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Gallagher to follow in team-mate McGregor's footsteps by fighting at Madison Square Garden

The 20-year-old Strabane native will be facing the brother of a former UFC champion in New York this summer.

James Gallagher celebrates his victory Straight Blast Gym featherweight James Gallagher. Gary Carr / INPHO Gary Carr / INPHO / INPHO

JAMES GALLAGHER’S BID for a Bellator featherweight title shot will resume this summer when he fights in the US for the first time in his professional career.

It has been announced that Gallagher (6-0) will be part of Bellator’s event at Madison Square Garden in New York on Saturday, 24 June.

The undefeated 20-year-old will face Chinzo Machida (5-2) — the older brother of former UFC champion Lyoto Machida — at Bellator 180/NYC which will be the US-based mixed martial arts organisation’s first event at the iconic Manhattan venue.

Bellator 180/NYC is to be headlined by the meeting of Wanderlei Silva and Chael Sonnen. The card will also feature Fedor Emelianenko versus Matt Mitrione, a welterweight title bout between Douglas Lima and Lorenz Larkin, as well as Michael Chandler versus Brent Primus for the lightweight title.

James Bellator MMA Bellator MMA

Gallagher, who hails from Strabane, fights out of Straight Blast Gym in Dublin. He made his professional debut in October 2015 and his most recent win came via first-round submission against Kirill Medvedovsky at Bellator 173 in Belfast last month.

By competing at Madison Square Garden, Gallagher will follow in the footsteps of SBG team-mate Conor McGregor, who headlined the first ever MMA event at the venue last November when he defeated Eddie Alvarez to win the UFC lightweight title.

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