Welsh MMA fighter Jack 'Tank' Shore will face off with Nohelin Hernandez this weekend when he makes his highly anticipated UFC debut in Copenhagen.
The undefeated Bantamweight from Abertillery enters the world's top fighting promotion with a perfect (11-0) record, after successfully defending his Cage Warriors title against Scott Malone in April.
His debut appearance will see him fulfil a lifelong dream of competing in the world's most competitive fight league, managed by well-known promoter Dana White.
He becomes only the fourth Welsh fighter to sign for the UFC, following in the footsteps of compatriots Jack Marshman, Brett Johns, and John Phillips.
Speaking ahead of his debut, Shore believes he is more than ready for the difficult challenge that lies ahead of him.
He said: "This really is a dream come true for me. I first spoke to my dad about fighting in the UFC when I was 11 or 12, and he always said that one day I'd get there, even though people probably didn't look at me when I was a fat 16-year-old and think I would.
"I've gone from being the top dog in Europe now, to a little fish in a big pond, so I'll be early on in the card. I don't mind that though, as it will be nice to just get my head down and come away with the victory.
"The UFC has always been the goal for me, but this is just the beginning, and I look forward to working my way up the ranks again."
Training out of Tillery Combat, under his father and head coach Richard Shore, the 24-year-old fighter from Blaenau Gwent has developed a well-rounded skill set during his time with the Cage Warriors promotion over the past three years.
The spell saw him lift the Bantamweight title in Cardiff, and become one of the most highly-anticipated prospects to come out of the UK in recent years.
Cage Warriors commentator, Brad Wharton, believes his time here could seriously pay off in the long term, with the Welshman's skills now making him a serious threat to anyone he faces on the UFC roster.
He said: "If there was such a thing as the ideal template for progression in this sport, Jack's story encapsulates it perfectly.
"Dominating the amateurs, before dropping down to his optimum fighting weight as a professional, and competing against an ever more dangerous mix of prospects and veterans. A better way simply doesn't exist, and Jack has taken it all in his stride.
"I have every confidence that Jack will be remembered among the greatest Welsh combat sports athletes of his generation by the end of his career, and I believe the best is still yet to come from him."
And while his opponent Nohelin Hernandez will have other ideas, Shore says he is fully prepared for the step up in competition when he faces the American-born fighter on September 28.
He said: "This is going to be an exciting fight. Hernandez is a great opponent from a world-class gym so he will be getting high level sparring and training every day. I think he's good in every area, but I'm just that little bit better.
"As long as I implement my game plan and dictate where the fight goes then I see me getting the finish and coming out with a nice win.
"People might not know me when I walk in to the cage, but they'll remember my name when I leave.
"I can't wait to go out there and put on a show for the Welsh fans. They really are great and I always have a lot of support with me. There will only be a couple of hundred of them, but it will seem like a lot more with all the noise they make."
Fellow Welsh fighter John Phillips will also compete on the card as he faces off with Alen Amedovski in the middleweight division. The knock-out specialist from Swansea comes into the bout desperate for a win after suffering three straight losses since signing with the promotion in 2018.
The card will be headlined by Swedish fighter Jack Hermansson and Jared Cannonier in a high-profile match up that could catapult the winner to the very top of the UFC's middleweight division.
