After Near Retirement, Marcus Davis Continues Latest Chapter of His Career at Bellator 93

Following his release from the UFC in January of 2011, welterweight veteran Marcus “Irish Hand Grenade” Davis seemed to have gotten things back on track by winning four of his next five fights. Then longstanding health issues forced him out of the game for a year.

His health issues were so bad that for a brief while, Davis considered retirement.

“After my fight in (October 2011) with Chuck O’Neil I had to take some serious time off because I was having a lot of physical problems again,” said Davis. “I had to go into physical therapy because of my impingement and my bursitis syndrome I have in my right shoulder.

“Pretty much at that point I said I was done because my body wasn’t letting me fight, it’s not letting me perform.”

Thankfully with help from his doctor, Davis was able to get healthy again and was looking so good, he was asked to step in for Karo Parisyan against fellow former UFC fighter David Bielkheden at Superior Challenge 8 this past October.

“I went out there and had one of the easiest weight cuts I ever had and did exactly everything I wanted to do and dominated that fight,” said Davis. “I dropped him twice in the first, once every round and beat him up on the ground a lot.

“I still had some aches and pains here and there, but nothing serious. I went from not being able to hit a focus pad or a bag to having no pain in my hands or feet. Everything changed.”

After his good showing in October, Davis will get a chance to bring his career full circle in many ways, when he faces Waachiim Spiritwolf Thursday night at Bellator 93 live on Spike TV.

“With this happening, I feel like a whole new chance for me,” Davis told MMAWeekly.com. “It’s a brand new chapter and to be able to do it in Bellator and on Spike TV – where I had my true breakout start – it’s just really fitting to be in the twilight of my career here.”

When it comes to the match-up itself, Davis feels he will outclass Spiritwolf at every aspect of the fight.

“This is the way I look at it, as far as skills go, I’ve got him beat,” said Davis. “I’m a better striker, more refined, have way more experience and have fought and beat better opponents. He’s a strong wrestler, but it’s still crude and it’s based on holding a guy on the ground and being heavy and being strong, that’s not really my game, which is to use technique, so I’ve got him beat there.

“I plan to move, out-strike him, make him make mistakes, take advantage of those mistakes and capitalize on them and tap him or knock him out.”

Back healthier for the first time in years, Davis is looking forward to enjoying the time left he has in the sport and enjoy the ride.

“I’m going to take it fight-by-fight, listen to my body, listen to my family and I’m going to see where it takes me,” he said. “Right now I’m going to live in the moment and I’m going to focus on what’s right in front of me by fighting in Bellator on my home network of Spike TV in my home state against a really tough guy and showcase my skills.”