WWE faction appears to have new leader in major change on SmackDown

There is a massive change in the making on WWE SmackDown. In the opening segment this week, a faction appeared without a major member, signaling a big shift in leadership.

On the latest episode of SmackDown, The EST of WWE Bianca Belair kicked things off, letting her intentions for Women's Champion IYO SKY be known. Damage CTRL interfered, but there was no Bayley.

Instead, Dakota Kai was seemingly the new leader of the faction. There has been speculation that she has been the one pulling the strings for Damage CTRL.

There has also been an increasing isolation of Bayley from the faction on SmackDown, perhaps fueled by Damage CTRL's loss at WWE Survivor Series: WarGames.

What was interesting was that backstage after the segment, Bayley asked why she wasn't called despite being present. Dakota Kai tried to be evasive about it and shifted the focus to the match between Kairi Sane and Bianca Belair.

It seems to be a matter of when and not if Bayley is getting kicked out of Damage CTRL. It will mark her first face turn in over four years if it happens. She has established herself a lot during this incredible run.