Preview: 2025 PFL Africa 1

Heavyweights

Corey Anderson (18-6, 0-0 PFL) vs. Denis Goltsov (36-8, 14-3 PFL)

The main card opens with an underrated banger between two battle-tested veterans. Anderson won the vacant Bellator light heavyweight championship in his last time out with a well-rounded showing against Karl Moore but has decided to test himself with a trip to heavyweight. “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 19 winner has racked up impressive wins at 205 pounds over elite guys such as Jan Blachowicz, Glover Teixeira, Johnny Walker, Phil Davis and more, but how will he fare in his heavyweight debut? Goltsov wouldn’t be my first choice as a heavyweight opponent, that’s for sure. “The Russian Bogatyr” has made a career out of ending fights early on the feet and the ground, but could arguably be in the midst of the best stretch of his career. He’s riding a four-fight finish streak, including a first-round submission win over Oleg Popov in the 2024 PFL Heavyweight Tournament finale. Goltsov is a beast of a man, standing at 6-foot-5, 245 pounds. He’s light on his feet and does his best work behind a long probing jab and a crisp right hand. If he doesn’t land, he uses his arms to frame and create openings for his clinch game, before employing a feared submission game. This man is highly athletic for a heavyweight and could be a nightmarish matchup for Anderson.

While Anderson gives up two inches in height, he has a slight one-inch reach advantage on Goltsov. He’s the faster fighter and a better wrestler from a technical standpoint. Anderson has some of the best scrambles in the game and will force Goltsov to move and keep up with him. Both fighters are a bit chinny and have been knocked out four times apiece. This is the type of matchup that could be flipped on its head with one punch, but it seems more likely that the bigger man would carry the power advantage. Anderson needs to fight smart and attack Goltsov in spurts. His body is exposed in the long guard, and Anderson needs to exploit that or risk being bullied in the clinch. While Anderson has the skill and experience to outfight Goltsov, a move to heavyweight at this point in his career is extremely risky, and I don’t see it playing out in his favor.



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Eblen vs. Van Steenis
Ditcheva vs. Inaba
McKee vs. Magomedov
Zaynukov vs. Izumi
Anderson vs. Goltsov
The Prelims