Phil Davis is set to make his PFL debut while still carrying the legacy of Bellator.
As a former Bellator light heavyweight champion, Davis (24-7) will step into the cage for the first time post-merger with PFL in late 2023. His upcoming fight against Rob Wilkinson (19-3) in the light heavyweight quarterfinal at 2025 PFL World Tournament 4, set to take place at Universal Studios in Orlando, Fla., will be aired on ESPN2 and ESPN+.
Despite the end of the Bellator brand, Davis still holds a deep connection to it. Facing the 2022 PFL champion Wilkinson in his debut, he continues to carry the pride of his former promotion.
“I still feel like I’m representing Bellator,” Davis expressed to MMA Junkie Radio. “I love Bellator. It was a great opportunity. Shout out to Scott Coker. Great organization. … I think I’m representing Bellator in the PFL tournament.”
At 40 years old, Davis believes he is in prime physical condition and ready to navigate the tournament structure with three fights scheduled between Friday and August. He views his tough matchup with Wilkinson as a chance to showcase his skills early on.
While acknowledging Wilkinson as a formidable opponent, Davis embraces the challenge ahead.
“I think they want big matchups,” Davis noted. “At the end of the day, it’s still fighting, and you have to bring a certain level of entertainment. So they wanted to start the tournament off with a bang, and I believe no matter what, in the finals, it’ll be interesting and it will still have a monumental finish in the finals. They want to start the tournament off right with a tough matchup in the first round, then we’ll see what we get from there.”