5/2/25: Phil Davis Wins PFL Debut At Last 2025 'World Tournament' Quarter-Final Card
Also: Stamp Fairtex drops title due to injury, Sedriques Dumas arrested, Taila Santos suspended, and more
Welcome to a Friday edition of the Knockdown Daily! Today’s issue has a recap of all the top MMA news stories from this week so far. We have a LOT to cover: A PFL event to recap, four other major news stories, plus a ton of fight bookings & updates in the notes section. Let’s begin!
PFL Results: Phil Davis Wins Debut With First Finish Win Since 2019 Over Former Champ Rob Wilkinson
The quarter-final round of PFL’s “World Tournament” wrapped up on Thursday night, with heavyweights and light heavyweights starting their year at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, USA.
Kicking off bracket runs which are expected to last three fights in total—competing for a grand prize of $500,000—those who won on Thursday are expected to come back just a little over a month from now for their semi-final assignments.
At light heavyweight, it was Phil Davis, Antonio Carlos Junior, Simeon Powell, and Sullivan Cauley who advanced in their fights this week.
The heavyweight bracket included successful performances from recent UFC departures Alexandr Romanov and Rodrigo Nascimento, as well as Valentin Moldavsky and Oleg Popov.
Here’s a recap of it all.
Light Heavyweight Veteran Davis Wins PFL Debut With Second-Round Finish
At 40 years old, “Mr. Wonderful” still has some gas in the tank.
13-fight UFC vet and former Bellator champ Phil Davis kicked off his first-ever PFL tournament run on Thursday night with a big win, taking down 2022 champion Rob Wilkinson in the second round.
Davis showcased his damaging striking in the main event, using boxing to secure his first finish win since 2019. After a calculated opening round on the feet from both 205-ers, a right cross from Davis sent Wilkinson tumbling to the mat just moments into the second frame.
Davis followed up with ground and pound shots, although he didn’t need to score many before referee Kevin MacDonald stepped in to end the bout.
“It was just a matter of committing to that right hand and waiting for the right read,” Davis said afterward.
The win started a new chapter for Davis, who made 15 appearances in Bellator over the course of almost a decade. He hadn’t fought since PFL acquired the company in late 2023, making Thursday his first appearance in nearly two years.
Wilkinson has failed to recreate the magic of his 2022 PFL run in recent years, with 2025 being the latest time when he has failed to get another chance in the finals. Previous years have seen him get eliminated in the tournament’s semi-final round and get disqualified early on due to a failed drug test.
In the next round, Davis will go from facing a former champ to a rising contender in the division, Sullivan Cauley.
Cauley had a quick and impressive return to the cage, countering the wrestling of former LFA champ Alex Polizzi with his striking for a finish in the first round. Cauley landed a series of elbows and punches while resisting a takedown attempt from Polizzi just a few minutes into the bout, stunning him in the process. Cauley kept landing shots against a rocked Polizzi until the referee stopped the bout, earning him a win.
Cauley entered this weekend expecting to meet Marcelo Nunes, but plans seemingly changed in just the hours leading up to the show. PFL announced Thursday that Nunes withdrew from his fight, causing Polizzi to get slotted in. Polizzi was previously expected to meet Rafael Xavier in an alternate fight earlier that evening, but of course was moved out of that matchup once a new opponent was needed for the bracket.
2021 light heavyweight champ Antonio Carlos Junior started his quest toward a second title on Thursday night, defeating former Bellator title challenger Karl Moore via split decision. Carlos Junior’s grappling skills, allowing him to get Moore to the ground and control him in both the first and second rounds, did enough to give him a scorecard nod. Moore took over the fight as “Shoeface” started to tire late, but wasn’t able to claw back into the contest after already falling behind on a pair of scorecards.
Carlos Junior has looked to follow up on his impressive 2021 season in recent years, but a second title has eluded him. In 2022, he made it to the promotion’s semi-finals but had to withdraw from the fight beforehand. And last year, he just narrowly missed out on the playoffs after going one-for-two in the regular season.
If he wants to put gold around his waist again, Carlos Junior must get past flashy English striker Simeon Powell in the semi-finals.
Powell escaped a clinch-fest against Sweden’s Karl Albrektsson to secure a brutal stoppage win in the second round. After spending a fair amount of the fight being held against the cage by Albrektsson, Powell was able to find separation and unload with his shots. A flurry of strikes ended with a clean elbow to the head that dropped Albrektsson, ending the bout just near the halfway point.
