TLDR
- Luke Riley improved to 14-0 with a first-round TKO victory over Kai Kamaka III at UFC 329 in Las Vegas
- The stoppage at 3:03 of Round 1 drew criticism from commentators Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier who questioned the timing
- Riley defended the stoppage, saying Kamaka would have been “face down on the canvas” within two more seconds
- The victory marked Riley’s first professional fight on American soil and his third consecutive UFC win
- Riley scored his 10th career finish after being labeled a decision fighter following his previous unanimous decision victory
Sources: mmajunkie.usatoday.com | sports.yahoo.com | ufc.com
Undefeated featherweight Luke Riley defended the controversial stoppage of his UFC 329 victory over Kai Kamaka III on Saturday night in Las Vegas. The British fighter improved to 14-0 with a first-round TKO at T-Mobile Arena.
Riley floored Kamaka with a right hand that also opened a cut near the Hawaiian’s eye at 3:03 of the opening round. Though Kamaka returned to his feet and attempted to continue, referee Kerry Hatley stopped the fight as Riley continued landing strikes.
The stoppage drew immediate criticism from UFC commentators Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier, who questioned the timing of Hatley’s intervention. Fans on social media also debated whether Kamaka should have been allowed to continue since he was still standing and covering up.
Luke Riley just RAN THROUGH Kamakapic.twitter.com/kNH53aYxxR #UFC329
— Mohi (@mohithegoat) July 11, 2026
Fighter Confident in Inevitable Finish
Riley addressed the criticism in his post-fight interview and press conference. “Two more seconds, and he would have been face down on the canvas,” the 27-year-old from Liverpool said.
The victory marked Riley’s first professional fight on American soil. His UFC debut came against Bogdan Grad in Qatar, while his second appearance was against Michael Aswell Jr. in London.
Riley took some damage to his lead leg early in the fight before landing the decisive right hand. “Kai is a tough motherf*cker. But once I sniff blood, it’s done,” Riley explained.
The undefeated featherweight said referee Hatley prevented unnecessary damage to his opponent. “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.”
Proving Critics Wrong
Riley also responded to fans who labeled him a decision fighter after his unanimous decision win over Aswell. “Fans have the smallest memories ever,” Riley said. “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.'”
The finish was Riley’s 10th career stoppage victory. The former Cage Warriors champion now holds a 3-0 record inside the UFC octagon.
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Kamaka falls to 18-8-1 overall and 2-3-1 in the UFC. He showed little protest when Hatley stopped the contest.
Riley dismissed the commentary team’s criticism of the stoppage. “They’ve f*cking lost their minds,” he said at the post-fight press conference.
The UFC 329 preliminary card featured several other finishes on Saturday night. Wang Cong defeated Tracy Cortez by unanimous decision, while Damian Pinas knocked out Cesar Almeida in the first round.
Riley’s performance continued a strong showing from British fighters on the card. His stateside debut went exactly as planned despite the controversy surrounding how it ended.
