Kai Kamaka III is returning to the UFC on short notice.
Hawaii’s Kamaka (17-7-1), who had a four-fight stint in the company in 2020-21, will compete at this weekend’s UFC Vegas 115, where he’ll take on Dakota Hope (11-1), making his promotional debut in the fight.
News of the bout was first reported by Eurosport’s Marcel Dorff. UFC Vegas 115 is headlined by Renato Moicano and Chris Duncan.
Kamaka’s original UFC stint saw him go 1-2-1 inside the octagon, after which he jumped to Bellator MMA, where he went 4-1. With Bellator absorbed by the PFL, Kamaka 2-1 with that organization before returning to the regional scene.
“The Fighting Hawaiian” has frequently volunteered to step up on short notice to get back to the UFC, and finally gets his chance against Hope. Dakota Hope rides a five-fight win streak into his promotional debut, and had been scheduled to compete for a regional title under the Fury FC banner in May.
UFC Vegas 115 takes place at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, NV on Saturday, April 4, 2026. The following match-ups are expected for the event:
- Renato Moicano vs. Chris Duncan
- Virna Jandiroba vs. Tabatha Ricci
- Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev vs. Brendson Ribeiro
- Ethyn Ewing vs. Rafael Estevam
- Tommy McMillen vs. Manolo Zecchini
- José Mauro Delano vs. Robert Ruchała
- Guilherme Pat vs. Thomas Petersen
- Alessandro Costa vs. Stewart Nicoll
- Lando Vannata vs. Darrius Flowers
- Alice Pereira vs. Hailey Cowan
- Azamat Bekoev vs. Tresean Gore
- Dione Barbosa vs. Melissa Gatto
- Kai Kamaka III vs. Dakota Hope
