ESPN
Aug 3, 2024, 04:45 AM
The PFL is determining its 2024 playoff finalists in six weight classes over the course of three fight cards in August, with the main cards on ESPN and all of the fights, including prelims, available for streaming on ESPN+.
The playoffs began with two heavyweight and two women's flyweight semifinals on Friday in Nashville, Tennessee. Denis Goltsov and Oleg Popov won their heavyweight fights to earn their way to the final, and Dakota Ditcheva and Taila Santos secured spots at flyweight.
The semis at light heavyweight and lightweight are Aug. 16 in Hollywood, Florida. And the welterweight and featherweight semifinals are Aug. 23 in Washington.
Each playoff fight card also features several showcase bouts as well as fights between alternates in various weight classes, who will provide insurance against a playoff competitor dropping out because of injury.
The championship finals in all six weight classes will take place on a single fight card that has yet to be scheduled. In the past two years, the finals have been in late November.
Here are all of the remaining semifinal matchups (seeds in parentheses), along with storylines to watch in each weight class. Below that are results from the first playoff fight card. Check back here throughout the playoffs for results and other updates.
How to watch the fights
Watch all of the fights on ESPN+: Get ESPN+ here.
Watch the main cards on ESPN. Download the ESPN App | WatchESPN | TV schedule
Don't have ESPN? Get instant access.
There's also FightCenter, which offers live updates for every PFL card.
The fight cards
Light heavyweight and lightweight semifinals
Aug. 16 in Hollywood, Florida
ESPN/ESPN+, 9 p.m. ET
Light heavyweight semifinal: Impa Kasanganay (1) vs. Joshua Silveira (4)
Light heavyweight semifinal: Rob Wilkinson (2) vs. Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov (3)
Lightweight semifinal: Gadzhi Rabadanov (2) vs. Michael Dufort (3)
Lightweight semifinal: Brent Primus (1) vs. Clay Collard (4)
Lightweight (showcase): Biaggio Ali Walsh vs. Korey Taylor
ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET
Light heavyweight (alternate): Antônio Carlos vs. Karl Albrektsson
Bantamweight (showcase): Danny Sabatello vs. Lazaro Dayron
Lightweight (showcase): Mads Burnell vs. Elvin Espinoza
Welterweight (showcase): Thad Jean vs. TBA
Featherweight (showcase): Jordan Oliver vs. Braydon Akeo
Women's featherweight (showcase): Michelle Montague vs. Marilia Morais
What to watch for
Light heavyweight: Kasanganay is the only defending champion in these playoffs, but he's not the only champion in the light heavyweight bracket, as Wilkinson is the 2022 season champ. Will they use their semifinal fights to set up a clash of champions in the final?
Lightweight: Primus, a former Bellator champ who owns victories over Michael Chandler and former UFC champ Benson Henderson, earned the top seed with two finishes in the regular season. His reward is a semifinal date with 2023 finalist and 2021 semifinalist Collard, one of the toughest outs in the PFL.
Welterweight and featherweight semifinals
Aug. 23 in Washington
ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET
Featherweight semifinal: Brendan Loughnane (1) vs. Kai Kamaka III (4)
Welterweight semifinal: Magomed Umalatov (2) vs. Don Madge (3)
Featherweight semifinal: Gabriel Braga (2) vs. Timur Khizriev (3)
Welterweight semifinal: Shamil Musaev (1) vs. Murad Ramazanov (4)
ESPN+, 6:30 p.m. ET
Welterweight (showcase): Ray Cooper III vs. Mukhamed Berkhamov
Welterweight (alternate): Neiman Gracie vs. Luca Pocl*t
Featherweight (alternate): Tyler Diamond vs. Enrique Barzola
Featherweight (showcase): Brahyan Zurcher vs. James Gallagher
Featherweight (showcase): Jesse Stirn vs. Jose Perez
What to watch for
Welterweight: Umalatov is the only undefeated fighter in these playoffs. But while he is in his fourth year in the PFL, this will be his first postseason appearance. In past years, he has qualified for the playoffs but withdrew because of injuries and visa problems. There are a lot of crossed fingers at the PFL that this time will be different.
Featherweight: Loughnane was a 2021 semifinalist, the 2022 champion and the 2023 favorite -- but he didn't even make last year's playoffs, suffering a knockout in his final regular-season fight. He bounced back this season with a pair of knockouts and is out to reclaim the $1 million crown.
The results
Heavyweight and women's flyweight semifinals
Aug. 2 in Nashville, Tennessee
Heavyweight: Denis Goltsov (1) def. Tim Johnson (4) by first-round TKO (2:26)
Heavyweight: Oleg Popov (2) def. Linton Vassell (3) by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Women's flyweight: Dakota Ditcheva (1) def. Jena Bishop (4) by first-round TKO (3:54)
Women's flyweight: Taila Santos (2) def. Liz Carmouche (3) by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
The finals
Heavyweight: Denis Goltsov vs. Oleg Popov
Women's flyweight: Dakota Ditcheva vs. Taila Santos
