Bellator 274: Davion Franklin Not Happy With Performance, Wants Vassell

Uncasville, CT – Fighters with high expectations can be their toughest critics and for Bellator heavyweight Davion Franklin that is an absolute fact.

“I give myself a C+. Honestly I didn’t do my best tonight. I’m very disappointed in myself,” Franklin told the media at his post-fight scrum following his victory at Bellator 274 on Saturday night.

Franklin defeated Said Somwa via split-decision in what many felt should have been a unanimous decision victory for Davion.

“I know I could have done a whole lot better. I really wanted to knock him out. This whole week I just kept having these visions in my head of knocking him out. It just didn’t happen.”

Franklin was able to land a lot of heavy shots on Somwa but they just weren’t stopping his opponent.

“I should have been more technical. I feel like if I was a little more technical it would have put him down so I just need a little more skin in the game.”

Somwa turned out to be a challenge for Franklin but he did not fight the way Davion thought he would.

“I expected him to move around a lot more. He was kind of a little smack in there too which I was surprised by because he seemed like a pretty humble dude. It is what it is, if I fight him again, I promise you the results will be way different. I promise if I ever fight him again I’m going to flatline him next time.”

Franklin fought twice in 2020, and twice in 2021. The heavyweight wants to be much more active in 2022.

“I need to be a little bit more active. I don’t want to fight once every six months. I should be fighting every three months, because I know I’m healthy and young enough to do it. I just need more skin in the game that’s it.”

Fighting every three months would make for four bouts in a calendar year. Franklin had a name in mind for his next fight.

“I would like to fight Linton Vassell. He seems like the next guy in the line to beat. I’m not in here just to fight anybody, I’m here to become a world champion. You don’t fight, you don’t get to be a world champion by fighting nobodies or guys who are not trying to move up the ladder. I want to move up the ladder so if I had it my way I’d like to fight Linton Vassell. I hope he agrees to that challenge.”

Watch the full Bellator 274 post-fight press conference with Davion Franklin above. More coverage from the event can be found below.