Rob Wilkinson Bio
Rob Wilkinson (born 22 February 1992), widely known by his ring name “Razor,” is an Australian mixed martial artist who competes in the light heavyweight division of the Professional Fighters League (PFL). Standing 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) tall with a 76 in (193 cm) reach, he captured the PFL light heavyweight championship in 2022. A professional competitor since 2011, he previously fought in the middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship and held middleweight titles in Australian Fighting Championship and BRACE. He is currently ranked inside the top five of the PFL light heavyweight rankings.
Early Life and Background
Wilkinson was born in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, where he developed an interest in combat sports during his teenage years. He started training at the age of 17 at Hobart’s Hybrid Training Centre, working as a personal trainer before fully committing to a career in mixed martial arts. His introduction to the sport came after he watched a video of former UFC champion Randy Couture on YouTube, an experience that drew him into MMA almost immediately.
He also trains under Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu coach Priscus Fogagnolo, under whom he currently holds a blue belt. Wilkinson continues to base his fight preparation out of Sydney, Australia, splitting his time between VT1 gym, Hybrid Training Centre, and Factory X.
Path to MMA
Wilkinson made his professional debut in 2011 and quickly built a reputation as a finisher, amassing an 11-0 record on the regional Australian circuit. The vast majority of his early wins came via stoppage, and he frequently closed out opponents in the opening round. Along the way, he captured both the Australian Fighting Championship middleweight title and the BRACE middleweight championship. His final pre-UFC appearance came in Finland, where he submitted fellow undefeated German prospect Alexander Poppeck in the first round to seal his contract with the world’s largest MMA promotion.
Rob Wilkinson Career
Early Career (2011-2017)
Across his first six years as a professional, Wilkinson went unbeaten while establishing himself as one of Australia’s most promising middleweights. He racked up stoppage victories across multiple promotions, demonstrating a finishing instinct that made him a sought-after signing. His blend of striking power and grappling was developed under the guidance of his BJJ coach, Priscus Fogagnolo, while training at Hybrid Training Centre in his hometown of Hobart.
His unbeaten run earned him a place on the UFC roster, and he entered the promotion as a replacement for the injured Abu Azaitar at UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Struve on 2 September 2017, where he faced Siyar Bahadurzada. The bout marked his first career loss, as he was stopped via technical knockout in the second round.
UFC Middleweight Run (2017-2018)
After his promotional debut, Wilkinson was matched with rising contender Israel Adesanya on 11 February 2018 at UFC 221 in Perth. The bout was a significant step up in competition, and Wilkinson was again finished, this time via TKO in the second round. On 14 August 2018, the promotion announced that Wilkinson had been released from the UFC roster, closing a brief but high-profile chapter in his career.
Post-UFC and Regional Return (2019-2021)
Following his UFC release, Wilkinson explored other combat sports, competing in two kickboxing bouts in 2019 and winning both to run his kickboxing record to 2-0. He also made his professional boxing debut on 30 October 2021 against Jayden Joseph, capturing the vacant Tasmanian Heavyweight title with a fifth-round technical knockout victory. Having difficulty finding suitable MMA bouts, he moved up to the light heavyweight division and submitted Dylan Andrews in the first round at AFC 23 on 1 December 2019. He later won the Hex Fight Series Light Heavyweight Championship by stopping Daniel Almeida in the first round on 9 April 2021.
Professional Fighters League (2022-Present)
Wilkinson debuted in the PFL on 23 April 2022 at PFL 1, defeating Bruce Souto via second-round ground-and-pound TKO. He followed it up with a first-round TKO of Viktor Pešta at PFL 4 on 17 June 2022 and a first-round knockout of Delan Monte in the semifinals at PFL 7. In the tournament final on 25 November 2022 at PFL 10, he defeated Omari Akhmedov via doctor stoppage after the second round, claiming the PFL light heavyweight title and the $1 million tournament prize. The 2023 season brought mixed results, including a bout against Thiago Santos at PFL 1 that was later overturned to a no contest after a positive drug test for an elevated testosterone/epitestosterone ratio, resulting in a nine-month suspension. He returned in 2024, beating Tom Breese by first-round TKO at PFL 2 and Josh Silveira by split decision at PFL 5 before losing to Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov in the tournament semifinals at PFL 8.
