The 2024 Professional Fighters League playoffs have finally arrived. Over the past four months, fighters have willed their way closer to the $1-million-dollar grand prize, but the journey is only about to get tougher. Heavyweights and women’s flyweights kick off the action with a potential barnburner between Denis Goltsov and Tim Johnson in the PFL 7 main event on Friday in Nashville, Tennessee. Meanwhile, English phenom Dakota Ditcheva is back and to put her undefeated record on the line against world-renowned submission specialist Jena Bishop in the co-headliner. Elswewhere, Oleg Popov brings a 16-fight winning streak into the PFL SmartCage against the always-stubborn Linton Vassell . To kick off the main card, women’s flyweight favorite Talia Santos takes on her toughest PFL challenge to date when she battles current Bellator MMA champion Liz Carmouche .
Spots in the finals are on the line, and it all goes down at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium. Prelims begin on ESPN/ESPN+ at 6 p.m. ET, with the main card following at 9 p.m. ET. Now to the preview for the 2024 PFL heavyweight and women’s flyweight semifinals:
After falling in the heavyweight tournament final last season, Goltsov has pounded his way back into the No. 1 seed this season off the heels of back-to-back TKO stoppages. Goltsov announced himself as an early favorite in the season opener with a third-round TKO over Linton Vassell but showed some cracks in his gas tank. Goltsov’s conditioning wasn’t a problem in his second-round matchup against former Ultimate Fighting Championship contender Thiago Santos . Just 2:22 into the first round, Goltsov wrestled Santos into the ground and pounded him from above with clubbing rights. It didn’t take referee Dan Miragliotta long to step in and award Goltsov the six-point finish. Can Goltsov continue his ferocious finishing streak, or will Johnson take him into deep waters and drown his championship dreams for the second time? Johnson may not have been the PFL’s first choice for a contender in this season's tournament, but the North Dakotan plans to take full advantage of the opportunity. Johnson stepped into the tournament late and earned his place among the final four with a quick and snappy first-round TKO over Danilo Marques . Johnson’s career seemed to be spiraling after he was cut from Bellator following a three-fight skid, but the Xtreme Couture product still has some gas left in the tank. Johnson’s 10 career knockouts make him a threat on the feet at all times, but his chin is highly crackable. Goltsov and Johnson could make for an exciting bout for as long it goes. Goltsov is younger, more experienced and has more knockouts and submissions than Johnson, and the title looks like his to lose, but his first fight against Vassell showed some glaring weaknesses in his cardio. If Johnson weathers an early storm, the threat could fade as the rounds go later. Don’t hold your breath, though. Goltsov is going to swing hard, and he’s going to be looking to crack Johnson’s chin early and make a statement about heading into the championship.
No fighter—man or woman—has been more impressive this season than Ditcheva. The Manchester-born monster has annihilated everyone put in front of her, and at 26, her stock still has so much room to grow. Her striking is heads and shoulders above everyone in the women’s flyweight division, and she proved that with brutal back-to-back first-round finishes. Ditcheva comes into the playoffs as the No. 1 seed after quickly dispatching Lisa Mauldin in April and then following up the performance with another TKO over Chelsea Hackett two months later. In both of these performances, Ditcheva set up her finish with gut-wrenching bodywork, and she’ll be looking to do it again. The only question about the young prospect is what will she do against elite-level grappling. Bishop will be the perfect person to administer that test. The 38-year-old Bishop may not have a ton of MMA experience, but the former International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation world champion is as dangerous as they come on the ground. Bishop showed she could hang with the best after submitting Hackett in the first round of the competition and then dropping a close split decision to Talia Santos in June. Bishop’s striking is nothing to fret over, but she nearly came back from down two rounds and stunned with Santos with a face crank late. Whoever can play this fight to their strength will have the advantage. Ditcheva has one submission win on her ledger, and she’s never faced a grappler the level of Bishop. However, Bishop has never seen hands like Ditcheva’s. Bishop hasn’t quite found a way to make her game well-rounded, and that could ultimately be her downfall. If she can’t take this fight to the ground in a hurry, she’ll be at risk of becoming Ditcheva’s eighth straight stoppage victim.
Popov storms into the playoffs as the No. 2-seeded heavyweight after starching Steve Mowry within two rounds and then following it up with a unanimous decision win over Davion Franklin . At 32, Popov could be the most well-rounded threat in the field. He’s young, athletic, hungry and riding the momentum of a 16-fight winning streak. The Fedor Emelianenko protege is well-trained and disciplined, and he won’t force the issue. He’s prepared to win however he needs, and it’ll take a special fighter to deter him from the title shot. Vassell is one of those threats that you simply can’t send away. The 41-year-old Englishman has made a career by pushing the best to their peak. “Big Swarm” is a heavy puncher and a competent grappler, and the nine losses on his record can be misleading. He’s always in the fight. The problem? At this age, which Vassell will show up? Technically, he wasn’t supposed to make the playoffs but is stepping in for an injured Valentin Moldovsky, which is poetic justice of sorts considering Vassell defeated the Russian by split decision in his last fight. Although the PFL standings and brackets can lead to some head-scratching matchups, nobody can deny that Vassell will be a tough out for Popov. If Vassell hopes to pull this upset off, he’ll have to stick to an ironclad game plan. Popov has never been stopped, and he’s a very disciplined fighter. Winning exchanges and dictating the pace is a must, but Vassell hasn’t proved he has the tank to do that. If he doesn’t catch Popov early, he’s bound to dominate every aspect of the game. Although Vassell is a solid test, Popov looks to be the sharper, more polished fighter at this stage of their careers. However, the test will be valuable before he potentially advances to the championship.
