Hollywood, FL — Heavyweight Oleg Popov faces fellow Russian (now representing Moldova) Alexander Romanov in the PFL World Tournament heavyweight final this Thursday.
The fight is one of three World Tournament finals on the PFL Hollywood card, and perhaps one of the more surprising. Romanov, a former UFC standout, advanced after his last fight ended early due to a low blow. Technically a No Contest, the judges still selected Romanov to advance.
Popov (21-2), speaking via translator, didn’t have much to say about that during the PFL Hollywood media day. “I’m a fighter, I’m not a judge. I cannot judge. The judge knows best, I guess,” he told Cageside Press and other media outlets.
Romanov was spotted playing translator for Popov once back in Orlando, but according to Popov, they aren’t quite friends. Just a pair of Russian speakers in a foreign land.
“We’re not friends, we’re just acquaintances. We never trained together, we never helped each other. Just, we know each other and have good relations.”
When it comes to what he expects in the fight, Oleg Popov stated that “we are both wrestlers. He’s a wrestler, I’m a wrestler. We’re going to have a lot of clinching. I’m not going to avoid the fight the way he does. So I think there will be a lot of wrestling work.”
As for what could come after the World Tournament, there’s a potential fight with either Vadim Nemkov or Corey Anderson. Of course, only one interests Popov. “Vadim’s my teammate, I don’t want to fight with him. But Corey’s a really tough opponent, I can fight him.”
Watch the full PFL Hollywood media day appearance by Oleg Popov above.
