Fight Academy Ireland supremo Liam Shannon believes Paddy McCorry's middleweight title fight with Petru Plesa will be like "Rocky Balboa vs Ivan Drago".
McCorry and Plesa will go to war on the massive Cage Conflict 4 card at Falls Park.
Over 3,000 fans are expected to descend on the West Belfast venue for the big outdoor MMA show, a first of its kind on these shores.
It will also be McCorry's professional debut.
"Paddy has been training flat out for years, and things have fallen in place for him," Shannon told Belfast Live.
"Covid stalled his career a bit with fights being cancelled and postponed, but now he can showcase his skills. He has a tough fight against an opponent who will put it to him and want to silence the home crowd.
"It will be a little bit like Rocky Balboa against Ivan Drago."
Shannon believes Thursday's outdoor show will be defining moment for mixed martial arts in Ireland.
"It is the first time that there has been an outdoor event in MMA, and I have been involved in mixed martial arts for over 20 years," he added.
"I have been a part of many big events throughout the world, but hopefully we bring something unique to Belfast. And it gives people something to get excited about.
"We have 38 fights at the minute. We have a stacked card. We want to highlight the level of talent we have right up from teenagers."
"This club is a hotbed for talent in Ireland and Europe. Joe McColgan won a world title recently, the same one Conor McGregor won in Cage Warriors.
"We have a lot of fresh talent coming through."
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