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The 40-year-old enjoyed a successful stint on the roster for the WWE, juggling his professional wrestling duties with his passion for mixed martial arts.

Now on the books with Bellator, the world’s second largest MMA promotion, Lashley visited the UK on the promotional trail ahead of his upcoming fight on a mouth-watering card at Bellator 179 in London, in May.

And The Dominator recalled the moment he stepped out into the ring alongside Donald Trump in arguably one of most iconic moments in recent pro wrestling history – the "Battle of the Billionaires" match.

Selected by Trump to face Umaga, the future President of the United States wagered his hair against Vince McMahon’s fighter in a pulsating showdown that culminated in Lashley spearing his opponent into a three-count.

(Image: GETTY/DAILY STAR ONLINE)

“It was pretty cool,” Lashley told Daily Star Online.

“At the time when we were going through it, I was like ‘okay so we’re doing what? Wrestlemania?’

“Everything was big but you didn’t realise how big it really was. You do these things throughout your life that you don’t realise how big they were until after it’s done.

“At the time, I was on the road four days a week, so I’m so primed into wrestling that I was just like ‘alright, I’m just wrestling another match’.

“I think they dropped $250,000 (£200,000) onto the crowd when he [Trump] walked out, his money song came on, Miss Universe and Miss America were down there.

(Image: GETTY)

“It was a fiasco but it was amazing, the notoriety that he brought to it and the respect that we got from a lot of different places because of it.”

During November’s presidential elections, Lashley spoke out in defence of his former manager, claiming accusations Trump was a racist were untrue.

“I think it’s kinda funny that everybody is flipping the script now because at that time and the other times I’ve seen him do things on TV, he was the biggest celebrity or the biggest personality we had and everybody loved him,” Lashley continued.

“But I guess as President, maybe he’s a little bit too brash for them.

“Not me though, I don’t mind him.”

Lashley returns to the UK with Bellator on May 19 riding a five-fight win streak as he seeks to continue his rampage toward the heavyweight championship.

Tickets for the Bellator 179 card – headlined by Paul “Semtex” Daley taking on the returning Rory MacDonald – are available now.