A Look Ahead to the 2024 PFL Playoffs

The 2024 Professional Fighters League playoffs are set to get underway at PFL 7 on Aug. 2 in Nashville, Tennessee, where the women’s flyweight and men’s heavyweight semifinals will take center stage at Nashville Municipal Auditorium.

Only the men’s light heavyweight division had more combined points (35) from its playoff contestants than women’s flyweight (34), showing just how dominant the four qualifiers haven been. Led by Dakota Ditcheva, who posted 12 points with two first-round finishes in the regular season, plenty of intrigue exists among the four semifinalists at 125 pounds. Meanwhile, the heavyweight semifinals are mostly a foreign affair, as the top three seeds represent either Russia or England. The lone exception? Tim Johnson, who turned a wild first-round finish as a late replacement into a playoff berth.

Women’s Flyweight Semifinal

Dakota Ditcheva (12-0, 7-0 PFL) vs. Jena Bishop (7-1, 1-1 PFL)

Having already captured the PFL Europe title, the top-seeded Ditcheva looks to turn her dominant regular-season run into a world title on the global roster and a $1 million grand prize. The standout striker has finished both of her opponents with her standup skills, which makes this matchup all the more interesting. In her first PFL season, the fourth-seeded Bishop has proven to be a force to be reckoned with. Despite losing her second-round matchup to Taila Santos by split decision, Bishop was undeniably a championship contender. Known for her elite grappling skills, she now has the opportunity to grab her first MMA world title in just 10 professional fights. This is a classic striker-versus-grappler matchup. If Ditcheva impresses once again, she could be seen as the favorite, as could Bishop, who will have the opportunity to make a resounding statement with a win. Bishop also showcases the beauty of the PFL regular season, as the 36-year-old could achieve championship status in just one calendar year in just her third year of competing in MMA.

Women’s Flyweight Semifinal

Taila Santos (21-3, 2-0 PFL) vs. Liz Carmouche (22-7, 2-0 PFL)

An early pick to win it all in 2024, the second-seeded Santos will have her hands full against the third-seeded Carmouche. Santos, who just narrowly missed gold during her tenure with the UFC, feels this is the time in her career for her to finally seize the reins at 125 pounds. A first-round submission victory followed by the aforementioned split decision over Bishop carried Santos into the playoffs. She will go up against the battle-tested Carmouche, who is looking to add another belt o her collection. Needing a finish and finding one with just eight seconds to go in her second regular-season matchup, Carmouche now finds herself one step closer to adding a PFL world title. After a successful title reign as Bellator MMA flyweight champion, Carmouche came over to the PFL in 2024 looking to hold titles in both promotions. With 53 combined fights between these two women, there should be no surprises for either side—a true testament to what they have achieved in their careers. The winner will carry extensive experience into the final.

Heavyweight Semifinal

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

Securing two finishes in the regular season clinched Goltsov the top-seed in 2024, bringing him back into familiar territory. After coming up short against Renan Ferreira in the 2023 final, Goltsov is looking to claim gold in his fifth year with the PFL. His last five wins have come by way of stoppage, but he will have a tough assignment in a fellow veteran in Johnson. Making his PFL debut in June, when he picked up a first-round TKO over Danilo Marques, Johnson has shown the capability of being in wild wars and coming out on top. A veteran of Bellator and the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Johnson comes in with the odds stacked against him, just as he did against Marques. At heavyweight, however, anything can happen.

Heavyweight Semifinal

Oleg Popov (18-1, 2-0 PFL) vs. Linton Vassell (24-9, 1-1 PFL)

This was supposed to be an all-Russian affair between two teammates: Popov and Valentin Moldavsky. However, Moldavsky’s withdrawal opened the door for Vassell. Having just narrowly missed the playoffs by one point in the regular season, Vassell will try take advantage of the opportunity by being prepared. In his first season with the PFL, Popov picked up a second-round TKO over Steven Mowry and then defeated short-notice opponent Davion Franklin in the second round of the regular season, putting away all competition sent his way on the biggest stage of his career. Vassell is not just a fighter going through his first PFL regular season. He has been a high-level mainstay for years. With 12 victories during his Bellator tenure, Vassell was cemented as a worthy title contender, especially the last few years. After his first fight of the regular season did not go his way in a loss to Goltsov, Vassell bounced back with a split decision victory over Moldavsky in what was a trilogy matchup between them. Now taking Moldavsky’s spot, Vassell has the opportunity to make the most of this sudden chance and capture that heavyweight title he has been chasing his whole career.