After enjoying a breakout campaign in 2022, Rob
Wilkinson was removed from the following
Professional Fighters League season due to a failed drug test
after the organization’s first event of last year.
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As he prepares to make his return, the 32-year-old Australian has
chosen to focus on the positive support he’s received rather than
any negativity.
“I’ve got a lot of support and people around me that love and
support me, and I’ve had a lot of people back home, people I know
and people I don’t know, reach out and still tell me they’re behind
me and that’s what kind of motivates me,” Wilkinson said during a
recent PFL media day. “I don’t really give a s—t about people on
Instagram and trolls and whatnot, but the people around me love me
and support me, and I want to go out there and have a good fight
for them.”
Wilkinson went 4-0 in PFL competition in 2022 to become the
league’s light heavyweight champion. He began the following
campaign with a decision win over Thiago
Santos, but shortly thereafter, it was
revealed that he tested positive for an elevated
testosterone-to-epitestosterone ratio resulting from the
androgynous origin of testosterone in relation to the fight. As a
result, he was suspended nine months, and his victory over Santos
was overturned to a no contest.
Wilkinson was able to find a silver lining in missing the rest of
the 2023 PFL season.
“I actually took a bit of time off from training altogether,” he
said. “I had quite a lot of injuries going into 2023, so just kind
of let my body and mind recover and then I feel refreshed and
excited like it’s like my first season again. I’m excited for this
year.
“… I didn’t think I fought very well in that [Thiago] fight, as
well as just, I wasn’t doing all the little things I normally do
and I kind of just kind of I don’t know, let things go,” he added.
“So, you know, fighting five times in 11 months is a lot, so having
a bit of a break has been good for me physically and has definitely
mentally, as well.”
Wilkinson was originally scheduled to face Phil Davis at
PFL 2 on Friday at The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas.
However, Davis withdrew from the bout last week and was replaced by
Tom
Breese on short notice.
“I was pretty disappointed,” Wilkinson said. “I was excited to
fight Phil Davis.
Obviously he’s the big name, former Bellator champion, been around
the sport forever. I remember watching him, when I was kind of
getting into it and everything. So it’s cool to start to actually
fight those people. …So I was pretty bummed out, but that stuff
happens in the sport.”
With something of a fresh start, Wilkinson wants to pick up where
he left off in 2022.
“I’ve been saying it for a while: I just want to be considered the
best light heavyweight in the world,” he said. “So that’s my goal.
I want the big fights, I want the hard fights. I obviously want
another belt and then just keep winning fights until people start
considering me one of the best.”