Uncasville – PFL heavyweight Oleg Popov clinched a spot in the playoffs with a win over Davion Franklin at PFL 4 on Thursday night leaving the possibility of facing teammate Valentin Moldavsky at some point.

“Honestly I only think about the fight as it’s coming up so I didn’t really think about it,” Popov told reporters including Cageside Press through a translator at his post-fight scrum.

“I was concentrating on this fight 100%. I don’t want to think about it. Few days to think things over and just reset again. You have to work your ass off to get to the finals.”

Popov (18-1) took a decision victory over Franklin who showed very good takedown defense throughout the fight.

“Honestly even Moldavsky has better defense. He was way bigger than I am. I didn’t have any problems,” he said.

Training with the famed Fedor Team led by MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko the standard is set very high for their fighters. Popov wasn’t happy with the performance, but knew the win was the important thing.

“Sometimes you prepare 100%, you’re ready for the fight, you get inside the cage, and something goes wrong. Was one of those days where something went off, not according to plan, and I apologize to my fans,” he said.

“The fight was pretty boring I think. I’ll try to do it better next time.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Oleg Popov above.

The post Oleg Popov Not Thinking About Moldavsky Matchup appeared first on Cageside Press.

“I’m happy for this win today. It’s my first fight in USA, and in Bellator, it’s my debut. I’m happy for this performance,” he told reporters including Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.

“It was a lot of emotion when I win this fight because I have a hard time and long way to come here. Many years of training and sacrifice to make all this way here, and finally I make my debut and it was a win. So thanks God for all this. Thanks for everyone who support me. I’m happy that I am here today.”

Trabelsi won the fight when he took Davison Franklin down. Trabelsi was in top position and Franklin tapped to what looked like a leg injury of sorts.

“I hear his leg make crack you know. I see when he talked with the referee. He want to stop, but I keep going and after the referee he stopped it so. I wish for him fast recovery and big respect for my opponent,” Trabelsi said.

With the journey to Bellator 300 finally complete Trabelsi looked towards the future

“It makes sense if I take a guy from top 5 because today I fight with a guy from top 10, but you know, I’m ready for everyone,” he said.

“I will take one week rest. I’ll go back to gym, back to training, and I wait for the next call from Bellator.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Slim Trabelsi above.

The post Slim Trabelsi Details Emotional Victory, Ready To Fight Again Soon appeared first on Cageside Press.

During this week’s media day in San Diego, Franklin (6-1) touched on how MMA is often a landing spot for outcasts, be it in life or sports. As was the case with himself.

“It’s no secret that a lot of MMA fighters don’t really fit in anywhere else besides MMA. Like, a lot of MMA fighters, they were bullied or something like that, or they didn’t fit in in other sports,” noted Franklin. “They played football, they didn’t fit in, basketball, then they find a life in fighting. I think MMA has allowed me to do that.”

“Sometimes it feels like MMA is grounds for outcasts a little bit,” he added.

Two fights ago, Franklin suffered his first loss as a pro, but he bounced back in his last outing. Asked about what adjustments he had made between bouts, “I just put a lot more focus into my cardio and slowing down, not just trying to chase the finish the whole time,” Franklin said of his approach to his last fight. But since then, he’s recognized that “there is a time in a fight where I am supposed to kind of put my foot on the gas and kind of press forward and put more pressure on when I see opponents tired.”

Franklin admitted that he gave Kasim Aras, his last opponent, maybe a bit more respect than he should have. “I think if I would have pressed him a little bit more, I could have got the finish.”

Davion Franklin faces Slim Trabelsi at Bellator 300 this Saturday, October 7, 2023 in San Diego, CA. Check out his full media day appearance above.

The post Bellator 300: Davion Franklin Says MMA Allowed Him to Fit In appeared first on Cageside Press.

Among the newly added match-ups, recently signed heavyweight talent Slim Trabelsi (5-0), who was briefly inked to a UFC deal last year, makes his promotional debut against #9-ranked big man Davion Franklin (6-1). Former UFC bantamweight title challenger and now featherweight contender Sarah McMann (14-6), meanwhile, takes on Leah McCourt (7-3), in a battle of the #2 and #5-ranked fighters in the weight class, respectively.

