Raiva Baker The Hank Russell Invitation interview on Tahiti MMA

Raiva Baker The Hank Russell Invitation interview brought the Tahitian amateur fighter together with Hank Russell to discuss his return to San Diego for Tahiti versus USA. Baker also explained why fighters from Tahiti must travel for bouts, how his jiu-jitsu coaches developed the sport on the island and why he wants more amateur experience before turning pro.

What did Raiva Baker say about growing up in Tahiti and fighting as an amateur?

Raiva Baker described Tahiti as a small island in French Polynesia, in the South Pacific between Hawaii and New Zealand. At 23, he was still an amateur MMA fighter with five fights behind him and a sixth coming up. He said the San Diego bout would be his second fight in the city.

Baker estimated that about 150,000 people live in Tahiti. Its distance from larger fight markets is more than a geographical detail in his career: opportunities to compete at home have been limited, making travel part of his development as a fighter.

He began competing at 18 and said he had been fighting for five years. He wants to turn professional, but he does not consider his current number of amateur bouts enough preparation. Baker suggested 2028 as a possible time to make the move, while making clear that gaining experience comes first.

What did Raiva Baker say about Tahiti versus USA in San Diego?

Raiva Baker said Tahiti versus USA would match 10 Tahitian fighters against 10 fighters from the United States in San Diego. He had competed in the event’s first edition in 2022, also in San Diego, and said the Tahitian team hoped to win every matchup this time.

Baker’s first Tahiti versus USA appearance

The 2022 event was not Baker’s first visit to the United States. He said he had traveled there regularly since childhood because his father worked for an airline, and that he had family in San Diego. He recalled visiting the city often before he fought there.

Baker remembered Tahiti winning the first edition, though he was uncertain of the exact team score. His stated aim for the new meeting was a 10–0 result, not a claim that such a result had already happened.

The 22-fight card

The full card, Baker said, had 22 bouts, including grappling and MMA. About half of those bouts were part of Tahiti versus USA. That format put his fight within a larger event rather than making every contest on the card a Tahitian-versus-American matchup.

What did Raiva Baker say about jiu-jitsu and MMA in Tahiti?

Raiva Baker credited established jiu-jitsu coaches and competitors with building a high level of grappling in Tahiti before local MMA events became possible. He named his coach Tamatoa Parker and world champion Danny Gerardogent, saying Parker had coached both men and had traveled to learn from practitioners abroad.

Tamatoa Parker and Danny Gerardogent

Parker has trained Baker in jiu-jitsu since Baker started MMA. Baker said Parker also coached Gerardogent, whom he identified as a black-belt world championship winner. In Baker’s account, Parker’s experience extended beyond Tahiti: the coach went to Brazil, Thailand and other countries to develop his jiu-jitsu.

Baker said those practitioners brought what they learned back to Tahiti, where he sees many capable jiu-jitsu athletes. He presented the island’s grappling base as a strength, even though its small number of MMA events makes competitive experience harder to build.

When local MMA events became possible

According to Baker, MMA was not legal for local events in Tahiti until around 2020, after France legalized the sport. Before then, he said, fighters could not hold MMA events there. The change created opportunities at home, but it did not remove the need to travel for frequent bouts.

Why does Raiva Baker travel to gain MMA experience?

Raiva Baker said the limited number of major events in Tahiti has pushed him to compete abroad. He has fought in San Diego and traveled to Albania for the IMMAF world championships. Those trips are part of his plan to accumulate amateur bouts before seeking a professional contract.

He estimated that he had fought on only two or three major events in Tahiti. For a fighter trying to develop through competition, that leaves long gaps unless he can find opportunities elsewhere. Baker put the problem plainly:

in Tahiti, you cannot get much experience.

Albania offered one opportunity through the world championships, while San Diego offered another through Tahiti versus USA. Baker described taking a plane to other countries as a practical requirement, not simply a preference for fighting overseas.

His longer-term goal remains a professional contract. He said he would pursue one once he felt ready, after adding more amateur experience. Although he mentioned 2028 as a possibility, he did not give a fixed date for his professional debut.

What did Raiva Baker say about his girlfriend and training in Bali?

Raiva Baker said his girlfriend lives in Paris and supports the travel required by his MMA career. She had spent six months with him in Tahiti, while Baker later attended fight camp in Bali, Indonesia. He planned to visit her in Paris after his San Diego fight.

The couple had been apart for almost two months while he trained in Bali and she was in France. Baker said they travel together when they can. He appreciated her willingness to manage periods of distance so that he could continue pursuing MMA.

That arrangement sits alongside the wider travel demands Baker described. His preparation took him from Tahiti to Indonesia, and his fight schedule brought him to the United States before his planned trip to Paris. He did not describe a permanent move away from Tahiti.

When and where did Raiva Baker say his San Diego fight would take place?

Raiva Baker said Tahiti versus USA was scheduled for November 13 at the Four Points Sheraton in San Diego, with the event expected to start around 7 p.m. local time. He directed fans to Epic Fighting’s Instagram account for ticket information and said Millions would carry a pay-per-view stream.

Baker gave the stream’s approximate price as $20. His start time and price were estimates, so fans seeking event details would need to check the ticket or viewing information before making plans.

He had not chosen a walkout song when we spoke. Rather than a conventional rap track, Baker was considering something he described as darker and more tribal, but he said the final choice would be a surprise at the event.

Who is Raiva Baker?

Raiva Baker is an MMA fighter from Tahiti. He discussed his amateur career, his training and the travel involved in finding fights while appearing on The Hank Russell Invitation.