Mitchell Thorpe wants to be the Michael Bisping of Karate Combat, the world's first full-contact karate league.

The British karateka got the job done on his professional debut against Zsolt Zsiga in September. 

Thorpe, 22, will next face Montenegro's Lazar Kukulicic in a three-round lightweight bout during Karate Combat Season 4 after preparing at BKK Fighters with his trainer Stuart Barlegs, who also works with Arnold Allen and Cory McKenna. 

UFC legend Bisping is widely credited with popularising MMA in the UK and Thorpe says he wants to do the same for full-contact karate.

"That's how I want to be remembered," Thorpe exclusively told GIVEMESPORT.

"I'd love to do what Michael Bisping and Dan Hardy have done in the UFC and become a big name in Karate Combat and help to raise the profile of the sport. 

"For me, it would be a dream come true for something like that to happen to me. 

"In my opinion, I've caught it at the perfect time, everyone is still learning the ropes of it.

"I think to myself, five years down the line, this could be just as big as the UFC."  

Besides being a black belt in Wado-Ryu karate, Thorpe is also a fully qualified electrician, often clocking up 12 hour shifts on a regular basis.  

When asked about juggling being a wireman and a professional fighter, Thorpe said it can quite tough but he is used to it by now. 

"It's been really hard to be honest," he added.

"I'm waking up at quarter to five every morning, leaving the house for like twenty past five for work, and then I'll get back about half five, six o'clock.

"Sometimes I'll be having to drive straight to training for half six and then I won't be getting home until nine o'clock at night.

"I'll come in, I'll do my three mile run, then I'll have dinner, shower, bed, and back to work in the morning."

However, he also explained how he is using that as extra motivation to make the most of this new opportunity. 

"I've always said to my mum and dad, one day, this will all be worth it," he continued. 

"Those are literally my go-to words when someone says to me, 'Oh, why do you do it?'

"Because one day it will all be worth it, whether it goes all the way or whatever, I'll be happy because this is all I've ever wanted to do.

"Who knows where it will take me? I don't want to put a limit on any of it, I just want to keep going and see where I end up."