Following Pimblett's Footsteps - But Riley Is 'different Animal'

On Saturday astatine UFC London, Riley faces American Michael Aswell Jr successful a featherweight bout astatine O2 Arena.

It is conscionable Riley's 2nd conflict successful nan UFC but nan title serves arsenic nan co-main event, illustrating nan prima powerfulness nan UFC believes nan Liverpudlian tin generate.

For galore fighters this could bring added pressure, but Riley is already acclimatising to nan attraction of being a star.

Before his question and reply pinch BBC Sport, he jokes astir pinch team-mates astatine his gym successful Liverpool, throwing darts astatine a committee he sewage a week anterior during a societal media skit astatine nan PDC World Darts Championship.

During his clip successful Cage Warriors, he was nan look of nan promotion, headlining aggregate shows for which fans would bargain tickets chiefly to watch him.

He is already flourishing successful nan nationalist eye, truthful performing astatine nan 20,000-capacity O2 Arena does not bring added pressure.

"I said to my coaches and group adjacent to me, it feels nary different to Cage Warriors successful a sense," he says.

"It could beryllium successful a park, connected a street, successful a small societal club, successful an arena pinch 20,000 people. Once nan cage is shut, it doesn't consciousness immoderate different."