Bellator Dublin: Peter Queally aiming to 'pay the fans back' in September
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Peter Queally says he is hoping to "pay the fans back" when he faces Benson Henderson in the main event of Bellator 285 in Dublin in September.
Injury forced home favourite Queally out of Bellator 275 in front of the Irish fans in February.
Missing the event made the Irishman, 33, feel like he had let his supporters down.
"People were coming up to me and wanted a picture and said 'aw, we've come here to see you', Queally told BBC Sport.
"It just makes me feel so bad. You feel like you've let people down, that's the bad part.
"I need to pay that back this time and I will."
Queally's lightweight fight against America's Henderson serves as the main event on 23 September.
Sixth-ranked Queally knows beating Henderson, who is second in the rankings, will go a long way to securing a third fight with Bellator lightweight champion Patricky Pitbull.
Queally beat Brazil's Pitbull last year, before losing the rematch which was for the vacant title.
Facing former UFC lightweight champion Henderson, 38, is Queally's first bout since that defeat to Pitbull in November 2021.
"I would love to fight Patricky again," said Queally.
"I think beating Benson would secure that fight for me, but even if Patricky loses the belt in the meantime or whatever, I would still like to fight him to be honest as my next fight.
"We need to fight again. It's 1-1 and it's definitely a fight we need to do for the third time and settle who the best man is."
Pitbull has pulled out of a title defence against Sidney Outlaw later this month with injury.