Luke Riley vs Kai Kamaka IIIUFC 329: McGregor vs Holloway 2

Luke Riley vs Kai Kamaka III — Featherweight — was scheduled for Saturday, July 11, 2026 at UFC 329: McGregor vs Holloway 2 in T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas. Official result not yet recorded. Picks Terminal covers the matchup with a win-probability estimate, a matchup breakdown and fight intel drawn from public sources.

slot.Prelim · FeatherweightID · E2E8C646-994A-4B6D-A2B5-AE791A92A6CA

Rank N/A · Featherweight

Luke Riley

13-0-0 · Striker

Unranked · Featherweight

Kai Kamaka III

"The Fighting Hawaiian"

18-8-1 · Boxing

Win Probability Model · v4.2

Riley

58%

Edge16%

III

42%

Skill Comparison

86
79
Striking
50
70
Wrestling
82
80
Cardio
37
55
Takedown Defense
85
74
Chin Durability

Physical Attributes

RileyMetricIII
5'9"Height5' 7"
69"Reach69"
25Age31
OrthodoxStance—
69%Finish Rate22%

Career Records

RileyMetricIII
1Wins by KO/TKO3
0Wins by Submission1
5.56Sig. Strikes / Min5.49
3.32Sig. Strikes Absorbed / Min6.03
57%Striking Accuracy59%
64%Striking Defense55%
—Knockdown Avg / 15 min0.21
0Takedowns / 15 min1.45
0%Takedown Accuracy53%
37%Takedown Defense55%
0Submissions / 15 min0.21
—Avg. Fight Time12:05

Strike Distribution

III

Sig. Strikes by Target

Primary Target Balanced

Head

42%

Body

41%

Leg

16%
Sig. Strikes by Target — III

Sig. Strikes by Position

Standing — 84%Standing84%
Clinch — 13%Clinch13%
Ground — 3%Ground3%

Primary Position Standing

Fight Intel

Public Consensus

— Consensus data unavailable —

Latest News

— No recent news —

In-Depth Analysis

Model favors Riley
Key Advantages
  • Higher output with 5.56 SLpM compared to Kamaka's 5.40 SLpM
  • Superior defensive striking metrics at 64% strike defense
  • High finishing capability (69% finish rate) vs a pure decision-oriented opponent
Potential Concerns
  • Critically low 37% takedown defense against a 1.51 TD/15min wrestler
  • Significant experience gap in high-level competition depth
  • Has gone to decision in 12 of 13 official listed bouts despite UFC stat claims
AI Analysis

Undefeated prospect's high-volume striking meets a veteran's grinding pressure.

Forecast

Riley will likely look to exploit his speed and 64% striking defense to keep Kamaka on the outside. Expect a high-paced first round where Riley's volume (5.56 SLpM) initially overwhelms Kamaka's boxing. Kamaka will inevitably look to close the distance to test Riley’s porous 37% takedown defense. If Riley can scramble effectively, his striking accuracy should carry him through the later rounds. Most signs point to a competitive three-round battle. I forecast a Luke Riley victory via Unanimous Decision as his youth and volume overcome Kamaka's veteran savvy.

Skill ratings, win probability, advantages, concerns, and forecast are AI-generated predictions based on scraped fighter profiles — not official UFC stats or guarantees.

Matchup Breakdown

This is a classic 'prospect vs. gatekeeper' matchup. Luke Riley brings an impressive 57% striking accuracy and maintains a positive striking differential (+2.24). However, his official 37% takedown defense is a massive red flag against Kai Kamaka III, who averages over 1.5 takedowns per fight with 53% accuracy. Kamaka is notoriously difficult to finish, having taken 18 of his 26 career fights to the scorecards. While Riley's offensive volume is built for winning rounds, he must prevent Kamaka from turning this into a clinch-heavy grinding affair where the veteran's 1.51 takedown average could dictate the tempo.

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