Powell has been in the PFL for years, but Friday’s win kicked off his first-ever tournament campaign on their flagship tour. The 2023 PFL Europe finalist noted afterward that everything is coming together for him amid what could be his biggest year yet as a pro.
“The last couple performances, I just feel like I haven’t been myself, and I truly feel like I’m back,” Powell said in his post-fight interview.
Moldavsky Joins Two Ex-UFC Fighters In Heavyweight Semi-Final Round
Long-time Bellator heavyweight contender Valentin Moldavsky returned to the win column in the co-main event of the night, getting past fellow Russian talent Sergey Bilostenniy in a highly competitive three-round fight.
Moldavsky was given the scorecard win after a fight where it seemed like each round was narrowly won by either fighter. The first round was a close stand-up battle which Bilostenniy might have stolen in the closing moments with a combo of punches that left Moldavsky wobbled. The back-and-forth battle continued in the second, with it being hard to determine who got the better of the five-minute frame.
Moldavsky kept Bilostenniy against the cage for most of the third round, providing him a fair amount of control in a fight where big moments for either talent were few and far in-between.
Former interim Bellator champ Moldavsky took his first crack at a PFL season last year, but had his tournament run cut short due to an injury. He has momentum behind him after handing Bilostenniy just his second loss since 2023.
Moldavsky will now meet Alexandr Romanov in the semi-finals, a talent who had a much faster path to victory on Thursday.
Romanov, one of three ex-UFC fighters who were making their PFL debut on Thursday, had a quick night at the office. He caught Bellator and UFC vet Tim Johnson in the second minute with a standing guillotine choke, ending a bout that was at kickboxing range prior to the sudden finish. It became clear afterward that Johnson was seemingly also battling a rib injury, clutching his side after the fight stopped.
Romanov exited a 10-fight UFC run last year, leaving the promotion after facing notable talents like Jailton Almeida, Marcin Tybura and Alexander Volkov. The 34-year-old Moldovan was a massive favorite against Johnson, who has now been finished within a round in three consecutive bouts.
2024 heavyweight finalist Oleg Popov scored somewhat of a controversial win on the prelims, sneaking by former UFC fighter Karl Williams in a close split decision. Popov relentlessly chased takedowns throughout the three rounds, getting Williams to the mat briefly at numerous points of the bout. But Williams was the more active of the two in the damage department, often piecing together numerous shots while resisting takedowns from Russia’s Popov.
However, it was the control of Popov that the judges deemed to be more effective, earning him two rounds on a pair of scorecards. The result brought some momentum back for Popov, who had a streak of over a dozen wins broken when he was stopped by Denis Golstov last year. Williams was hoping to make a run in PFL’s tournament shortly after a four-fight UFC campaign, which shockingly came to an end after just one defeat in the promotion.
Popov will go from facing one former UFC talent to another when he meets Rodrigo Nascimento in the heavyweight semi-finals later this year.
Nascimento overcame U.K. prospect Abraham Bably in a tight split decision result. While Bably found success during clinch positions, Nascimento was able to connect at range and trade with him in dirty boxing exchanges.
Nascimento was fighting for the first time since an eight-bout UFC run, which suddenly came to an end following back-to-back losses last year. The Brazilian was facing notable heavyweight names even near the end of his time with the promotion, meeting Derrick Lewis in a main event bout just under a year ago. Bably, who was signed by the PFL as an undefeated prospect, now has back-to-back losses.
Heavyweight Semi-Finals
Rodrigo Nascimento vs. Oleg Popov
Alexandr Romanov vs. Valentin Moldavsky
Light Heavyweight Semi-Finals
Simeon Powell vs. Antonio Carlos Junior
Sullivan Cauley vs. Phil Davis
Main Card (8:00PM EDT) (ESPN2 / ESPN+)
Bout 8: Phil Davis def. Rob Wilkinson via TKO, Strikes (RD 2, 0:51) (Light Heavyweight Quarter-Final)
Bout 7: Valentin Moldavsky def. Sergey Bilostenniy via Decision, Unanimous (Heavyweight Quarter-Final)
Bout 6: Antonio Carlos Junior def. Karl Moore via Decision, Split (Light Heavyweight Quarter-Final)
Bout 5: Simeon Powell def. Karl Albrektsson via TKO, Strikes (RD 2, 2:05) (Light Heavyweight Quarter-Final)
Preliminary Card (5:30PM EDT) (ESPN2 / ESPN+)
Bout 4: Alexandr Romanov def. Tim Johnson via Submission, Guillotine Choke (RD 1, 1:53) (Heavyweight Quarter-Final)
Bout 3: Oleg Popov def. Karl Williams via Decision, Split (Heavyweight Quarter-Final)
Bout 2: Sullivan Cauley def. Alex Polizzi via TKO, Strikes (RD 1, 1:36) (Light Heavyweight Quarter-Final)
Bout 1: Rodrigo Nascimento def. Abraham Bably via Decision, Split (Heavyweight Quarter-Final)
Stamp Fairtex Relinquishes ONE Title Due To Injury, Denice Zamboanga Crowned New Undisputed 115-Pound Champ
Another physical setback has called an end to the 115-pound ONE MMA Championship reign of Stamp Fairtex.
