PFL Europe star Dakota Ditcheva graduates to the PFL Global platform this Thursday night at PFL 1 in San Antonio, and the flyweight has been a focal point for the promotion ahead of the next step in her career.
England’s Ditcheva is a perfect 10-0 in her pro career thus far, and told Cageside Press this week that moving to the main PFL tournament “definitely feels a little bit bigger, although I’ve got quite a few familiar faces around here, so it’s nice that I know a lot of the team.”
“It’s kind of making me feel a little bit better, I don’t feel like I’m too deep in the water,” she added, speaking during the PFL 1 media day in San Antonio, TX. “I’m just enjoying it. I’ve got my family here and that’s the important thing. I’ve got my team here, so as long as I’ve got them, I just feel like everything’s the same anyway. They keep the vibes the same for me. So I’m enjoying it.”
While there was $100,000 on the line for Ditcheva in the PFL Europe tournament last year, there’s an extra zero on the prize money this time around. Ditcheva, however, isn’t focused on the money too much, and if anything, it’s more about the belt.
“I’m not really thinking too much about the money, or the belt. Well, I’m probably thinking about the belt more to be honest,” she stated. “But this is only the first round, right? This isn’t the playoffs. I’ve still got a long way to go, so I’m not thinking too far ahead at the moment. I’m just obviously excited still to be in a tournament for this much money. It’s going to be life-changing.”
As for how her fight with Lisa Mauldin will go, Ditcheva broke with tradition and predicted a finish. “I predict I’m going to get another stoppage probably. I don’t normally do predictions, but after my run last year with PFL year, I’m going to try to kick it off the same way.”
Watch the full PFL 1 media day appearance by Dakota Ditcheva above.
