Kai Kamaka by no means took his first stint with the UFC with no consideration, however now he’s extra decided than ever earlier than to return to his previous stomping floor.
The 22-fight veteran solely spent 4 fights with the UFC earlier than his contract wasn’t renewed, but it surely didn’t take lengthy for Bellator to snap him up with a contract provide. Kamaka spent the subsequent two years competing there whereas amassing a 4-1 file total along with his solely loss coming through cut up choice.
However his ultimate struggle with Bellator got here concurrently rumors began to flow into that the promotion was up on the market. Barely a month after he defeated Henry Corrales, Bellator formally offered to the PFL and Kamaka had a brand new residence but once more.
“I had the bizarre UFC stint [but] I’m doing nicely in Bellator, selecting up steam, climbing these rankings, the competitors begins selecting up,” Kamaka instructed MMA Preventing. “[I’m] type of getting my toes below me on my athletic combating facet the place the competitors can step up after which increase, I’m doing nicely. Then I struggle [Henry] Corrales, however earlier than I struggle Corrales, the rumors are coming that [Bellator] goes to promote. Finally they promote shortly after if not at that occasion.
“I find yourself within the transition of the PFL. My competitors goes up once more. Bubba Jenkins, Pedro Carvalho, Brendan Loughnane, do nicely to the place I’m the backup within the championship struggle for the PFL.”
Kamaka joined the 2024 PFL season at featherweight the place he went 2-1, however he fell to Loughnane in one other hard-fought cut up choice within the semifinals.
Whereas he appreciated the provide to function the backup for the ultimate struggle of the season, Kamaka in the end needed to move on the chance.
“I don’t find yourself going to Saudi Arabia as a result of we all know the backup scenario for PFL isn’t a very good one,” Kamaka defined. “You make $10,000 for a world title struggle as a backup. It simply didn’t make a complete lot of sense, particularly for my crew.
“We’re going to go to Saudi Arabia as a backup with no different card alternative. That’s some huge cash that we’re not making. We don’t go as a result of they’re not giving us anymore incentive. Give us an undercard struggle and we will all make this make sense to go to Saudi Arabia.”
After passing on the backup function for the PFL Finals card, Kamaka obtained phrase that the promotion was desirous about convey him again for the subsequent yr however the format is altering from an everyday season and playoffs to a straight up event. The prize cash additionally modified with the eventual champion incomes $500,000 versus the $1 million handed out for the season lengthy format beforehand held by the PFL.
However the cash wasn’t a deterrent that prevented Kamaka from returning to the PFL.
It was the precise contract time period.
“It was like Christmas Eve, and so they despatched out new yr contracts and simply basically time period it’s a three-year contract,” Kamaka revealed. “In order that’s fairly long run in MMA. My pay wouldn’t go up and it was assured solely six fights in three years.
“I’m like I simply hit my prime. My final aim, very similar to different folks, is to get again to the UFC, particularly for me to rewrite that first time. I’m like I don’t know if I wish to try this. It’s not life altering cash to vary my desires. I’m like can we negotiate? Can we convey this time period down?”
Kamaka says PFL did provide him a one-year deal for 2 fights, however he wouldn’t be a part of the event.
Whereas he was nonetheless weighing his choices, Kamaka began listening to a few new upstart promotion known as World Struggle League that was signing a slew of veteran fighters, most of whom constructed their names within the UFC.
Lots of contracts had been handed out with a ton of cash being promised to the athletes, however Kamaka wasn’t oblivious to the truth that GFL would possibly find yourself being a pipe dream simply based mostly on the sheer quantity of fighters the promotion was signing.
Nonetheless, Kamaka took a shot and in the end signed with GFL, however he did so along with his eyes huge open in regards to the risk that the promotion may not ever get off the bottom.
“These guys are providing cash,” Kamaka stated. “We are able to do it right here, earn a living and get again to the UFC. I can get these regional stage fights on the GFL. I’m actually entering into my prime, combating older competitors and with names. That’s a plan.”
Sadly, Kamaka’s fears had been realized after GFL cancelled two debut playing cards deliberate for Might with no definitive phrase on whether or not or not the occasions are literally going to be rescheduled. Many fighters who signed contracts with the GFL have already spoken out the entire ordeal with UFC veteran and former BKFC champion Alan Belcher calling the entire mess a “rip-off.”
Kamaka doesn’t disagree based mostly on his personal expertise however GFL cancelling these playing cards as soon as once more left him with out a place to struggle and the months of inactivity had been beginning to mount.
He lastly acquired booked at a Tuff-N-Uff card in Las Vegas the place Kamaka scored a second-round knockout win over Joshua Weems in his first motion in eight months.
The win mixed with the tumultuous journey he’s endured ever since Bellator was offered served as the absolute best motivation to persuade Kamaka that he wanted to get again to the UFC.
“That’s the place my coronary heart is,” Kamaka stated. “That’s why I moved my household to Las Vegas. That’s your MMA second is getting that decision to the UFC. You don’t get that feeling until it’s the UFC. You don’t get that draft day second until it’s the UFC.”
Reality be instructed, Kamaka doesn’t maintain any in poor health will in the direction of PFL, GFL or anyone else however deep down inside, he at all times knew that the longterm aim was getting again to the UFC. The best way issues performed out over these previous couple of years solely strengthened his resolve.
“I’m right here to bash any promotion,” Kamaka stated. “Enterprise is tough. You’ve acquired to make it work, but it surely makes it exhausting for us as a result of it’s like what are we chasing?”
“My private frustration is I wish to get again to the UFC and I’m doing no matter I can to make that occur. I’m combating the most effective outdoors [the UFC]. In Bellator, I used to be combating the most effective stage that I might.”
From the day he began combating MMA, Kamaka at all times needed to make it to the UFC and finally incomes a contract there was a dream come true.
Sadly, Kamaka’s UFC tenure solely lasted 4 fights however now with almost 4 years handed and much more expertise on his file, he looks like he’s really prepared to return.
“There’s little doubt about it. I at all times needed to be again,” Kamaka stated. “To me rising up, it’s UFC or bust. No matter that meant, that may imply I acquired to LFA or the Bellator prelims, this or that, but when I simply stored striving for UFC or bust [and] that simply instructed me to be the most effective. Be the most effective model I can. Now, this enterprise outdoors retains altering and now it truly is UFC or bust.”
As a lot as he desires to return to the UFC, Kamaka acknowledges that his return would possibly actually come all the way down to timing and alternative. Fighters fall off playing cards on a regular basis and replacements are wanted on quick discover however that’s no completely different than how the vast majority of his appearances within the UFC got here collectively in any case.
“At 25 years previous, my 4 fights within the UFC, I had one camp,” Kamaka stated. “I had one precise timed camp. A camp meant longer than 4 days’ discover for Tony Kelley. I had seven days’ discover for Jonathan Pearce and two weeks’ discover for Danny Chavez. I had one camp for T.J. Brown. I didn’t also have a true time within the UFC. I had a yr and a half of three quick discover fights.
“That mentality is correct now the identical coming in however now I’m far more seasoned to be doing that type of factor. After all this subsequent one might be going to return on these phrases. I’ve already confronted that reality. However I even have much more expertise going into that cage, my struggle IQ is manner increased than what it was. That mentality is now.”