An injury has forced Stamp to withdraw from an August 1st title unification fight against Denice Zamboanga and relinquish her belt, ending a reign which was riddled with medical issues over the past year. Sports Illustrated confirmed the news on Thursday evening.
Stamp spent a large portion of 2024 out of competition after undergoing surgery for a knee injury. This delayed a long-awaited fight against Zamboanga, which was initially positioned for a card last June.
By early 2025, Stamp had recovered enough that a new fight date could be booked against Zamboanga for this summer, headlining the promotion’s return to Denver, Colorado, USA. However, SI has confirmed that issues from that same knee have forced Stamp to withdraw from the bout, further delaying her eventual return.
Stamp never received the opportunity to defend her belt after defeating Korea’s Ham Seo Hee in September 2023 to claim champ status.
With Stamp out of the picture, interim champ Zamboanga has been promoted to undisputed status. Amid the Thai fighter’s absence in recent months, Zamboanga captured an interim title with a second-round stoppage win over Alyona Rassohyna. The bout was her fourth straight win in the promotion.
While it has emerged under less than ideal circumstances, the change makes Zamboanga the first-ever Filipino woman to become an undisputed champ in ONE history. She is the third-ever 115-pound champ, following in a lineage which also included the 2,703-day run of Angela Lee.
The cancelled bout between Stamp and Zamboanga has also reportedly caused the promotion to outright scrap their August 1st trip to Denver. The promotion cited a struggle to book other major title fights as a reason for the decision.
The promotion now says their next trip to Denver will be an entire 13 months from now, on June 26th, 2026. For now, it looks like the promotion will remain in its home of Bangkok, Thailand, producing fights inside the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.
ONE Championship has hosted two U.S. events since 2023. The promotion previously also cancelled their plans to host a show in Atlanta, Georgia, last year, moving the show to Thailand a month before it was slated to go down.
UFC Middleweight Sedriques Dumas Arrested Again, Hit With Home Invasion and Battery Charges
UFC’s Sedriques Dumas has once again been arrested.
Dumas was booked early this week in Escambia County, Florida, USA, per publicly available jail records. He’s currently facing charges of felony home invasion robbery without a firearm, felony possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, felony possession of a controlled substance, misdemeanor battery, and misdemeanor drug equipment possession and/or use.
Dumas is being held on a steep bond of $558,000, with his first pretial hearing scheduled for Tuesday. An arraignment is set for May 23rd. No further details regarding the charges are known publicly at the moment.
29-year-old Dumas has a lengthy history of arrests which predate his 2023 UFC debut. Prior to his first appearance in the promotion, Bloody Elbow reported that Dumas had pled no contest to a domestic violence charge in 2017, causing him to serve a year of probation.
Dumas was arrested last year and charged with misdemeanor battery just weeks before he was scheduled to appear on a “Fight Night” card. The charge was later dismissed.
Dumas most recently fought last month at UFC 314, losing via first-round finish to Michal Oleksiejczuk.
Taila Santos Was Pulled From 2025 PFL Flyweight Tournament Due To Failed Drug Test
We now know why 2024 PFL flyweight finalist Taila Santos suddenly disappeared from the 125-pound division’s ongoing bracket last month.
Former UFC contender turned PFL standout Santos was announced this week to have accepted a six-month suspension from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) for a failed drug test which was registered before the “World Tournament” bracket started a few months back.
Santos tested positive for oxandrolone in late March, per a press release issued by the company on Wednesday. The test caused her to get pulled from an opening round bout in the promotion’s current flyweight in April.
Under the rules of PFL’s Anti-Doping Policy, a typical failed drug test causes a six-month suspension. Retroactive to the date it was registered, the sanction for Santos is expected to expire in late September.
PFL’s anti-doping policy is notably different from the one UFC operated under during their partnership with USADA. While UFC followed a stricter system that handed out suspensions as long as two years, the typical PFL suspension goes no longer than six months.
