Four Fighters Secure Maximum Points Following PFL 2024 Season Opener

David AndrewApr 06, 2024

The first Professional Fighters League Regular Season card of 2024 presented fans with heavyweight and women’s flyweight action as the competitors attempted to make their way to the top of the pool to secure a spot in the playoffs.

Former interim Bellator MMA heavyweight champion Valentin Moldavsky walked away with six points in the heavyweight standings after recording an emphatic Round 1 technical knockout against 2022 PFL heavyweight champion Ante Delija; Oleg Popov secured five points after clinching a Round 2 TKO over Steve Mowry; Daniel James earned five points in the standings after scoring a come-from-behind Round 1 victory against Marcelo Golm but lost a point due to failing on the scale; Denis Goltsov racked up four points on the board after stopping Linton Vassell in the third frame; Sergey Bilostenniy walked away with three points after grinding his way to a unanimous decision win against Blagoy Ivanov.

Meanwhile, women’s flyweight competitors Dakota Ditcheva, Taila Santos, and Jena Bishop all bagged the maximum six points after successfully securing Round 1 finishes against their opponents. Additionally, Liz Carmouche and Kana Watanabe earned three points each thanks to their unanimous decision victories against Juliana Velasquez and Shanna Young, respectively.

Here’s an up-to-the-minute look at the standings at heavyweight and women’s flyweight.

Valentin Moldavsky leads the heavyweight pack following the PFL Season debut. (Photo: PFL MMA)

2024 PFL Heavyweight Standings:

6: Valentin Moldavsky
5: Oleg Popov
5: Daniel James - secured first-round finish but penalized point for missing weight.
4: Denis Goltsov
3: Sergey Bilostenniy
0: Blagoy Ivanov
0: Linton Vassell
0: Steve Mowry
0: Marcelo Golm
0: Ante Delija

Dakota Ditcheva put on an absolute show in San Antonio. (Photo: PFL MMA)

2024 PFL Women’s Flyweight Standings:

6: Dakota Ditcheva
6: Taila Santos
6: Jena Bishop
3: Liz Carmouche
3: Kana Watanabe
0: Juliana Velasquez
0: Chelsea Hackett
0: Ilara Joanne
0: Lisa Mauldin
-1: Shanna Young – Lost a point for missing weight and was defeated by Watanabe