Lewis McGrillen decided against entering this year`s PFL world tournament, choosing instead to focus on showcase bouts – but that doesn`t mean he`s ignoring the tournament bracket.
The bantamweight fighter was the winner of last year’s PFL Europe tournament held in Lyon, securing a $100,000 prize and his first title with a major promotion. McGrillen had not initially planned to compete in the tournament but ended up participating on short notice, delivering a “Fight of the Year” contender against Dean Garnett.
Following that, he advanced to the final, where he knocked out German competitor Alexander Luster to become champion. He is now scheduled to face veteran Alan Philpott in the co-main event supporting Paul Hughes’ significant homecoming event in Belfast.
McGrillen Keeps Tabs on PFL World Tournament Despite Opting Out
Rather than moving directly from the European tournament to pursuing world honors, Lewis McGrillen chose to dedicate a year to showcase fights. While he believes this was the correct decision, he remains open to accepting another last-minute opportunity this year.
“I watch it constantly, I’m always watching these guys,” McGrillen shared in an exclusive conversation with Bloody Elbow. “They are potential opponents eventually, so I need to keep an eye on them.”
“I feel like the top bantamweights have withdrawn, which is typical in tournaments; competitors get injured when fighting so frequently, and weight issues can also become a problem.”
“These minor details will play a role. I`m looking at that Global tournament, I`ve considered it and thought `you know what, I might give that a shot`. At the same time, I`m currently receiving excellent offers with good money for showcase fights.”
“It was a straightforward decision to accept that contract now rather than jumping into the Global tournament where the pay wasn’t as good, so I`ve taken things as they are. But if someone withdraws?”
“I`d step in and fight. I see these bantamweights are all world-class, but I believe I could knock out the majority of them. I’ve observed how they fight, I’ve studied them, and I`m sure they think the same about me.”
Lewis McGrillen Anticipates Another Brutal Knockout in His Biggest Fight to Date
McGrillen has earned a reputation for his explosive fights, including two significant victories in last year’s tournament. He plans for a similar outcome this Saturday night when he co-headlines the event at the SSE Arena in Belfast, which is expected to be a sell-out crowd.
“I live by the sword and die by the sword,” he commented. “You know what you are getting into. But I’ve heard about Philpott, and I hear he used to train with Garnett previously, and apparently he didn`t fare well.”
“So if that`s the case, then honestly you should wonder what I’m going to do. It will be like I’m hitting him with a club.”
