At the 2024 PFL Championships this Friday in Riyadh, Dakota Ditcheva faces her toughest test to date as the undefeated striker takes on Taila Santos. For all of the hype surrounding the British striker, there has been a lot of doubts as well with some saying that she hasn’t been tested at the top level yet.
With every step-up in the quality of her opponents, the former PFL Europe champion has blasted through them also, winning all three of her fights this season via a knockout in the first round. Santos, however, is an opponent that fight fans know is a legitimate threat to her.
The former UFC fighter competed in one of the most controversial bouts in recent years when at UFC 275 she fought to a split decision against Valentina Shevchenko with many believing that she did enough to secure the victory. PFL commentator Dan Hardy believes that with a strong showing against Santos, Ditcheva can prove that she isn’t just the best flyweight in the PFL, she’s the best in the world.
In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Hardy said that Santos is a tough test for Ditcheva but she’s also a measuring stick for the undefeated star to use.
“I mean I certainly think so and the fact that Santos has been the distance with Shevchenko is going to make it easier for the fans to see the difference in Dakota’s skills compared to Shevchenko.”
After comparing the point fighting style of Shevchenko to the lethal striking of Ditcheva, Hardy said if she’s able to beat Santos and look impressive whilst doing it, there can be no more doubting her.
“If Dakota’s got enough skills in her game to stuff takedowns or to get back to her feet or to defend any submissions that she finds herself in in this fight coming up, if she proves that she’s got enough grappling for people to go, ‘You know what, I think that would work against Shevchenko as well’, then I don’t really think there’s much of a question around Dakota’s striking compared to Shevchenko.”