From The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the Professional Fighters League’s spectacular 2024 season comes to head with a six fight world championship main card, ranging from women’s flyweight to men’s heavyweight. From skilled veterans to young, hungry up-and-comers, the promotion’s tournament finals boasts an entire lineup of entertaining contenders. Taking place in the early morning hours on Friday, fight fans will have to wake up bright and early in order to catch some of the top athletes in the sport battle out for their chance to become world champions (some for a second time).
Card Headliner
In the main event of the evening, PFL 2022 featherweight winner Brendan Loughnane (30-5 MMA, 12-2 PFL) looks to claim another belt and million dollar check when he meets up with the streaking, undefeated Timur Khizriev (17-0 MMA, 3-0 PFL). Embarking on a three fight win streak since suffering a first round knockout setback to Jesus Pinedo last year, Loughnane barreled through the competition in 2024, and he now stands on the cusp of his second ever company championship victory.
Similarly, Khizriev has cemented his place as a true force in the division with several stellar wins, including one over previous 145-lb tournament winner Gabriel Braga in his last fight. At 17-0, “Imam” the latest Russian-born talent to make a name for himself in possibly the second largest mixed martial arts promotion on the planet.
Co-Main Event
Co-headlining, the perfect Dakota Ditcheva (13-0 MMA, 8-0 PFL) faces her greatest challenge to date when she locks horns with former UFC title challenger Taila Santos (22-3 MMA, 3-0 PFL). With all but one of her promotional contests ending in round one, Ditcheva is easily the top finisher in the PFL’s 125-lb weight class. This uncanny ability to stop her opponents has already led “Dangerous” to gold once in 2023 when she won the PFL Europe Women’s Flyweight Tournament by forcing a doctor stoppage over Valentina Scatizzi.
In the wake of her departure from the UFC, Santos is seeking to conquer new territory by becoming just the third woman from Brazil to become a PFL champion. Demonstrating the same level of dominance that almost handed her a victory over Valentina Shevchenko, Santos rattled off three straight wins to reach the last fight of the season, with her biggest coming against current three-time defending Bellator Flyweight Champion Liz Carmouche.
Remaining Fights
Other contests on the card include reigning light heavyweight champion Impa Kasanganay versus Dovlet Yagshimuradov, and the undefeated Magomed Umalatov and Shamil Musaev putting their zeros on the line against each other. Then, the venerable Brent Primus tangles with the rising Gadzhi Rabadanov, but not before the card opens with Denis Goltsov battling Oleg Popov.
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 2024 Championships picks and fight odds below.
Oleg Popov -125
vs
Denis Goltsov +105
HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION
Jeremy Brand: Popov by Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Popov by Unanimous Decision
Hank Strandberg: Popov by Unanimous Decision
Drew Zuhosky: Goltsov by Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Popov: 3
Staff picking Goltsov: 1
Gadzhi Rabadanov -550
vs
Brent Primus +400
LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION
Jeremy Brand: Primus by Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Rabadanov by Unanimous Decision
Hank Strandberg: Rabadanov by Unanimous Decision
Drew Zuhosky: Rabadanov by Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Rabadanov: 3
Staff picking Primus: 1
Shamil Musaev -280
vs
Magomed Umalatov +240
WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION
Jeremy Brand: Umalatov by Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Umalatov by Split Decision
Hank Strandberg: Musaev by Unanimous Decision
Drew Zuhosky: Umalatov by Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Musaev: 1
Staff picking Umalatov: 3
Impa Kasanganay -170
vs
Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov +145
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION
Jeremy Brand: Kasanganay by Third-Round TKO
Nate Freeman: Kasanganay by Split Decision.
Hank Strandberg: Kasanganay by Fourth-Round KO
Drew Zuhosky: Kasanganay by Third-Round KO
Staff picking Kasanganay: 4
Staff picking Yagshimuradov: 0
Dakota Ditcheva -370
vs
Talia Santos +295
FLYWEIGHT DIVISION
Jeremy Brand: Ditcheva by Third-Round TKO.
Nate Freeman: Ditcheva by Split Decision
Hank Strandberg: Ditcheva by Second-Round TKO
Drew Zuhosky: Ditcheva by Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Ditcheva: 4
Staff picking Santos: 0
Timur Khizriev -305
vs
Brendan Loughnane +255
FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION
Jeremy Brand: Khizriev by Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Khizriev by Unanimous Decision
Hank Strandberg: Khizriev by Unanimous Decision
Drew Zuhosky: Khizriev by Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Khizriev: 4
Staff picking Loughnane: 0
