Goltsov Fights Johnson for Spot in Heavyweight Championship

If it’s August, it must be time to start thinking about the playoffs. While the boys of summer in Major League Baseball are still swinging away in hopes of playing ball on a brisk night in October as the stretch run on the diamond begins (if your favorite ballclub hasn’t conceded this season as a lost cause by this point,) MMA‘s postseason has arrived.

For three of the next four Friday nights (with a bye week next week), the sport’s only league conducts its playoffs. The semifinals commence this weekend with PFL 7. This week, heavyweights and women’s lightweights head inside the PFL SmartCage to try and book their places for championship night later this fall on a date still to be announced.

Live coverage begins Friday evening at 6 pm ET/ 3 pm PT with the early card on ESPN+ before moving to ESPN proper at 9 pm ET/ 6 pm PT for featured bouts. Barring any late adjustments to the bout order, counting showcase fights, postseason alternate bouts and playoff contests, the final version of PFL 7 features 10 attractions from Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium.

No. 1 Meets No. 4 With Spot in Heavyweight Championship On the Line

Highlighting the night’s activities is the second semifinal at 265 lbs. in the PFL 7 main event. No. 1 seed Denis Goltsov (34-8 MMA, 2-0 2024 PFL), last year’s heavyweight runner-up, fights No. 4 seed Tim Johnson (18-9 MMA, 1-0 2024 PFL), an alum of both the UFC and Bellator MMA.

The winner of the main event advances to the heavyweight championship, where he will face the survivor of the first semifinal at 265 on Friday’s card between No. 2 seed Oleg Popov (18-1 MMA, 2-0 2024 PFL) and No. 6 seed Linton Vassell (25-9, 1 NC MMA, 1-1 2024 PFL,) an alternate for third-seeded Valentin Moldavsky (13-4, 1 NC MMA, 1-1 2-2024 PFL), whose season ended early because of injury.

As with all PFL fights through the semifinal round, this main event is an advertised maximum of three rounds at five minutes per round to close the show.

Relentless, Dominant and Dangerous 😤

The three words that describe 2023 #PFLWorldChampionship Finalist Denis Goltsov

He returns this Friday, August 2nd on his quest towards redemption as he looks to book his second straight #PFLWorldChampionship appearance #PFLNashville pic.twitter.com/s7gmJyGjdJ

— PFL (@PFLMMA) July 29, 2024

2024 PFL 7 Main Event Fighter Comparison and Betting Odds

Heading into the PFL 7 main event on Friday night, Denis Goltsov stands as the taller contender at 6-foot-5, compared to the 6-foot-3 frame of Tim Johnson. While both fighters have identical 78-inch reaches, Goltsov owns a one-inch leg reach advantage (43 inches to 42 inches) over Johnson.

Currently, the oddsmakers have Denis Goltsov installed as a -450 favorite on the money line, whereas Tim Johnson counters as a +350 underdog. If you plan on betting on this or any other fight happening this weekend, please wager responsibly.

Goltsov Looking to Run Winning Streak to Three in a Row

Denis Goltsov enters the playoffs having posted a record of 4-1 over his last five fights. At the moment, he’s on a two-fight winning streak, with both of those wins being recorded by knockout.

Last time out, he stopped Thiago Santos (22-13, 1 NC MMA, 0-1 2024 PFL) with a first-round knockout (punches in back control) during PFL 4 on June 13. This victory gave Denis Goltsov 10 points in the standings for the regular season.

By night’s end, he secured the No. 1 seed in the 265-lb. bracket.  After the fight, Goltsov met with the press to discuss the knockout.

“He didn’t really feel that strong,” Goltsov said about Santos, through his translator. “Once I was like a backpack on him and I was controlling him, I was able to really maul him and control him and be on top. I was always in a good position.”

Even as this year’s playoffs are set to commence this Friday night, the memories of last year’s defeat in the title fight to Renan Ferreira (13-3, 3 NC MMA, 7-1, 3 NC PFL) are still fresh in his mind. A win on Friday takes him one step closer to erasing those memories.

Tim Johnson Continues Active 2024 With PFL 7 Main Event

In the other corner, Tim Johnson enters the headliner 3-2 in his own right over the last five fights. Currently, he’s on a three-fight winning streak.

Back in June, he scored a first-round knockout (ground and pound shots) of Danilo Marques (15-6 MMA, 0-1 2024 PFL) during PFL 4. This has turned into a busy year for Johnson.

Upon not fighting in close to a full year, this man appeared in the cage twice in 61 days to begin his 2024, winning both contests by first-round knockout. Friday’s PFL 7 main event is his third contest in the span of 112 nights. If he wins again, he can start planning for the fall.

Analysis, Film Study, and Prediction

With this main event being a heavyweight fight, don’t expect it to last the contracted three rounds.

Goltsov Brutal on the Ground

Statistically speaking, Denis Goltsov has ended half of his career victories by knockout. When he gets a guy to the mat, like he did against Cody Goodale a couple of years ago, it’s his world and we’re all living in it.

Upon securing a takedown of Goodale in round one, he opened up by landing hammerfists on his opponent, this after already producing a cut above Goodale’s eye. Everything Goodale tried, nothing worked to fight it off.

Denis Goltsov was too tough on this night, landing 20 strikes on the ground by the time the referee waved off the fight. If he takes Tim Johnson down, it’ll only be a matter of time before the PFL 7 main event ends in violent fashion.

Tim Johnson Equally Nasty With Ground and Pound

In the other corner, Tim Johnson replies with “Two can play that game.” He’s also adept with ground strikes, something illustrated quite well in his 2020 fight in the Bellator Fightsphere of Mohegan Sun Arena vs. Matt Mitrione.

During the first round of the bout, Johnson’s head came in contact with Mitrione’s chin on accident, resulting in the former getting knocked down. The former was quick to secure top position on the ground, landing punches to the head to soften Mitrione up.

From there, Johnson took his opponent’s back and started raining punches down on him, leaving referee Mike Beltran no other choice but to call off the fight. If Tim Johnson can put Denis Goltsov on the mat first, it’ll be the upset of the season so far in the PFL 7 main event.

Final Thoughts

One last word before we say good night: Get your popcorn ready before the PFL 7 main event starts. You might not have the time to start up the microwave after the cage door shuts.

Prediction: Denis Goltsov by First-Round Knockout.