Jon Anik thinks Jim Miller deserves to be recognized for his record-setting longevity, but isn’t sure about the UFC Hall of Fame.
[autotag]Jon Anik[/autotag] thinks [autotag]Jim Miller[/autotag] deserves to be recognized for his record-setting longevity, but isn’t sure about the UFC Hall of Fame.
Miller (38-18 MMA, 27-17 UFC) is the UFC’s all-time leader in wins. He extended his streak after submitting Damon Jackson in the first round less than two weeks ago at UFC 309.
Miller’s 19 stoppage wins in UFC competition are second-most in company history behind Charles Oliveira (20). The 41-year-old is still trucking, and Anik has no issue seeing him in the UFC Hall of Fame – as long as he’s in a different category.
“It’s pretty simple, right? I have hosted the UFC Hall of Fame induction ceremony for 12 or 13 years, but the Hall of Fame is a little bit clunky,” Anik told MMA Junkie Radio. “Not only is there no voting body, but the Hall of Fame is comprised of four separate unique wings. So there are a lot of different ways to get into the Hall of Fame.
“Robbie Lawler right now is in the Hall of Fame for a fight in which he took part. My thesis statement largely dovetails with Daniel Cormier’s that Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone and Jim Miller can be Hall of Famers if they are in a different wing than Daniel Cormier and Khabib Nurmagomedov.”
“The Greatest Of All Time fighters, the Mount Rushmore fighters – Demetrious Johnson, Georges St-Pierre, Jon Jones – shouldn’t be in the same wing with fighters who have longevity-type records,” Anik said.
“Now, Jim Miller is the all-time wins leader. Donald Cerrone did amazing things. Charles Oliveira did a lot of the things that Jim Miller and Donald Cerrone did, but he also won the sport’s ultimate prize. Donald Cerrone had a longer winning streak than Jim Miller did. He at least competed for the undisputed championship. Every case is unique. I would like to see it be a broad voting body that determines these things.”
Brendan Loughnane would love a second $1 million PFL title, but unbeaten Timur Khizriev stands in his way.
[autotag]Brendan Loughnane[/autotag] and [autotag]Timur Khizriev[/autotag] meet Saturday for the featherweight $1 million title at the 2024 PFL Championship. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup.
Brendan Loughnane vs. Timur Khizriev2024 PFL Championship preview
Brendan Loughnane
Brendan Loughnane (30-5) is no stranger to the PFL final. He got an oversized $1 million cardboard check (plus the actual money, we’d presume) in 2022 when he knocked out Bubba Jenkins. He missed the playoffs in 2023, but was back with a vengeance in the regular season this year with knockouts of Pedro Carvalho and Justin Gonzales. He outworked Kai Kamaka III to reach the final.
PFL 9: Washington DC Playoffs at the The Anthem in Washington D.C., Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. (Cooper Neill / PFL)
Timur Khizriev (17-0) has yet to taste defeat in his pro career, and largely speaking, opponents know what they’re going to get. The 29-year-old Russian wrestling standout has 75 percent of his wins by decision, including all six of his bouts for Bellator and the PFL. This year, he grinded out Brett Johns, Enrique Barzola and Gabriel Braga to reach the final.
Brendan Loughnane vs. Timur Khizriev 2024 PFL Championship odds
2024 PFL Championships faceoff off between Brendan Loughnane vs Timur Khizriev during the ceremonial weigh-ins at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (Matt Ferris / PFL)
Khizriev is a fairly prohibitive favorite around 3-1 – though that’s the lowest betting line for him since he came onto the Bellator scene in 2022.
Brendan Loughnane vs. Timur Khizriev 2024 PFL Championship expert pick, prediction
There is a pocket of support from our staff members for former winner Loughnane with three upset picks.
Brendan Loughnane vs. Timur Khizriev 2024 PFL Championship start time, how to watch
As the main card opener, Loughnane and Khizriev are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 5 p.m. ET. The fight will stream on ESPN+.
Dakota Ditcheva has dominated so far in her pro career. Can ex-UFC fighter Taila Santos pull the upset?
[autotag]Dakota Ditcheva[/autotag] and [autotag]Taila Santos[/autotag] meet Saturday for the women’s flyweight $1 million title at the 2024 PFL Championship. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup.
