Tag: Kai Kamaka III

Kai Kamaka III vs. Tony Kelley in the works as late addition to UFC 252

A fight between two UFC newcomers is being finalized for Saturday’s card.

A late addition is being finalized for UFC 252.

Promotional newcomers [autotag]Kai Kamaka III[/autotag] and [autotag]Tony Kelley[/autotag] have agreed to fight Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Contracts are expected to distributed shortly.

Two people with knowledge of the situation informed MMA Junkie of the booking on Tuesday but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

Kamaka (7-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) has competed for KOTC, Bellator and, most recently, LFA. At LFA 87 on July 31, Kamaka beat undefeated fighter Michael Stack by unanimous decision. Kamaka, 25, has won five straight fights entering UFC 252.

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Kelley (5-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) has competed only once since a 2016 split decision loss to now-UFC featherweight Kevin Aguilar at Legacy FC 57. In his lone fight since then, Kelley defeated Andy Brossett at Rite of Passage 7 in May 2019.

UFC 252 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN/ESPN+.

With the addition, the latest UFC 252 lineup includes:

  • Champ Stipe Miocic vs. Daniel Cormier – for heavyweight title
  • Sean O’Malley vs. Marlon Vera
  • Junior Dos Santos vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
  • John Dodson vs. Merab Dvalishvili
  • Magomed Ankalaev vs. Ion Cutelaba
  • Livinha Souza vs. Ashley Yoder
  • Felice Herrig vs. Virna Jandiroba
  • Jorge Gonzalez vs. Ike Villanueva
  • Herbert Burns vs. Daniel Pineda
  • Chris Daukaus vs. Parker Porter
  • Kai Kamaka III vs. Tony Kelley

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Neiman Gracie meets Kiichi Kunimoto at Bellator 236 in Hawaii

Neiman Gracie will make the trip to the Aloha State next month.

[autotag]Neiman Gracie[/autotag] will make the trip to the Aloha State next month.

A former Bellator welterweight title challenger, Gracie (9-1 MMA, 7-1 BMMA) will meet former UFC fighter [autotag]Kiichi Kunimoto[/autotag] at Bellator 236, promotion officials confirmed to MMA Junkie following a report from ESPN on Tuesday.

Bellator 236 is expected to take place Dec. 21 at Neal S. Blaisdell Center in Honolulu. The main card will stream on DAZN after prelims on MMA Junkie.

Gracie most recently competed at Bellator 222 in June. While he suffered a loss to Rory MacDonald that night in the semifinals of the welterweight grand prix tournament, Gracie competed against the then-champion for all five rounds.

The defeat was the first of Gracie’s career. Prior to the loss, Gracie handed Ed Ruth his first defeat. Gracie defeated the former Penn State wrestler by fourth-round submission in the grand prix’s opening round.

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His opponent, Japan’s Kunimoto (20-8-2 MMA, 0-1 BMMA), will look to pick up his first Bellator victory. In his promotional debut at Bellator 224 in July, Kunimoto lost to the aforementioned Ruth by second-round TKO.

In addition to the welterweight pairing, promotion officials informed MMA Junkie of a preliminary card booking between featherweights [autotag]Kai Kamaka III[/autotag] (5-2 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) and [autotag]Spencer Higa[/autotag] (7-10 MMA, 0-1 BMMA).

Check out the current Bellator 236 lineup below:

  • Ilima-Lei Macfarlane vs. Kate Jackson
  • Derek Campos vs. A.J. McKee
  • Bruna Ellen vs. Juliana Velasquez
  • Neiman Gracie vs. Kiichi Kunimoto
  • Nainoa Dung vs. Zach Zane
  • Kona Oliveira vs. Reno Remigio
  • Kai Kamaka III vs. Spencer Higa

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