2024 PFL Season Primer

Who wants to be a millionaire? The journey to answering that question begins at 6 p.m. ET (ESPN+/ESPN2) on April 4. However, do not expect Regis Philbin to walk out and start quizzing contestants.

The Professional Fighters League kicks off its 2024 season at the Boeing Center in San Antonio, where heavyweights take center stage alongside the newly formed women’s flyweight division. PFL vets, such as Ante Delija and Denis Goltsov, hope to take their first step toward the $1 million-dollar grand prize, but with the acquisition of Bellator MMA, the road to the playoffs will be tougher than ever.

Bellator 125-pound champion Liz Carmouche debuts in the PFL this season, alongside former Bellator titleholders Patricky Freire and Phil Davis. Former Ultimate Fighting Championship title challenger Taila Santos will also be in the hunt. With trips to San Antonio, Las Vegas and Chicago already announced, the PFL plans to hit at least 10 different cities while showcasing some of the best matchups in the sport.

Ahead of the first event, a breakdown of all six PFL divisions and a look at which matchups to watch throughout the 2024 season:

HEAVYWEIGHT

2023 Champion: Renan Ferreira stopped Goltsov in the second round to claim the title last season. Ferreira followed up his million-dollar performance with a 21-second knockout over Bellator Championship Series heavyweight champion Ryan Bader at PFL-Bellator. Ferreira declined the opportunity to defend his title, opting to pursue a multi-million-dollar payday fight with Francis Ngannou.

The Favorite: Before his knockout loss to Ferreira, Goltsov (32-8) was on a five-fight winning streak and looked like the most well-rounded heavyweight on the PFL roster. With 11 knockouts and 15 submissions on his ledger, Goltsov has the experience, power and submission game to finish what he started.

The Contender: Linton Vassell is 40, but do not take your eyes off “Big Swarm.” Vassell (24-8-1) started MMA at 23 but quickly learned how to pair an 80-inch reach with his fight-ending power. The Englishman stopped four of his last five opponents on his way to claiming the No. 1 Bellator heavyweight ranking.

The Dark Horses: 2021 heavyweight tournament winner Bruno Cappelozza (15-7) has not won a fight since 2022, but he has two wins over Ante Delija, and his experience in the tournament makes him a dangerous foe. Oleg Popov (16-1) is coming off an impressive win over Gokhan Saricam, and former “Ultimate Fighter” contestant Jordan Heiderman is back after going 1-1 in the PFL last season.

Dream Matchup: Goltsov welcomes Vassell to the PFL on April 4, and it is bound to be a barnburner. Vassel has the power to stop whoever is in front of him, but Goltsov’s skill set allows him to adapt to any style. This should be a good one for however long it lasts.

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LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT

2023 Champion: Impa Kasanganay fought his way from the challenger series to the championship and turned himself into a star along the way. After falling short of an upset win over Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen, Kasanganay looks forward to defending his title this season.

The Favorite: Rob Wilkinson (17-2) last lost to Israel Adesanya six years ago, and he could be the toughest foe of Kasangany’s repeat. “Razor” won the light heavyweight tournament in 2022 but was suspended after testing positive for elevated testosterone following his win over Thiago Santos. At his best, Wilkinson can close the show at any time. In 20 fights, the Australian has gone the distance only twice.

The Contender: Former Bellator light heavyweight champion Phil Davis could make a splash in his PFL debut season. “Mr. Wonderful” is 39 but only loses to some of the biggest names in the sport like Vadim Nemkov and Corey Anderson. The former NCAA wrestling champion is still a nightmare on the ground and could pose a problem to the field.

The Dark Horses: 2022 PFL welterweight champion Sadibou Sy is moving up a division after falling short of the welterweight prize last season. Sy is a slick and deadly striker and arguably owns the fastest hands in the bunch. Former UFC and Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki alum Tom Bresse (18-4) is well-traveled and has faced names such as Sean Strickland, Brendan Allen and Pawel Pawlak.

Dream Matchup: Kasanganay-Wilkinson is a mouth-watering clash of styles. While Kasanganay proved to be a well-rounded grappler against Eblen, he also showed promise on his feet. Wilkinson is a force on the feet, and the exchanges could be brutal.

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WELTERWEIGHT

2023 Champion: Magomed Magomedkerimov (34-6-0) won the PFL welterweight tournament in his debut season back in 2018 and again five years later with a third-round submission win over Sy. With 16 fights and two championship seasons in the PFL under his belt, Magomedkerimov opted out of the 2024 season and looks forward to competing in the Bellator Championship Series.

The Favorite: Former Bellator title challenger Logan Storley (15-2) enters his PFL debut season riding off the momentum of a second-round stoppage over Brennan Ward. Storley is as tough as they come and can win fights even as the underdog. He holds victories over Michael Page and Neiman Gracie and gave former Bellator welterweight champ Yaroslav Amosov two tough fights.

