4 burning questions heading into Bellator Dublin

Bellator returns to one of the hotbeds of European MMA as Dublin’s 3Arena plays host to the first European Series event of 2020.

Following an injury to main event star James Gallagher, Bellator’s European matchmaker Jude Samuel has shuffled the deck, with Northern Irish women’s MMA pioneer Leah McCourt set to take center stage in the biggest fight of her career.

The former IMMAF amateur world champion will headline the reshuffled fight card against Germany’s Judith Ruis in a women’s featherweight main event, while a card packed with Irish and British prospects will look to wow the passionate and knowledgable Irish crowd on what is sure to be another wild night in Dublin.

Without further ado, here are four burning questions heading into Bellator Europe 7/Bellator 240.

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Will ‘The Curse’ be a main-event blessing for the Irish fight fans?

McCourt’s promotion from main card notable to main event star represents a huge jump in exposure for the affable Northern Irish starlet, and the fighter playfully nicknamed “The Curse” is looking to complete a hat-trick of wins at the 3Arena on Feb. 22.

McCourt’s first two appearances inside the Bellator cage both produced stoppage wins, with both fights taking place inside Dublin’s famously atmospheric venue. Now she faces Ruis (6-4 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) looking to make it three in a row in Bellator, and three in a row in the 3Arena.

Ruis will have other plans, of course. The German now faces a monumental occasion on her Bellator debut as she will not only face one of the stars of women’s MMA on this side of the pond, but she’ll have to do it under the glare of the main event spotlight.

It’s a daunting prospect, but she’ll head into the bout with confidence having picked up a pair of first-round submission finishes in her last two bouts prior to being snapped up by Bellator.

It promises to be a night to remember for one of these unexpected main event fighters, but who will get their hand raised at the end of the night? Will McCourt (3-1 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) rise to the occasion on the biggest stage of her career, or will Ruis step in and spoil the party with a dream performance on her debut?