Peter Queally has been handed a high profile test for his return to the Bellator cage later this year.

Queally, the former world title challenger, will take on the former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson at the promotion’s return to the Irish capital on September 23 next in a bout which will likely headline the card and which will have significant ramifications at the summit of the organisation’s 155-pound title picture. Queally holds both a win and a defeat against Bellator’s current lightweight champion, Patricky Freire.

‘The Showstopper’ had been set to face England’s Kane Mouseh at Bellator’s event in Dublin a month ago but was forced to withdraw from the card after suffering an injury in training, and later stated on social media that he took this as a sign to fully repair the injury (as well as other various niggles) ahead of making a return to action.

Henderson, meanwhile, is one of just a handful of fighters to have held the UFC’s lightweight strap and recently snapped a three-fight losing streak with a split decision win against Islam Mamedov. Henderson has previously fought in Dublin, scoring a unanimous decision win against Myles Jury in September 2019.

Queally vs. Henderson is the first bout to be fully confirmed for the September 23 card, though Bellator have also stated that they expected Sinead Kavanagh to also compete. Kavanagh scored an impressive win against Leah McCourt in Dublin in February in what was a tremendously entering contest.