For Peter Queally, stepping into the cage against MMA legend Benson Henderson at Bellator 285 on Friday will be affirmation for a career that he has scratched and clawed for.
Far away from the bright lights of Las Vegas and New York, where longtime friend Conor McGregor was becoming a superstar, Queally was ploughing a furrow in less glamorous places around the globe.
Cape Town, Moscow, Kazakhstan. You name it, Queally has probably fought there.
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All this makes nights like this Friday all the more special for the 33-year-old from Dungarvan.
The Bellator fighter has quickly become one of the company’s biggest assets. Frequently appearing on major cards, ‘The Showstopper’ at long last feels as though he has earned people’s respect.
“I feel like I’m finally getting recognition that perhaps I didn’t get except from off the hardcore fans when I was doing all of that tough work in Russia.
“Now I feel like it’s all coming good for me.
Twelve years ago, the lightweight star began his amateur career. Long before MMA became a serious sport in Ireland, Queally was one of the few plying his trade inside the cage.
The rise of the sport in Ireland and Queally’s rise have somewhat aligned with one another. Many couldn’t have foreseen how big the sport would become. Least of all Queally, who still has to pinch himself when he thinks how far the sport, and indeed he has come.
“It’s unbelievable.
“If you had told me 10 or 12 years ago when I was sleeping in my car outside a gym trying to get sessions in that someday I’d be fighting Benson in the 3 Arena, I would’ve just laughed at you.
“It would have been such an absurd thing to say, but here it is.
“I’m very proud of myself, my family are very proud of me, and I just can’t wait to take this challenge now and get on with it."
Headlining Friday’s card alongside Queally is former UFC and WEC World Champion Benson Henderson. The American is one of the true pioneers of the sport and has fought some of the top lightweights in history including Nate Diaz, Frankie Edgar and Anthony Pettis.
The build-up to this one has been nothing but cordial and the respect between the two men is obvious. This lack of needle and animosity is a nice change of pace for Queally, who has at times had heated rivalries with his opponents.
“You know what, it is, I came to check into the hotel yesterday and he was just there when I walked in, and it’s nice just to shake hands and that’s it.
“It is nice when it happens, it doesn’t happen that often but it’s nice when it does.
While respectful to Henderson and appreciative for all he has done in the sport, Queally was quick to point out that all that goes out the window once the bell rings on fight night.
“I’m not going to treat him any differently. Fine, I have respect for him here, but once the bell rings he’s not going to be Benson Henderson anymore.
“He’s just going to be some guy in front of me who’s in my way.
“I’m going to fight like I always do and just try and kill him basically.
“I’m not going to be starstruck by him or anything like this."
A win for Queally over the number three ranked Henderson would undoubtedly throw the Irishman back in the mix for more big fights. When asked who he’d like to fight next if he wins on Friday night, only one man was on his mind.
“I’d like it to be Patricky again, that’s who I’d like.
“In fairness there’s a bit of a queue there for that fight.
“But I think if I win in dominant fashion and some of the dominoes fall in my way, I think I could get that fight next.
“There’s a few things in my favour and I could kind of sneak in there and get that title fight again."
Queally and Patricky ‘Pitbull’ Freire have fought two times before with both men picking up a win. 'Pitbull' is the current Bellator lightweight champion, a title he won by knocking out Queally in Dublin last year.
But no one knows what the future holds. For now, ‘The Showstopper’ is focused only on getting back to winning ways this weekend. However, he knows it won’t be easy and is predicting a five-round war on Friday night.
“I think it’s going to be a very unpleasant 25 minutes for both of us, that’s what I envisage happening here.
“I just think that I can win a bit more of that than he can I’ll get my hand raised at the end.
“But that’s what I like.”
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