Photo credit to Tapology
Sources: Davion Franklin to face Said Sowma at Bellator event on February 19
A massive fight in Bellator MMA’s heavyweight division is reportedly scheduled for their second event of the year. Sources confirmed to MyMMANews that a clash between two-ranked heavyweights, Davion Franklin and Said Sowama is set to take place at a Bellator event scheduled on February 19, 2022 at the Mohegan Sun Arena.
The source reported the fight around anonymity because Bellator MMA has yet to announce the matchup. Both Davion Franklin and Said Sowma currently are tied at 8th in the heavyweight division rankings, the second tie in the division. Currently, with Franklin and Sowma tied for 8th in the division, both Tyrell Fortune and Steve Mowry are tied for 6th in the heavyweight division as well.
At just 27-years old, Davion Franklin has quickly burst onto the scene with Bellator MMA where he has competed for all four of his professional career fights. In his four career fights, Franklin, who trains out of JacksonWink MMA in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has compiled three first-round knockouts and one unanimous decision victory. In his last fight at Bellator 264 in August, Franklin finished previously undefeated Everett Cummings, who was 15-0, with a 21-second knockout. Following a first-round knockout of Tyler King at Bellator 259 in May, Bellator MMA President Scott Coker labeled Franklin as one of the best heavyweight prospects in the world.
Without question, @DavionGoAllDay Franklin is one of the top heavyweight prospects in the world. #Bellator259 pic.twitter.com/P66dCTnTcc
— Scott Coker (@ScottCoker) May 21, 2021
Said Sowma is 2-1 since entering the Bellator MMA promotion with his lone loss coming by way of unanimous decision to Tyrell Fortune in Sowma’s promotional debut. Since the loss to Fortune, Sowma has picked up a first-round knockout of Ronny Markes, and a win over Vitaly Minakov which was stopped after an injury to Minakov in the third round. The heavyweight out of American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida, has compiled an 8-2 professional record so far in his career.
The February 19 event has yet to be announced by Bellator MMA, but MMA Fighting reported this week that a top-ranked welterweight contest between Neiman Gracie and Logan Storley is also scheduled for that card. Currently, Gracie vs Storley and Franklin vs Sowma are two of the first reported fights for the event.
With a combined 15 fights between them, a fight with Davion Franklin and Said Sowma could have major implications for the winner inside the heavyweight division. With plenty of veteran names inside the Top-5 of the division, a win for either fighter could introduce new names as contenders in 2022.
Heavyweight champion Ryan Bader is scheduled to compete in a unification title fight between himself and interim champion Valentin Moldavsky at Bellator 273 in January, the promotion’s first event of 2022. The unification title fight and the matchup between Franklin and Sowma could pave the way for plenty of fights to be put in motion for the Top-10 ranked fighters in the division.
