Denis Goltsov

Denis Alexandrovich Goltsov (Денис Александрович Гольцов; born 10 June 1990) is a Russian sambo competitor and mixed martial artist.

As a sambist, Goltsov is a two-time world champion, two-time European champion, and three-time Russian champion.

As a mixed martial artist, he is currently signed to the MMA promotion Professional Fighters League (PFL) in the heavyweight division.

Denis Goltsov, originally from St. Petersburg, was raised in an athletic family alongside his older brother, Sergei.

The family's sports background, particularly in basketball, initially shaped Denis's early years.

However, team sports failed to capture his interest, leading him to spend his free time at home.

A pivotal moment came when a call from Sergei's boxing trainer prompted Denis to explore boxing himself.

Despite his impressive size for a 15-year-old, Denis faced challenges sparring with seniors due to his height.

Undeterred, he persevered, learning the fundamentals of boxing.

After 3.5 years of rigorous training, he earned the title of MS and secured the 2nd position at the national youth championship, marking a significant achievement in his early career.

Denis's academic pursuits took him to St. Petersburg State University, where he studied geology.

However, disillusionment with the political dynamics of boxing led him to shift his focus to combat sambo.

Leveraging his contacts, he joined a new gym that catered to various martial arts disciplines, marking the beginning of his journey into mixed martial arts (MMA).

His transition to MMA proved successful, and within 3.5 years of joining the sambo gym, Denis became the European champion.

Notably, he continued to make waves in the MMA scene, securing victories on both national and international platforms.

By 2021, MMA had become not only his passion but also his primary source of income.

In his sambo career, Goltsov has won 10 medals in the Russian championship, including three gold.

In 2010, Denis made his debut in M-1 Global, later moving to ProFC.

Although facing the first defeat of his career, he continued to persevere, maintaining a 5-4 record across both leagues.

His journey took him through various organizations until he found success in Tech-Krep FC, where he scored four consecutive victories.

These wins positioned him as the top contender for the championship belt.

He won the gold medal at the European Sambo Championships in 2012 and 2017.

At the World Sambo Championships, Goltsov won the gold medal in 2016 and 2017 and the silver medal in 2021.

Denis's pinnacle moment came on December 18, 2016, when he secured the ACA Heavyweight Championship by defeating Salimgerey Rasulov.

However, his reign was short-lived, as he lost the title in the following match against Mukhumat Vakhaev.

Despite setbacks, Denis rebounded, participating in fights in organizations such as RCC and League S-70.

Eventually, he received an invitation to join the Professional Fighters League (PFL), signaling a new chapter in his MMA journey.

Goltsov made his PFL debut against Jared Rosholt on June 6, 2019, at PFL 3.

He won the bout via TKO stoppage in the first round.

Goltsov faced Kelvin Tiller at PFL 6 on August 8, 2019, in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

He won the bout via ezekiel choke in the second round.

Goltsov faced Satoshi Ishii in the 2019 heavyweight quarterfinal bout at PFL 9 on October 31, 2019.

He won the fight by majority decision.

Heading into the semifinals, Goltsov faced Ali Isaev later in the night.

He lost the bout in the third round by technical knockout.

Goltsov faced Muhammed DeReese at PFL 3 on May 6, 2021.

He had originally been scheduled to face Justin Willis on the card, but Willis was pulled from the bout after the weigh-ins due to being not medically cleared and replaced by DeReese.

Goltsov won the bout via first-round technical knockout.

Goltsov faced Brandon Sayles on June 25, 2021, at PFL 6.

He won the bout by first-round technical knockout.