWE’s women’s division, has signed a Legends deal with the company—and the way it all came together is something straight out of a feel-good script.

During her recent appearance on The Apter Chat, the former WWF Women’s Champion revealed that WWE reached out while she was recovering from hip surgery. What started as a check-in turned into an invitation to rejoin the company in an official Legends capacity.

“Well, I had, um, finally my surgery on my hip. I was in the hospital, and after my surgery, a couple days later, they, um, called me — WWE called and asked if they could take care of my hospital bill or if there was anything they could do. And I told them no, I was taken care of, I was fine. And then they told me they wanted me to join their family.”

Kai admitted she didn’t see it coming at all. When asked who reached out, she said it wasn’t Triple H himself, but one of his key team members.

“Yes, I was surprised. I never expected that. It was one of, um, Triple H’s assistants — Ben Brown.”

This moment marks a full-circle return for one of WWE’s original women’s champions. Leilani Kai made history as part of the very first WrestleMania in 1985, defending the WWF Women’s Championship against Wendi Richter in a nationally televised title match that involved Cyndi Lauper and helped kickstart the Rock ‘n’ Wrestling era. She’s also a two-time WWF Women’s Tag Team Champion alongside Judy Martin as The Glamour Girls, a team that laid groundwork for the current women’s tag division decades before it existed in its modern form.

Earlier this year, she made a surprise appearance on WWE programming for the first time in 30 years during the May 24th episode of Saturday Night’s Main Event—a rare nod to the past that now feels like the beginning of a reunion.

WWE’s decision to honor Leilani Kai isn’t just a deal—it’s a sign that the company is finally recognizing the women who helped build the foundation before the Women’s Evolution ever had a name.

Leilani Kai’s Legends deal is more than overdue. It’s a powerful reminder that legends aren’t just made—they’re remembered.

How do you feel about WWE giving Leilani Kai her due recognition? Should more women from her era receive Legends deals too? Let us know in the comments.

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