Kai Kamaka never took his initial time in the UFC for granted, but now he`s more motivated than ever to make his way back to the promotion where he began his major career.
The fighter, boasting 22 professional bouts, only had four fights in the UFC before his contract was not renewed. However, Bellator quickly stepped in with an offer. Kamaka spent the subsequent two years competing for Bellator, compiling a solid 4-1 record. His only loss during this period came via a close split decision.
His final fight with Bellator happened just as speculation grew about the promotion being up for sale. Barely a month after his victory over Henry Corrales, Bellator was officially sold to the PFL, placing Kamaka in a new organizational landscape once again.
Reflecting on this period, Kamaka described the transition: “I had the weird UFC stint [but] I’m doing well in Bellator, picking up steam, climbing those rankings, the competition starts picking up… [I`m] kind of getting my feet under me on my athletic fighting side where the competition can step up and then boom, I`m doing well. Then I fight [Henry] Corrales, but before I fight Corrales, the rumors are coming that [Bellator] is going to sell.” He noted the sale occurred shortly after his fight.
He continued, “I end up in the transition of the PFL. My competition goes up again. Bubba Jenkins, Pedro Carvalho, Brendan Loughnane, do well to where I’m the backup in the championship fight for the PFL.”
Kamaka participated in the 2024 PFL featherweight season, achieving a 2-1 record. His run concluded in the semifinals following another hard-fought split decision loss, this time to Brendan Loughnane.
While he appreciated the offer to be a backup for the season`s final fight, Kamaka ultimately chose not to take the opportunity.
“I don’t end up going to Saudi Arabia because we know the backup situation for PFL is not a good one,” Kamaka explained. “You make $10,000 for a world title fight as a backup. It just didn’t make a whole lot of sense, especially for my team.”
He elaborated on the decision: “We’re going to go to Saudi Arabia as a backup with no other card opportunity. That’s a lot of money that we’re not making. We don’t go because they’re not giving us anymore incentive. Give us an undercard fight and we can all make this make sense to go to Saudi Arabia.”
After declining the PFL Finals backup role, Kamaka was informed that the promotion was interested in signing him for the following year. However, the PFL format was changing from a regular season and playoffs to a straight tournament. The prize money for the champion was also reduced from $1 million to $500,000.
But the change in prize money wasn`t the primary reason Kamaka hesitated to return to the PFL.
The terms of the potential contract were the issue.
“It was like Christmas Eve, and they sent out new year contracts and just in general term it’s a three-year contract,” Kamaka revealed. “So that’s pretty long term in MMA. My pay wouldn’t go up and it was guaranteed only six fights in three years.”
Considering his career stage, he stated, “I’m like I just hit my prime. My ultimate goal, much like other people, is to get back to the UFC, especially for me to rewrite that first time. I’m like I don’t know if I want to do that. It’s not life changing money to change my dreams. I’m like can we negotiate? Can we bring this term down?”
Kamaka mentioned that the PFL did offer him a one-year contract for two fights, but this would exclude him from participating in the tournament structure.
While still exploring his options, Kamaka heard about a new promotion called Global Fight League (GFL), which was reportedly signing a large number of veteran fighters, many with past UFC experience.
Numerous contracts were offered with significant financial promises. However, Kamaka was aware that the GFL might be more of a “pipe dream,” given the sheer volume of fighters they claimed to be signing.
Despite the risks, Kamaka decided to sign with the GFL, fully conscious of the possibility that the promotion might never successfully launch.
“These guys are offering money,” Kamaka said. “We can do it here, make money and get back to the UFC. I can get those regional level fights at the GFL. I’m literally stepping into my prime, fighting older competition and with names. That’s a plan.”
Unfortunately, Kamaka`s concerns materialized when the GFL cancelled its two planned debut cards for May, with no clear indication of rescheduling. Many fighters signed to the GFL have publicly expressed their frustration, with some, like UFC veteran Alan Belcher, labeling the situation a “scam.”
Based on his own experience, Kamaka doesn`t disagree. The GFL cancellations left him without a fight once again, and months of inactivity began to accumulate.
He eventually secured a bout on a Tuff-N-Uff card in Las Vegas, marking his first fight in eight months. Kamaka made a successful return, scoring a second-round knockout win over Joshua Weems.
This victory, combined with the unpredictable path he`s navigated since the Bellator sale and the GFL issues, solidified his resolve to return to the UFC as his primary goal.
“That’s where my heart is,” Kamaka stated. “That’s why I moved my family to Las Vegas. That’s your MMA moment is getting that call to the UFC. You don’t get that feeling unless it’s the UFC. You don’t get that draft day moment unless it’s the UFC.”
Kamaka clarified that he holds no ill will towards the PFL, GFL, or anyone else, recognizing the difficulties of running a fight promotion. However, deep down, he always knew that returning to the UFC was his long-term objective. The events of the past couple of years have only strengthened this conviction.
He expressed a degree of frustration with the landscape outside the UFC: “My personal frustration is I want to get back to the UFC and I’m doing whatever I can to make that happen. I’m fighting the best outside [the UFC]. In Bellator, I was fighting the best level that I could.”
From the very beginning of his MMA career, Kamaka aspired to reach the UFC, and earning his initial contract was a dream come true. Although his first UFC run was brief (four fights), nearly four years have passed, and with significant added experience, he feels truly prepared for a return.
“There’s no doubt about it. I always wanted to be back,” Kamaka affirmed, explaining his lifelong philosophy: “To me growing up, it’s UFC or bust. Whatever that meant, that might mean I got to LFA or the Bellator prelims, this or that, but if I just kept striving for UFC or bust [and] that just told me to be the best. Be the best version I can. Now, this business outside keeps changing and now it really is UFC or bust.”
As much as he desires to go back, Kamaka understands that timing and opportunity will likely play significant roles. Fighter withdrawals often lead to short-notice openings, which is a scenario he`s familiar with, as most of his original UFC appearances came under such conditions.
Reflecting on his first UFC stint, he said, “At 25 years old, my four fights in the UFC, I had one camp. I had one actual timed camp. A camp meant longer than four days’ notice for Tony Kelley. I had seven days’ notice for Jonathan Pearce and two weeks’ notice for Danny Chavez. I had one camp for T.J. Brown. I didn’t even have a true time in the UFC. I had a year and a half of three short notice fights.”
He concluded with his current mindset: “That mentality is right now the same coming in but now I’m much more seasoned to be doing that kind of thing. Of course this next one is probably going to come on those terms. I’ve already faced that fact. But I also have a lot more experience going into that cage, my fight IQ is way higher than what it was. That mentality is now.”
