MMA Knockout

Dakota Ditcheva frustrated as PFL fails to find her a fight

Mathew Riddle|
PFL

Touted as one of the biggest talents outside of the UFC, Manchester's Dakota Ditcheva is frustrated with the PFL.

Undefeated at 14-0, 'Dangerous' Ditcheva is arguably the greatest women's flyweight fighter in MMA right now. Ditcheva knocked out Taila Santos, a former UFC title challenger, to win the PFL 2024 championships in November, but hasn't fought since.

It seems she has befallen a similar fate to many PFL-Bellator fighters who find themselves on ice.

'I wanna fight' ... Dakota Ditcheva begs for PFL to put 'anything' together

Speaking with MMA Junkie's Mike Bohn, Ditcheva expressed discontent with PFL's decision to keep her on ice. The PFL women's flyweight tournament is already approaching its semifinals, and Ditcheva was never a part of it.

"It's testing me for sure," Ditcheva admitted. ". . . Seeing everybody train for this tournament it was really disheartening for me. . . . I'm in contract and you guys [PFL] have to offer me fights. . . . I'll trust that they bring something for me."

Ditcheva joins a host of fighters, including Francis Ngannou, Corey Anderson, and Patchy Mix, who find themselves without any fight news.

PFL founder Donn Davis responds to fan backlash

PFL Chairman and founder Donn Davis snubbed fan complaints of fighters staying inactive.

"Nobody HAS to be here," Davis wrote on Twitter. "PFL provides the ONLY premium global lasting platform for fighters other than the UFC. Countless others have come and gone, because they are not serious people..."

IF PFL contracts operate in the same way UFC and ONE contracts do, then the promotion is obligated to offer two to three fights a year, typically on a six month basis. Fighters like Ditcheva, Anderson, and Mix are entitled to fight.

Although, ONE Championship's contracts are predatory in the fact they extend the fighter's contract if a fight is delayed for any reason. They can also extend fighter contracts by four fights or 24 months if a fighter becomes champion.

There is hope yet, with former PFL-Bellator champion Patricio Pitbull hopping ship to the UFC at UFC 314.

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Mathew Riddle
MATHEW RIDDLE

Mathew is a UK-based combat sports journalist, graphic designer, and SEO expert with half a decade of digital marketing and a dedicated four-year track record in MMA journalism. He joined MMA Knockout when it was founded in 2023. Mathew's insights have been featured on Bloody Elbow, The Fight Fanatic, and Heavy on UFC. He runs Warrior Tribune and can be contacted by his Muckrack profile.

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