Issue 164
February 2018
An interview with Alfie Davis, one of the best and up coming MMA Talents who are primed to hit the big time.
Key Stats:
- Age: 27
- Weight: 155
- Record 12-2
- Nationality: English
- Promotion: Phoenix FC
Everything about Alfie Davis looks good. His record, his fighting style, his charisma. Even his hair is on point. The confident Londoner has already amassed a positive start to his MMA career, following a successful stint in the kickboxing world as a teenager. As soon as he turned his attention to mixed martial arts he showed promise, utilizing elements from his kickboxing background to good effect in the cage – you’ll probably have seen his emphatic axe kick knockout on highlight reels already.
On top of this, he’s worked hard on rounding out his skillset after suffering a smothering wrestling defeat back in 2014, something that spurred him on to become more proficient in every facet of the game.
Q. Scott Coker was very impressed with your spinning back-kick KO at Bellator 179. Has he been chasing your signature?
Alfie Davis: "I think there was interest from Bellator, but there was a conflict of interest with BAMMA as they run shows together. Also, my coach and I have other plans. I’m not necessarily signing for Bellator because the lightweight division isn’t great at the moment. We’re aiming for the UFC. My coach has been in talks with them but we’ve made a decision to have one or two more fights. I want to make sure that when I go in there that I’m on a tear. I see so many people eager to get signed to the UFC but haven’t properly thought out their careers. They get signed, they win a couple of fights and then they lose one. Their marketability goes down and they sort of become a mid-tier fighter. Our plan is to go in there on a tear and get a title shot within two or three years. We want to hold off signing, but after this next fight, who knows?"
Q. Are you happy to be known as that guy who can flex out with flashy strikes and score some spectacular knockouts?
Davis: "Yeah, definitely. I’m more marketable because of it. At the end of the day, it’s show business, isn’t it? They want to see flashy stuff being performed. I think it definitely helps with negotiations for sure. Hopefully it helps me financially, but we shall see."
Q. What advantages do you think the point-scoring, light-continuous and full-contact disciplines have given you in the cage?
Davis: "Timing. The whole sport is geared around timing. The speed as well. Light-continuous is very fast. People are very bouncy. I call them in-and-out fighters. You don’t really sit down on the shots as much as Thai fighters. It’s a bit like the amateur boxing style, which helps you in the cage. When you get close and sit down on your shots, the threat of the takedown is there. That’s why I think a lot of successful MMA fighters are using the ‘bounce’ nowadays. That combined with the brutality of Thai boxing is the perfect mix. I like to use that mix which gives me a massive advantage."
Q. It looks like you know how to promote yourself better than a lot of fighters. Is that something you’ve focused on to get noticed?
Davis: "I am trying with the social media, but I am watching others do it and there are definitely better out there. But it’s like having another job, this social media game. I do think the smart fighters see themselves as a product and make themselves more marketable. That’s what I strive to do, too."
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