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PFL Star Touted For Ronda Rousey-esque Growth: ‘She Knows Exactly When To Switch Off The Savage & Become The Sweetheart…’

Ronda Rousey will always be a massive part of the history of MMA and whilst she was a pioneer in many ways, no female fighter has been able to reach that same level of star power. There have been many athletes that come along with elements of star potential but the PFL’s Dakota Ditcheva appears […]

Continue Reading PFL Star Touted For Ronda Rousey-esque Growth: ‘She Knows Exactly When To Switch Off The Savage & Become The Sweetheart…’ at MMA News.

Ronda Rousey will always be a massive part of the history of MMA and whilst she was a pioneer in many ways, no female fighter has been able to reach that same level of star power.

There have been many athletes that come along with elements of star potential but the PFL’s Dakota Ditcheva appears to have everything.

It was clear that she had a special quality about her when talking to the media but of course, none of that matters if you can’t back it up in the cage.

Despite detractors regarding her quality of opponents, Ditcheva has beaten everyone that the PFL has put in front of her to go from winning the PFL Europe tournament last year to advancing to the finals of the regular season this year, where she will take on former UFC title challenger Taila Santos in a must-see bout.

Sean O’Connell Says Dakota Ditcheva Has Everything She Needs To Be A Huge Star

Ditcheva appeared on stage moments before the press conference for Francis Ngannou’s PFL debut, where she was joined by Jake Paul who compared her to Rousey.

PFL commentator Sean O’Connell believes that whilst she might be doing it in a different way, he can understand the comparisons between the former face of women’s MMA and one of the most exciting contenders around right now.

He spoke in an interview with TalkSPORT about how Ditcheva has the world at her feet because she ticks every box to become a huge star.

“She has the potential to be a superstar but not for the same reasons as Ronda Rousey. Ronda was the pioneer, Ronda was the one that broke the barrier and got women into the UFC and unfortunately, that’s a milestone that can never be reached again even for someone with the star caliber of Dakota Ditcheva. You could make the argument that it’s going to be harder for Dakota to reach those heights of celebrity but she absolutely is capable of it.

“First of all, because of how incredible she is as a fighter but also she understands the media game, right. She knows exactly when to switch off that savage and become the sweetheart again. She’s got the look, she’s got the charisma and when you have that plus the ability to knock women out like she does, the sky is the limit.”

Continue Reading PFL Star Touted For Ronda Rousey-esque Growth: ‘She Knows Exactly When To Switch Off The Savage & Become The Sweetheart…’ at MMA News.

PFL Star Touted For Ronda Rousey-esque Growth: ‘She Knows Exactly When To Switch Off The Savage & Become The Sweetheart…’

Continue Reading PFL Star Touted For Ronda Rousey-esque Growth: ‘She Knows Exactly When To Switch Off The Savage & Become The Sweetheart…’ at MMA News.

Ronda Rousey will always be a massive part of the history of MMA and whilst she was a pioneer in many ways, no female fighter has been able to reach that same level of star power.

There have been many athletes that come along with elements of star potential but the PFL’s Dakota Ditcheva appears to have everything.

It was clear that she had a special quality about her when talking to the media but of course, none of that matters if you can’t back it up in the cage.

Sean O’Connell Says Dakota Ditcheva Has Everything She Needs To Be A Huge Star

Ditcheva appeared on stage moments before the press conference for Francis Ngannou’s PFL debut, where she was joined by Jake Paul who compared her to Rousey.

He spoke in an interview with TalkSPORT about how Ditcheva has the world at her feet because she ticks every box to become a huge star.

“She has the potential to be a superstar but not for the same reasons as Ronda Rousey. Ronda was the pioneer, Ronda was the one that broke the barrier and got women into the UFC and unfortunately, that’s a milestone that can never be reached again even for someone with the star caliber of Dakota Ditcheva. You could make the argument that it’s going to be harder for Dakota to reach those heights of celebrity but she absolutely is capable of it.

“First of all, because of how incredible she is as a fighter but also she understands the media game, right. She knows exactly when to switch off that savage and become the sweetheart again. She’s got the look, she’s got the charisma and when you have that plus the ability to knock women out like she does, the sky is the limit.”

Continue Reading PFL Star Touted For Ronda Rousey-esque Growth: ‘She Knows Exactly When To Switch Off The Savage & Become The Sweetheart…’ at MMA News.

Dakota Ditcheva wins with another first-round knockout, will face Talia Santos in the PFL Finals

‘Dangerous’ Dakota Ditcheva continues her first-round knockout win streak in the PFL. With these wins, she will face former…

‘Dangerous’ Dakota Ditcheva continues her first-round knockout win streak in the PFL. With these wins, she will face former UFC contender Talia Santos in the PFL finals later this year. Last night at PFL 7, both Ditcheva and Santos won their matches but the English Ditcheva did so with an impressive finish.

Dakota Ditcheva vs. Jena Bishop Knockout Highlights

The UK-born Dakota Ditcheva was able to the finals of PFL Europe in 2023 with a first-round knockout finish. Once in the main PFL organization in 2024, she has now been able to defeat Lisa Mauldin, Chelsea Hackett, and Jena Bishop all by knockout in the first round.

