Luke Riley responds to Joe Rogan after criticism of controversial UFC 329 knockout win

Luke Riley defended his controversial first-round knockout victory over Kai Kamaka III at UFC 329, pushing back against criticism from commentator Joe Rogan and others on social media who questioned referee Kerry Hatley's stoppage.

The finish came with Kamaka pinned against the cage, bloodied and visibly dazed but still standing when Hatley waved off the contest. Rogan voiced skepticism about the early stoppage during commentary, and Riley was made aware of the criticism at the post-fight press conference.

Riley dismissed the notion outright, insisting that Kamaka was moments away from being finished on the canvas. "If you think that was sort of an early stoppage, then I feel like you shouldn't be watching fighting," Riley said. The undefeated striker doubled down, arguing that Hatley made the right call to prevent further punishment.

The knockout extended Riley's finishing prowess—he has now finished 10 of his 14 professional fights via strikes. Riley emphasized his confidence in his striking power and credited his approach in this outing, saying he came in loose and relaxed after being too tense in his previous fight, a unanimous decision win over Michael Aswell. "If I touch someone on the chin, it's like I said in the cage, 'Bedtime,'" Riley said.

For Kamaka, the loss marked the third knockout defeat of his 27-fight career and his first knockout loss since a previous UFC stint in 2020. Riley maintained that continuing the fight would only have resulted in Kamaka hitting the canvas, making Hatley's decision not just defensible but necessary to protect the fighter's wellbeing.