Phil Davis is eager to get the chance to welcome Yoel Romero to Bellator.
In the main event of Bellator 266 on September 18 in San Jose the two will share the cage. Davis is coming off the grand prix loss Romero will be moving up to light heavyweight for is debut. It’s an intriguign mathup and for Davis, when he got the call he would be fighting Romero, he says it was an immediate yes.
“Absolutely. I’ve only wanted to fight big fights, the biggest names, and the toughest fighters,” Davis said to BJPENN.com. “This is what I do it for, this is a great opportunity. Let’s do it.”
Although Davis is eager to fight Romero, he knows fighting the 44-year-old Cuban is a tough ask. Romero hasn’t fought since March of 2020 at middleweight but Davis knows the former UFC title challenger is a tough out for anyone.
“Yoel’s a difficult guy to prepare for no matter what. He’s powerful, very explosive, having said that, he’s always a tough guy to prepare for,” Davis explained. “But, the biggest thing is getting a read on him early and figuring out his timing and distance.”
Entering the fight against Yoel Romero, Phil Davis knows his size will play a big role in the fight. He also knows his wrestling and takedown defense will likely keep the Cuban from shooting on him.
If Davis keeps the fight standing, he is well aware he has the skillset to make it a tough fight for Romero. If he can do that, he knows he will get his hand raised as he plans to make the fight a difficult one for Romero.
“I think he will stand and strike, I doubt he will try and wrestle. Even though he has the wrestling background, he doesn’t use it all that much,” Davis said. “He seems like he always goes for the knockout. But, for me, I know I’m well-rounded and I don’t tire easy and I can make the fight difficult for Yoel. I can also take a punch but I have good footwork and can get out of the way.”
If Davis gets his hand raised, the hope for “Mr. Wonderful” is to get a top-ranked opponent next as he looks to fight for Bellator gold again.
“I can say I want another fight in by the end of the year, but that all depends on how healthy I leave this fight,” Davis concluded. “A win here puts me near the top of the division. Yoel’s stature and what he’s accomplished is a big win for me.”
Do you think Phil Davis will beat Yoel Romero?