After fighting all over the world, Peter Queally is more than happy to be the torchbearer of Irish MMA.
The SBG man has carved out a distinguished career, fighting everywhere from Russia to South Africa, and is now set to once again headline a blockbuster show in Dublin's 3 Arena next year.
It was announced yesterday that 'The Showstopper' will face former Bellator lightweight champion Brent Primus in the co-main event as the promotion once again return to Dublin on February 22nd.
Queally, who is signed to a multi-fight deal with Bellator, remains one of the trailblazers of the sport in Ireland after massive fights against Myles Price and Ryan Scope in 2019.
And the 31-year-old reckons that fans have become emotionally invested in himself and other Irish fighters, leading to the overwhelming popularity to the promotion's Irish shows.
"They (Irish MMA fans) are turning to Bellator because they’ve got me, they’ve got James (Gallagher), all the people that they actually are emotionally invested in are in Bellator," Queally told the Irish Mirror.
"There’s nobody in UFC for them that they have that emotional investment in apart from Conor [McGregor].
"He hasn’t fought in a while, and now he’s fighting again which is great, until then though it’s just us and that’s why they’re turning to Bellator.
"We’re just very lucky that they get behind us the way they do, I’m very lucky that I have a style that resonates with them and a personality that they like for whatever reason.
"I’m very grateful for that, it’s why my career is going the way it is - mainly because of the fans."
But Queally doesn't agree with the 'myth' that athletes in Bellator make less money than their UFC counterparts, explaining that the opportunities for fighters in the lower to mid card are massive.
Queally added: "The living is the same [as the UFC].
"After I left Russia, I probably could have got into the UFC if I’d have wanted to, but the offer with Bellator was putting on the table was just significantly better.
"There’s a myth of ‘you’re thinking of quick cash going to Bellator’ - this is wrong, completely wrong.
"Sometimes I will agree that for champions in the UFC, they can make more than champions in Bellator, that’s true.
"But in the mid and contender range, you wouldn’t believe the money that’s going around here and this is kind of a myth that people just say because there’s some kind of bitterness towards Bellator or something."
And as an ever-popular name on the lips of Irish fans, Queally revealed that Bellator came to him hoping that he'd once again lead from the front in February's show.
The promotion has handed the SBG man what he believes to be a 'big step up' - but a fight that can push him into the picture for a shot at Patricio 'Pitbull' Freire's lightweight belt later next year.
"They just came to me with it, they tried to do the Bungard fight first but he didn’t want it - he’s a p***y and turned it down.
"The next opponent they offered me, they said: ‘okay well if that’s not going to happen then what about this guy?’ and of course I said yes.
"It’s a big step up, I’m really happy with it. It’s going to put me in the position to call out ‘Pitbull’ straight away when I win - which is what I want."
Tickets for Bellator Dublin are on sale now through Ticketmaster.ie and Bellator.com , as well as the 3Arena box office.
If you haven't already, be sure to like our Irish Mirror Sport and Irish Mirror GAA pages on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
