Former England rugby union international James Haskell will make his professional mixed martial arts debut in London on May 16th, it has been announced.

The retired back-row forward, who played for Wasps and Northampton in a globetrotting career that included spells in France, Japan and New Zealand, hung up his boots in May last year.

But the 34-year-old, who first started working with London-based MMA gym Shootfighters almost a decade ago as part of his rugby training, signed up with US-based fight promoter Bellator in August.

Haskell, whose 17-year rugby career saw him win 77 caps for England, is now set to fight against an as-yet-unnamed opponent at London's Wembley Arena.

"I don't shy away from the fact that, ahead of many of these guys (at his gym), I've got a Bellator contract," Haskell told the Guardian in an interview published Monday. 

"But I'm putting the hard work in and if somebody wants to have a tear-up with me we'll have one. I will give it my all because I’m representing Bellator and my gym."

Haskell's debut will be on a card headlined by a bantamweight contest between Ireland's James Gallagher and England's Cal Ellenor that has already been postponed twice.

© Agence France-Presse