Leah McCourt, MMA's rising star, describes her incredible journey from being a single mother at 18 to becoming the first female to headline a Bellator event.

LEAH McCOURT has had an amazing journey, starting as a single mother aged 18 and ending up at the Bellator main event.

Sinead Kvanagh, 29, will be taking on the 29-year-old in the largest ever Irish female MMA fight at Bellator 275 at 3Arena in Dublin tonight.

After beating Judith Ruis in February 2020, the Northern Ireland star has already tasted success.

This was the first time a Bellator Europe event had been headlined by a woman.

She was one step closer to winning the Featherweight World Title by defeating Janay Harding in America last May. In October, she won a unanimous decision over Jessica Borga at Wembley to increase her record to 6-1-0.

Many are now predicting that tonight’s battle of mothers will secure a date with destiny against champion.

McCourt, a Belfast native, has spoken out about her feelings of being 'another working mom' and how she juggles her career with caring for her daughter Isabella.

Ireland AM had previously told her: "I usually run the treadmill in mine kitchen at seven o'clock in the morning." I am the queen of multitasking.

"Isabella is still in bed so we wake her up and drive to Dublin for a two-hour session. We then drive back up the road to pick her up. Dinner, homework, and dinner are all done that night. It's quite hectic.

"I feel like another working mom, there are so many mothers who work full-time and have to manage so much."

McCourt: She thanks everyone who helped her get there and said that if it weren't for them, she might still be 'fighting to make pennies and jobless'.

McCourt gave an inside look into her life as a champion in the lead-up to Friday's showdown on BBC's Born To Brawl.

She stated that she and her sisters grew up together in a Belfast council house. I knew that I would always be a fighter.

Isabella was my 18th child and I was the only parent. It was hard, but I did it with three jobs and training.

McCourt said, "I envision becoming the Bellator world champion." If I tell you that I know I will do something, it means that I am certain that I will.

"Growing in Belfast gave me that inspiration. I didn't know what path to take. It was up to me to make the right choices and training decisions.

Leah McCourt fights Sinead Khanagh on Friday, 25 February at 21:00 GMT.