Dakota Ditcheva is one win away from the $1 million prize.
Friday at PFL Playoffs 1, Ditcheva (13-0) completed opponent Jena Bishop (7-2) with a giant knee and punches to advance to the ladies’s flyweight ultimate towards former UFC title challenger Taila Santos. The stoppage got here at 3:54 of Spherical 1.
2024 PFL Playoffs 1 occurred at Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn.
PFL’s poster lady for homegrown expertise, Ditcheva, 26, was taken down early within the spherical. Nevertheless, she labored her solution to the toes and ultimately landed a giant knee to Bishop’s dome. Bishop dropped to the canvas and Ditcheva waved her again up. Bishop obliged, however backpedaled as soon as on the toes. Ditcheva stalked her and dropped her with one huge punch.
Referee Blake Grice stepped in and Ditcheva shushed the down Bishop and the gang.
Dakota Ditcheva will get it performed in 1 spherical! She’s going to the #PFLWorldChampionship!!!
[ 🇺🇸 LIVE NOW ESPN & ESPN+ | #PFLPlayoffs | #PFLNashville | https://t.co/jPNvomCxHI ] pic.twitter.com/gCB4gB9gsB
— PFL (@PFLMMA) August 3, 2024
After the struggle, Ditcheva gave a spicy in-cage interview the place she stated, “We don’t do no cut up selections round right here,” and blasted Bishop and firm for alleged feedback within the lead-up to the struggle.
MIC DROP from Dakota Ditcheva!! 🤫🤫
[ 🇺🇸 LIVE NOW ESPN & ESPN+ |#PFLPlayoffs | #PFLNashville | https://t.co/jPNvomCxHI ] pic.twitter.com/0UFHUmOiHG
— PFL (@PFLMMA) August 3, 2024
Ditcheva then sq. off with Santos (22-3), who defeated Liz Carmouche earlier on the cardboard. They’ll struggle later this 12 months.
🏴 Dakota Ditcheva vs Taila Santos 🇧🇷
The primary face off!
[ 🇺🇸 LIVE NOW ESPN & ESPN+ |#PFLPlayoffs | #PFLNashville | https://t.co/jPNvomCxHI ] pic.twitter.com/LJflr7gcpf
— PFL (@PFLMMA) August 3, 2024
In 13 professional appearances, Ditcheva has tallied 12 finishes together with 11 TKOs.
Bishop falls right into a two-fight skid. In June, she misplaced a cut up resolution to Taila Santos however nonetheless certified for the playoffs by way of the season level system.
The up-to-the-minute 2024 PFL Playoffs 1 outcomes embrace:
- Dakota Ditcheva def. Jena Bishop by way of TKO (knee and punches) – Spherical 1,
- Oleg Popov def. Linton Vassell by way of unanimous resolution (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) – heavyweight semifinal
- Taila Santos def. Liz Carmouche by way of unanimous resolution (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) – ladies’s flyweight semifinal
- Sergey Bilostenniy def. Tyrell Fortune by way of submission (heel hook) – Spherical 1, 2:00
- Alexei Pergande def. Daniel Boehle by way of unanimous resolution (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Cody Legislation def. Zachary Hicks by way of submission (rear-naked choke) – Spherical 1, 3:15
- Dedrek Sanders def. Sergio Cossio by way of knockout (punches) – Spherical 1, 2:34
- Anthony Ivy def. Jaleel Willis by way of submission (rear-naked choke) – Spherical 2, 4:49
- Kevin Pease def. Nick Meck by way of unanimous resolution (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for 2024 PFL Playoffs 1.
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