This is what we’ve all been waiting for. Santos made waves when she signed with the PFL earlier this year, and fans eagerly waited for the former UFC title challenger to be seriously tested by the PFL competition. That didn’t happen in Santos’ first fight, as she easily walked through Ilara Joanne in one round. Santos, however, got more than she bargained for in her second outing against Jena Bishop . Santos controlled the slow-paced fight for most of the evening but allowed Bishop back into the scrap in the third round. Santos ultimately escaped a face crank attempt and held on for the split decision win, but the performance underwhelmed fans. With the unimpressive victory, Santos’ stock took a hit but she can regain the momentum with a win over a reigning Bellator champion. Carmouche has been taking out the best flyweights in the world for over 14 years. Like Santos, she found much success after leaving the UFC and made a name for herself as the Bellator empress. Carmouche’s all-around game makes her a nightmare matchup for anyone looking to have an easy night. Her wrestling is her foundation, but “Girl-Rilla” can bang, as well. She has heavy hands that can accumulate fight-ending damage as the fight goes on. It’s no surprise to see her in the playoffs after her PFL journey consisted of former opponents she already battered in Bellator. Juliana Velasquez and Kana Watanabe had nothing new to offer in their rematches with the champ, but how will Carmouche fair with an unfamiliar foe in the SmartCage? On paper, this is the best fight that the women’s flyweight division has produced this season. Both fighters have dangerous all-around games and will be comfortable wherever the fight goes. Santos carries a slight power advantage, but Carmouche’s aggressive wrestling may nullify much of her submission game. Wherever the fight goes, it’s a 50/50 coinflip on who will hold the advantage. With that said, Carmouche has been a champion for two years and knows what it takes to dig deep and win the rounds when they count. She could press for the finish or control Santos long enough to get an edge on the scorecards. If Santos comes out aggressive and stays out of long clinches with Carmouche, she will definitely have a shot of pulling this off, but expect the latter’s experience and unrelenting wrestling to play a huge role in a split decision win.
Sergey Bilostenniy (12-3, 1-0 PFL) vs. Tyrell Fortune (14-2, 1-0 PFL): In a rematch from their 2021 showdown in Bellator, Bilostenniy looks to redeem himself after his first-round disqualification for punches to the back of the head. Little was learned in the first fight, but Fortune did show that he can get Bilostenniy to the mat. Fortune has built his name off strong ground-and-pound, and if he postures up, he can get you out of there. Maybe this matchup delivers after the controversy of their first meeting.
Welterweights
Jaleel Willis (16-6, 0-0 PFL) vs. Anthony Ivy (14-7, 1-0 PFL): Few knew where Ivy’s career was headed after suffering five straight losses from June 2020 to August 2022, but the San Antonio native has really turned it around. He’s won six straight and is the most confident he’s ever been heading into one of the biggest fights of his career. Willis could use a similar turnaround after losing four of his last five fights. Willis was stopped in the first round in all four of those losses, and the Memphis, Tennessee, native has yet to show the promise that once made him an exciting up-and-comer. Willis is bound to have support from his Tennessee fans, but if Ivy can put him away for a seventh straight win, it could line him up for more opportunities with the PFL soon.
Welterweights
Nicholas Meck (7-1, 1-0 PFL) vs Kevin Pease (5-0, 0-0 PFL): Meck rebounded from his first career loss in dominant fashion his last time out. The first-round TKO showed the Topeka, Kansas, resident that good things happen when you stick with the sport and don’t let a setback get you down. He’ll be looking to teach that lesson to the undefeated Pease in the opening preliminary bout. Pease is a Memphis native who trains out of Kill Cliff Fight Club, and he’ll be looking to start the show off with some energy. He impressed with three stoppages in the Cage Fury Fighting Championships organization, and now he’ll have a chance to prove that he’s ready for the big time.
Lightweights
Sergio Cossio (19-9-1, 1-0 PFL) vs. Dedrek Sanders (8-4, 0-0 PFL): Cossio is an exciting Mexican fighter who’s been on a tear lately. He’s won his last nine fights and looked really sharp in his PFL debut win over Anthony Romero . Sanders has made a name for himself locally amongst Nashville fans fighting in the Aries Fighting Series promotion. He’s been in the cage with current UFC fighters Terrance McKinney and Jonathan Pearce but was stopped in both contests.
Featherweights
Cody Law (8-2, 0-0 PFL) vs. Zachary Hicks (9-5, 0-1 PFL): Local talent Hicks has won four of his last five, but he’ll be looking to redeem himself after losing in the first round of his PFL Challenger Series fight. He faces Law, who’s an experienced threat from Bellator and riding a two-fight winning streak. Law is known for his knockout power, but after four straight decisions, does he have what it takes to put away the hometown hero?
Featherweights
Alexei Pergande (4-0, 4-0 PFL) vs. Daniel Boehle (4-2, 0-0 PFL): Pergande puts his unblemished record on the line against Knoxville’s Boehle. Pergande is another Nashville-grown talent looking to add some excitement to the crowd. He has a slick submission game but hasn’t shown yet that he can put anybody away with his striking. Boehle was stopped in his last fight by punches and could provide Pergande with a knockout opportunity.
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