Top UK heavyweight James Mulheron will finally get the chance to showcase his skills to the wider MMA world when he makes his Bellator debut at Bellator 158 next month.

“Oh man, I was over the moon. I had been waiting for a call like this my whole career,” Mulheron told FO. “This is what I train so hard for, this is what I sacrifice for.”

Mulheron will meet Mark Godbeer at Bellator’s UK debut event on July 16th. The show will take place at London’s O2 Arena.

Mulheron and Godbeer were originally scheduled to meet previously under the Made 4 the Cage banner, where Mulheron has competed the entirety of his 8-1 pro MMA career.

“We were meant to headline Made 4 the Cage at the Rainton Meadows Arena about a year and a half ago but Mark injured his back,” Mulheron explained. “I knew we’d meet somewhere down the line though. He’s a great fighter, you only have to look at the guys he’s fought and, of course, he’s the current BAMMA heavyweight champion so it’s going to be an honor to step into the cage with him.”

“I know we’ll put on a great show for the fans,” he continued. “Neither of us like to mess about so anyone who has spent their hard-earned money on a ticket, don’t miss this one on the night!”

James told FO his training camp has been “brilliant” leading up to his long-awaited Bellator debut, thanks to some quality training with sparring partners which include former UFC heavyweight Phil de Fries.

Nothern England’s Mulheron will be bringing a legion of supporters with him down south to London next month, and expects his fans to drown out the thousands of others in attendance.

“I have quite a few going down and I know they’ll make the most noise on the night, that’s for sure. It is a lot of money to travel to London and stay over night and I just want to let everyone that’s bought a ticket off me know I appreciate it so much and can’t wait to see you all on the night.”

He added: “I also want to say a big thank you to all my sponsors; MEM HVAC Specialists, Kings Brothers, Snugfit, DH Car Sales, Trimmers Arms, Aardvarc, Fitness 2000, H2N Nutrition, Wescott Coatings and, of course, SmugglingDuds.com, who have me covered for the weigh-ins.”

Tickets for Bellator 158 are available now via AXS.com.