This weekend is a great opportunity to get a further read on where Riley stands in his development and the division as he takes on Michael Aswell Jr., a talented American who trains alongside flyweight champ Joshua Van and looked sharp as can be in his divisional debut last October. MMA Mathematicians will point to his split decision loss to Grad on the Contender Series as all the more reason to favor Riley, but “The Texas Kid” is a tough out who will be happy to oblige the Scouser in the standout, and it could very well be very competitive.
LONDON FULL FIGHTS: Evloev vs Sterling | Murphy vs Pico
All eyes will be on Riley in this one, and if he can navigate the high-profile opportunity with aplomb, don’t be surprised if he gets a jetpack strapped to his back going forward. England is a routine stop for the UFC, and having another ascending talent from across the pond to showcase at home would be a huge win for the organization.
Brando Pericic
“The Balkan Bear” may be short on experience, having made just six starts in his professional career, but he’s long on upside, having earned five first-round stoppage wins thus far, including his UFC debut last September in Perth.
The 31-year-old heavyweight trains at City Kickboxing in Auckland, New Zealand, which is one of the best outfits in the sport, and means that Pericic is surrounded by standout talents and elite coaches every day he’s on the mats. Some people dismiss those things, but when you’re young in your career and competing in a division where one shot is all it takes to end a fight, working with that kind of established team accelerates the development process, and puts the UFC sophomore in a position where he could grow by leaps and bounds between each appearance.