PFL heavyweight champion Goltsov booked against Djantou Nana for Chicago card on Oct. 16

Denis Goltsov will defend his status as 2024 PFL heavyweight tournament champion against Maxwell Djantou Nana at PFL Chicago on October 16, the Professional Fighters League confirmed on Wednesday. The bout brings together two ranked contenders in a division that has grown increasingly competitive.

Goltsov is coming off a sharp return to form at PFL Charlotte, where he stopped Hasan Mezhiev via TKO in just 52 seconds — his first outing of 2026. That performance helped him bounce back from a loss to Corey Anderson in July 2025, a defeat that snapped a four-fight winning streak that had carried him all the way to the 2024 heavyweight championship.

Djantou Nana arrives as one of the more compelling stories to emerge from PFL Africa. The Cameroonian heavyweight holds a 4-1 record since joining the promotion and also picked up a win under the One Championship banner. His only blemish in the PFL came against Justin Clarke in the 2025 championship bout. He has been active in 2026, earning a decision over Karl Williams before finishing Eduardo Neves by TKO in the third round earlier this month — making Chicago his third appearance of the year.

The heavyweight clash adds meaningful weight to a card already headlined by a women’s flyweight title rematch. Liz Carmouche and Jena Bishop will meet again with the undisputed championship on the line after Carmouche defeated Bishop during the 2025 PFL women’s flyweight tournament. PFL Chicago will be the promotion’s second visit to the city in 2026.