2023 PFL: Denis Goltsov vs Renan Ferreira Betting Prediction

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23 November 2023

2023 PFL: Denis Goltsov vs Renan Ferreira Betting Prediction

Arguably the hardest of all MMA predictions to make this weekend at the 2023 PFL Championships will be for this heavyweight title matchup between Denis Goltsov and Renan Ferreira. Heavyweight MMA is almost like a different sport than the rest of the divisions, which of these mountain of men will get their hand raised on Friday night?

Goltsov vs. Ferreira Picks

Pick: Fight to go distance (+700).

Read more for the official Goltsov vs. Ferreira prediction ahead of placing your bets on this weekend’s MMA slate.

Denis Goltsov vs Renan Ferreira Information

Denis Goltsov vs Renan Ferreira

Location of the game: The Anthem, Washington D.C., United States

Date & Time: November 24, 2023. 5 PM ET prelims start

How to Watch: ESPN, ESPN+, ESPN+ PPV

Last Fight Record

Goltsov is coming off a first-round submission win over Jordan Heiderman in the semifinals in August.

Ferreira is coming off a first-round KO win over Maurice Greene in the semifinals.

Denis Goltsov vs Renan Ferreira Analysis

Denis Goltsov

Goltsov is a Russian mixed martial artist with a professional MMA record of 32-7, including 15 TKO/KO victories and 11 submissions. His roots in martial arts stem from combat sambo; where Goltsov accumulated 2 world championships, 2 European championships, and three Russian championships.

Now, Goltsov is listed as a 6’5” orthodox fighter with a 78” reach at the age of 33. He has been the #1 seed going into the PFL playoffs for two years in a row now; having a chance to fulfill that championship destiny after being unable to travel to the United States last year due to VISA issues. This season, he has been very efficient in the SmartCage. Goltsov has landed 54/79 strikes, including 38/52 ground strikes, and has landed 2/2 takedowns.

Renan Ferreira

Ferreira is a Brazilian heavyweight mixed martial artist with a professional MMA record of 11-3 with 9 TKO/KO wins and 1 submission thus far in his career. The 34-year-old orthodox striker has an incredible size of 6’8” with a reach of 85”. His massive size and elite athleticism make him one of the most dangerous fighters in the world.

Ferreira has landed 82/122 total strikes this season, including 19/19 ground strikes. His max punch speed this season was registered at 24.73 MPH. Five out of his six official PFL bouts have been finished in the first round, not including his three no-contest decisions.

Updates

No injuries have been reported to the PFL or ESPN.

Denis Goltsov vs Renan Ferreira Betting Preview

Before we can make the proper Goltsov vs. Ferreira prediction, we have to learn as much as possible about these two athletes by looking at betting lines, and the film, and by understanding that heavyweight MMA is basically a different sport in general.

First, according to the MMA odds, we can see Goltsov is coming into this championship bout as the -255 betting favorite over the +215 challenger in Ferreira. This fight is heavily favored to end inside the distance at a whopping -1400.

From watching the film, it’s clear to see that Goltsov is the superior mixed martial artist with his all-around skill and ability to win fights in multiple different ways. He is a massive human as well, so the size advantage for Ferreira isn’t as important in this matchup.

Ferreira poses a significant threat, as a single precise strike to the opponent’s chin can promptly conclude the fight. The issue about this matchup is that he doesn’t have very good takedown defense and wrestling skills–probably mostly due to how massive he is.

Ferreira excels against most, but Goltsov’s superior training partners and fundamental skills may pose a challenge for him. Goltsov’s ground skills present a challenge. Knowledge of how to maintain a standing fight will be crucial in this matchup.

Goltsov vs. Ferreira Betting Prediction

If you want to bet on MMA fights tonight, this is the place to be. We have discussed how heavyweight MMA is like a different sport, and that will 100% be a huge factor for this official Goltsov vs. Ferreira prediction.

Our official prediction favors Goltsov’s multi-dimensional fighting skills, likely leading to his victory and a raised hand in this matchup. While Donovan may possess boxing speed, his wrestling skills provide a backup plan if standing with Ferreira becomes challenging.

To be honest, the best bet to take might be taking this fight to go the distance at +700. It’s very easy to imagine Goltsov securing this $1 million by wrestling and controlling his way to a decision win.