Always within arm’s reach of the world title and never one to cherry-pick opponents, ‘Razor’ Rob Wilkinson returns to the cage with a burning fire in his eyes and championship gold on his mind.
In a sport full of endless highs and lows, not many fighters can say they reached the pinnacle of MMA and became a world champion, let alone an Australian from Tasmania who defied the odds. Rob Wilkinson (19-4-0) etched his name in the history books in 2022, becoming the PFL light heavyweight champion — and he plans to make history again.
Almost one year since he last fought in May 2025, Wilkinson, the number-three-ranked light heavyweight, is set to take on number-six-ranked Luke ‘The Gent’ Trainer (9-1-0) on Saturday, Feb 7, 2026, at PFL Dubai: Nurmagomedov vs Davis.
Not only has time away from the octagon allowed the former champ to recover from years of physical strain, but it has also given him a fresh perspective on the trajectory of his career.
“I think I’ve got a lot more to show and I still want to be the best in the world. Coming off two losses, I’m keen to get back in the cage and back in the win column,” Wilkinson told Fight News Australia.
“I haven’t fought since May, so it’s been a minute since I’ve been in the cage, and I’m excited to get back in there.”
The 33-year-old faces former Bellator contender, 29-year-old Luke Trainer, who is set to make his PFL debut. Wilkinson was candid about his opponent’s skill level, providing insight into why ‘The Gent’s physical strengths will work against him.
“He’s kind of a younger guy, up and coming. I haven’t fought someone younger than me looking to make a name for themselves. I’m excited for the fight but I think I’ve got a lot more to show and I still want to be the best in the world. Coming off two losses, I’m keen to get back in the cage and get back in the win column,” he said.
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“He’s a tall guy, that’s the main difference. Spending a bit more time at City Kickboxing for this fight has definitely changed it up a bit. I really wanted to spend a lot of time here because there are so many fighters here – light heavyweights, middleweights, heavyweights – all 6’4, 6’5, close to Luke’s height.
“So I’m not going out there and fighting some giant that I’m not used to. Often I’ve been the taller fighter with the longer reach, this time I’m working as the shorter fighter. I enjoy that style of coming forward and getting in someone’s face anyway, so I think my style works well for being the shorter fighter for once.”
‘Razor’ Rob made it clear he’s never picked easy fights and didn’t seek out a specific opponent this time around. Rather, he welcomed any challenger who felt confident enough to stand against him – Englishman Luke Trainer answered the call.
“I want to break Luke, I really want to. I just want to get in his face and make it a hard fight,” Wilkinson told Fight News Australia.
“I want to wear on him, break him mentally or physically and get the finish, whether it’s a knockout or if it hits the ground. I haven’t subbed anyone for a while, but I think I’ve still got very good submission skills.
“I want to get in there and bring it to Luke and make it a hard fight from the start. Make it show him how much I want it and how much I want to be the champ again.”
Taking on a top ten light heavyweight after almost a year-long layoff is no easy task, and the former champion is not taking ‘The Gent’ lightly; however, he can’t help but think of what this matchup means on his road back to the top.
“I don’t think I’m ever too far away from fighting for a title. Maybe two or three more fights and I’d be back there,” Wilkinson said.
“For a light heavyweight, I still have plenty of time left in me, and I’m still enjoying it, which is the main thing. I’ve definitely had a few ups and downs in my career, so I just want to show that you can keep bouncing back from them, keep setting the goals high and trying to reach those goals.”
Watch ‘Razor’ Rob Wilkinson kick-start his 2026 campaign to recapture the world championship at PFL Dubai: Nurmagomedov vs Davis on Saturday, February 7 AEDT.
The Professional Fighters League is available to watch in Australia via Stan Sports.
