Bellator MMA heavyweight Davion Franklin may be the most talented heavyweight, if not the most talented fighter, you’ve never heard of. The 2-0 heavyweight fighter out of JacksonWink MMA returns to action this weekend at Bellator 259 as he takes on MMA veteran, The Ultimate Fighter alum Tyler King.
Elite training leading the way
Not only does Franklin have supreme talent and incredible physique, but he comes with a great team of not just support, but with his management and his coaching team, Franklin has been given the path to go about his career intelligently and strategically.
In January of 2019, he was the second recipient of a new partnership between the JacksonWink gym and Mata Leon Scholarship, his teammate Christian Edwards was the first. Since getting on board with the JacksonWink/Mata Leon Scholarship, Franklin and Edwards are a combined 6-0 and ranked Top 10 in their respective Bellator division rankings.
Outside of the team and management support, Franklin has had the fortune of training with former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, who has been preparing for a move up to heavyweight and is considered among one of the greatest fighters of all time, if not the greatest. During a recent interview with the On The Mic podcast, Franklin opened up about training with Jones and how it’s helped him early in his career.
“It’s great because I’m an oyster and I feel like I learn a whole lot from Jon. A couple weeks ago I got to do jiu-jitsu with Jon and he did pretty good at controlling me, but I wouldn’t let him tap me out. Jon is so technical, he’s a genius. You get the rub going with guys like that, the more you go with someone like that the better you get, because they’re so great.”
Davion Franklin, On The Mic podcast
Pushing for greatness early in his career
With just two wins in two fights in his professional career, Franklin sees similarities between himself and Jones early on in his career, and “All Day” also believes that being a part of Bellator provides him the opportunity to seize success not just early on but throughout his entire career.
I feel like I’m writing my own story, just being here, this is where I need to be, this is where I want to be. I want to be the greatest heavyweight of all-time. I just got to keep proving myself. I want to stay undefeated my whole career so I know I have to work hard. There’s so many great talented people in this gym.
Davion Franklin podcast
High expectations and scary prediction for Bellator 259
It may be hard to believe for many because he’s very early in his career, but Davion Franklin is must-see television and to amp up the anticipation for his next fight, he offered up a bone-chilling prediction for his fight against Tyler King. When asked what he brings to the cage and how he wants to go about his career, bringing cerebral violence is the only thing on his mind.
“To be honest, I bring a different level of intensity that scares a lot of guys away. I’m also very very cerebral. It’s a competition, I get it, but when I’m in there, I hate to say it, I’m a little evil. I’m cerebral. This is not a game to me. I’m there to inflict pain, I’m there to bring the pain and I feel like a lot of guys want a dog fight, for me it’s not a dog fight. I’m sure one day there’s going to be some guy who is tough, but my intentions are not just to win. My intentions are to make you feel me, to make the people feel me, to be seen, to know this guy is f***ing serious. I’m so cerebral and I know it. I know I’m dangerous.”
Davion Franklin, On The Mic podcast
Tyler King is his next opponent, but Davion Franklin is not just focused on the immediate target, he’s focused on the bigger picture, and working his way up through the Top-10 of Bellator’s heavyweight division. If the violence that was promised is brought at Bellator 259, Franklin will be a name that fans hear more often in 2021 and beyond, on his road to what he hopes makes him the greatest heavyweight mixed martial artist of all time.
Full interview with Davion Franklin below:
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