The word destiny isn't thrown around too frequently in mixed martial arts, but it's very much on the mind of Peter Queally ahead of Bellator Dublin.
And when the SBG veteran shipped losses in the likes of Russia and South Africa over the course of his career, he'd be forgiven for feeling that a world title wasn't quite it.
After a globetrotting career saw him ply his trade in several promotions along the way, he's finally found a place he can call home in Bellator and has been able to mix it with the best in recent years.
But 48 hours from the biggest fight of his career, it's all slipped into place for the Waterford native as he does battle with a familiar foe in Patricky 'Pitbull' Freire at the 3 Arena.
Queally earned a doctor's stoppage victory when the pair met in a bloody battle back in May, paving the way for the rivals to compete for the Bellator lightweight title this time around.
"I feel like I've been fighting this guy my whole life," Queally said at the Bellator 270 media day.
"I just need to do the same thing again, he fades as the fight goes on and this is even going to be more apparent in this fight - it's five rounds.
"If I go in and fight my best fight and he fights his best fight I'm going to win."
He added: "It does (feel like destiny). I've had a very hard road that I could have quit on many times.
"I've had plenty of opportunities to pack this in and do something else, and I never did and often doubted myself and thought should I pack it in and go after something else while I'm still young.
"But I hope this is a kind of vindication that my way is the right way, that you test yourself, you take hard fights and now that the wolf is that the door here - you're prepared to fight him and you don't fall."
And as Queally dreams of wrapping gold around his waste, comparisons with his long-time friend and team-mate Conor McGregor's historic UFC win against Diego Brandao in the capital.
"It's going to rank right up there," Queally said when asked where he sees this potential night in Irish MMA history.
"The only other man who's won a world title is Conor and obviously this is a really great stage to share.
"When you're in that kind of realm where you're linked to Conor McGregor in terms of achievements.
"That's where it's going to be and you can't get much higher than this."
McGregor has been spending time with Queally in the lead-up to the bout, sharing a post calling this bout "destiny".
"Rallying into fight week with 'the showstopper' Peter Queally," McGregor said in a tweet to his 8.9million+ followers today.
"My long time training partner and friend is aiming to become Ireland’s 1st Bellator MMA World Champion this weekend!".
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