Preview: PFL 7 2024 | Heavyweight, Women’s Flyweight Playoffs

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:

Heavyweight Semifinal

Denis Goltsov (34-8, 12-3 PFL) vs. Tim Johnson (18-9, 1-0 PFL)

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.

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Goltsov vs. Johnson
Ditcheva vs. Bishop
Popov vs. Vassell
Santos vs. Carmouche
The Prelims