Phil Davis-Lyoto Machida II Reportedly Set For September Bellator Event

By Fight Sports Jul 16, 2020

A rematch seven years in the making could very well be headlining one of Bellator’s return cards.

According to MMA Fighting and Combate, former champions Phil Davis and Lyoto Machida will meet on September 11. It is expected the promotion will host fights inside the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.

Both fighters competed against one another at UFC 163 in 2013. In Brazil, Davis would beat Machida via unanimous decision. The win would be Davis’ third in a row while the loss ended a two-fight win streak for Machida.

Davis (21-5, 1 NC), a former Bellator Light-Heavyweight Champion, made his professional debut in 2008. The four-time NCAA All-American started competing in the UFC in 2010 and fought in title eliminator bouts twice. Following the Machida win, Davis went 1-2 before parting ways with the promotion, signing with Bellator in 2015. He beat Liam McGeary to win the Bellator Light Heavyweight Championship before losing it to Ryan Bader.

8-2 with the promotion, Davis is on a two-fight win streak. He last fought in October, beating Karl Albrektsson via TKO.

Machida (26-9) mad his pro debut in 2003 and made his UFC debut at UFC 67 in 2007. Beating Rashad Evans to win the UFC Light heavyweight Title in 2009, Machida faced Mauricio “Shogun” Rua twice. Beating him to retain the title at UFC 104, he lost to Rua in the rematch at UFC 113. Machida ended up 16-8 with the promotion, which included a loss against Davis and earning a shot at the UFC Middleweight Title.

Last fighting Vitor Belfort at UFC 224 in 2018, Machida signed with Bellator after. He beat Rafael Carvalho (Bellator 213) and Chael Sonnen (Bellator 222) but lost to Gegard Mousasi at Bellator 228 in September. That ended a four-fight win streak.

Bellator announced that it will be returning on July 24 for Bellator 242. It is the first card for the promotion since February in Dublin.