Bellator returns to Dublin with Gegard Mousasi v Austin Vanderford title fight in February

Middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi headlines in Dublin

Bellator returns to Dublin on 25 February with middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi set to headline in a title defence against Austin Vanderford.

Peter Queally is also back in action against Englishman Kane Mousah in his first fight since losing to Patricky 'Pitbull' Freire in their lightweight world title fight in November.

"I'm excited. Can't wait. I'm always ready to fight and after a loss you want to fight soon," Irishman Queally told BBC Sport.

Queally was stopped by Pitbull in front of his home fans in Dublin last time out and is eager to start off the new year in style.

He said: "You want to knock that taste of defeat out of your mouth. It's perfect."

Bantamweight Brian Moore is also confirmed to be on the card having suffered a loss in his last fight against Nikita Mikhailov in Russia in October.

Queally on the comeback trail

Queally admitted he was left "devastated" by the loss to Pitbull in front of his home fans. The Irishman was growing into the contest before a counter right hand ended his hopes of becoming his country's first Bellator champion.

Pitbull left Ireland with the belt and Queally revealed he went through an intense "grieving period" in the weeks after the defeat.

"I felt dead almost," he explained. "For a week after the fight it was like a bit of me was gone. It's so devastating. You put so much effort into this and it was six minutes. That's all it was. Six minutes. That's it? I don't get another chance?"

But Queally will have the chance to get back to winning ways against Mousah, who is 13-4 in his career and fights out of Manchester.

Queally expects a firefight as he plots a route back to the champion.

"I've never lost twice in a row and don't plan to," he said. "The losses are more important than the wins and it's cliched but they kind of are.

"I've never had a loss that hasn't been devastating for me but there's also never been a loss that I haven't looked back on as a critical learning moment either. This will be the same."

He added: "I've been here before. I've scaled the mountain before and slid back down at different points in my career in critical fights.

"I'm experienced in that. I know I'm good enough to beat any of these guys. I know I can beat Patricky, I did beat him [in their first meeting in May]. I know I can beat Kane. I'm just very confident."

'Patricky won't need much convincing'

Peter Queally was undone by a quick counter from Patricky 'Pitbull' Freire

While Queally is confident he can bounce back against Mousah, the 32-year-old is also convinced a trilogy fight against Pitbull is within his grasp - should he win his next fight.

Pitbull is yet to give any indication about who he might face in his first title defence, but Queally thinks the Brazilian can be persuaded to defend the belt in Dublin.

"I don't think he'll take much convincing at all," he said. "Dublin was the biggest night of his life and for his career. We had a very nice moment backstage with the two of us chatting. He's very nice and he was thanking me for the opportunity. This meant a lot to him.

"It would just be perfect, if that's how it played out," he continued. "A bit of drama. A comeback story. I think we'll fight again. I think he enjoyed this.

"I think I'm in the front running if I can get myself together and get some good wins. I'm the guy who has the most bargaining power to fight him."