PFL star Dakota Ditcheva returns to action at PFL New York on July 31, re-booked opposite Denise Kielholtz and fighting for the first time in a year.
The undefeated English flyweight is 15-0, but after winning the PFL Europe tournament in 2023 and PFL Global season in 2024, she has fought just once, picking up a victory over Bellator alum Sumiko Inaba last year.
Ahead of this past weekend’s PFL San Diego, a card she noted had “two really good fights for the flyweight division,” Ditcheva spoke with Cageside Press about her return.
“I used to watch Denise when she used to fight in GLORY, when she used to fight in Bellator,” noted Ditcheva, who jumped to MMA in 2021 after competing in Muay Thai for years. “So I’ve watched her for a long time, I really like her striking style.”
“It’s just crazy that we’re now facing each other, which is really strange for me. But I’m excited. She’s an aggressive fighter, really nice striking style but we’ll see what happens on the night.”
After spending much of the past 12 months dealing with injury — the fight with Kielholtz was initially announced for February — Ditcheva also noted that the division has been far from stagnant.
“I’ve been upset that I’ve been out for so long, but the division’s kept moving, and now I’ve come back and everyone’s ready,” she told us. “They’re all calling me out.”
With Liz Carmouche picking up a victory on Saturday in San Diego, a Dakota Ditcheva win next month feels like it could set up a title fight between to two later in the year. Former foe Jena Bishop also picked up her second victory of 2026, submitting Ariane Lipski da Silva, with more success potentially putting a rematch in play.
Watch our full interview with PFL New York’s Dakota Ditcheva above.