The ''PFL 4''

mixed martial arts Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting combat sport, sport based on strike (attack), striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. In the early 20th century, various inter-s ...

event for the 2024 season of the

Professional Fighters League The Professional Fighters League (PFL) is an American mixed martial arts league founded by venture capitalist Donn Davis in 2017 and launched in 2018, following the acquisition and restructuring of the former World Series of Fighting (WSOF) promot ...

was held on June 13, 2024, at the

Mohegan Sun Arena The Mohegan Sun Arena is a 10,000 seat multi-purpose arena in the Uncasville, Connecticut, Uncasville area of Montville, Connecticut, Montville, Connecticut located inside the Mohegan Sun casino resort. The arena facility features of configurab ...

Uncasville, Connecticut Uncasville is a village in the town of Montville, Connecticut, United States. It is located in southeastern Montville, at the mouth of the Oxoboxo River where it flows into the Thames River. The name is now applied more generally to all of the ...

, United States. This marked the fourth regular-season event of the tournament and included fights in the Women's Flyweight and

Heavyweight Heavyweight is a weight class in combat sports and professional wrestling. Boxing Professional Male boxers who weigh over are considered heavyweights by 2 of the 4 major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation an ...

divisions.

Background

The event marked the promotion's first visit to Uncasville and fourth in

Connecticut Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...

state before it was rebranded promotion, since WSOF 31 in Mashantucket in June 2016. The event was headlined by a heavyweight trilogy bout between former interim Bellator Heavyweight Champion

Valentin Moldavsky Valentin Igorevich Moldavsky (; born 6 February 1992) is a Russian mixed martial artist and combat sambo practitioner. He is currently competing for the PFL. He formerly competed for Bellator MMA, where he was an interim Heavyweight World Cha ...

and

Linton Vassell Linton Vassell (born 3 June 1983) is an English mixed martial artist, who currently competes in the Heavyweight division of the PFL. A professional since 2008, he has also competed for UCMMA and Cage Warriors. He is the former UCMMA Light Heav ...

. The pairing first met at Bellator 218 in March 2019, where Moldavsky won by unanimous decision. Their second meeting took place at Bellator 292 in March 2023, where Vassell won by knockout in the first round. Roughly a month before the card there were a number of fight changes made: *A previously announced heavyweight bout between

Danilo Marques Danilo Marques (born December 26, 1985) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who competes for Professional Fighters League in the Heavyweight division. He has also competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in the Light Heavyweight divis ...

and Marcelo Nunes was cancelled as Nunes replaced former WSOF Heavyweight Champion

Blagoy Ivanov Blagoy Ivanov (; born October 9, 1986) is a Bulgarian mixed martial artist and Sambo practitioner who is currently signed to the PFL, but on suspension due to testing positive to anabolic steroids. He previously competed for the Ultimate Fighti ...

against

Oleg Popov Oleg Konstantinovich Popov (, 31 July 1930 – 2 November 2016) was a Soviet and Russian clown and circus artist. He was awarded People's Artist of the USSR in 1969. Early life Popov was born on 31 July 1930, the son of a clock-repairman. At a ...

and Marques replaced Steve Mowry against Gokhan Saricam; in turn, the Mowry/Saricam bout was eventually cancelled when Mowry withdrew. *In a women's flyweight bout, Saray Orozco replaced Kaytlin Neil against Sumiko Inaba. *On May 20, it was announced that Davion Franklin was replacing Marcelo Nunes against Oleg Popov and

Marcelo Golm Marcelo Golm (born 15 September 1992) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who competes in the Heavyweight division of the Bellator MMA. He has also competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Mixed martial arts career Early career St ...

was replacing Daniel James against Tyrell Fortune. *Sergei Bilostenniy was expected to face

Denis Goltsov Denis Alexandrovich Goltsov (; born 10 June 1990) is a Russian sambo competitor, mixed martial artist, and former amateur boxer. As a sambist, Goltsov is a two-time world champion, two-time European champion, and three-time Russian champion. As a ...

in a heavyweight bout at this event, but he pulled out for unknown reason and was replaced by

Thiago Santos Thiago de Lima Santos (born January 7, 1984) is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Light Heavyweight division. Santos competed in the Professional Fighters League (PFL) and in the Ultimate Fighting Champ ...

. *Melissa Balic was expected to face Kristina Katsikis at this event, but she withdrew due to injury and the bout was cancelled. At weigh-ins, Davion Franklin came in at 268.5 lbs, 2.5 pounds over the heavyweight limit. He was fined a percent of his purse and given a point deduction in the standings.

Results

Standings after event

The PFL points system is based on results of the match. The winner of a fight receives 3 points. If the fight ends in a draw, both fighters will receive 1 point. The bonus for winning a fight in the first, second, or third round is 3 points, 2 points, and 1 point respectively. The bonus for winning in the third round requires a fight be stopped before 4:59 of the third round. No bonus point will be awarded if a fighter wins via decision. For example, if a fighter wins a fight in the first round, then the fighter will receive 6 total points. A decision win will result in three total points. If a fighter misses weight, the opponent (should they comply with weight limits) will receive 3 points due to a walkover victory, regardless of winning or losing the bout; if the non-offending fighter subsequently wins with a stoppage, all bonus points will be awarded.

Heavyweight

Women's flyweight

References