McMann made he promotional debut in April, defeating multi-time title challenger Arlene Blencowe by unanimous decision. For her part, McCourt is coming off a loss to Cat Zingano, who will face Cris Cyborg for featherweight gold later in the night in San Diego.

Longtime Bellator MMA veteran Henry Corrales (21-6), meanwhile, takes on Hawaiian Kai Kamaka III (11-5-1) in a featherweight match-up, while grappling star Jena Bishop (5-0) returns to the face to face Brazil’s Ilara Joanne (11-7) at flyweight.

Bishop went 4-0 for LFA prior to joining Bellator MMA, picking up a unanimous decision win in her debut earlier this year.

Finally, Bobby Seronio III (3-0) faces Alberto Garcia (2-0) in a bantamweight bout. Both prospects are undefeated in their professional careers to date.

Bellator 300 takes place at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, CA on Saturday, October 7, 2023 with a whopping four title fights headlining the event. The following match-ups have been announced for the card:

Usman Nurmagomedov (c) vs. Brent Primus — for the Bellator MMA lightweight championship / Lightweight world grand prix semifinal
Cris Cyborg (c) vs. Cat Zingano — for the Bellator MMA women’s featherweight championship
Ryan Bader (c) vs. Linton Vassell — for the Bellator MMA heavyweight championship
Liz Carmouche (c) vs. Ilima-Lei Macfarlane — for the Bellator MMA women’s featherweight championship
Davion Franklin vs. Slim Trabelsi
Sara McMann vs. Leah McCourt
Henry Corrales vs. Kai Kamaka III
Ilara Joanne vs. Jena Bishop
Bobby Seronio III vs. Alberto Garcia

The post Five Preliminary Card Match-Ups Announced for Milestone Bellator 300 appeared first on Cageside Press.

Franklin (6-1), a rising heavyweight prospect, was caught in a submission against Marcelo Golm in his last fight. And he admits that the first loss of his career messed with his head.

“It was a little weird to me, because I’m not going to lie, my last fight I was extremely confident,” Franklin told media outlets including Cageside Press following his win over Kasim Aras on Saturday. “So for me to lose a fight that I was extremely confident in, it kind of messed with my mental a bit to be honest with you.”

As for how he handled the loss, “I just kept telling myself ‘just don’t underestimate anybody anymore. Everybody in this game in this game has a chance.” Franklin also knows that he has the potential to be great, “but I’m not quite great yet. So I’ve got to put in the work to be the person that I really want to be.”

A low blow in Saturday’s fight by Aras looked nasty, but Franklin doesn’t believe it was anything but accidental. “I didn’t think he meant it, honestly. I just think it just happened.” Luckily, the foul didn’t take too much out of Franklin. “No, it didn’t. The shock factor, yeah, but then when I realized, it’s okay, it wasn’t too bad.”

Back in the win column, Davion Franklin has a list of names he’s interested in, from Daniel James to Tim Johnson. And, of course, Marcelo Golm, who served up his first loss.

“All y’all heavyweights, I’m on your ass bro. Y’all don’t want this as bad as me. I guarantee you, if I see any of y’all in the future, y’all know what’s up. Y’all know I’m coming. Off with all y’all heads. I swear. I’m crushing all of you, that’s facts.”

Watch the full Bellator 295 post-fight press conference with Davion Franklin above.

The post Off With Their Heads: Bellator 295 Heavyweight Davion Franklin Calls Out Plenty of Names appeared first on Cageside Press.

What was to be his second fight of 2022 never did transpire, however. Instead, the undefeated Franklin (5-0) watched opponent after opponent after opponent fall through.

“It was a little devastating but like they say, the show must go on, the show must keep going,” Franklin told Cageside Press during the Bellator 283 media day this week. “I think there’ll be more opportunities to fight overseas, especially as I continue to go further, the longer my career [goes].”

A full three opponents fell through for Franklin at Bellator Paris back in May. The first simply didn’t work out. “The second guy was Gokhan Saricam, and he got ‘injured,’ that didn’t work,” Franklin recalled, complete with air quotes in relation to the supposed injury. “And then the last guy, he popped for testosterone, and that didn’t work. It just wasn’t my time. Now it’s my time.”

This time out, it’s Marcelo Golm, best known for his UFC run. There’s a feeling that this is Franklin’s toughest test to date, but he doesn’t see their Bellator 283 fight that way.

