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Ian Parker, ESPN
After a busy year for the promotion, the PFL returns for the 2024 regular season next week (April 4, 6 p.m. ET on ESPN+/ESPN2).
After acquiring Bellator MMA just days before the 2023 Championship Finals, the PFL set to work making major changes across both promotions during the PFL offseason. As a result of these adjustments, many things will look different next season.
The biggest addition may be the new women's flyweight division, replacing last season's women's featherweight division. The new weight class has a number of notable newcomers, including Bellator 125-pound titleholder Liz Carmouche, former UFC title challenger Tyra Santos, and rising star Dakota Dicheva.
Former Bellator lightweight champion Patricky “Pitbull” Freire and former light heavyweight champion Phil Davis will also compete in the 2024 PFL regular season.
Here are the best matchups you'll see this season and the early picks to win each division title.
Best matchups in the book
Lightweight: Clay Collard vs. Patricki Freire
Corral and Freire are a must-see on TV every time they play against each other. Both are action fighters who always move forward, so it's always an interesting fight. Both fighters have experience of losing in their respective organizations, so this matchup will likely see the winner's stock rise. Former Bellator lightweight champion “Pitbull” will make his PFL debut in this bout. Corrado, one of the PFL's biggest stars, is probably used to having new fighters in the promotion. In 2022, he gave the PFL a warm welcome with a unanimous decision loss to Jeremy Stevens. And Corrado did the same thing last year against Yamato Nishikawa. Can he do it three times in a row?
Light Heavyweight: Robert Wilkinson vs Phil Davis
Wilkinson will return to the PFL regular season after sitting out 2023 following a suspension for failing a drug test. The 2022 light heavyweight champion was the standout fighter that season and reaped the benefits of winning his first MMA title. He will start next season against a veteran with a strong wrestling background in Davis.
Davis is definitely looking to test Wilkinson's takedown defense. Wilkinson, on the other hand, will rely on his knockout power.
The best matchups you'll see this season
Women's flyweight: Dakota Dicheva vs. Liz Carmouche
This is the best matchup PFL can have to showcase the talent in his new women's division. Carmouche, the current Bellator champion, has had an overwhelming run since signing with Bellator in 2020. Not only is she winning matches, she's also consistently finishing her opponents. Carmouche enters this season as a fighter to beat at flyweight. I hope she advances to the finals without any problems. Dicheva is extremely talented and may be the best prospect in the division, regardless of organization.
Light Heavyweight: Robert Wilkinson vs. Impa Kasanganay
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Impa Kasanganay advances to PFL finals with big KO
Impa Kasanganay knocks out Martin Hamlett for a million dollar prize.
This is not only the best match that PFL can have at 205 pounds, but one of the best matches that the promotion can book in any division. Wilkinson and 2023 season champion Kasanganay have completely different fight styles, but both get the action every time. Against Johnny Evren, Kasanganay showed he can hold his own against one of the best wrestlers in MMA. The only question is whether he can handle Wilkinson's hitting and power.
Early title predictions
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Denis Goltsov needs just 18 seconds to finish Jorgan de Castro
Denis Goltsov needs just 18 seconds to finish Jorgan de Castro
Heavyweight: Denis Goltsov
2023 PFL Heavyweight Champion Renan Ferreira says he will not compete in the 2024 season due to a big payday coming up against Francis Ngannou. This makes Goltsov the most well-rounded fighter in the heavyweight division. With his dominant wrestling and vast experience, it will be difficult for anyone to stop him. All eyes are on Linton Vassell, ranked No. 1 in Bellator's heavyweight rankings and making his PFL debut.
Wildcard: Bruno Capellozza
Light Heavyweight: Robert Wilkinson
Wilkinson hasn't fought since the 2022 season, but if he can get back to form he could be the man to beat at light heavyweight this year. Other than Antonio Carlos Jr., it's hard to imagine anyone else being able to physically bully a former champion. Carlos, the 2021 light heavyweight champion, also missed time inside the cage. After starting the 2022 regular season with back-to-back wins, he missed the remainder of the season due to injury. It will be his first appearance since 2022. 2022 welterweight champion Sadibu Sy has moved up a weight class and is fighting at light heavyweight this season.
Wildcard: Antonio Carlos Jr.
Welterweight: Magomed Umalatov
From powerful striking to dominant wrestling, Umalatov has all the ingredients to win the welterweight title this season. However, he has had problems with his gas tank and has had visa issues in the past. If he can resolve those issues, this should be his year. However, Umalatov will have some tough competition ahead as former Bellator contenders Logan Storey and Neiman Gracie will be competing in the PFL this year. Story has won four of his last five bouts, including victories over Gracie and Michael “Venom” Page.
Wild Card: Neiman Gracie
Lightweight: Clay Collard
Collard has shown he is weak against bigger grapplers like Olivier Aubin-Mercier and AJ McKee. Fortunately for him, there is no one who can beat him and contain him this season. However, he will likely have to face many new opponents. The division is filled with former Bellator fighters, and there will likely be more former Bellator fighters this season than last year's PFL fighters competing at lightweight. One name to keep an eye on is Brent Primus. His final bout against Usman Nurmagomedov for the Bellator lightweight title at Bellator 300. The fight was ruled a no-contest after Nurmagomedov tested positive for a banned substance.
Wildcard: Mats Burnell
Featherweight: Brendan Locknain
Loughnane is the best striker in this division. I think he lost to last year's champion Jesus Pinedo because he underestimated his opponent. If Loughnane takes every opponent as seriously this season as he did when he won the title in 2022, it will be hard to stop him from winning another district title. However, he will have to go through former runner-up Gabriel Braga (2023) and Bubba Jenkins (2022). And Adam Borix from Bellator. He hasn't fought since 2022, but his last fight was against Patricio “Pitbull” Freire for the Bellator featherweight title.
Wildcard: Adam Borix
Women's flyweight: Dakota Ditcheva
Ditcheva has the best hitting power in the division. The possibility that she faces a veteran like Carmouche or Santos would be a big step up for her in her competition, but if Dicheva can continue her fights, she could compete against anyone at 125 pounds. You can compete. Santos could also cause problems for the division. She has lost two fights, including a split decision loss to Valentina Shevchenko for the UFC title. If Santos can return to her form in 2022 with her new promotion, she will be enough of a threat to win her first PFL women's flyweight belt.
Wildcard: Tyra Santos
