The Knottingley security guard – who served a seven-month tour of duty in Iraq – hopes his sparring expertise will lead to victory in the Ultimate Force mixed martial arts championship show in Doncaster on Saturday.

Nigel, 27, said: "This is my first semi-professional fight and I am going to win, all being well.
"I've always practised martial arts, starting with tae kwon do as a youngster, and cage fighting is basically mixed martial arts.

"Many people do martial arts throughout their lives without ever putting them to the ultimate test, so that's why I want to do this.
"Hopefully I'll be able to compete in even more in the future."

Dad-of-three Nigel swapped life on the front line to battle on the big screen in reality television show Fighting Hurts – which threw novices into the world of cage fighting – last year.

He is training at the Xercise gym in Xscape, which is sponsoring his championship bid along with the leisure centre's bar Bar Fusion.

He added: "This is my first semi-professional fight after the show, where I got through to the quarter-finals.
"I left the Army after six years because of family commitments and my time in Iraq was actually enjoyable, but it is amazing what you get used to after time.
"I'm geared up and ready to compete now."

Coach Martin Griffin has been putting Nigel through his paces at Xercise.
Martin said: "He is going to win this fight in Doncaster without a shadow of a doubt.
"We've been training hard and we've got to be confident."