“No,” Franklin responded to that idea. “I’m his toughest test.”

If he passes that test, Davion Franklin has a road map planned out for his fighting future.

“With the landscape of the heavyweight division, you’ve got Ryan Bader fighting Linton Vassell. He’s probably going to win that fight. And then you’ve got [Valentin] Moldavsky fighting [Steve] Mowry. I think it would work in my benefit for Moldavsky to win that fight, since he already fought for the title. So let’s say I beat this guy [Golm], I fight Tim Johnson or Tyrell Fortune by the end of the year, one of those guys or both of those guys, and then maybe fight Ryan Bader next year. That’s my goal.”

Watch the full Bellator 283 media day appearance from Davion Franklin above. Franklin faces Marcelo Golm this Friday, July 22, 2022 in Tacoma, Washington.

The post Bellator 283: Marcelo Golm Isn’t Toughest Test, “I’m His Toughest Test” Says Davion Franklin appeared first on Cageside Press.

With the event quickly approaching, a number of key match-ups have now been announced for the card. On Tuesday, Bellator officials confirmed via press release that a main card welterweight bout between Lorenz Larkin (24-7) and Mukhamed Berkhamov (15-1) had been added to the event, in a fight that will see Larkin return to 170 pounds after a stint at middleweight.

MMA Junkie previously reported the booking.

In addition to Larkin vs. Berkhamov, a heavyweight scrap featuring undefeated prospect Davion Franklin (5-0) taking on UFC vet Marcelo Golm (9-3) has been added to the card. The fight will almost certainly be Franklin’s toughest test to date. Golm, who made his promotional debut last year, will be looking for his second straight win in the Bellator cage, and fourth overall.

Golm posted a 1-3 record in the UFC from 2017 to 2019.

Among the other additions to the July card are familiar names including Jaylon Bates and Kai Kamaka III. Bellator 283 is headlined by a lightweight title fight between champ Patricky Pitbull and challenger Sidney Outlaw. The card as announced by the promotion breaks down as follows:

• Patricky Freire (c) vs. Sidney Outlaw – for the Bellator MMA lightweight championship
• Douglas Lima vs. Jason Jackson
• Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Chris Gonzalez
• Lorenz Larkin vs. Mukhamed Berkhamov
• Davion Franklin vs. Marcelo Golm
• Viktor Nemkov vs. Jose Augusto
• Adam Piccolotti vs. Tofiq Musayev
• Romero Cotton vs. Dalton Rosta
• Veta Arteaga vs. Vanessa Porto
• Gadzhi Rabadanov vs. Bobby King
• Jaylon Bates vs. Mark Coates
• Roman Faraldo vs. Luis Iniguez
• Vladimir Tokov vs. Justin Montalvo
• Ethan Hughes vs. Kevin Hand
• Kai Kamaka III vs. Akhmed Magomedov

Bellator 283 takes place at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington on July 22, 2022, with the main card airing on Showtime in the U.S. following online prelims.

The post Larkin vs. Berkhamov, Franklin vs. Golm Among Bellator 283 Additions appeared first on Cageside Press.

Ahead of the fight, Sowma had admitted to being “a little salty” about Franklin being ranked just ahead of him in the weight class. He’d have the chance to vent his frustrations as the fight opened up the main card — but Franklin would have the final word.

It was Davion Franklin on the attack early on Saturday. He backed Sowma up along the cage, firing a side kick as Sowma circled out of harm’s way. When Franklin closed the distance, he was throwing heavy leather, firing an big overhand right. Sowma was showing plenty of respect to that power, but did answer back with a right hand and a kick — the latter nearly caught. By the end of the round, Sowma was able to tie up his opponent against the cage.

Franklin once again came out swinging for the fences to start round two. Even his kicks seemed to have everything behind them. Sowma ate a jab that backed him up, an apt demonstration of the power Franklin possessed. They’d really open up as the round progressed, trading kicks, one of which Sowma caught — enabling him to throw a punch over top, which Franklin ate. Sowma then moved the fight to the fence, tying things up, but they wouldn’t stay there long, and later in the round, Franklin tagged Sowma. That created an opening, with Franklin moving in for the kill, but Sowma tied things up again.

