Kai Kamaka always valued his initial opportunity in the UFC, but today, his desire to return to the promotion is stronger than ever. The veteran fighter, with 22 professional bouts, had a brief four-fight run in the UFC before his contract was not extended. However, he was quickly signed by Bellator, where he competed for two years, achieving a solid 4-1 record, with his only loss being a close split decision.
Kamaka`s final fight with Bellator coincided with swirling rumors about the promotion being up for sale. Just weeks after his victory over Henry Corrales, Bellator was officially acquired by the PFL (Professional Fighters League), marking another transition for Kamaka`s career.
“My UFC time was strange, but I was doing well in Bellator, gaining momentum, moving up the ranks as the competition got tougher,” Kamaka shared. “I was really finding my rhythm athletically as the level of opponents increased. Then, unexpectedly, I fight [Henry] Corrales, but even before that fight, there were rumors Bellator would be sold. It happened shortly after, if not right around the time of that event.”
“I ended up in the PFL transition. The competition elevated again. Bubba Jenkins, Pedro Carvalho, Brendan Loughnane – I did well enough to be the backup fighter for the PFL championship bout.”
Kamaka participated in the 2024 PFL featherweight season, finishing with a 2-1 record. His journey ended in the semifinals with another hard-fought split decision loss, this time to Brendan Loughnane.
While he appreciated the offer to serve as backup for the season`s final event, Kamaka ultimately declined the opportunity.
“I didn`t go to Saudi Arabia for the finals because the PFL backup situation isn`t great,” Kamaka explained. “You only make $10,000 as a backup for a world title fight. It simply didn`t make much sense, especially considering my team.”
“Traveling to Saudi Arabia as a backup with no other fight possibility on the card meant a lot of potential earnings missed. We didn`t go because they offered no additional incentive. If they had offered an undercard fight, we could have made the trip financially viable.”
After declining the backup role for the PFL Finals, Kamaka was informed the promotion was interested in him for the following year. However, the format was changing from a regular season and playoffs to a pure tournament, and the championship prize money was being reduced from $1 million to $500,000.
Yet, the decrease in prize money was not the reason Kamaka hesitated about returning to the PFL.
The sticking point was the contract duration.
“It was around Christmas Eve when they sent out new contracts for the upcoming year,” Kamaka revealed. “The standard term was a three-year contract, which is quite long in MMA. My pay wouldn`t increase, and it only guaranteed six fights over those three years.”
“I felt I was hitting my prime. My ultimate goal, like many others, is to get back to the UFC, especially for me, to correct my first experience. I thought, `I don`t know if I want to commit to that.` The money wasn`t life-changing enough to change my dreams. I asked, `Can we negotiate? Can we shorten this term?`”
Kamaka mentioned that PFL did offer a shorter one-year contract for two fights, but it would mean he wouldn`t be part of the new tournament structure.
While still evaluating his options, Kamaka began hearing about a new, ambitious promotion called Global Fight League (GFL), which was reportedly signing numerous veteran fighters, many of whom had made their names in the UFC.
Although many contracts were being offered with promises of significant paydays, Kamaka was pragmatic enough to realize that the GFL might turn out to be an unrealistic dream, just based on the sheer volume of fighters the promotion was signing.
Nevertheless, Kamaka decided to take a chance and sign with GFL, doing so fully aware of the possibility that the promotion might never actually get off the ground.
“These guys were offering money,” Kamaka stated. “I thought we could fight here, earn money, and use it as a path back to the UFC. I could get those regional-level fights at GFL against known opponents. I was literally entering my prime, fighting more experienced guys with names. That was the plan.”
Sadly, Kamaka`s concerns proved valid when GFL cancelled two debut cards planned for May, without any definite word on whether the events would ever be rescheduled. Many fighters who signed with GFL have publicly shared their negative experiences, with UFC veteran and former BKFC champion Alan Belcher labeling the entire situation a “scam.”
Kamaka, based on his own experience, doesn`t disagree. The cancellation of the GFL cards once again left him without a platform to compete, and the months of inactivity began to weigh heavily on him.
He eventually secured a fight on a Tuff-N-Uff card in Las Vegas, where, in his first bout in eight months, Kamaka delivered a second-round knockout victory over Joshua Weems.
That win, combined with the turbulent path he`s navigated since the sale of Bellator, served as powerful motivation, reinforcing Kamaka`s conviction that he needed to find his way back to the UFC.
“That`s where my heart is,” Kamaka affirmed. “That`s why I moved my family to Las Vegas. Getting that call to the UFC is the ultimate MMA moment. You don`t get that unique feeling anywhere else. It`s like draft day; you only experience that with the UFC.”
Truthfully, Kamaka doesn`t hold any resentment towards PFL, GFL, or any other promotion. But deep down, he always knew his long-term objective was a return to the UFC. The events of the past couple of years have only solidified his resolve.
“I`m not here to criticize any promotion,” Kamaka said. “Running a business is tough; you have to make it work. But it makes things difficult for us [fighters] because it leaves you wondering what you`re actually chasing.”
“My personal frustration is wanting to return to the UFC, and I`m doing everything possible to achieve that. I`m fighting the best competition available outside the UFC. In Bellator, I felt I was competing at the highest level I could.”
From the start of his MMA career, Kamaka`s aspiration was to reach the UFC, and earning a contract there was a dream come true.
Although his initial UFC tenure lasted only four fights, nearly four years have passed, and with significantly more experience now, he feels genuinely ready to make a comeback.
“There`s no doubt about it; I`ve always wanted to be back,” Kamaka stated. “Growing up, for me, it was `UFC or bust.` Whatever that meant – whether it was fighting in LFA or Bellator prelims – constantly striving for `UFC or bust` pushed me to be the best version of myself. Now, with the business landscape outside the UFC constantly changing, it truly feels like `UFC or bust` is the reality.”
As much as he desires to return, Kamaka understands that his comeback might depend heavily on timing and opportunity. Fighters frequently withdraw from events, necessitating short-notice replacements. However, this isn`t unfamiliar territory for Kamaka, as the majority of his initial UFC appearances came about under similar circumstances.
“When I was 25 and had my four fights in the UFC, I only had one proper training camp,” Kamaka recalled. “By `proper camp,` I mean one that was 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 full camp for T.J. Brown. I never truly had a consistent period in the UFC. It was a year and a half filled with three short-notice fights.”
“That same mentality of being ready is with me now, but I`m much more seasoned and capable of handling those situations. Of course, my next opportunity might come on short notice again; I`ve accepted that possibility. But I also enter the cage with far more experience and a significantly higher fight IQ than I did before. That developed mentality is what I have now.”
