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.
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.”
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).
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)
Check out these photos from Denis Goltsov vs. Yorgan De Castro at 2023 PFL 5 in Atlanta.
Check out these photos from [autotag]Denis Goltsov[/autotag]’s victory over Yorgan De Castro at 2023 PFL 5 at Overtime Elite Arena in Atlanta. (Photos courtesy of Cooper Neill, PFL MMA)
Denis Goltsov didn’t need much time to lock in his 2023 PFL playoff spot, as he quickly finished Yorgan De Castro in Atlanta.
[autotag]Denis Goltsov[/autotag] secured his place in the 2023 PFL playoffs, and needed just a few seconds to do it.
In the final preliminary bout at 2023 PFL 5 at Overtime Elite Arena in Atlanta, Goltsov (31-7) quickly took care of business against Yorgan De Castro (9-5). The walkoff celebration was on after landing a right hand that stiffened and dropped De Castro just 18 seconds into the fight.
Goltsov peppered De Castro with left jabs immediately. De Castro fired off a right leg kick, but another left jab came in return, and so did the finishing right hand behind it.
Check out video of the finish below (via Twitter):
The first-round finish earned Goltsov six more points and clinched a playoff spot. He currently sits at the top of the leaderboard in the heavyweight division with 12 total points. Goltsov also racked up six points in his first fight of the season, by finishing Cezar Ferreira at 2023 PFL 3 in April.
De Castro has been eliminated from the playoffs, as he needed a first or second-round finish of his own to be in contention.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL 2023, Week 5.
The PFL heavyweight playoffs have gotten a shakeup next month in Wales.
The PFL heavyweight playoffs have gotten a shakeup next month in Wales.
No. 4 seed [autotag]Bruno Cappelozza[/autotag] (15-6) is out of his semifinal bout against top seed [autotag]Denis Goltsov[/autotag] (29-7). Stepping in for Cappelozza will be the man who beat him in the regular season, [autotag]Matheus Scheffel[/autotag] (16-8). PFL officials announced the change Thursday.
The PFL’s second playoff event, which features heavyweight and welterweight semifinals, takes place Aug. 13 at Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, Wales. The main card airs on ESPN.
Scheffel was knocked out by Ante Delija in his first fight of the regular season, but rebounded in June for a unanimous decision over Cappelozza. That gave him 3 points in the regular season, which left him on the outside of the four-man playoff bracket. But now he gets his shot as an alternate.
With the change, PFL’s second playoff event lineup now includes:
MAIN CARD (ESPN, 1 p.m. ET)
Rory MacDonald vs. Magomed Umalatov – welterweight semifinal
Ante Delija vs. Renan Ferreira – heavyweight semifinal
Denis Goltsov vs. Matheus Scheffel – heavyweight semifinal
Sadibou Sy vs. Carlos Leal – welterweight semifinal
This marks the first time that PFL salaries have been revealed in 2022.
The back half of the 2022 PFL regular season recently took place in Atlanta with three cards in three weeks at Overtime Elite Arena.
Each card spotlighted two specific divisions. PFL 4 took place June 17 and featured men’s lightweights and light heavyweights. One week later, PFL 5 featured featherweights and heavyweights. Last Friday, PFL 6 consisted of welterweights and women’s lightweights.
On Wednesday, MMA Junkie acquired a list of disclosed show and win purses from the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission, the regulatory body that oversaw the events.
Former UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Anthony Pettis[/autotag] ($750,000) led all paydays despite a submission loss to [autotag]Stevie Ray[/autotag]. Two-time PFL season winner [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] ($500,00) was second on the list, followed by former UFC title challenger and Bellator welterweight champion [autotag]Rory MacDonald[/autotag] ($250,000).
[autotag]Jeremy Stephens[/autotag], [autotag]Lance Palmer[/autotag], [autotag]Brendan Loughnane[/autotag], [autotag]Omari Akhmedov[/autotag], and [autotag]Magomed Magomedkerimov[/autotag] also received six-figure disclosed payouts.
It’s important to note that the figures given do not reflect potential “locker room” bonuses, streaming points, or promotional sponsorship payments.
Scroll below to see the complete payouts for the most recent three PFL events.
