4. Denis Goltsov Looks to Win Big One
One of the PFL’s resident giants will look to win his first tournament as promotional veteran Denis Goltzov is in his second straight final. Despite having made the playoffs three times in his career, “The Russian Bogatyr” has yet to complete the story and finish the year as a champion.
It should be noted, Goltsov has not snuck into the playoffs by any means. He is no stranger to being the points leader in the regular season and he is just as experienced as any other veteran in the field. At age 34, Goltsov remains in prime position to perform well for seasons to come but it is only natural to wonder if the window where experience and athleticism are both at their peak may slowly be closing as the competition continues to get younger and hungrier for their own crowning moment of glory.
Opposing Goltsov will be countryman Oleg Popov who enjoyed a breakout year in his first PFL season. Popov had only a single Bellator fight to his resume before his contract was absorbed by the PFL and he was brought into the tournament where he bested former Bellator veterans Linton Vassell and Steve Mowry to quickly announce himself as a formidable force amongst the field.
