Lewis McGrillen is a wild man even by MMA standards
Lewis McGrillen, the 25-year-old PFL Europe 2024 bantamweight champion, faces Rafael do Nascimento in the co-main event at PFL Austin this Saturday. Known for intense faceoffs, hunting grey squirrels, and pets named after serial killers, the Manchester fighter promises chaos and a first-round knockout in his U.S. debut.
Key Takeaways
- Lewis McGrillen (12-1, 11 finishes) makes his U.S. PFL debut in the co-main event at PFL Austin against Rafael do Nascimento (12-2).
- He won the 2024 PFL Europe bantamweight tournament and last fought 14 months ago, submitting Alan Philpott in round two.
- Originally set to face Sergio Pettis, McGrillen was switched to do Nascimento after Pettis withdrew with an injury.
- His coach once called him a "council estate hillbilly" for obsessively hunting invasive grey squirrels; he keeps pets named after killers.
- McGrillen has vowed to "flatline" do Nascimento in a round and bring "absolute chaos" to Texas.
Who is Lewis McGrillen and why is he making headlines?
Even by MMA standards, Yahoo Sports paints Lewis McGrillen as a genuine wild man. The red-haired Manchester Top Team bantamweight built a following with intense, aggressive faceoffs that became his fight-week calling card from amateur days onward.
Head coach Carl Prince once described him as a "council estate hillbilly" for his obsessive hunting of England's invasive grey squirrels. He has kept pets named after notorious figures — a snake called Ted after Ted Bundy, and a cat called Von after Chicago rapper King Von.
He is also a vocal advocate of Charles Bronson, England's most infamous long-serving prisoner. McGrillen credits MMA, Prince, and Manchester Top Team with giving him an outlet that kept him on the straight and narrow.
Who does Lewis McGrillen fight at PFL Austin?
McGrillen meets Rafael do Nascimento in a three-round bantamweight co-main event at PFL Austin, headlined by Johnny Eblen vs. Impa Kasanganay for the PFL interim middleweight title. The main card starts at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN 2.
He was originally booked against former UFC star Sergio Pettis, the PFL's No. 3-ranked bantamweight, but Pettis withdrew with an injury. McGrillen called that matchup a "dream fight" and said he was "very wounded" by the change — yet vowed he would still "bring absolute chaos."
According to DraftKings Network, McGrillen is 12-1 with 11 finishes; do Nascimento is 12-2 with nine finishes. McGrillen is listed as a -330 favorite, with the under 2.5 rounds priced at -130.
Why does Lewis McGrillen say he will finish the fight fast?
Speaking to talkSPORT, McGrillen said he sees "a car crash coming" and plans to "flatline" do Nascimento in a round. Ten of his 12 career wins have come in the first two rounds, and his previous two fights ended by submission or knockout in round two.
After 14 months away, he told Yahoo Sports he cannot wait to show how much he has improved: "I'd fight King Kong at this stage." For more fight-week buzz, follow Celebrity Breaking News on BlasterPost.
Austin has long been on his bucket list. "I've always wanted to go to Texas," he said, calling the cowboy state a natural fit for someone who lives "a bit of a wild lifestyle" built around hunting and the outdoors.