Sullivan Cauley was the underdog going into his PFL light heavyweight tournament semifinal clash with Phil Davis in June and won the match to keep his title hopes alive. He will face one-time PFL champion Antonio Carlos Junior Thursday night in Hollywood, Fla., and the Brazilian won’t overlook him.

“Cara de Sapato” beat Tom Lawlor, Emiliano Sordi and Marthin Hamlet to capture the 2021 PFL title, with the final taking place on the same state he returns to this week for his second belt. Junior sees the 2025 roster being tougher than ever, especially with Cauley knocking out Alex Polizzi, the only man to hand Junior a loss in 10 PFL appearances, in his quarterfinal bout.

Back in 2021, quick finishes during the “regular season” counted when determining drafting semifinalists. PFL’s new format in 2025 is shifted towards a more traditional tournament style, and Junior said it made it less confusing but tougher because there’s no room for errors.

“There’s no chance I’ll underestimate him or anyone inside that cage,” Junior told MMA Fighting. “He’s showed all his potential, talent and physical atributes, tactics and technique. I’m staying alert against him, to be quite honest. He has heavy hands, so you can’t make mistakes. Phil Davis was quite known for his history, he was in the UFC and was champion in Bellator, and I thought all that experience would count. It was a very close fight, but it was just as I expected.”

The Brazilian veteran, a The Ultimate Fighter as a heavyweight with more than a dozen appearances under the UFC banner, sees the path to victory in mixing the martial arts rather than focusing on using his decorated grappling.

“He has a bit of everything,” Junior said of Cauley. “He has a good background in wrestling but has focused on striking after that. Even though his only loss was via submission, a rear-naked choke — my specialty, even —, I know for a fact he’s coming prepared for that. He’s experienced in all areas of the fight so we have to mix everything well to get out with a great victory.”

“I think no one wants to go to the ground — it’s hard to find someone that wants to go to the ground with me because they know it’s my best weapon,” he continued. “But I’ve shown I can mix everything quite well. My last fight was against a striker, for example, and I managed to impose my striking because I was mixing everything well with my takedowns, shots, feints and boxing.”

Junior trains with experienced heavyweights and light heavyweights in American Top Team, not far from PFL 10 venue Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, and looks back at his recent trips to Thailand and Brazil for specific muay Thai and boxing training as key to a possible finish on the feet.

“I haven’t had a knockout since TUF days,” said Junior with a laugh. His last knockouts came during the reality show in 2014, including a 12-second finish. “That would be awesome, very special, but we’re focused on winning. No matter how it comes, we’re working for that.”