Denis Goltsov vs. Oleg Popov: Preview, Where to Watch and Betting Odds

Veteran mixed martial artist and multiple European champion in Sambo, Denis Goltsov of Russia, clashes with streaking compatriot Oleg Popov for the 2024 PFL Heavyweight tournament championship at PFL 10 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Friday afternoon. Denis Goltsov, who joined the PFL in 2019, gets another opportunity to clinch the title after falling at the semifinal stage in 2019 and losing to Renan Ferreira in the finals last year. Oleg Popov has been unbeaten since 2016 and is on a 17-fight winning streak. The Russians open the main card of the PFL 10 event which holds the finals of the 2024 PFL Tournament season in which the winners net a million dollars. The odds are near even, although Oleg Popov holds a slight edge as the favorite in some sportsbooks.

MMA: PFL Heavyweight Tournament Final

Where to Watch: ESPN/ESPN+

Venue: King Saud University, Stadium

Date: 29.11.2024 21:00

Denis Goltsov won a technical knockout over Linton Vassell last April to kick-start his 2024 challenge for PFL heavyweight gold. “The Russian Bogatyr” then stopped Thiago Santos in June and followed that with his third TKO of the year with a first-round finish of Timothy Johnson to qualify for the final. A former ACA heavyweight champion, Goltsov was a two-time European and three-time Russian champion in Sambo. The 34-year-old has been competing in MMA since 2011 and has over forty MMA bouts. Last year, he failed at the final hurdle when he lost to Renan Ferreira for the 2023 PFL heavyweight title.

• Age: 34
• Height: 6’5”
• Weight: 265lbs (120kg)
• Record: 38-8

32-year-old Oleg Popov enters the cage for the PFL heavyweight title on the back of a 17-fight winning streak. The streak included FNG, M-1 Challenge, Bellator, and PFL fights. The Russian debuted in the PFL early this year and is now 3-0 in the promotion, including a decision over Linton Vassell last August in the 2024 PFL heavyweight tournament semifinal. Fighting out of Krasnodar, Oleg Popov is a mentor of FedorTeam and a Master of Sports in ARB.

• Age: 32
• Height: 6’1”
• Weight: 265lbs (120kg)
• Record: 19-1

Betway has the fighters equal at 1.82 odds each. Bet365 lists Oleg Popov as a slight 1.8 favorite, with Denis Goltsov the 1.95 underdog. Over 3.5 is available at 2.32 on 1xBet, which also lists No to the start of round 4 at 2.09 odds. Read more here.