In the immediate wake of Dakota Ditcheva’s title winning performance over Taila Santos at the PFL 2024 Championships, the Manchester native is one of the biggest names in the sport for at least one weekend.
Fans have immediately begun speculation over how she would do against other great fighters like Valentina Shevchenko, where Ditcheva sits on the pound-for-pound list, and if she will move to the UFC in the near future.
In an interview with TalkSport MMA, the martial arts star shed light on at least one of these questions.
“It’s difficult now because I’ve just beat the best girl here. I think big fights suit me better, but will anyone watch the PFL season without me?”
The question is a valid one. The women’s flyweight division did not even exist in PFL until this season, as the promotion shut down their lightweight division following Kayla Harrison’s departure, instead forming the 125-lb division for Ditcheva, Santos, and Bellator champ Liz Carmouche.
As far as big fights, the reference is clear. Valentina Shevchenko barely beat the woman Dakota just annihilated and is coming off a trilogy where she both lost and drew a fight. The UFC flyweight champion is scheduled to defend her title against French kickboxer Manon Fiorot soon.
If Fiorot snatches the belt from Valentina, Manon vs. Ditcheva would also instantly become a big fight, as would fights against the likes of Zhang Weili, who may move up to flyweight, and Alexa Grasso. Even Natalia Silva could be a big fight one day, as a young, rising striking talent like Ditcheva herself.
The status of ‘Dangerous’ Dakota’s contract is unknown at present, she may be tied to PFL for the 2025 season and even beyond. Yet if she is not, a bidding war may ensue for her services, or she may go looking for big fights anyways now that she has $1 million in her wallet and money is less of an issue.
BODY SHOT FINISH! DAKOTA DITCHEVA IS THE 2024 PFL WOMENS FLYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION! #ANDNOW#PFLWorldChampionshipLIVE NOW ON ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/cU8qbGIiSe
— PFL (@PFLMMA) November 29, 2024
