But respect doesn’t mean hesitation.
Riley believes one thing separates him from many undefeated prospects. He has already experienced adversity inside the cage.
“I’ve been wrestled. I’ve been nearly knocked out,” Riley said. “I’ve been down rounds and had to come back and win fights. People wonder how I’ll react when things get tough, but I already know because I’ve lived it.”
That confidence has only grown stronger after years of sharpening his skills alongside one of the UFC’s elite lightweights.
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When asked how he sees the fight unfolding, Riley didn’t hesitate.
“I feel like I’m going to be too quick, too smart,” he said before delivering the statement that has become his mentality entering UFC 329.
“There’s levels to this s***. I’m just a level above Kai.”
From changing clothes on the motorway before youth training sessions to becoming Paddy Pimblett’s primary sparring partner and earning a place on one of the biggest events of the year, every stop has prepared him for this moment.
Now, on the sport’s biggest stage, the undefeated featherweight has the opportunity to prove that the Liverpool standard is ready for the next level.