Sowma would catch Franklin early in the third, but Franklin answered back. Franklin appeared to have slowed a step in the final round, but his power was still a threat. If there was a path to victory for Sowma, it was winning the small battles, and grinding away on the powerhouse Franklin. But at the end of the round, it was Franklin landing on top for a takedown, and throughout the fight, his power was a constant factor. It likely proved to be the deciding factor as well.

Awarded a split decision, Franklin maintains his perfect record, improving to 5-0. After the bout, he called for a fight with Linton Vassell this summer.

Official Result: Davion Franklin def. Said Sowma by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)

The post Bellator 274: Davion Franklin Goes the Distance, Wins Split Against Said Sowma appeared first on Cageside Press.

“I think Said Sowma, he’s showing up,” Franklin (4-0) replied when asked about his current foe. But despite that, the undefeated heavyweight feels that this is the fight he can silence his critics with. Those that have questioned his level of opposition, for starters.

“I think if I go out there and have the performance that I know I’m capable of, nobody’s going to keep discrediting me and telling me I’m fighting bums, and I’m not going to get these kind of DMs anymore,” Franklin later stated. “So I think this is the fight to shut up all the critics, shut up all the haters. And I’m going to do it.”

Franklin recognizes that yes, Sowma has wins over the likes of Ronny Markes and Vitaly Minakov. But until an injury incurred by the ex-champ, “I had Minakov winning that fight,” he suggested. “Said Sowma, he’s kind of like one of those guys who, he looks to last, he looks to wait for you you to tire yourself out before he starts to get off his offense. I had Minakov winning that fight, but obviously he broke his finger, so it didn’t go his way.”

Franklin sits at #8 in Bellator’s rankings, Sowma one spot back at #9, and the latter admitted Thursday that he was a bit salty about their position. Franklin, however, doesn’t pay attention to the rankings at all.

“No, I just pay attention to the kind of performances that I’m going to have. That’s what I look forward to,” he told Cageside Press. “Said Sowma can be salty all he wants, but none of that is going to matter when he steps into the cage with me.”

Watch the full Bellator 274 media scrum with Davion Franklin above. The event takes place this Saturday, February 19, 2022 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. More coverage from Thursday’s media day can be found below.

The post Bellator 274: Davion Franklin Believes with Sowma Fight, He Can Shut Up Critics and Haters appeared first on Cageside Press.

It was also a short one.

Mixed martial artists aren’t exactly paid by the minute, and Franklin made sure to get things over with quickly on Friday. His knockout of Cummings came in just 21 seconds — almost too quick, he told media outlets backstage at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.

“I was hoping it would last a little longer,” Franklin admitted, noting that he was “waiting on my moment. I like to slam people, and I didn’t get to slam him. So, next time.”

Franklin improved to 4-0 with the win, and while he’s willing to fight anyone as his career progresses, he has a singular focus. Which means he doesn’t care much about being the first man to defeat Cummings. “I’m chasing the title. I don’t care about somebody else’s record. I’m here to win the belt. And it’s going to happen.”

With such a short performance, is there anything to build off, room to improve? Franklin couldn’t pinpoint anything Friday. “I didn’t really get a chance to see anything. I thought he would last a little longer, no disrespect to Mr. Cummings,” he told Cageside Press. “But I didn’t really get a chance to see anything.”

Ryan Bader currently holds the heavyweight title in Bellator; while the champ is tied up in the light heavyweight grand prix, Valentin Moldavsky has claimed interim gold. Franklin had a message for “Darth” Bader: “Keep it warm. Don’t lose to Moldavsky.”

Jake Hager was another name thrown Franklin’s way following his win on Friday. Like Franklin, the AEW pro wrestling star and former collegiate wrestling standout is undefeated. Franklin had his own flirtation with pro wrestling in the past, having tried out for the WWE.

“That guy doesn’t want to fight me. He does not want to fight me,” Franklin said Friday. “Honestly if Jake Hager ever steps up to fight me, I would be glad to hand him an L. That’s facts.”

Asked if he would ever give pro wrestling another shot, given Bellator has been open to fighters juggling careers, Franklin said only that “right now, I’m just focused on winning that title.”

Watch the full Bellator 264 post-fight press conference with Davion Franklin above.

The post Bellator 264: Davion Franklin Says AEW Star Jake Hager Doesn’t Want to Fight Him appeared first on Cageside Press.