Dakota Ditcheva received a warm reception at PFL Cape Town in South Africa on Saturday, where she anchored the co-main event in a non-title fight with Sumiko Inaba.
Ditcheva, still just 26 and already a PFL Europe and PFL Global women’s flyweight champion, was fighting for the first time in 2025. The English striker, undefeated in her professional fighting career, had quickly become the face of the PFL, the heir apparent to now-UFC women’s bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison.
With 12 of Ditcheva’s 14 victories coming via knockout, the forecast called for a finish in the PFL Cape Town co-main event.
Inaba, a Hawaiian known as “Lady Samurai,” seemed to welcome that, taking the fight to Ditcheva early in the opening round. A fiery exchange led to the pair tying up briefly; Ditcheva then moved back to range, working from the outside while Inaba pressured. Ditcheva flashed a stance switch, while Inaba ripped the body. The Hawaiian, however, was already showing damage around one eye. With a Thai plum in place, Ditcheva looked to land in close, then fired one last blow off the break. Another clinch, moments later, followed, then another, with Ditcheva firing knees and elbows, softening Inaba up methodically.
Dakota Ditcheva continued to put on the pressure in round two, cornering Inaba against the fence in the opening minute and opening up, landing elbows, punches, and just battering the Hawaiian. Inaba survived, and they clinched up, this time with Inaba initially in control, but Ditcheva soon reversed. She landed a well-timed knee to the midsection, and followed it up with some left hands. A combination followed, and soon Inaba was showing swelling around the face.
Another clinch, and Inaba ripped the body on both sides before being reversed. At range, Ditcheva fired a right hand that clipped Inaba. An elbow followed. A front kick to the face connected for Ditcheva. Inaba was showing considerable toughness just staying in the fight, but she was now trailing badly, with just a puncher’s chance to win.
Round three was do or die for Sumiko Inaba. This time, Ditcheva broke out her low kicks, which hadn’t really been seen through the opening two frames. Ditcheva landed her left to the body. Another low kick. A front kick to the midsection. Inaba was looking like a practice dummy at times, albeit a particularly tough one. No shortage of heart, but simply out-gunned. Ditcheva ripped another combination, battering Inaba about the head, with three minutes still on the clock. Inaba clinched up, looking for a takedown attempt despite needing a finish. Ditcheva, meanwhile, seemed to signal that she’d injured her left hand. It wouldn’t matter. Her arsenal was simply too varied, and she fired an elbow, and a right hand, then a push kick, while shaking out the left hand and actually throwing it once a moment later.
Inaba again went in on a takedown, her face swollen. Ditcheva landed a spin kick to the midsection. Inaba continued to march forward, but she looked nothing like the fighter who had started the bout. There was no question as to who had won this one when the scorecards were read, with Ditcheva, while unable to finish, claiming a dominant unanimous decision.
