A triple-header is about to begin for MMASucka staff picks.
Kicking off the loaded week of fights sees PFL 1 2024 set to take place later today, April 4th from the Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio, Texas. This marks the start of the Professional Fighters League’s Regular Season.
Mixed martial artists from six different weight classes will fight throughout the year across ten total events (6 Regular Season Cards, 3 Playoff Cards, 1 Title Card). Points will be awarded throughout the Regular Season and those who advance will fight their way through a round of semifinal Playoffs. The final two athletes from each of the weight classes will fight for the PFL Championship and a chance at a cash prize of one million dollars. See PFL MMA’s website here about the scoring system and more.
PFL 1 2024 will begin with preliminary fights at 6:30pm ET (3:30pm PT) on ESPN+. The main card kicks off at 10:00pm ET (7:00pm PT) on both ESPN+ and cable ESPN.
Stay tuned here at MMASucka for PFL 1 2024 results. Also, be on the lookout for our staff picks from Friday’s ONE Fight Night 21 event from Bangkok, Thailand and Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 240 from Las Vegas, Nevada.
Heavyweights
Ante Delija and Valentin Moldvasky will clash in the heavyweight division (265 pounds) for the night’s main event. 2022 Tournament Champion Delija returns to the PFL cage after missing most of 2023 due to injury as he targets a sixth consecutive victory. His opponent, Sambo specialist Moldavsky, will make his promotional debut after a ten-fight run with Bellator MMA from mid-2017 to April of last year.
Additional heavyweights Denis Goltsov and Linton Vassell are set for battle in the co-main event. Former ACA Heavyweight Champion Goltsov saw his five-fight win streak snapped in 2023’s finale by second-round knockout to Renan Ferreira. 40-year-old Vassell looks sharper than ever as he makes his first PFL appearance riding a string of five wins including four by knockout inside the first ten minutes.
Headlining the ESPN+ headliner sees Brazil’s Marcelo Golm in on short notice for Tyrell Fortune against former LFA Title challenger Daniel James. The two had previously fought in March of last year with James seeing his hand raised by third-round knockout.
Two additional bouts make up the Regular Season heavyweight fights. After Bruno Cappelozza withdrew from the event, two-time Bellator competitor Sergey Bilostenniy was put in on short notice to square off with former WSOF (pre-PFL) Champion and UFC contender Blagoy Ivanov. Lastly, 100% finisher Steve Mowry will take on the 14-fight win streak of debutant Oleg Popov.
Women’s Flyweights
A trilogy matchup will headline the women’s flyweight division (125 pounds) between Liz Carmouche and Juliana Velasquez. Former Bellator Champion Carmouche took the divisional Title away from Velasquez in April of 2022 by knockout in the fourth round. The two then met in December of the same year with Carmouche ending the bout earlier with a second-round armbar.
Opening the ESPN portion sees a fight with Dakota Ditcheva and Lisa Mauldin. Undefeated Ditcheva impressed in 2023 with three victories en route to the European Flyweight Tournament Championship. She will tango with Lisa Mauldin who makes her second PFL appearance after signing following a February Challenger Series win.
Dakota Ditcheva vs. Lisa Mauldin opens up the Main Card on ESPN2 tomorrow night!!
[ #PFLRegularSeason | Thurs, Apr 4th | 10pm ET | ESPN2] pic.twitter.com/pTbBGs7fPI
— PFL (@PFLMMA) April 3, 2024
Former top-ranked DEEP and Bellator athlete Kana Watanabe looks for her second straight win as she fights Syndicate MMA’s Shanna Young.
Taila Santos is set for her first walk to the PFL cage after a seven-fight run with the UFC. She will meet another fellow Brazilian of Ilara Joanna who stepped in on short notice for Denise Kielholtz.
The tenth and final Regular Season fight sees 24-year-old Chelsea Hackett ready to go against undefeated grappling specialist Jena Bishop.
See further below who the MMASucka crew has picked to win at PFL 1 2024.
Staff Picks
MMASucka staff picks are composed of four of the world’s leading mixed martial arts organizations: the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the Professional Fighters League (PFL) with Bellator MMA, ONE Championship (ONE FC), and Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS).
- UFC picks will include main card fights ranging from four to six matchups per event.
- PFL and Bellator MMA see picks from main cards for pay-per-views and from tournament fights in the Regular Season, Playoffs, and Finals.
- ONE FC and DWCS picks will feature all MMA fights from the event with a minimum of three matchups.
The individual who picks the most victorious fighters by the end of 2024 will have a choice between receiving a custom-made championship belt from ProAmBelts or a detailed chain from Championship Chains. Staff picks in 2023 were won by Ben Jamieson with a record of 300-148.
Find our PFL 1 2024 picks and predictions below.
