5 Things You Might Not Know About Phil Davis

Phil Davis can still see the summit from where he stands and hopes to someday plant his flag there one more time before he calls it a career in Bellator MMA.

“Mr. Wonderful” will locks horns with “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 19 winner Corey Anderson in a Bellator 297 light heavyweight showcase on Friday at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. Davis, 38, has rattled off seven victories across his past nine outings. He last competed at Bellator 276, where he took a unanimous decision from Julius Anglickas in their three-round encounter on March 12, 2022.

As Davis makes final preparations ahead of his upcoming battle with Anderson at 205 pounds, here are five things you might not know about him:

1. He already established a reverence-worthy legacy.

Davis was the 16th four-time NCAA All-American wrestler and the 18th national champion in Penn State University history. He completed his career with the tradition-rich Nittany Lions with a remarkable 116-20 record. More than 15 years after Davis graduated, those 116 career victories remain tied for 16th on the school’s all-time list. He won his national title as a senior in 2008.

2. His transition to the big pond was smooth.

“Mr. Wonderful” made his Ultimate Fighting Championship debut as an undefeated prospect at UFC 109, where he outpointed former World Extreme Cagefighting titleholder Brian Stann to a unanimous decision on Feb. 6, 2010. Davis compiled a 9-3 record with one no contest across his 13 appearances with the company, then signed with Bellator as a big-ticket free agent in 2015. He still ranks in the Top 10 among UFC light heavyweights in takedowns landed with 31.

3. He belongs to an exclusive club.

Davis laid claim to the undisputed Bellator MMA light heavyweight championship with a unanimous decision over Liam McGeary at Bellator 163 on Nov. 4, 2016. He held the title for 232 days before surrendering it to Ryan Bader at Bellator 180 the following June. Davis remains one of only seven men who have captured the promotion’s 205-pound crown, along with Bader, McGeary, Christian M'Pumbu, Attila Vegh, Emanuel Newton and Vadim Nemkov.

4. No one doubts his durability.

The Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, native has never been finished in his 31-fight career. All six of Davis’ losses—Bader (twice), Nemkov (twice), Anthony Johnson and Rashad Evans—have resulted in decisions, including three of the split variety.

5. Stability has proven beneficial to him.

Davis has spent the past 14 years operating out of the Alliance MMA camp, where he trains under Eric Del Fierro and has sharpened his skills alongside a host of accomplished stablemates, from Jan Blachowicz, Brandon Vera and Dominick Cruz to Alexander Gustafsson, Philip De Fries and Jeremy Stephens.