After a year-long layoff, PFL women’s flyweight star Dakota Ditcheva returns to action Friday at PFL New York, taking on ex-Bellator title challenger and kickboxer Denise Kielholtz in the night’s co-main event.
Ahead of the fight at the UBS Arena in Belmont Park, New York, Ditcheva admitted that there’s been a different feel to the affair.
“I’m excited. It’s been a little bit different, because I’m used to the girls talking sh*t honestly. They’re normally like, slagging me off Fight Week. It’s been nice to have a little bit of respect,” Ditcheva (15-0) told media outlets including Cageside Press during this week’s media day.
Of course, that respect may fade a little come Fight Night. “Both of us will be very different when we get in the cage. I know that no matter how respectful we are, we’re both here to do one job, and that’s fight each other.”
Denise Kielholtz has suggested that she’s bringing a game Ditcheva hasn’t seen before. Ditcheva countered this week that she’s an adaptable fighter, and expects no issues dealing with whatever comes her way.
“I think the good thing about me is, I can adapt very well to any style. You’ve seen me fight grapplers, you’ve seen me fight strikers. I know Denise is going to bring more aggression than anybody else I’ve fought, but at the same time, I think I’ll deal with it fine.”
The elephant in the room when it comes to Dakota Ditcheva has been Liz Carmouche. A former Bellator champ and UFC title challenger, Carmouche won last year’s PFL World Tournament, and is coming off a recent victory against Viviane Araujo last month.
Most saw the pair on a collision course, yet the PFL opted to book Dakota Ditcheva against Kielholtz months back, a fight that was delayed when England’s Ditcheva was injured. Ditcheva now expects to fight Carmouche next.
“For sure, yeah. When I win on Friday, that’s probably the fight that they’ll make, unless she wants to move up to 135. I don’t know,” said Ditcheva, touching on the fact that Carmouche has been calling for the PFL to add a bantamweight division.
“It was a little bit confusing. I did expect her to come on the mic and shout me out, and call me out after she had that win [against Araujo], but she didn’t. So I’m not sure whether the reason she’s calling me out is literally to get views, or whether she wants a 135 division, or whether she’s doing that because she’s not getting the fight with me, or what. I don’t know.”
“I’m open to fight Liz. I have no problem fighting her,” Ditcheva continued. “It’s just that right now I’m fighting Denise. PFL didn’t give me Liz, so respectfully I’m not interested in anything she has to say.”
Watch the full PFL New York media day appearance by Dakota Ditcheva above.
