UFC London: Luke Riley set to co-headline in second UFC fight

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

It is just Riley’s second fight in the UFC but the contest serves as the co-main event, illustrating the star power the UFC believes the Liverpudlian can generate.

For many fighters this could bring added pressure, but Riley is already acclimatising to the attention of being a star.

Before his interview with BBC Sport, he jokes around with team-mates at his gym in Liverpool, throwing darts at a board he got a week prior during a social media skit at the PDC World Darts Championship.

During his time in Cage Warriors, he was the face of the promotion, headlining multiple shows for which fans would buy tickets mainly to watch him.

He is already flourishing in the public eye, so performing at the 20,000-capacity O2 Arena does not bring added pressure.

“I said to my coaches and people close to me, it feels no different to Cage Warriors in a sense,” he says.

“It could be in a park, on a street, in a little social club, in an arena with 20,000 people. Once the cage is shut, it doesn’t feel any different.”