The failed drug test derailed what could’ve been a big year for Santos. The experienced Brazilian had a successful debut year in the PFL, slicing through three opponents before losing to Dakota Ditcheva in the flyweight finals. With Ditcheva not competing in the 2025 tournament, Santos was one of the favourites to go all the way in the eight-woman bracket. Instead, she’s now benched for more than half of the year.
‘The Ultimate Fighter’ Season 15 Vet Vinc Pichel Announces Retirement
Vinc “From Hell” Pichel is done fighting.
The 42-year-old Californian MMA vet confirmed this week that he’s leaving the sport, ending a UFC run which transcended eras for the promotion.
Pichel announced his retirement on social media, commenting that “I’m sad, I’m excited, I’m afraid. I’m grateful to everyone who was with me or part of my MMA career.”
Big opportunities emerged early in Pichel’s MMA career, just after he picked up seven wins on the U.S. regional scene. By 2012, three years after his debut, Pichel appeared on Season 15 of “The Ultimate Fighter.” After winning his first three fights in the house, he was eliminated by Al Iaquinta.
Pichel became one of the few “TUF” talents to get signed despite not winning the reality show’s tournament. After losing his promotional debut to Russia’s Rustam Khabilov, he would go on to win seven of his next eight, getting past names like Joaquim Silva, Anthony Njokuani, and Jim Miller.
Injuries became a major part of Pichel’s career, causing major time gaps in his fight record. Despite being in the UFC for over a decade, constant setbacks and numerous cancelled fights meant that he only appeared a total of 12 times. Nonetheless, he has a longevity in the promotion that outlasts the average fighter’s stint.
Pichel’s time with the UFC came to an end after a trio of decision losses, most recently dropping a decision to Rafa Garcia in March.
“As I walk away I’ll leave you with this,” he said on Instagram. “Do what feels right, don’t apologize for being you, learn what you can from who you can, no regret’s and most importantly, HAVE FUN!”
Notes On: UFC, PFL, KSW, ONE Championship, OKTAGON & LFA
UFC
Vinc Pichel isn’t the only fighter who has retired recently. 31-year-old Dan Argueta (9-3) also announced that he’s leaving the sport after being cut from the UFC. “After receiving news of the UFC not giving me the opportunity to finish out the final fight on my contract, I’ve ultimately decided to turn the page and start writing my next chapter,” he said on Instagram this week. Argueta was a highly valued prospect on the U.S. regionals by 2022, when he moved his undefeated record to eight wins and captured LFA’s bantamweight title. Later that year, he lost a UFC debut up at featherweight, dropping a decision to Damon Jackson. While he scored a victory over Nick Aguirre in early 2023, Argueta would go on to lose two of his next four, with the other two ending via no contest (one ruled a no contest due to a botched referee call, another was a loss overturned after his opponent failed a drug test). “I gave it my all every-time I stepped into an Octagon and that’s something I’m at peace with … I had big dreams and was willing to go until the wheels fell off but God had other plans for me.”
UFC said they’re hoping to reschedule a light heavyweight fight between Junior Tafa (6-3) and Tuco Tokkos (10-5), which was expected for this Saturday but fell through after both suffered injuries.
The return of Gavin Tucker (13-3) will be delayed once again, as he has reportedly withdrawn from his May 10th fight against Lee Jeong-yeong (11-2), per Garrett Kerman. Tucker hasn’t been seen since his August 2023 loss to Diego Lopes. Taking his place will be Daniel Santos (11-2), who will end his nearly two-year break from competition when he faces Lee, per Alex Behunin. Santos put together a pair of wins early in his UFC run, stopping John Castaneda and beating Johnny Munoz Jr. on scorecards.
Two more fights for UFC’s May 17th APEX card:
Nursulton Ruziboev (35-9-2) and Dustin Stoltzfus (16-6) have been paired up at middleweight. Ruziboev bounced back from his first UFC loss in February, stopping newcomer Eric McConico in the second round with strikes. Stoltzfus, who has struggled to find his footing since joining the UFC five years ago, will look for his first-ever two-fight winning streak in the promotion after stopping Marc-Andre Barriault last fall.
Cuban prospect Yadier DelValle (8-0) will make his UFC debut against Connor Matthews (7-3), per social media posts made by both fighters. DelValle earned a UFC contract on “Dana White’s Contender Series” last year, extending his undefeated record with a win over veteran Antonio Monteiro. Before then, he pieced together victories in Texas regions Fury FC, along with a one-off appearance in Combate Global. The fight could be another tough assignment for Matthews, who has been stopped in his past two UFC appearances.
