Dismissing the local favourite as a "shiny new toy", feisty American Randy Brown is promising to teach Perth's Jack Della Maddalena a hometown UFC lesson.
Rising welterweight star Della Maddalena has made a glowing start to his UFC career, claiming first-round knockouts in each of his first three bouts and twice earning 'performance of the night' cash bonuses.
The 26-year-old, who nailed down a contract after competing in Dana White's Contender Series, has won his past 13 professional fights.
Hoping to crack into the top 15 welterweight rankings, Della Maddalena will have the backing of a passionate Perth crowd at a sold-out RAC Arena on Sunday when he takes on his toughest opponent yet.
But the experienced Brown (16 wins, four losses) has declared he will welcome the boos in his first fight Down Under.
"They can't fight for him," Brown said.
"Them not liking me doesn't matter to me. You can not like me all you want but you're going to love me after my performance.
"Some people use that (hometown support) to put a battery on their back. But it affects some people negatively because it's a lot of pressure, it's your friends, your family ... you don't want to get hurt in front of your parents."
Tired of being overlooked, Brown said he wanted to make a statement by taking down the "shiny new toy" making waves in his division.
"He's a great fighter. He's never faced anyone at my level yet," he said.
"He's a tremendous athlete, he's really, really good and he has a ton of potential. But we're catching him at a good time."
Excited to fight at home for the first time, Della Maddalena declared he was gunning for a "perfect performance".
"My plan is to put on a masterclass, go in there and not be hit and damage Randy from the get-go," he said.
"I'm ready to go three rounds. If I can get out of there early, that's just a bonus.
"I'm going to embrace the pressure. This isn't something you get to do every day so I'm really enjoying every second of it."
