Age Just a Number for Phil Davis Ahead of Professional Fighters League Semifinal

Not letting age be a factor or talking point at this stage of his career, former Bellator MMA champion Phil Davis put on a remarkable performance in the first round of the Professional Fighters League light heavyweight tournament. He made his PFL debut and took on onetime tournament champion Rob Wilkinson, closing the show just moments into the second round.

It was Davis’ first appearance in almost two years and left him two wins away from winning a PFL tournament title.

“I was just excited to be back in the SmartCage,” he told Sherdog.com. “Win, lose or draw, I just enjoy competing. I enjoy the sport. I love the sport. I felt good just being back in action. Definitely getting the win, a [knockout], it all felt great.” After reading Wilkinson in a first round that didn’t see much overwhelming action, Davis blitzed early in the second and picked up the technical knockout victory in the first minute. It has been a formula for Davis. The longtime veteran looks to learn his opponent while in action, then turns his game up once the puzzle has been solved.

“I like to measure,” he said. “Once I have someone’s reach and timing down, I can just begin to pick you apart. That’s just in general how I approach fighting. At times, I definitely need to turn it up in the first round, but I think with Rob, he’s a game opponent. I didn’t want to make a mistake early on, so I just had to bide my time, find the right openings and then take advantage.”

Fighters only get one shot! Watch the Semifinals of the PFL World Tournament LIVE Friday, June 27 at 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN+

The victory over Wilkinson pits Davis against another young and hungry opponent, as he will take on Sullivan Cauley in a PFL 2025 World Tournament 7 light heavyweight semifinal on Friday at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. Cauly owns a 7-1 record. All eight of his bouts have concluded inside one round. Davis, a highly experienced and respected veteran, has grown accustomed to the old-versus-young narrative. In fact, he was once on the other side of it.

“I remember when I was 7-0, 8-0, going against real hitters for the first time,” Davis said. “I remember that feeling. For me, it’s important to remember that I was ready for those fights. I was ready to make my name on the guys that were maybe overlooking me because I was young or didn’t have enough fights. I’m definitely not overlooking [Cauley]. I remember that feeling. You have to be ready to arrive at that moment. I’m sure he’s done all his practice and research. I’m not taking him lightly.”

Davis believes the PFL offers him the perfect path at this stage of his career. He prefers being able to control his own destiny.

“It feels good,” he said. “It feels like sport. It feels natural, the way things should be. I definitely like the tournament-style format. I think it’s good for the fans to be able to follow. It’s good for the fighters. I love it.”

Even though he reached the mountaintop in Bellator earlier in his career and wants to do so again in the PFL, Davis understands the importance of zeroing in on the task at hand.

“I haven’t even allowed myself to get to that place where I need two wins,” he said. “I’m just locked in on each victory. I have an idea of how I’d like things to go, but I just have to keep that train on the track. It means I keep winning one fight at a time, not letting anything sway me.”