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Late 2024
#PFLRegularSeason It started with#PFLRegularSeason
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— PFL (@PFLMMA)
June 14, 2024
Forget the third time, Denis Gortsov is hoping the fifth time will be better. The globetrotting Russian sambo fighter earned himself the No. 1 seed in the Professional Fighters League playoffs by knocking out Thiago Santos, a last-minute replacement for Sergei Birostnyy, with punches in the first round of the PFL4 heavyweight showcase on Thursday at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. Gortsov finished the bout 2 minutes, 22 seconds into the first round.
“In our country we’re told to prepare for the worst and think beyond that,” he said. “I didn’t feel he was that strong. Once I got on top of him and had full control of him, I was able to beat him. I was always in a good position.”
This will be Goltsov’s fifth appearance in the PFL postseason, but his path to the $1 million prize isn’t over yet. He was the heavyweight runner-up in 2023, but lost in the final to Renan Ferreira. Goltsov now has his sights set on the 2024 semifinals, where he will face fourth-seeded Tim Johnson at PFL 7 on August 2 at Nashville Civic Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. Teammates Oleg Popov and Valentin Moldavsky are scheduled to clash in the other heavyweight semifinal.
Meanwhile, American Top Team’s Dakota Dycheba outpunched Chelsea Hackett with punches in the first round of the 125-pound co-main event to improve to 12-0 and secure the No. 1 seed in the women’s flyweight division. A left hook to the body put Hackett down just 3 minutes, 22 seconds into the first round.
“I’m happy,” Ditcheva said, “It’s great that Chelsea won. There aren’t many people who would call themselves high-level athletes and I would say I’m a high-level fighter, so it’s great that she went out there and performed as a fighter. I wasn’t too surprised by her performance, to be honest.”
Ditcheva is now on the brink of a $1 million prize. She faces fourth-seeded Jenna Bishop in the women’s flyweight semifinals of PFL7, where she is the overwhelming favorite to win. The 25-year-old daughter of former world kickboxing champion Lisa Howarth, Ditcheva has defeated 11 of her first 12 opponents by knockout or technical knockout. The other semifinal will see Tayra Santos take on current Bellator MMA champion Liz Carmouche.
“I’m looking forward to getting back in the gym soon, I literally live for this sport,” said Ditcheva, who is already looking ahead to the semi-final against Bishop. “It’s going to be a tough match and I’ll probably want to fight in the stands because our styles are polar opposites.
[and] She’ll probably want to go to the ground. I think we’re both ready for both.”
Attention for the Professional Fighters League will next shift to PFL 5, where lightweight and heavyweight contenders will battle for a spot in the postseason on June 21 at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City. A week later, featherweight and welterweight contenders will take center stage at PFL 6, which takes place at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
A closer look at the latest PFL standings:
The HW Semi-Finals will be held in Nashville!
#PFLPlayoffs#PFLRegularSeason
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— PFL (@PFLMMA)
June 14, 2024
Heavyweight
x-10: Denis Goltzov
x-8: Oleg Popov
x-6: Valentin Moldavsky
x-6: Tim Johnson
5: Daniel James
3. Tyrell Fortune
3: Sergey Birosteny
3: Lynton Vassell
0: Thiago Santos
0: Danilo Márquez
0: Marcelo Gorm
-1: Davion Franklin
***
The women’s flyweight semifinal matchup is now officially set for Nashville!
#PFLPlayoffs#PFLRegularSeason
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— PFL (@PFLMMA)
June 14, 2024
Women’s Flyweight
x-12: Dakota Dycheva
x-9: Tyra Santos
x-7: Liz Carmouche
x-6: Jenna Bishop
5: Juliana Velázquez
3: Kana Watanabe
3: Ilara Joan
0: Chelsea Hackett
0: Lisa Mauldin
-1: Shanna Young
***
Light Heavyweight
6: Rob Wilkinson
6: Joshua Silveira
6: Dovretzhan Yagsimradov
6: Impa Kasanganay
6: Antonio Carlos Jr.
0: Simon Bjorn
0: Alex Polizzi
0: Jacob Nedow
0: Sadib Shi
0: Tom Breeze
***
lightweight
5: Michael Dufort
5: Clay collard
5: Brent Primus
4: Ervin Espinoza
3: Gazi Labadanov
0: Solomon Renfro
0: Adam Piccolotti
0: Bruno Miranda
0: Patrick Freire
0: Mad Burnell
***
Welterweight
6: Don Mudge
6: Murad Ramazanov
5: Shamil Musaev
3: Magomed Umalatov
3: Goichi Yamauchi
0: Neiman Gracie
0: Andrey Koreshkov
0: Logan Story
0: Brennan Ward
-1: Laureano Staropoli
***
Featherweight
6: Brendan Loughnane
6: Gabriel Braga
3. Timur Khizryev
3: Adam Borix
3: Kai Kamaka III
0: Bubba Jenkins
0: Enrique Barzola
0: Brett Jones
0: Justin Gonzalez
0: Pedro Carvalho
***
x: Playoff Qualification
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