Manchester’s own Dakota Ditcheva was the co-main event of last night’s 2024 PFL World Championship event, but decisively stole the show with a truly sensational performance, topped by a brutal knockout of Taila Santos.
Not only did ‘Dangerous’ exit The Mayadeen arena with her 12th career knockout but added a sweet $1 million to her bank account as she claimed ownership of the PFL flyweight title – but what’s next for the undefeated Mancunian?
Flyweight queen Dakota Ditcheva discusses her future fight plans in the PFL
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new global MMA superstar on our hands in the form of ‘Dangerous’ Dakota Ditcheva, who sent fans wild with yet another fabulous knockout in last night’s PFL co-main event.
Speaking with Dan Hardy from the SmartCage, Ditcheva wouldn’t call out anyone specific for her next fight but instead teased that “the world is mine” following her latest viral finish.
“We’ll have to sit together with the PFL and see what we can come up with, but I just beat the best girl that’s out there, outside of any other division, so I’m sure me and PFL will come out with something amazing again.”
Whilst Ditcheva is undoubtedly one of the biggest stars on the PFL roster, the promotion will be in a tricky position whenever they start to consider the 2025 schedule; keep Ditcheva in the season run, or retain her services for the bigger Champions Series?
“Yeah, I don’t know – we haven’t spoken about it too much yet with the PFL,” she told Adam Catterall via TalkSport MMA, before explaining that she could be in a lose-lose situation, despite her newfound star power.
“I think it’s difficult because for me, I’ve just beaten the top girl out that there is out there so if you put me back in the tournament then I’m going to get more stick for fighting the same girls and people who are at that lower level.
“Does it make sense to do that with someone that brings a lot of attention? Maybe a super-fight might suit a little bit but then, is anyone going to watch the season without me in it? I don’t know… We’ll see what happens, we’ll see.”
Dakota Ditcheva explains the ‘strange mentality’ she had going into $1M fight
Ditcheva remains one of the most down-to-earth fighters on the entire PFL roster, and even as she spoke to Catterall, the scale of the victory and purse was still to hit her.
“I don’t know whether it’s sunk in yet… I’m not really surprised cause I knew that I was going to win it, I believe in myself, and I know what I’m capable of but at the same time, it’s not actually sunk in yet.”
Santos may have represented the toughest test of her fledgling career, but you wouldn’t have guessed that given her performance, and it turns out, neither did Ditcheva.
“I was talking to myself before the fight and was like ‘This doesn’t feel like crazy pressure, that I’m fighting for a million [dollars] or for a world title – it feels like I’m going in there to beat Santos’.
“It was really strange, everyone always said to me ‘Don’t get caught up in it being for a million dollars and a world title’ and I’m just like ‘I’m not, I’m going to beat Santos but I’m not going get this [belt]’ – it was a really strange mentality that I had, but maybe that helped me.”
Dakota Ditcheva is now 14-0 as a professional MMA fighter with one decision, one submission and a whopping 12 knockouts on her resume.