'Celebration of women' II - McCourt set for Collins showpiece

Sometimes, history has a funny measurement of repeating itself.

Earlier this month, conscionable arsenic she did 4 years ago, Leah McCourt checked her telephone aft different gruelling training convention arsenic she prepared for her adjacent fight.

"I was sitting successful a bad temper conscionable aft training - exhausted, hungry, and past nan aforesaid point happened - I sewage a matter saying 'you've been made nan main event'," McCourt told BBC Sport.

With Fabian Edwards' rematch against middleweight champion Johnny Eblen postponed, Northern Ireland's McCourt will now apical nan paper for her bout pinch Australia's Sara Collins astatine nan Bellator Champions Series successful London connected Saturday.

In 2020 nan aforesaid point happened arsenic James Gallagher's bout pinch Cal Ellenor was called off, meaning McCourt became nan first female to header a Bellator Europe event successful triumph complete Judith Ruis.

McCourt, 32, called that arena a "celebration of women" and she uses nan aforesaid building erstwhile describing nan upcoming Collins conflict astatine OVO Arena Wembley.

The attraction will beryllium connected featherweight brace McCourt and Collins, but she wants to make judge each nan women who person inspired her to this constituent successful her profession besides get their chance successful nan spotlight.

"It's an honour really because it's a ceremony of women. It's putting america successful nan limelight, truthful shout-out to Bellator for giving america that opportunity to show what we tin do," said McCourt.

"I'm very passionate astir supporting women, I'm an ambassador for Women's Aid successful Northern Ireland, my sister fosters 2 girls, my mum useful successful a shelter successful Belfast.

"I look astatine them arsenic inspirations. Obviously I get a spot much publicity but nan women astir maine are very strong. They person jobs that are successful work to others, they're not successful nan limelight.

"London, it's a awesome opportunity for everybody to celebrate."

It has been 11 months since McCourt's past conflict astatine Bellator 300, wherever she stopped American Sara McMann successful nan first round.

Later connected that evening, featherweight awesome Cris Cyborg knocked retired Cat Zingano to take sides her title, earlier facing disconnected pinch McCourt and mounting up a early title bout betwixt nan pair.

That conflict ne'er came to fruition, however, pinch nan PFL acquiring Bellator soon aft and taking nan featherweight section successful a different direction.

McCourt was scheduled to look Ireland's Sinead Kavanagh successful March but withdrew earlier nan conflict aft breaking a rib and tearing an abdominal muscle.

Cyborg, meanwhile, will look PFL featherweight title-holder Larissa Pacheco connected 19 October successful a champion versus champion bout.

Rather than waiting to look nan victor of that bout, McCourt says she is "putting her number 1 contender spot connected nan line" against Collins because she doesn't want to hold to conflict immoderate longer.

McCourt has won 8 of 11 fights since making her debut successful 2017, while 34-year-old Collins is undefeated, winning her first 5 bouts arsenic a pro.

"Obviously I was owed to conflict for nan title aft beating Sara McMann. I've been told to enactment fresh for October successful lawsuit anyone pulls retired of nan title fight, and I'd decidedly for illustration to get that changeable and beryllium a world champion," said McCourt.

"I'd for illustration to conflict Cris Cyborg, she's 1 of nan top of each clip and she's nan champion.

"It's a reliable one, I'm excited for that conflict arsenic a fan, it's a large fight. The title situation, I conscionable deliberation whoever wins that conflict is nan world champion."