Kai Kamaka fueled by family and fighting roots to thrive in 2024 PFL season

Kai Kamaka has been there and done that throughout his entire fighting career. A veteran who has been part of the UFC, Bellator, and now PFL organizations, he has seen it all and been in every type of situation possible as a professional fighter. Picking up three points with a decision victory in his first-round fight against Bubba Jenkins, Kamaka knows he will have to secure more points and have things fall his way to get into the playoffs.

Entering the second round of the 2024 PFL Regular Season, Kamaka will face Pedro Carvalho with a chance to lock up his playoff spot and get one step closer to the PFL world title and $1 million grand prize.

Speaking to MMASucka.com before his fight, Kamaka discussed his matchup with Carvalho and how he plans to be smart with his approach as he hopes to show more what he’s capable of.

“Pick up where you left out, right back to work, being smart with the approach, getting healthy in between the fights, and then sharpening up the tools. Taking any information that I can from guys that fought him, my teammates. I think I get to show a little more different things in my game that I can in this fight.”

One glance of social media and you can see that Kamaka is all about his family and his career for fighting. The best thing for him as a Father is that both of his life duties mix well together so it’s pretty accurate to say that fighting is his life and family.

“It’s pretty accurate. I got enough people in my household that it’s all I can worry about is fighting and family. Luckily my wife loves watching fights, it’s what we look forward to on the weekends, my kids do jiu-jitsu, luckily my schedule works out where that’s all we can do. This lifestyle and career takes a lot of time, at least for me. What it takes for me to be successful, I have to put so much time into it, everything has to go into it. I do take my little breaks, but that’s just my kids.”

Family is a strong root for Kamaka not just for a greater purpose in his fighting career but because of his Hawaiian heritage which has helped mold him into the fighter he is today.

“As a kid growing up, I grew up in a good transition to where my Uncles were pioneers for Hawaiian MMA. I was probably one of those kids were you’d say if this kid sticks with it, this kid is going to be something. I wrestled in high school, I wrestled in college, I had multiple surgeries but I stuck through it all. A kid from Hawaii on that path, I’m on that path even with the adversity. I feel like in my life, I was so close to MMA for so long that maybe it’s an advantage to why I keep going. I was exposed to the MMA life when all this wasn’t around. That could be a reason why I keep going, I saw this life in a way different era, I’m grateful to be in this spot, I think that’s what drives me.”

A great representative of Hawaii and his team at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, Nevada, Kai Kamaka fights for much more than just wins or losses. Being one win away from the 2024 PFL Playoffs not only is a testament to his career but to his purpose for fighting as well.