Luke Riley fires back at Joe Rogan over UFC 329 stoppage criticism

Luke Riley has no regrets about his first-round knockout of Kai Kamaka at UFC 329, despite criticism from commentator Joe Rogan and others in the MMA community.

The finish sparked debate after referee Kerry Hatley waved off the fight with Kamaka still on his feet but taking unanswered punishment against the cage. Rogan questioned the stoppage during the broadcast, and multiple fighters criticized the call on social media, per MMA Fighting.

Riley defends standing knockout of Kamaka

When told at the post-fight press conference that Rogan disagreed with the stoppage, Riley dismissed the criticism outright. He said critics had lost their minds and that Kamaka would have been unconscious on the canvas within seconds had the fight continued. Riley added that anyone who thought the stoppage came early should reconsider watching combat sports.

The undefeated Riley extended his knockout streak to 10 finishes across 14 career wins. He called himself the hardest hitter in the division and said Kamama was a wounded animal trying to survive before Hatley stepped in. Riley told reporters the referee did a good job preventing a worse outcome.

For Kamaka, the loss marked his first knockout by strikes since 2020 and just the third of his 27-fight career. Though Kamaka remained upright during the barrage, he appeared visibly dazed even after the stoppage. Riley had earned a decision over Michael Aswell in his previous outing and said he was happy to remind fans of his finishing ability. He fights next at a date to be announced.

Photo: The White House / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain

Original reporting:

• mmafighting.com — Luke Riley responds to Joe Rogan after criticism of controversial UFC 329 knockout win | MMA Fighting