Pablo Ben has vowed it will be third time lucky when he continues his quest for a first professional MMA win on Ultimate Challenge UK's Relentless show

Pablo Ben has vowed it will be third time lucky when he continues his quest for a first professional MMA win next month.

Ben, whose real name is Ramie, has bravely battled back from a fractured leg to take his place in the line-up for Ultimate Challenge UK's Relentless show at the Troxy on Saturday May 9.

And the 25-year-old, who has suffered a pair of first-round defeats since making his UCUK debut in February, insists he is not about to record an unwanted hat-trick.

"I have to do it this time - I've got to get that win to prove to everybody what I'm capable of and what I can do," Ben said.

"I've learned from my first two fights, but I know that I shouldn't have lost them both. I was unlucky, especially in my last fight. But this time there won't be any mistakes."

Ben, who lives in Stepney, appeared set for a maiden professional MMA triumph against Michael Brown on last month's UCUK Unstoppable show.

The former Taekwando specialist recorded a pair of early takedowns, but failed to finish the job and was forced to forfeit the contest 15 seconds from the end of round one after fracturing his leg.

He said: "It was an old injury that flared up again and it cost me that fight. I took him down a couple of times early on, I had him in a bulldog choke and I could've finished him off, but I was trying too hard to put on a show.

"Then I hurt my leg and after the referee stopped the fight to get it checked out, the medics said I couldn't carry on.

"They took me to hospital to have it X-rayed, but I haven't looked at the results. I've been fighting for years and I've been in worse pain than that - it was nothing, really."

Now Ben, who trains with East London outfits Team USB and Team LDG, insists he is ready for a return to action and has warned upcoming opponent Joe Holder to expect a tough clash.

"I'm feeling fine - not 100 per cent, but ready to fight again and good enough to beat this guy," Ben said.

"I saw his last fight against Jermain Facey and he did okay but he still lost and there was nothing there to scare me.

"He's a tall guy, maybe 6ft 2in and he's probably a few kilos heavier than me, but I'm used to fighting heavier opponents and the bigger they come, the harder they fall."

Tickets for Ultimate Challenge UK's Relentless show at the Troxy, 490 Commercial Road on Saturday May 9 are available at www.ucuk.tv.