The Contender: Undefeated Russian prospect Magomed Umalatov (14-0) can crack, as evidenced by his 11 career knockouts. Umalatov often takes out foes in the first round and has not truly had his gas tank tested. Staying away from his power long enough to take him into deep waters is easier said than done.

The Dark Horses: Neiman Gracie is arguably the best grappler in the field, but his striking is lacking. Gracie’s jiu-jitsu pedigree always keeps the Brazilian in fights, and it only takes a single mistake for him to capitalize. Luca Poclit (10-1) lost his first fight, but the SBG Ireland prospect won 10 fights in a row and has a habit of catching opponents early in his brabo choke.

Dream Matchup: Storley wants to bang, and the fans will be in for a treat if he matches up against former UFC fighter Laureano Staropoli (13-5). Staropoli defeated Thiago Alves and shared the cage with solid fighters such as Tim Means and Roman Dolidze. He trains with UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira and could be an exciting addition to the welterweight title race.

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LIGHTWEIGHT

2023 Champion: Two-time PFL lightweight champion Olivier Aubin-Mercier called it a career days after defeating Clay Collard in the final in November. The 34-year-old French-Canadian went 10-0 in the PFL and leaves big shoes to fill in his absence this season.

The Favorite: Collard (24-12) is one of PFL’s most entertaining fighters. The Payson, Utah native, does not stop coming forward and always loves to put on a good show. Unfortunately for the 31-year-old, his difficulties with grapplers have stopped him from reaching champion status. This could be the year Collard changes that.

The Contender: Former Bellator lightweight champion Patricky Freire (25-12) is one of the most exciting additions from the sale. Freire is also known for his non-stop fighting style, but unlike Collard, he has won at the highest level.

The Dark Horses: Another former Bellator champion, Brent Primus, joins the PFL roster this season with hopes of turning things around. Primus is 38 but could have some gas left in the engine.

Dream Matchup: Freire-Primus is a clash of styles that we never got in Bellator, but Freire-Collard has the making of an all-out war. Collard’s boxing is among the best in MMA, but Freire still carries the power and explosiveness to shut off the lights in an instant. This showdown on April 12 has the potential to be a “Fight of the Year” candidate.

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FEATHERWEIGHT

2023 Champion: Jesus Pinedo enacted revenge against Gabriel Braga and won the featherweight tournament with a shocking third-round TKO. The Peruvian puncher was looking forward to defending his title this season but was forced to withdraw after a back injury.

The Favorite: One of the biggest upsets last season occurred when Pinedo knocked out 2022 featherweight tournament champ Brendan Loughnane in the first round. Loughnane was the clear favorite to repeat and is one of the best strikers in the promotion. With the loss behind him, Loughnane enters this season looking for redemption.

The Contender: Braga (12-1) was undefeated before losing to Pinedo in their championship rematch in November. The 25-year-old has a ton of upside and potential for growth but does not carry a ton of fight-ending power. However, he can be a difficult foe to figure out in three rounds.

The Dark Horses: Adam Borics (18-2) has not fought since losing to Patricky Freire in October 2022, but it could be dangerous to overlook the Hungarian fighter. Borics has wins over Aaron Pico, Jeremy Kennedy and Mads Burnell. At 5-foot-11, Borics is tall and lanky for the division and could be an awkward matchup. Bubba Jenkins (21-7) has fought the best the PFL has to offer and is still in the mix heading into his fourth season.

Dream Matchup: Loughnane-Borics would be a unique fight pitting an elite striker in Loughnane against an all-around threat in Borics. Whoever could adapt and execute a solid game plan better would win this one.

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WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT

The Favorite: Bellator 125-pound champion Liz Carmouche (20-7) is the biggest name in the field and has not lost a fight in over five years. She has wins over fellow competitors Kana Watanabe and Juliana Velasquez and has routinely fought the best over her 14-year career.

The Contender: Taila Santos (19-3) once gave former UFC flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko one of the toughest fights of her career. She is a handful on the feet, with 10 knockouts to her credit, and a scrappy grappler who is guaranteed to give anyone in the bracket a tough night. At only 30, Santos’ best years could still be in front of her.

The Dark Horses: Dakota Ditcheva is a problem. She is only 25, but she is the best striker in the women’s flyweight tournament. The Manchester, England, native is young, hungry and undefeated at 10-0, but she is looking for an opportunity to prove herself on the highest stage. She is coming off a flawless run through the PFL Europe season, and this year could be a chance to explode on the main stage. Jena Bishop (6-0) is another undefeated prospect who is a former International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation no-gi world champion.

Dream Matchups: Santos- Ditcheva would be the most violent showdown in the division. Santos carries power, and her experience from the UFC would be a major step up in competition for the English prodigy. Ditcheva looks destined to make a name for herself in the tournament, but Santos would be her opportunity to prove herself against the best in the world.