Luke Riley defends UFC 329 stoppage, says referee ‘saved’ Kai Kamaka III

Luke Riley defended his first-round knockout of Kai Kamaka III at UFC 329, asserting that referee Herb Hatley made the right call by stopping the fight and that Kamaka III would have taken unnecessary additional damage. Riley (14-0), a 27-year-old from Liverpool, faced criticism over the stoppage from some commentators and observers, but he remained confident in his finish and his finish rate overall.

Riley took early leg kicks but found his range with a well-timed right hand that dropped Kamaka III and opened a cut near his eye. Though the stoppage drew scrutiny, Riley argued it was imminent—claiming two more seconds would have left Kamaka III face-down on the canvas. He bristled at the notion he is a "decision fighter" following his recent split-decision win over Michael Aswell, pointing to his 10th career finish as proof otherwise.

Post-fight, Riley addressed commentary from Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier, saying they "lost their minds" over the stoppage. With three consecutive UFC wins to open his promotional career, Riley aims to continue building his record and experience at featherweight.