Lewis McGrillen-Evans returns to the octagon tonight and will go up against Alan Philpott in the co-main contest of PFL Europe 1, to be held at the SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland, tonight.
This event marks the opening of the PFL’s 2025 European tour.
For McGrillen-Evans, this fight marks a significant moment in his career as it is his first contest after winning the PFL Europe bantamweight title in December 2024, beating Alexander Luster in Lyon, France.
Speaking exclusively to MancSport about his highly touted performance against Dean Garnett, McGrillen-Evans reflected on his championship mettle.
He said:
“It’s just that dog inside of me, you know what I mean. I’ve been through a lot of stuff, to push me to that point, where I feel like, I’m just going to go for this. Even like, I got caught in a guillotine, nearly went to sleep.
“I had a flashback in that guillotine where seven years ago, I was an amateur, I got caught in a guillotine and I lost. And I remember being in that situation and I thought I either black out or I get out.”
“I fought through it, I got out. I just knew that as soon as I got out, and I could tell by the look on his face that I was willing to die in there.”
The fight is set for 3 rounds and will take place in the bantamweight (135 lbs) division and will be streamed live on DAZN, with the main card commencing at 8:00 PM, BST.
“McGrizzla” is one of the most awaited young fighters coming up the European MMA ladder. The young Manchester based fighter possesses a professional record of 11 wins and 1 loss, with 10 knockouts under his belt.
At 5’6” tall, and a reach spanning 68′, McGrillen-Evans competes in the bantamweight division, fighting under the tutelage of Carl Prince our of Manchester Top Team.
He kicked off his year at PFL Europe 2 in June, facing Matiss Zaharovs, winning via unanimous decision.
In September, McGrillen-Evans stepped into the spotlight against veteran Dean Garnett at PFL Europe 3. That fight became an instant fan-favorite, securing a dramatic third-round knockout via left hook.
His most significant moment came in December during the PFL Europe 2024 Championships in France. There, he fought with Alexander Luster, defeating him in the second round via TKO, thus claiming the PFL Europe bantamweight championship.
Now, with an early record of 11 wins and only a single defeat, he has established himself as one of the names to look out for in 2025.
