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Preview: PFL 4 2024

J.L. KirvenJun 11, 2024

Women’s Flyweights

Liz Carmouche (21-7, 1-0 PFL) vs. Kana Watanabe (13-2-1, 1-0 PFL)

Carmouche extended her winning streak to eight following a unanimous decision win over Juliana Velasquez in her last bout. The “Girl-Rilla” has dominated Bellator flyweights since 2020, and luckily for her, that’s the only type of competition she has faced so far in the PFL format. Carmouche famously stopped Watanabe in the first round of their clash in 2021, but three years have passed since then, and the Japanese judoka has gone 3-1 in that span. The Tokyo native shined in her PFL debut, as well. Watanabe is one of the most experienced flyweights in the field, and her game is well-rounded. She holds wins over Ilara Joanne, Denise Kielhotz and recently outworked Shanna Young to a unanimous decision. Watanabe’s win locks her in a tie with Carmouche for fourth place in the standings. Will the time since their first fight serve Watanabe well, or will Carmouche solidify herself again as the best flyweight to come out of Bellator? This matchup will rely heavily on the clinch. Watanabe was undefeated and untested in their first fight and was overwhelmed by Carmouche’s power. Watanabe had short success when she moved around the ring and kept Carmouche at the end of her punches, but she can’t afford to backpedal forever. Carmouche will try to take Watanabe to the ground and impose her will. Watanabe will want to keep the fight moving and changing. This makes the clinch so important. If Carmouche can engage with Watanabe at will, she’ll be able to overpower her and take the fight where she wants it. If Watanabe uses the clinch to set up her striking, she can keep the fight on the go and pile up points. Although Watanabe has improved significantly since the first fight, it’ll be hard for her to keep Carmouche off of her. Look for Carmouche to take control of the fight early and slowly grind Watanabe down throughout the rounds ahead of a clear decision.

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Moldavsky vs. Vassell
Ditcheva vs. Hackett
Goltsov vs. Santos
Carmouche vs. Watanabe
The Prelims