Seventh-ranked lightweight Mateusz Gamrot (24-3) will try to defend his spot against unranked Ludovit Klein (23-4-1) at UFC’s May 31st card. Gamrot had an impressive streak brought to an end last summer when he lost an incredibly tight split decision result to Dan Hooker. Before then, he had wins over established names like Rafael dos Anjos and Jalin Turner. Klein has been on a roll for years, earning six wins and one draw since early 2022. However, for the first time in this run, he now has a matchup which could break him into the rankings.
Last week, we learned Kamaru Usman and Joaquin Buckley will headline UFC’s June 14th trip to Atlanta. Here are two more fights for that card:
Undefeated Oumar Sy (11-0) will try for his third UFC win when he faces Alonzo Menifield (16-5-1). Sy submitted Tuco Tokkos and overcame Jung Da-woon on scorecards during his rookie year in the promotion. He now comes back against 15-fight UFC vet Menifield, who escaped falling into a three-fight skid with a split decision win over Julius Walker earlier this year — although in a fight that wasn’t the best showing.
Riding the momentum of a solid showing from earlier this year, Edmen Shahbazyan (14-5) will face off against Andre Petroski (13-3). Shahbazyan won his most recent UFC bout in just 95 seconds, putting away Dylan Budka with a right hook. Petroski has a lot to be happy about recently, too. His February decision over Rodolfo Vieira was his third consecutive UFC win since last July.
It was announced last weekend that Rafael Fiziev (12-4) will fight Ignacio Bahamondes (17-5) in the co-main event of UFC’s June 21st trip to Baku, Azerbaijan. Fiziev has lost his past three, albeit only against elite-level lightweights. In his first appearance since a gruesome leg injury took him out of action for over a year, Fiziev dropped a three-round bout to Justin Gaethje in March. Bahamondes has been on the rise as of late, having scored three consecutive finish wins since April 2024. He would break into the division’s top 15 with a win over Fiziev later this summer. Fiziev currently represents Azerbaijan as his father’s side of the family is from the country.
PFL
The MMA Draw has put out a very revealing story this week, writing about how PFL has sued numerous sponsors in recent years over alleged breach of contract. They have filed lawsuits over the past few years against Rich Energy, NXT LVL, Bravago, Millions, and Westgate Marketing, alleging that as much as millions of dollars from some of their contracts have yet to be paid out. It’s a well-researched investigation that you should check out.
Misc.
A24 has released a trailer for “The Smashing Machine,” an upcoming biopic on Pride FC fighter Mark Kerr, based on a 2002 documentary of the same title. The two-minute trailer sees Dwayne Johnson play Kerr, with numerous clips closely re-enacting moments seen in the doc. It’s set for an October 3rd theatre release.
KSW
Here’s an interesting one: KSW Heavyweight Champion Phil De Fries (26-6) will return against former GLORY Kickboxer turned MMA contender Arkadiusz Wrzosek (6-0) at the promotion’s June 14th show in Gdansk, Poland. De Fries has been a dominant champ since joining KSW in 2018, having defended his belt a whopping 11 times (yes, seriously). But Wrzosek has a lot of momentum, having successfully translated his brutal striking skills into the MMA cage. He has won his past four fights in the first round, including a 25-second victory over UFC alum Matheus Scheffel and a 14-second win over former high-level boxer Artur Szpilka. This is a really good challenge for KSW’s most successful champion.
ONE Championship
ONE Fight Night 32 will take place on June 6th from the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. The sole fight announced for the card thus far is a three-round Muay Thai bout between Nakrob Fairtex and Jaosuayai Mor Krungthepethonburi.
OKTAGON
OKTAGON 76 will take place on October 4th at the Ondrej Nepela Winter Stadium in Bratislava, Slovakia.
LFA
LFA has announced the lineup for their May 24th trip to Cuiaba, Brazil. The main event will see Bruno Henrique (18-4) look to extend his seven-fight regional winning streak within the country when he makes his LFA debut against Inglesson de Lara (10-1), a fighter who is coming back to the promotion after capturing a title in Centurion FC last September.
Also on the card: In a matchup between two undefeated regional champs, Argentina’s Carlos Petruzzella (13-0) will face off against Joseilton Santos (10-0). And in his first appearance since suffering a defeat on “Dana White’s Contender Series,” heavyweight prospect Lucas Camacho (6-1) will be in action. Tapology has the full lineup here.