2025 Season
On 4 March 2025, the PFL officially confirmed that Wilkinson would join the 2025 PFL Light Heavyweight Tournament. In the quarterfinal on 1 May 2025 at PFL 4, he faced former Bellator champion Phil Davis and was stopped via second-round technical knockout. He has since bounced back to remain active in the promotion, continuing his pursuit of a return to title contention.
Upcoming Projects
Wilkinson is scheduled to face Abraham Bably on 27 June 2026, at PFL San Diego, providing him a clear opportunity to climb back into the light heavyweight title picture. The booking keeps him among the promotion’s most active competitors and offers a high-stakes platform to reset his 2026 campaign.
Style and Strengths
Wilkinson is a well-rounded finisher whose game blends heavy hands, sharp knees, and a developing ground game anchored by his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu base under Priscus Fogagnolo. The move up to light heavyweight has accentuated his physical advantages, including a 76-inch reach and dangerous clinch striking. He has consistently shown the ability to end fights early, with seven of his 19 career wins coming by submission and several more by knockout or technical knockout.
Notable Events and Milestones
Wilkinson’s career-defining moment came in the 2022 PFL Light Heavyweight Tournament final against Omari Akhmedov, where a doctor stoppage secured him the championship and a $1 million prize. Other signature wins include a first-round TKO of Viktor Pešta and a first-round submission of Alexander Poppeck in Finland that earned him his UFC contract. He also became a multi-sport titleholder by claiming the Tasmanian Heavyweight boxing title in 2021.
Rob Wilkinson Career Wins
Across his professional MMA career, Wilkinson has compiled 19 wins in 24 bouts, with seven submissions, three knockouts, one decision victory, and one disqualification win. He has also posted an undefeated 2-0 record in kickboxing and a 1-0 record in professional boxing, where he captured a regional heavyweight title.
PFL Highlights
Wilkinson won the 2022 PFL Light Heavyweight Tournament with three finishes before the final, capped by the title-winning doctor stoppage of Omari Akhmedov at PFL 10. In 2024, he reignited his form with a first-round TKO of Tom Breese and a hard-fought split decision over Josh Silveira before being eliminated in the semifinals.
Other Wins and Performances
Wilkinson’s regional resume features the Australian Fighting Championship and BRACE middleweight titles, both captured during his 11-0 run to begin his career. He also holds the Hex Fight Series Light Heavyweight Championship and the Tasmanian Heavyweight boxing title, a reminder of his finishing instincts across rule sets.
Rob Wilkinson Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Wilkinson was raised in Hobart, Tasmania, where he began training at the age of 17 at the Hybrid Training Centre. Detailed information about his parents and broader family is not publicly available.
Personal Life
Wilkinson currently resides in Sydney, Australia, where he trains at VT1 gym, Hybrid Training Centre, and Factory X. He is known by the nickname “Razor,” reflecting the cutting precision he has shown throughout his combat sports career.
2025 Season Performance
Wilkinson entered 2025 with momentum after a strong 2024 PFL regular season, but his tournament run stalled in the quarterfinals when he was stopped by Phil Davis at PFL 4 on 1 May 2025. The loss was a setback in his bid to recapture the PFL light heavyweight title he first won in 2022. Despite the defeat, he remained active on the PFL card, continuing to build experience at 205 pounds.
His performance against Davis showed both his durability and the learning curve he faces against elite wrestling-based light heavyweights. Training out of Factory X, VT1 gym, and Hybrid Training Centre, Wilkinson continued to refine his grappling and conditioning under coach Priscus Fogagnolo.
Looking ahead, Wilkinson is scheduled to face Abraham Bably at PFL San Diego in 2026, a bout that should provide a clearer measure of where he stands in the PFL light heavyweight hierarchy. A decisive win would re-establish him as a title threat, while another setback would likely push him into must-win territory for the rest of the season.