RECORDS AFTER UFC ON ESPN 54:
1. Nate Freeman: 59-29
2. Frazer Krohn: 53-35
3. Michael DeSantis: 51-32
4. Wesley Riddle: 50-38
5. Jeremy Brand: 46-42
6. Andrew Benjamin: 35-39
7. Lukas DeWitt: 29-26
8. Julio Monteros Jr.: 28-11
9. Michael Kachan: 11-7
10. Casey Cooper: 4-5
*Note – not all staff pick for every event*
Chelsea Hackett (4-1-1), +195
vs.
Jena Bishop (6-0), -250
WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT DIVISION
– 125 LBS. ~ 56.7 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Bishop via Round 2 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Bishop via Round 2 SUB
Michael DeSantis: Bishop via Round 2 SUB
Andrew Benjamin: Bishop via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Bishop via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Bishop via Round 3 SUB
Staff picking Hackett: 0
Staff picking Bishop: 6
Kana Watanabe (12-2-1), -270
vs.
Shanna Young (9-5), +220
WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT DIVISION
– 125 LBS. ~ 56.7 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Watanabe via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Watanabe via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Watanabe via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Watanabe via Round 1 Submission
Frazer Krohn: Young via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Watanabe via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Watanabe: 5
Staff picking Young: 1
Steve Mowry (10-1-1, 1 NC), +135
vs.
Oleg Popov (16-1), -165
HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION
– 265 LBS. ~ 120.2 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Popov via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Mowry via Split Decision
Michael DeSantis: Popov via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Popov via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Popov via Round 2 TKO
Nate Freeman: Popov via Split Decision
Staff picking Mowry: 1
Staff picking Popov: 5
Taila Santos (19-3), -1000
vs.
Ilara Joanne (11-8), +650
WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT DIVISION
– 125 LBS. ~ 56.7 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Santos via Round 2 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Santos via Round 1 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Santos via Round 2 SUB
Andrew Benjamin: Santos via Round 1 SUB
Frazer Krohn: Santos via Round 1 TKO
Nate Freeman: Santos via Round 1 TKO
Staff picking Santos: 6
Staff picking Joanne: 0
Blagoy Ivanov (19-6, 1 NC), +135
vs.
Sergey Bilostenniy (11-3), -165
HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION
– 265 LBS. ~ 120.2 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Bolostenniy via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Bilostenniy via Round 1 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Ivanov via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Ivanov via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Bilostenniy via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Bilostenniy via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Ivanov: 2
Staff picking Bilostenniy: 4
Marcelo Golm (10-4), -160
vs.
Daniel James (14-7-1, 1 NC), +130
HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION
– 265 LBS. ~ 120.2 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Golm via Round 2 Submission
Wesley Riddle: Golm via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Golm via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: James via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: James via Round 2 TKO
Nate Freeman: Golm via Round 2 TKO
Staff picking Golm: 4
Staff picking James: 2
Dakota Ditcheva (10-0), -3200
vs.
Lisa Mauldin (6-3), +1400
WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT DIVISION
– MAIN CARD –
– 125 LBS. ~ 56.7 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Ditcheva via Round 1 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Ditcheva via Round 1 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Ditcheva via Round 2 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Ditcheva via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Ditcheva via Round 2 TKO
Nate Freeman: Ditcheva via Round 1 TKO
Staff picking Ditcheva: 6
Staff picking Mauldin: 0
Liz Carmouche (20-7), -185
vs.
Juliana Velasquez (12-2), +150
WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT DIVISION
– MAIN CARD –
– 125 LBS. ~ 56.7 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Carmouche via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Carmouche via Round 3 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Carmouche via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Carmouche via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Carmouche via Round 3 SUB
Nate Freeman: Carmouche via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Carmouche: 6
Staff picking Velasquez: 0
Denis Goltsov (32-8), -145
vs.
Linton Vassell (24-8, 1 NC), +120
HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION
– CO-MAIN EVENT –
– 265 LBS. ~ 120.2 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Vassell via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Goltsov via Split Decision
Michael DeSantis: Vassell via Round 2 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Vassell via Round 2 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Vassell via Round 1 TKO
Nate Freeman: Vassell via Split Decision
Staff picking Goltsov: 1
Staff picking Vassell: 5
Ante Delija (24-5), +135
vs.
Valentin Moldvasky (12-3, 1 NC), -165
HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION
– MAIN EVENT –
– 265 LBS. ~ 120.2 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Moldvasky via Round 1 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Delija via Round 1 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Delija via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Delija via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Delija via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Delija via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Delija: 5
Staff picking Moldvasky: 1
THE HEAVYWEIGHT MAIN EVENT: Ante Delija vs. Valentin Moldavsky!
[ #PFLRegularSeason | Thurs, Apr 4th | 10pm ET | ESPN2] pic.twitter.com/Ytajx72CvG
— PFL (@PFLMMA) April 3, 2024
PFL 1 2024 FEATURED IMAGE:
Liz Carmouche (left) and Juliana Velasquez (right) with Professional Fighters League President Ray Sefo ahead of their PFL 1 2024 Regular Season fight taking place Thursday, April 4th from the Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio Texas (photo credits to Cooper Neill, PFL MMA).
