This might be Denis Goltsov’s year.
On Friday night in the PFL Heavyweight Semifinals, the Russian dominated American Jordan Heiderman and punched his ticket to the championship event in November.
Goltsov quickly took Heiderman to the ground, pressed him against the cage and secured an arm triangle choke. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the finish was the less-than-ideal positioning.
Goltsov didn’t make it all the way to Heiderman’s left side, which would’ve provided more leverage for the choke. Instead, Goltsov got the finish while in half guard, which requires a considerable squeeze to force a submission.
On the strength of the finish, Goltsov could easily be seen as the favorite to win it all in November.
After reaching the PFL semifinal twice before, it appears things might be aligning perfectly for Goltsov in 2023. He will face the winner of the Maurice Greene vs. Renan Ferreira main event, and Goltsov may have the edge over either with the $1 million prize on the line.
Goltsov’s win improved his MMA record to 32-7 as a professional. Heiderman’s loss was the first of his pro career. He’d been stopped in the first round of a fight when he appeared on the Ultimate Fighter, but those bouts are considered exhibitions.
Heiderman’s lack of experience seemed apparent as he began on his back foot and didn’t appear to be prepared for Goltsov closing the distance.
Looking ahead, Heiderman will need to fight his way into PFL’s regular season in 2024 after receiving a bit of a lesson from Goltsov.
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