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.

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.â€

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,â€
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.â€

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.

Adrian Yanez went back to his original game plan at UFC 329. |
📷: Getty/UFC

Adrian
Yanez says his coach was instrumental at both keeping him out
of danger and finding the finish in his return to winning ways in
the
Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Yanez took on Cody
Garbrandt in a bantamweight matchup at
UFC 329 in Las Vegas. After trading punches in the early
moments, Yanez knocked out the former bantamweight champion with a
crisp combo less than three minutes into the first round.

While Yanez was previously doing his training camps between
different gyms, he has settled at Fortis
MMA in Dallas since last year. He credits his head coach,
Sayif
Saud, for his win over Garbrandt.

Adrian Yanez reveals the advice from Sayif Saud that changed
the Cody Garbrandt fight

When Garbrandt initially came out all guns blazing, Yanez
instinctively wanted to stand and trade with him. However, he then
heard Saud's distinct voice guiding him back to his game plan. He
reveals that he also went for the finishing sequence on Saud's
instruction.

“Honestly, for me, it's the coaching… Since I started working with
coach Sayif, hearing his voice, it's so distinct, you can hear it
through any crowd,†Yanez said in a post-fight interview. “So as
soon I heard, ‘Move, get out of there, don't. Stop.' I was like,
‘Yes, you're right, coach. I'm being an idiot right now.'… He hit
me with that first flurry and I was like, ‘I'm gonna bite down and
fight.' Then I was like, ‘Wait, this is exactly what he wants.'
Right as I skidded out, coach Sayif told me to get back on the
plan. And as soon as coach Sayif called for it, I went for it, I
landed it, and I got the knockout.â€

Yanez (18-6) returned after a 15-month layoff this past March, when
he fought Ricky Simon
to a majority draw. The win over Garbrandt (15-8) marked Yanez's
first win in two years. Meanwhile, “No Love†has now dropped three
of his last four outings.

Paddy Pimblett is sympathetic towards Conor McGregor after the premature conclusion to the UFC 329 headliner.

The stage was set for McGregor to make his big return after being away from pro MMA competition for five years. The “Notorious†one made his walkout for a rematch with fellow MMA icon Max Holloway. Early in the fight, McGregor went for a jumping kick, but he appeared to land awkwardly on his right leg. McGregor had issues moving around before the fight was stopped due to the injury.

Pimblett was featured in the UFC 329 co-main event, and he discussed McGregor's nightmare scenario during the post-fight presser.

“It was sad to see,†Pimblett said. “That's the thing with this sport. You've got to stay consistent. You've got to keep fighting, and I think where he hasn't fought in so long, his body couldn't keep up with it. Coming out and throwing a crazy kick like that first thing, his knee just collapsed underneath him. I feel so bad for him. He's put so much into coming back and getting back in the Octagon, and that happens in the first five seconds. You've got to feel for him.â€

Pimblett fight was even shorter than McGregor's return, but it was all good vibes for “The Baddy.†Pimblett locked up a d'arce choke that put Benoit Saint Denis to sleep in just 52 seconds. It's quite the statement from the Liverpool native, who was looking to rebound after a January loss to Justin Gaethje.

As for McGregor, he figures to have another long road ahead of him. The Irish megastar's final bout on his current UFC deal is scheduled for 2027. Whether or not he'll go through with finishing the deal once he fully recovers remains to be seen.

In a statement posted on his X page, McGregor admitted that he's in “hell†mentally. He ruled out the idea that he had a pre-existing injury going into the bout. “Mystic Mac†vowed to overcome what he is calling the “devil.â€

Do you think Conor McGregor's body simply can't handle the rigors of MMA competition anymore, or was this just a freak accident? Share your opinion in the comments below.