Dakota Ditcheva has named Valentina Shevchenko as one of the only women in the world who can beat her at 125lb.
However, the PFL flyweight champion now has a mutual opponent with the UFC legend, stopping Taila Santos in brutal fashion where Shevchenko won a narrow split decision. In fact, there is a school of thought with many fans that the Brazilian did enough to win when they met in June of 2022.
And Ditcheva believes that if the crossover fight were to be made, she would be able to put together a game plan with her American Top Team coaches and become double champion. But she is first focused on a fun Christmas, where she will spend some of her $1million winnings on gifts for her family.
- LOCKED UP: Dakota Ditcheva provides an update on her contract status as she responds to calls to join the UFC
Dakota Ditcheva names Valentina Shevchenko as the one fighter who could beat her
For the best part of two years since making her debut for PFL in 2022, Dakota Ditcheva has been dealing with fans and experts calling her a can crusher. She is undefeated as a professional MMA fighter, and has been to the scorecards just once in her entire career.
However, when she defeated Taila Santos last month at the PFL Championships in Riyadh, she silenced every doubter. And a dialogue has begun in the space about where she ranks amongst the world’s best 125lb fighters.
“It’s quite funny, there was a real shift,” she told Bloody Elbow of her public perception after winning the belt. “I expected people to be like ‘Santos has just come out of the UFC,’ and whatever, that was my expectation.
“But it’s changed now and it’s not ‘Valentina Shevchenko would beat her’, people are asking ‘how would she do against Shevchenko? How would she do against Erin Blanchfield? So I have gained a little bit of respect which is nice.
“I don’t want people singing my praises and calling me the best fighter ever because I understand there’s better girls out there. But I do feel like I have gained a little bit of respect now, which is nice. Shevchenko has been around how long, she has all the rubies, so she’d be one [of the better girls].”
Dakota Ditcheva teases how a Valentina Shevchenko fight would play out
While a co-promotion with the UFC seems a million miles away, it may not be as far out of the question as one might think. Saudi Arabian boxing supremo Turki Alalsheikh has said that he would push Dana White to make a cross-promotional heavyweight clash between Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones.
And if such an event were to take place, Ditcheva reckons she could put together a game plan to beat the elusive Shevchenko. “Sign me up for that,” she declared. “We will fight anyone, me and my team mentally are there and physically we can make it happen.
“I mean, she’s tough, she always goes five rounds. But, do I ever go five rounds? I respect her so much and look up to her so much so I won’t trash talk her, she deserves more than that, but I definitely feel that I’m getting up there now.
“I’m only 26 which is another thing as well. I’ve got so much more maturing and growth to do compared to these girls. It’s exciting because if I’m beating people like Santos now, think about what I’m going to be like when I’m 30 or 31, so I’ve got a bright future for sure.”
- Who is Francis Ngannou? Inside the former UFC heavyweight champion’s journey from poverty to combat sports superstardom