Dakota Ditcheva has leveled up in confidence forward of her 2024 PFL Championship last with former UFC title challenger Taila Santos.
Ditcheva (13-0) will look to cap off her excellent PFL season by profitable the $1 million girls’s flyweight title when she takes on Santos (22-3) on the Nov. 29 occasion, which takes place King Saud College Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The occasion streams on ESPN+.
The unbeaten 26-year-old has rolled by her competitors this season, scoring first-round finishes of Jena Bishop, Chelsea Hackett and Lisa Mauldin – all in lower than 4 minutes every. Santos, in the meantime, received choices over Bishop and Liz Carmouche after a first-round submission of Ilara Joanne in her season opener.
Santos, 31, has the way more adorned profession that features quite a lot of key victories, in addition to a controversial choice loss to Valentina Shevchenko in a June 2022 title combat at UFC 275. Regardless of that, Ditcheva isn’t anticipating the end result to look any completely different from the others this yr.
“I respect her completely,” Ditcheva instructed MMA Junkie. “I do know what she’s able to. I used to look at her when she was within the UFC, and assume she’s an incredible fighter. So I do know what I’m up towards for certain. I knew earlier than the event, earlier than the season even began, that she was going to be one of many ones to be careful for. So I’m in no denial there.
“I additionally know what I’m able to, and I don’t really feel like I’ve something to fret about right here. It’s going to be a superb combat, and I’m excited for that. It’s going to be an actual good check, however I’m one hundred pc prepared for it. I really feel what I’ve proven within the event, it’s going to be a re-run. My fourth spotlight, for certain.”
Ditcheva vs. Santos: A conflict of types
The conflict of types for the title bout is obvious. Ditcheva has has completed 11 of her 13 wins by some type of knockout, and inside that has displayed a various placing arsenal. She’s put away opponents courtesy of head and physique photographs, and has performed it together with her fingers, elbows, knees and ft.
Santos, nonetheless, will likely be a unique activity. The Brazilian has by no means been stopped in 25 fights, and two of her three profession losses – all by choice – have been questionable break up choice defeats. She has the flexibility to stifle any opponent on the appropriate night time.
Nonetheless, although, Ditcheva is for certain she is constructed to ship a novel problem Santos.
“The distinction between me and Taila is that she desires to go to the ground, and he or she’s completely happy to remain there and combat it out, whereas I wish to stand up and begin placing with you,” Ditcheva stated. “I’m going to stand up and placed on a present for the followers. If she thinks I’m going to do a Jena (Bishop) and combat together with her on the ground and waste my time there – that may occur for just a little bit, however I’ll be again as much as my ft able to placed on a present for the followers once more.”
Will Ditcheva’s plan come collectively?
Ditcheva’s spectacular tenure beneath the PFL up to now has generated dialog about her potential to be a real home-grown star for a corporation in want of them. She has delivered each step of the best way so far, and the Brit is now on the doorstep of a doubtlessly defining check.
It’s a high-pressure second on paper, however for Ditcheva, it’s merely one other a part of a imaginative and prescient for her profession that she’s put all her efforts and perception behind.
“That is form of what I deliberate for after I signed with PFL,” Ditcheva stated. “I wished to win the European title, then I wished to go on and do the PFL International and win that world championship. It has all fallen into place, and so long as I hold working exhausting, I’m trusting that this can occur this time. I will likely be world champion after which we’ll be on to the subsequent factor.”
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