Luke
Riley took issue with reaction to his finish at UFC 329. | 📷:
Getty/UFC
Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight Luke Riley
was confident that it was only a matter of time before his
UFC 329 opponent, Kai Kamaka
III, went down.
Riley (14-0) took on Kamaka III (18-8) at UFC 329 in Las Vegas. The
Brit took some punishment to his lead leg early in the fight, but
needed just one well-timed right hand to floor his foe, also
opening up a cut near the Hawaiian’s eye.
Advertisement
While Kamaka III returned to his feet, Riley was relentless with
his combinations, which was enough for referee Kerry Hatley to call
a stop to the contest. The stoppage drew some backlash from the
commentators and fans online, as Kamaka III was covering up but
still on his feet.
Luke Riley responds to criticism after UFC 329 victory over Kai
Kamaka III
Riley believes Hatley saved his opponent from taking unnecessary
damage. The Liverpudlian is confident he would eventually have
finished Kamaka III. “Fans have the smallest memories ever,” Riley said in a post-fight
interview. “So, I think after the last one, coming into this one,
[fans were saying], ‘Luke decision, Luke decision. He’s gonna
scrape a split decision.’ It’s like, OK, and then, yeah, that’s
what happened: first-round knockout. So, the memory is gonna be
refreshed again.”
Riley was coming off a decision win over Michael
Aswell going into UFC 329. The undefeated 27-year-old says UFC
fans started considering him a decision fighter after his last
victory. However, he just refreshed their memories with his 10th
career finish.
“Kai is a tough motherf*cker. But once I sniff blood, it’s done,”
Riley added. “Once I landed that shot on the chin, seeing he was
rocked, he was hurt, he was just a wounded animal that was gonna be
put down. And the ref saved him.”
Furthermore, Riley addressed Joe Rogan and Daniel
Cormier’s commentary and views on his finish. “They’ve f*cking
lost their minds. Two more seconds, and he would have been face
down on the canvas,” he said at the post-fight presser.
“I know what I can do.”
Luke
Riley (@LukeRileyMMA)
wants to keep racking up wins and experience after posting his
third consecutive win to start his UFC career. #UFC329Complete Prelim Results ➡️ https://t.co/zJYzZphBW3 pic.twitter.com/izipf6tI7s
— UFC News (@UFCNews)
July 12, 2026