PFL 1 (2024)

PFL 1
The poster for PFL 1
PromotionProfessional Fighters League
DateApril 4, 2024 (2024-April-04)
VenueBoeing Center at Tech Port
CitySan Antonio, Texas, United States
Event chronology
PFL Europe 1 PFL 1 PFL 2
Main article: 2024 in Professional Fighters League

The PFL 1 mixed martial arts event for the 2024 season of the Professional Fighters League was held on April 4, 2024, at the Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio, Texas, United States. This marked the first regular-season event of the tournament and included fights in the Women's Flyweight and Heavyweight divisions.[1][2][3]

Background

The event marked the promotion's second visit to San Antonio and first since PFL 7 (2023) in August 2023.[1]

The event was headlined by a heavyweight bout between former interim Bellator Heavyweight Champion Valentin Moldavsky and 2022 PFL heavyweight winner Ante Delija.[1]

A trilogy clash between Bellator Women's Flyweight World Champion Liz Carmouche and former champion Juliana Velasquez took place at this event.[1]

Former UFC Women's Flyweight Championship title challenger Taila Santos was expected to face former Bellator Kickboxing Women's Flyweight Champion Denise Kielholtz in a women's flyweight bout.[1] However, a week before the event it was announced that Kielholtz had pulled out and replaced by Ilara Joanne.[4]

On March 26, changes to the fight lineup saw 2021 PFL heavyweight winner Bruno Cappelozza replaced by former WSOF Heavyweight Champion Blagoy Ivanov against Sergei Bilostenniy, and a PFL women's flyweight alternate bout between Kaytlin Neil and Sumiko Inaba removed from the card.[4]

Originally, Daniel James was expected to face Tyrell Fortune in a rematch at the event.[5] However, on the fight week it was announced that Fortune withdrew from the event and was replaced by Marcelo Golm.[6] At weigh-ins, Daniel James came in at 267 lbs, 1 pound over the limit for heavyweight, while Shanna Young weighed in at 128.6 lbs, 2.6 pounds over the flyweight limit. They were fined a percentage of their purses and given a point deduction in the standings.[7]

Results

Main card (ESPN2 / ESPN+)
Weight class Method Round Time Notes
Heavyweight Valentin Moldavsky def. Ante Delija TKO (knees and punches) 1 2:17
Heavyweight Denis Goltsov def. Linton Vassell TKO (punches) 3 3:11
Women's Flyweight Liz Carmouche def. Juliana Velasquez Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) 3 5:00
Women's Flyweight Dakota Ditcheva def. Lisa Mauldin TKO (knee to the body and punches) 1 3:54
Preliminary card (ESPN+)
Heavyweight Daniel James def. Marcelo Golm TKO (punches) 1 4:59 [a]
Heavyweight Sergei Bilostenniy def. Blagoy Ivanov Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) 3 5:00
Women's Flyweight Taila Santos def. Ilara Joanne Submission (rear-naked choke) 1 3:57
Heavyweight Oleg Popov def. Steve Mowry TKO (punches) 2 3:47
Women's Flyweight Kana Watanabe def. Shanna Young Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) 3 5:00 [b]
Women's Flyweight Jena Bishop def. Chelsea Hackett Submission (armbar) 1 4:15
Featherweight Dimitre Ivy def. Lucas Brennan Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) 3 5:00
Bantamweight Bryce Meredith def. Ty Johnson Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) 3 5:00
  1. ^ James missed weight (267 lb).
  2. ^ Young missed weight (128.6 lb).

[8]

Standings after event

The PFL points system is based on results of the match. The winner of a fight receives 3 points. If the fight ends in a draw, both fighters will receive 1 point. The bonus for winning a fight in the first, second, or third round is 3 points, 2 points, and 1 point respectively. The bonus for winning in the third round requires a fight be stopped before 4:59 of the third round. No bonus point will be awarded if a fighter wins via decision. For example, if a fighter wins a fight in the first round, then the fighter will receive 6 total points. A decision win will result in three total points. If a fighter misses weight, the opponent (should they comply with weight limits) will receive 3 points due to a walkover victory, regardless of winning or losing the bout; if the non-offending fighter subsequently wins with a stoppage, all bonus points will be awarded.[9]

Heavyweight

Fighter Wins Draws Losses 1st 2nd 3rd Total
Points[10]
Russia Valentin Moldavsky 1 0 0 1 0 0 6
Russia Oleg Popov 1 0 0 0 1 0 5
United States Daniel James 1 0 0 1 0 0 5
Russia Denis Goltsov 1 0 0 0 0 1 4
Russia Sergei Bilostenniy 1 0 0 0 0 0 3
Bulgaria Blagoy Ivanov 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
England Linton Vassell 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
United States Steve Mowry 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
Brazil Marcelo Golm 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
Croatia Ante Delija 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

Women's flyweight

Fighter Wins Draws Losses 1st 2nd 3rd Total
Points[11]
England Dakota Ditcheva 1 0 0 1 0 0 6
Brazil Taila Santos 1 0 0 1 0 0 6
United States Jena Bishop 1 0 0 1 0 0 6
United States Liz Carmouche 1 0 0 0 0 0 3
Japan Kana Watanabe 1 0 0 0 0 0 3
Brazil Juliana Velasquez 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
Australia Chelsea Hackett 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
Brazil Ilara Joanne 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
United States Lisa Mauldin 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
United States Shanna Young 0 0 1 0 0 0 -1

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Cruz, Guilherme (2024-03-11). "PFL announces full line-ups for first 3 season events, 8 ex-Bellator champions debut". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2024-03-12.
  2. ^ "PFL announces first three 2024 regular season lineups with influx of Bellator fighters, new women's division". MMA Junkie. 2024-03-11. Retrieved 2024-03-12.
  3. ^ Sherdog.com. "PFL Announces Full Cards for First Three Regular Season Events". Sherdog. Retrieved 2024-03-12.
  4. ^ a b "Cappelozza removed from PFL card on April 4". ESPN.com. 2024-03-26. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
  5. ^ Timothy Wheaton (March 12, 2024). "PFL Announces First Three Events for the 2024 Regular Season". combatpress.com.
  6. ^ Tristen Critchfield (April 1, 2024). "Marcelo Golm Replaces Tyrell Fortune, Meets Daniel James at PFL 1". Sherdog.
  7. ^ Sherdog.com. "PFL 1 Weigh-in Results: Ante Delija, Valentin Moldavsky Official for Main Event". Sherdog. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
  8. ^ "PFL 1". www.pflmma.com. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  9. ^ "Rules and Regulations". PFL. Archived from the original on 2018-08-08. Retrieved 2019-04-28.
  10. ^ The four fighters with most points advance to the playoffs
  11. ^ The four fighters with most points advance to the playoffs