Outside Source
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.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
Help support MMACrazies.com when you shop Amazon by starting your online Amazon shopping at MMACrazies.com/recommends/amazon. You are not charged extra, but we receive a small and very helpful commission on everything you purchase. Thanks for thinking of us every time you shop at Amazon.
