Despite choosing showcase fights over participating in this year`s PFL world tournament, bantamweight Lewis McGrillen is closely following the competition bracket.
Last year, McGrillen emerged victorious in the PFL Europe tournament held in Lyon, earning a $100,000 prize and his inaugural title with a major promotion. Remarkably, he hadn`t initially planned to enter the tournament but accepted a fight against Dean Garnett on short notice, a bout that became a contender for fight of the year.
His success continued into the final, where he defeated Germany`s Alexander Luster via knockout to become the champion. McGrillen is now set to face veteran Alan Philpott in the co-main event supporting Paul Hughes` highly anticipated homecoming in Belfast.
McGrillen Keeps Tabs on PFL World Tournament While Preparing for Belfast Co-Headliner
Instead of proceeding directly from the European tournament to pursue global honours, Lewis McGrillen opted for a year focused on showcase bouts. While he believes this was the right decision, he remains open to potentially taking a late-notice spot in the world tournament this year.
“I watch [the tournament fights] repeatedly; I`m always observing these guys,” McGrillen commented. “Ultimately, they are potential future opponents, so I have to pay attention.”
McGrillen feels some of the top bantamweights have withdrawn from the tournament, highlighting a common issue in such formats where fighting on short notice can lead to injuries or difficulties making weight as bodies recover and rebound.
“These smaller factors will play a role,” he noted. “I`ve looked at that Global tournament and thought about having a go at it. At the same time, I`m currently receiving excellent offers with good money for showcase fights.
“It was somewhat a straightforward decision to take that contract now rather than jumping into the Global tournament where the prize money wasn`t as high. So, I`ve accepted the current situation. But if anyone pulls out?”
“I`d jump in and fight. I see these bantamweights as world-class competitors, but I also believe I can knock out the majority of them. I`ve observed their movements, studied them, and I`m sure they think the same about me.”
McGrillen Predicts Another Brutal Knockout in His Biggest Fight to Date
McGrillen is known for his high-intensity, exciting fights, including two major wins in last year`s tournament. He anticipates delivering a similarly powerful performance this Saturday night when he co-headlines at the SSE Arena in Belfast, expected to be a sold-out event.
“I live by the sword and die by the sword,” he stated. “At the end of the day, you know what you`re signing up for.” He mentioned hearing about Philpott, noting that he reportedly used to train with Garnett and was heavily dominated during those sessions.
“So if he was getting handled like that back then,” McGrillen concluded, “to be quite honest, you should definitely wonder what I`m going to do. It`s going to be like hitting him with a club.”
