Tonight’s the night for Bellator 217.
One of the biggest mixed martial arts promotions in the world is back in Dublin with a host of Irish fighters on the card.
Among them, Kilkenny’s own Myles ‘Splinter’ Price (10-7) and Tinryland native Andrew ‘The Carlow Kid’ Murphy.
Prelims: Murphy v Logan
It’s Murphy (1-2) out early with the Carlow man facing SBG’s Dylan Logan (2-3).
The pair had been due to meet at BAMMA 30 in 2017 before Murphy suffered a year long off.
A subsequent bout for Battlezone 18 in Waterford never transpired but this evening on the preliminary card they finally get a chance to meet.
Murphy will be looking to bounce back from an early submission loss at MTK Newcastle last summer when he walks out between 5 and 6pm.
That fight should be available on the Bellator mobile app.
Main card: Queally v Price
For Price, his showdown with Peter ”’The Showstopper’ Queally has been billed as a real grudge match and has been arguably the biggest draw on the card.
With Queally (11-4-1) viewing Price as a traitor to his country for training with UFC Lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov ahead of his title fight with Conor McGregor last autumn, there’s plenty of material to shape a good story from.
The Waterford native is a long time friend and sparring partner of Conor McGregor and wasted no time dubbing Price a “rat” for the time spent training in California.
For Price, it’s business as usual as the Team Ryano Kilkenny head coach will look to use the skills sharpened at AKA in San Jose to bounce back from a defeat at Brave 13 last summer.
Having inked an 18 month deal, a win here should open the doors into a busy Bellator lightweight division.
Price v Queally serves as tonight’s co-main event. James Gallagher meets Steven Graham at 135lbs in the main event.
For Irish fans, the main card coverage kicks off on Sky Sports from 9pm with Price expected to wall it around 10pm.
