Overview

• Popov defeated Romanov by split decision in Hollywood, Florida, to secure the season-ending PFL heavyweight crown.
• Published tallies differed across reports, with one outlet listing 48-47 Romanov and 48-47, 49-46 Popov, and another listing 47-48, 49-46, 49-48.
• The five-round bout featured prolonged fence clinches, limited breaks, and sparse extended exchanges that drew boos and critical reactions online.
• Popov leaned on low kicks and right hands, while Romanov pressed forward with knees and short shots inside, including his best moments late in round four.
• The win caps Popov’s return from last year’s final defeat to Denis Goltsov and follows his 2025 victories over Karl Williams and Rodrigo Nascimento, while Romanov reached the final after topping Tim Johnson and advancing from a no contest with Valentin Moldavsky.