Dakota Ditcheva vs. Taila Santos 2024 PFL Championship preview
It’s largely been a breeze for the 26-year-old Dakota Ditcheva (13-0), who has combat sports in her blood thanks to a kickboxing standout mother. She hasn’t gone do a decision since she signed with the PFL – and has seven of those eight stoppages in the first round. She quieted any potential detractors who may have criticized her level of competition in her PFL Europe run by shutting down Lisa Mauldin, Chelsea Hackett and Jena Bishop on her road to the $1 million final.
Taila Santos def. Jena Bishop at 2024 PFL 4
Taila Santos (22-3) dropped back-to-back fights in the UFC to then-former, but newly current champion Valentina Shevchenko and Erin Blanchfield, then found herself in need of a bounce back. That came in the PFL, where she submitted Ilara Joanne in April, then outworked Bishop and former Bellator champion Liz Carmouche to reach the final.
Dakota Ditcheva vs. Taila Santos 2024 PFL Championship odds
2024 PFL Championships faceoff off between Dakota Ditcheva vs Taila Santos during the ceremonial weigh-ins at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (Matt Ferris / PFL)
At -345, Ditcheva is the second biggest favorite of the six $1 million fights.
Check out these photos from the fights at the 2024 PFL Championship.
Check out these photos from the fights at the 2024 PFL Championship, which took place at King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photos courtesy of PFL MMA)
Can a former Bellator champ shut down the main card’s biggest $1 million favorite?
[autotag]Brent Primus[/autotag] and [autotag]Gadzhi Rabadanov[/autotag] meet Saturday for the lightweight $1 million title at the 2024 PFL Championship. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup.
Brent Primus vs. Gadzhi Rabadanov 2024 PFL Championship preview
Brent Primus def. Solomon Renfro 2024 PFL 5
Fans have seen a lot more of former Bellator champion Brent Primus (15-3) in recent years, and an upset win would make him a titleholder in two major promotions. After he dropped the Bellator belt in his first attempted title defense in 2018, it’s been up and down – but lately up since he arrived at the PFL. He submitted Bruno Miranda and Solomon Renfro, then outworked Clay Collard in the semifinals three months ago.
Gadzhi Rabadanov def. Michael Dufort – 2024 PFL 8: Hollywood Playoffs at the Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida, Friday, Aug. 16, 2024. (Cooper Neill / PFL)
Gadzhi Rabadanov (23-4-2) lost the Eagle FC lightweight title in 2020, but hasn’t looked back. He has nine straight wins, including five for Bellator and three in this current PFL season. Rabadanov is a grinder. Although he knocked out Michael Dufort in the semifinals, seven of his previous eight wins were decisions.
Brent Primus vs. Gadzhi Rabadanov 2024 PFL Championship odds
Rabadanov is the biggest favorite on the main card at as much as 6-1. The comeback on Primus is around +400.
Brent Primus vs. Gadzhi Rabadanov 2024 PFL Championship expert pick, prediction
2024 PFL Championships faceoff off between Brent Primus vs Gadzhi Rabadanov during the ceremonial weigh-ins at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (Matt Ferris / PFL)
Our staff members had Rabadanov as their only unanimous pick on the main card.
Brent Primus vs. Gadzhi Rabadanov 2024 PFL Championship start time, how to watch
As the second fight on the main card, Primus and Rabadanov are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 2 p.m. ET. The fight will stream on ESPN+.
Who has the edge with $1 million on the line in the 2024 heavyweight final?
[autotag]Denis Goltsov[/autotag] and [autotag]Oleg Popov[/autotag] meet Saturday for the heavyweight $1 million title at the 2024 PFL Championship. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup.
Denis Goltsov vs. Oleg Popov 2024 PFL Championship preview
Denis Goltsov def. Tim Johnson – 2024 PFL 7: Nashville Playoffs
The 34-year-old Goltsov (35-8) will be going after a bit of redemption. He reached the 2023 playoff final against Renan Ferreira, but was knocked out in the second round. On his road back, he finished Linton Vassell with a third-round knockout to open the 2024 season, then knocked out Thiago Santos and Timothy Johnson in less than half a round each.
Oleg Popov def. Davion Franklin at 2024 PFL 4
Popov (19-1), a 32-year-old Russian, has not lost in eight years. His current 17-fight winning streak will be on the line against his countryman. After a knockout of former UFC heavyweight Antonio Silva in 2022 and a Bellator win in 20023, Popov knocked out prospect Steve Mowry in April, then outworked Davion Franklin and Vassell to reach the final.
