Mixed martial arts talent Craig Edwards intends to “show the world what I can do” when he steps into the famous Cage Warriors cage for the first time next week.

Lightweight Edwards faces the unbeaten and hotly-touted Medhi Ben Lakhdar in front of the BT Sport cameras at Cage Warriors 99 in Colchester’s Charter Hall on November 17, in what will be the biggest MMA show ever held in this region.

And the 26-year-old (1-2) knows that a big performance in Europe’s top MMA promotion, screened live across the world, will rocket his career to the next level.

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It will be a very tough test against the fast and flashy Frenchman Ben Lakhdar (3-0) but, having given top prospect Mason Jones all he could handle in a third round submission defeat at the Cage Warriors Academy Show in Wales back in May, Edwards is prepared for the challenge.

“I know he’s fast and quite long with good boxing, but he’s got holes which I can exploit,” said Edwards, who fights out of Colchester’s BKK Fighters Gym and will enjoy a vocal home backing for the first time in his professional career.

“I’ve been working on a few things like counters and being aggressive. I absolutely do not want to go to 1-3, that’s for damn sure, but I’m confident that will not be the case, I’ll be moving to 2-2 after this fight.”

Of his first dance under the bright lights of Cage Warriors, he added: “It’s a dream come true. Years ago, when people from BKK like Jack Mason and Arnold Allen were competing on it and I was an amateur, I would have killed to be on that show!

MORE: Edwards excels at BCMMA 17

“Now I get the yellow gloves and all of that, I’m so excited – this is a platform for me to show the world what I can do, and I can’t wait.

“I hope it’s not going to go the full 15 minutes – I’d like an early night, first round KO and away – but I think the longer this goes, the better it is for me. That said, I want to beat him up as quickly as I can!

“Someone is going to get punched in the face – it might be him, or it might be me, but you have to watch to find out.”

Edwards, who is known for taking on tough fights, added: “Everyone wants an easy ride – no-one wants a loss, which I understand. But I don’t know how long I’ve got to fight and I want to know that I did the best I could do and tried to get as far as I could. I want to be great.”

Edwards also thanked his sponsors – Stone Sports Management, Ashton Roofing and Maintenance, Calsy SSD and Destroy Inc – for their support.