Bellator 275: Gegard Mousasi v Austin Vanderford headlines Bellator's debut on BBC Three

Bellator makes its debut on BBC Three on Friday with MMA icon Gegard Mousasi set to kick off the new era for combat sports in the UK and Ireland.

Mousasi defends his middleweight title against undefeated contender Austin Vanderford, with the rest of the card packed with Irish and European talent.

Leah McCourt's featherweight clash with fellow Irishwoman Sinead Kavanagh has been threatening to steal the show for much of the build-up, with Brian Moore and rising star Ciaran Clarke also in action.

The fight night is live from 18:00 on BBC iPlayer and the main event begins at 21:00 on BBC Three.

Mousasi may be 36 years old, but the two-time Bellator champion shows no signs of slowing down heading into his 58th professional MMA fight. «God gave me special powers for this fight, and Austin's going to feel it,» Mousasi said.

The Iran-born Netherlands star appears to have put his shock defeat by Rafael Lovato Jr in 2019 behind him, but with such a long and accomplished career, Mousasi has experienced a few off nights.

American Vanderford is five years younger than Mousasi, but his experience pales in comparison to the champion's incredible 48-7-2 record. Vanderford is undefeated in 11 fights, has the support of his wife and former UFC fighter Paige VanZant with him in Dublin and will be hoping his low profile will lull Mousasi into a false sense of security.

«Vanderford is very good and a dominant wrestler, he's scrappy in a good sense and forward,» Irish fighter Moore said of the match-up. «Mousasi is very tactical, very experienced, he's got such good decision making and can finish you with strikes.

»He's got much more experience and I think he will play on that. The only thing that concerns me is if he takes the fight lightly, but