Denis Goltsov vs. Oleg Popov 2024 PFL Championship odds
From a betting standpoint, Goltsov-Popov is the closest pick on the main card. The fight started at near pick’em range, but has settled in with Popov as a slight favorite around as high as -150. The best comeback price on Goltsov is +125.
2024 PFL Championships faceoff off between Denis Goltsov vs Oleg Popov during the ceremonial weigh-ins at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (Matt Ferris / PFL)
Our staff members were as down-the-middle as they could be, too, and had Goltsov with a 6-5 edge over Popov in the picks.
Denis Goltsov vs. Oleg Popov 2024 PFL Championship start time, how to watch
As the main card opener, Goltsov and Popov are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 1:15 p.m. ET. The fight will stream on ESPN+.
Get pick results from our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers, as well as additional analysis, below.
Denis Goltsov vs. Oleg Popov
2024 PFL Championships faceoff off between Denis Goltsov vs Oleg Popov during the ceremonial weigh-ins at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (Matt Ferris / PFL)
2024 PFL Championships faceoff off between Brent Primus vs Gadzhi Rabadanov during the ceremonial weigh-ins at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (Matt Ferris / PFL)
Records: Primus 15-3, Rabadanov 23-4-2 Past five: Primus 4-1, Rabadanov 5-0 Division: Lightweight Rankings: None Odds(as of 11.28.24): Primus +425, Rabadanov -575 Junkie pick results: Rabadanov 11, Primus 0
Magomed Umalatov vs. Shamil Musaev
2024 PFL Championships faceoff off between Magomed Umalatov vs Shamil Musaev during the ceremonial weigh-ins at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (Matt Ferris / PFL)
2024 PFL Championships faceoff off between Impa Kasanganay vs Dovlet Yagshimuradov during the ceremonial weigh-ins at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (Matt Ferris / PFL)
2024 PFL Championships faceoff off between Dakota Ditcheva vs Taila Santos during the ceremonial weigh-ins at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (Matt Ferris / PFL)
2024 PFL Championships faceoff off between Brendan Loughnane vs Timur Khizriev during the ceremonial weigh-ins at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (Matt Ferris / PFL)
Michael Chandler refutes claims that he struck Charles Oliveira with illegal blows at UFC 309.
[autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] refutes claims that he struck [autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag] with illegal blows at UFC 309.
Oliveira (35-10 MMA, 23-10 UFC) managed to fend off Chandler’s (23-9 MMA, 2-4 UFC) late rally to win a unanimous decision in their rematch less than two weeks ago at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Chandler dropped Oliveira late in the fight, and landed an array of shots which many – including the commentators deemed as illegal shots to the back of the head. Oliveira took issue with the blows, but Chandler insists that the shots landed to the side of the ear.
“I’m not going to say I didn’t do anything wrong, OK? I’m not going to say that people couldn’t look at it and splice it and look at it under a fine-tooth comb and a magnifying glass,” Chandler said on “The Ariel Helwani Show.” “But the unified rules of mixed martial arts say that there is a line drawn from the crown of the head down to the neck, one-inch variance on either side.
“So you’re talking about a two-inch area on the back of someone’s head that is considered the back of the head. If you watch 90 percent of the shots, at least, most of them, almost all of them, my fist was catching the ear. If you’re catching the ear, that’s not the back of the head. Actually, what you and I would call the back of the head is not the actual definition of what it is. That two-inch strip down the back of the head.”
Referee Keith Peterson did not give official warnings to Chandler for any wrongdoing during the fight, and never warned Chandler about any of his strikes in that sequence.
“A referee who was within two feet away never said one thing about it,” Chandler said. “Then you’ve got commentators who were 35-feet away saying it’s the back of the head and you’ve got other people saying it was back of the head.”
Check out these photos from the 2024 PFL Championship ceremonial weigh-ins and fighter faceoffs.
Check out these photos from the 2024 PFL Championship ceremonial weigh-ins and fighter faceoffs ahead of the event (ESPN+) at King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Photos courtesy of PFL)
The 2024 PFL finals take place Friday in Saudi Arabia. Thursday, the fighters faced off one final time.
The 2024 PFL finals take place Friday in Saudi Arabia, and Thursday, the fighters had one last chance to size each other up with $1 million on the line.
After the ceremonial weigh-ins, the fighters competing for this season’s six $1 million final prizes came face to face for staredowns. Check out the highlights in the video above and a photo gallery from the ceremonial weigh-ins below.
The 2024 PFL Championship (ESPN+) event takes place Friday at King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
