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Check out these photos from Denis Goltsov vs. Tim Johnson at 2024 PFL Playoffs 1 in Nashville, Tenn.
Check out these photos from [autotag]Denis Goltsov[/autotag]’s victory over Tim Johnson in their heavyweight semifinals bout at 2024 PFL Playoffs 1, which took place at Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn. (Photos by Cooper Neill, PFL MMA)
Check out the full 2024 PFL Playoffs 1 weigh-in results, which includes Liz Carmouche missing weight for the first time in her career.
The PFL playoffs get underway Friday, and a few fighters missed weight at the official weigh-ins for 2024 PFL Playoffs 1.
Friday’s event (ESPN/ESPN+), which takes place at Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn., features heavyweight and women’s flyweight playoff bouts on the main card.
In the main event, No. 1 seed [autotag]Denis Goltsov[/autotag] (34-8) takes on [autotag]Tim Johnson[/autotag] (18-9). The co-main event features a women’s flyweight bout between undefeated No. 1 seed [autotag]Dakota Ditcheva[/autotag] (12-0) and [autotag]Jena Bishop[/autotag] (7-1).
The lone fighter to come in heavy at the official weigh-ins was [autotag]Liz Carmouche[/autotag] (22-7), who missed weight for the first time in her career, weighing in at 127 pounds. For the miss, she will be deducted one point on the scorecards in her bout against fellow UFC vet Taila Santos, and will be fined 20 percent of her purse.
The one-point deduction will only be for league advancement purposes, and will not affect the official commission result, per PFL officials.
Also, three other prelim fighters came in heavy: Sergio Cossio, Jaleel Willis and Anthony Ivy.
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The full 2024 PFL Playoffs 1 official weigh-in results include:
MAIN CARD (ESPN/ESPN+, 9 p.m. ET)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET)
*Carmouche missed the 125-pound flyweight limit. She will receive a 1-point deduction on the scorecards should her fight against Santos go to a decision. Carmouche also forfeits 20 percent of her show purse to Santos.
**Cossio missed the 155-pound lightweight limit. He forfeits 20 percent of his show purse to Sanders.
***Willis and Ivy both missed the 170-pound welterweight limit.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2024 PFL Playoffs 1.
Denis Goltsov had no issues handling Thiago Santos.
UNCASVILLE, Conn. – [autotag]Denis Goltsov[/autotag] had no issues handling [autotag]Thiago Santos[/autotag].
Goltsov (34-8) needed less than three minutes to TKO Santos (22-13-1) in their heavyweight bout Thursday at 2024 PFL 4 from Mohegan Sun.
Santos stepped in on short to replace Sergey Bilostenniy in what was his heavyweight debut.
“He didn’t really feel that strong,” Goltsov told MMA Junkie and other reporters through an interpreter in the post-fight scrum. “Once I was like a backpack on him, and I was controlling him, I was able to really mount him and control him and be on top. I was always in a good position.”
Goltsov was unfazed by the opponent change.
“It’s something I’m used to,” Goltsov said. “They always change opponents on me two, three times. It doesn’t matter.”
With the finish, Goltsov secured the No. 1 seed in the heavyweight playoffs. But having fallen short to claim the $1 million on multiple occasions, the 34-year-old won’t get too excited just yet.
“I’m talking like a true veteran of PFL: It doesn’t really matter,” Goltsov said. “First fights doesn’t mean anything. You just have to go. First fights doesn’t matter. You have to go and win and show everything you can do.”
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2024 PFL 4.
Check out these photos from Denis Goltsov vs. Thiago Santos at 2024 PFL 4 in Uncasville, Conn.
Check out these photos from [autotag]Denis Goltsov[/autotag]’s win over Thiago Santos at 2024 PFL 4 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. (Photos by Cooper Neill, PFL MMA)
Relive the PFL’s best knockouts of the year with this video ranking the top 10.
Some nasty knockouts were on display this year in the PFL.
From [autotag]Sadibou Sy[/autotag]’s masterful spinning wheel kick in the playoffs to [autotag]Cedric Doumbe[/autotag]’s PFL debut, there were plenty of quality finishes in the smart cage. And now with the season over, the promotion ranked its best knockouts as the following:
1. Sadibou Sy def. Shane Mitchell
2. Cedric Doumbe def. Jordan Zebo
3. [autotag]Amber Leibrock[/autotag] def. Martina Jindrova
4. [autotag]Jesus Pinedo[/autotag] def. Brendan Loughnane
5. [autotag]Denis Goltsov[/autotag] def. Yorgan De Castro
6. [autotag]Renan Ferreira[/autotag] def. Maurice Greene
7. [autotag]Carlos Leal[/autotag] vs. Dilano Taylor
8. [autotag]Lewis McGrillen[/autotag] def. Salih Culucan
9. [autotag]Larissa Pacheco[/autotag] def. Olena Kolesnyk
10. [autotag]Impa Kasanganay[/autotag] def. Marthin Hamlet
You can watch the replay of the top 10 PFL knockouts in the video above.
