US-based mixed martial arts promotion, Bellator MMA, has announced that it has signed the former England rugby international James Haskell as a active competitor.
Haskell will compete in the Bellator heavyweight division and is expected to make his professional MMA debut for the global promotion in 2020.
Having made 77 appearances for his country, Haskell announced the end of his stellar 17-year professional rugby career, which saw him achieve major honours, in May this year, at the age of 34.
Alongside his many rugby accolades, in the past Haskell had shown a keen interest in the sport of MMA for a number of years, working as an MMA TV pundit and training alongside fighters in London.
Standing at 6ft 4in and weighing in during his rugby career at 260lbs, Haskell will compete in Bellator’s heavyweight division which features the likes of current champion Ryan Bader, challenger Cheik Kongo, MMA veteran Josh Barnett and Fedor Emelianenko.