Andre Fili locked down the best finish of the night last weekend (Sat., Oct. 10, 2026) in Las Vegas, Nevada, knocking out Kai Kamaka III at UFC Vegas 122 with a devastating head kick (see it again here).
But, perhaps what was equally as impressive was his decision to pull back on a huge follow-up shot at the last second once he saw Kamaka was out cold. According to “Touchy,” there was no reason for him to inflict more damage on a man who was clearly already unconscious.
“I say this all the time: I’m a criminal, but I’m not a piece of shit,” Fili said during his post-fight interview (via MMA Fighting). “I don’t litter. I treat people with respect. And when I knock someone out, there’s no reason to land that extra shot. He’s got kids, he’s got a wife, he’s got a future outside of fighting. It’s just not necessary, man. I hope he’s OK. I didn’t even really want to watch the replay back,” he added.
“Hurting people is part of the sport. I like being good at fighting. I like winning fights. I like getting paid to win fights. I like being on TV. Hurting people is a byproduct of that; it’s not a driving force for me. So I’m not gonna land that extra shot.”
Fighting until the referee puts a stop to it has long been one of the talking points in the sport of MMA, with just as many fighters leaning toward the side of pummeling the opposition until the referee intervenes, while others feel they know when to stop punching. That said, there have been some cases in which a fighter stops punching thinking the fight is over before it’s called off, only to have to go back and finish the job.
One of the most talked about finishes focusing on this point was Jorge Masvidal’s decision to land one blow after another on Ben Askren after leveling him with a massive knee in the opening seconds of their fight back at UFC 239 that knocked him out cold. After the fight, “Gamebred” delivered one of the most iconic lines that is still used today, stating that hitting Askren to make sure the job was finished and that the strikes were “super necessary.”
As for Fili, his win over Kamaka III snapped his two-fight losing streak, giving him his first victory in more than one year, as well as a nice $100,000 post-fight bonus check.
For more UFC Vegas 122 fight card results, coverage and highlights click HERE.