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Check out these photos from Renan Ferreira vs. Denis Goltsov at 2023 PFL Championship for the heavyweight title.
Check out these photos from [autotag]Renan Ferreira[/autotag]’s victory over Denis Goltsov at 2023 PFL Championship at The Anthem in Washington, D.C. (Photos by Cooper Neill, PFL MMA)
No. 1 seed Denis Goltsov (32-7) meets No. 2 Renan Ferreira (11-4) in the PFL’s heavyweight season championship.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The PFL crowned its newest $1 million heavyweight winner Friday.
No. 1 seed [autotag]Denis Goltsov[/autotag] (32-7) met No. 2 [autotag]Renan Ferreira[/autotag] (11-4) in the heavyweight season championship at The Anthem in Washington, D.C.
Go inside the matchup below, from the backstory and the buildup through the end of the fight itself, with stats, photos, preview videos, highlight videos, quotes, recaps and more.
The story will update throughout the fight and event.
Dan Hardy expects the winner of Denis Goltsov vs. Renan Ferreira to be Francis Ngannou’s PFL debut opponent.
[autotag]Dan Hardy[/autotag] expects the winner of [autotag]Denis Goltsov[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Renan Ferreira[/autotag] to be [autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag]’s PFL debut opponent.
Goltsov (32-7) takes on Ferreira (11-3) in Friday’s heavyweight final at 2023 PFL Championship, which takes place at The Anthem in Washington D.C. The main card airs on pay-per-view (ESPN+) following prelims on ESPN+.
Hardy thinks both Goltsov and Ferreira have the ability to trouble former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou, and sees them as worthy opponents.
“They would be a clear option for us, and I think both of them are interesting problems for Ngannou – especially with Goltsov and his experience,” Hardy told MMA Junkie Radio. “He’s got great footwork, he’s got great boxing skills (and) probably the best jab in mixed martial arts – certainly the heavyweight divisions. I think he’s very problematic, especially given the fact that he’s got the ground game to match if he chooses to use it.
“And then Ferreira, his nickname (‘Problema’), kind of says it all. He’s problematic on a multitude of levels. Now he’s working at ATT, you know his ground game, his grappling skills are on the rise. That’s going to give him confidence in his striking. Just the size and the reach of the individual, his ability to cover distance, and cover distance with accurate strikes. Whether it’s kicks or punches. They’re both very, very dangerous individuals.”
According to BetMGM, Ferreira is a +200 underdog, meaning a $100 bet on The Brazilian would net a $200 profit. Goltsov is a -250 favorite, meaning a $250 bet would be needed on the sambo champion to return $100 profit. But Hardy thinks the fight is closer than the odds suggest.
“We could run this heavyweight fight back a few times and we could get very different results each time,” Hardy said. “I think both of them are good contenders for Ngannou in the future, but certainly the one that wins is most likely going to be the frontrunner.”
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2023 PFL Championship.
Watch Denis Goltsov run through Yorgan De Castro in just 18-seconds.
[autotag]Denis Goltsov[/autotag] impresses many through his run in the PFL heavyweight season and playoffs.
Back in June, Goltsov put away Yorgan De Castro in just 18 seconds with a clean straight right. The victory got Goltsov a spot on the PFL heavyweight playoffs as the No. 1 seed of the season.
You can watch Goltsov’s ultra-fast finish in the video above.
Goltsov (32-7) returns this Friday in the heavyweight final of the 2023 PFL Championship. The event goes down at The Anthem in Washington, D.C. The main card airs on pay-per-view (ESPN+) following prelims on ESPN+. Goltsov takes on Renan Ferreira (11-4).
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2023 PFL Championship.
Check out these photos from Denis Goltsov vs. Jordan Heiderman at 2023 PFL Playoffs 2 in New York.
Check out these photos from [autotag]Denis Goltsov[/autotag]’s victory over Jordan Heiderman at 2023 PFL Playoffs 2 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York. (Photos courtesy of Cooper Neill, PFL MMA)
