Cage Warriors star Riley joins UFC

Luke Riley has eight knockouts in 11 professional bouts

Undefeated British featherweight Luke Riley has signed a contract with the UFC.

Liverpool's Riley has won the first 11 fights of his career, building an exciting reputation in UK-based promotion Cage Warriors.

The 26-year-old trains at Next Generation Gym in Merseyside and is team-mates with UFC star Paddy Pimblett.

Riley posted on social media "it's official, signed with the UFC", with Cage Warriors also confirming the news.

Pimblett, who has won all seven of his fights in the UFC, said it was "inevitable" Riley would join the promotion.

"My man Luke Riley finally put pen to paper. Was a long time coming but it was inevitable. All you featherweights aren't ready for my boy, watch," Pimblett wrote on Instagram.

Riley was regarded as Cage Warriors' biggest star, with the promotion building a number of shows around him in recent years.

A number of fighters have made the move from Cage Warriors to the UFC in the past and gone on to achieve great success.

They include Pimblett, current UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall and former featherweight and lightweight title holder, Conor McGregor.

Cage Warriors has a close relationship with the UFC. Its shows are broadcast on the UFC's streaming platform Fight Pass.