GWENT MMA star Jack Marshman will finally get the chance to prove he is the best middleweight in Wales tomorrow night when the first all-Welsh clash in UFC history takes place in London, writes Jason Batty.

Abertillery’s Marshman, known as ‘The Hammer’, faces Swansea’s John ‘The White Mike Tyson’ Phillips at the O2 Arena in a contest that has been dubbed “The Battle of Wales”.

Both fighters possess dynamite in their hands, boasting 31 knockout wins between them and sharing almost identical records with more than 20 professional wins each – the bout isn’t expected to go the distance.

The fight has been welcomed by the two men, with both coming off back-to-back losses and now having the opportunity to display their heavy hands on the world’s biggest platform.

It will be Marshman’s sixth fight in the UFC since he signed two years ago.

It was then that the war of words with Phillips began as the Swansea fighter constantly called out Marshman on social media stating he was the number one middleweight in Wales.

His persistence paid off and the UFC signed Phillips, who fights out of SBG Ireland, the team of former double UFC champion Conor McGregor.

Despite the hype and smack talk, Marshman insists that it’s just business as usual tomorrow night.

“I know John’s going to try and take my head off – I’m going to try and take his head off!” he said.

“There’s no bad blood in it, we’re both proper fighters. I think we are going to put on hell of a show.”

It has been a bumpy ride for both men since their UFC debuts and all is at stake in London, with talk of the loser being cut from the UFC.

But there is no added pressure for Marshman, who fights in the UK for the first time in two years.

“We know it’s loser goes home, but that’s no pressure, I want to win every fight,” he added. “I’m focused on winning this.

“I go in there to fight properly and I think John does the same. When I go out there to fight, I’m going out there to hurt someone and hurt them properly.”

Styles make fights, and the explosive knockout power possessed in the hands of both men would suggest that somebody is going to wake up looking at the lights, but Marshman feels that he has the edge wherever the fight may go.

He said: “There’s a load of ways I can win this fight and I feel there’s only one way he can win, so I’m feeling really confident.

“I might take him down. My wrestling is good, my jiu-jitsu is massively underrated, and I can box with him as well.

“We all know what John’s got, that one-punch knockout power, but I’m good enough not to get caught by bombs.

“You’ve got to be stood in the pocket for him to land a powerful punch, you can’t land that power if you’re moving.”

The London card showcases a depth of talent including Ebbw Vale-raised Joe Duffy, who goes up against Marc Diakiese.

The main event sees Liverpool’s Darren Till look to bounce back from his title challenge defeat to Tyron Woodley with a win over Jorge Masvidal.