Last night at PFL 7, she finished the skilled grappler Jena Bishop with a mix of knees, kicks, and punches.

With this win, Dakota Ditcheva will next face Talia Santos.

While speaking in an interview with me last year, the UK-born Dakota Ditcheva discussed her motivation and how she feels as though she does all of this for her mother. With world titles in karate, kickboxing, and Muay Thai Lisa Howarth raised Ditcheva with striking knowledge. Ditcheva explained:

“My striking has all come from my mum. And, even though I’ve got these amazing coaches now that are helping me, the coaches I’ve had along the way have just added and added to my game. All my fundamentals are from my mum. Everything was from her. She’s the woman that’s got me here for sure, and that’s just that skillset, mentally, everything. And, this belt will definitely be for her. She deserves it more than me. Sometimes I feel like I’m, I’m fighting for her, and that’s what motivates me.”

Talia Santos vs. Liz Carmouche Highlights

Also at PFL 7, the former UFC contender Talia Santos faced former Bellator champion Liz Carmouche. Brazil’s Santos was able to defeat Carmouche from bell to bell. Overall in 2024, Santos has defeated Jena Bishop, Ilara Joanne, and Carmouche. With these victories, Santos is set to face Ditcheva in the PFL finals for one million dollars.

Taila Santos Slams PFL Over Dakota Ditcheva’s ‘Easy’ Opponents

Taila Santos believes Dakota Ditcheva was given a much easier path to the PFL Playoffs. Both Santos, who once…

Taila Santos believes Dakota Ditcheva was given a much easier path to the PFL Playoffs.

Both Santos, who once gave Valentina Shevchenko a run for her money inside the Octagon, and Ditcheva are one win away from advancing to the PFL flyweight final. Santos has gone 2-0 since making her Smart Cage debut earlier this year, defeating Ilara Joanne and Jena Bishop during the regular season.

But despite her own success, the one-time UFC title challenger believes Ditcheva was handed more favorable matchups to secure her spot in the final four.

“The fights they were giving her in the beginning, it’s pretty clear they were giving her an easy run so she could make it to the finals,” Santos told MMA Fighting. “That’s why I said I want to show her what a real fight is all about, a tough fight. I fought tough fights since the beginning and I don’t care. That’s exactly what I want. I want to tough fights to show I’m the best.”

Ditcheva scored the No. 1 seed in the playoffs with wins over Lisa Mauldin, a 6-5 fighter from California, and Chelsea Hackett, a 4-3-1 Aussie who made an appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2020. Ditcheva earned her way into this year’s regular season after winning the PFL Europe Championship in 2023, running through three opponents with a combined record of 13-10.

Meanwhile, Santos has more than proven herself by going five rounds with former UFC flyweight titleholder Valentina Shevchenko and earning wins over the likes of Joanne Wood, Roxanne Modafferi, Molly McCann, and Gillian Robertson.

Though she’s by no means looking past her next opponent, Santos can’t help but salivate over the idea of meeting Ditcheva in the tournament final.

“It’s going to be really interested to have both of us getting to this final and fighting each other,” Santos said. “I just want to be in the final and face whoever, but it would be quite interesting to fight her. I would really like to fight Dakota because fans would like this one. People are talking about this fight, and I want to show her what a real fight is like. It would be exciting. I’m very excited to face her, really.”

Taila Santos will have to go through women’s MMA legend liz Carmouche if she wants to meet Ditcheva in the flyweight final

But to get there, Taila Santos will have to get past two-time UFC title challenger and current Bellator flyweight women’s champion, Liz Carmouche.

“It’s an incredible fight. All respect to her, an incredible athlete as well, a veteran, and it’s an honor for me to fight her,” Santos said. “I’m very versatile as a fighter, although I grew up training Muay Thai before training jiu-jitsu and wrestling and everything else. I feel super comfortable in all areas today. I like it a lot, and I know she tries to grapple more, to back her opponents against the cage and impose her game. It’s going to be a very interesting game.”

As for how she sees things playing out in Ditcheva’s semi-final scrap with Jena Bishop, Santos isn’t entirely convinced that the Manchester native will get the job done.

“I think it’s going to be close,” Santos said. “It won’t be an easy fight for either one of them. If Jena can close the distance and take her down quickly and not give Dakota space on the feet — Dakota knows her to use her reach and she’s powerful. Jena surprised me, she’s really strong and I wasn’t expecting that. She’s very experienced, so she can win this if she can close the distance.”

“I came here to win this belt,” Santos added. “I’m ready to go to the final and win, no matter who I’m fighting there. I’m here to fight the best.”

2024 PFL 7 Playoffs Results & Highlights: Denis Goltsov TKOs Tim Johnson

PFL kicked off its 2024 playoffs on August 2 with matchups from the heavyweight and women’s flyweight divisions. MMA News has the results here! The promotion held the event at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. In the main event, Denis Goltsov moved to the final of the playoffs in a heavyweight matchup against […]

Continue Reading 2024 PFL 7 Playoffs Results & Highlights: Denis Goltsov TKOs Tim Johnson at MMA News.

PFL kicked off its 2024 playoffs on August 2 with matchups from the heavyweight and women’s flyweight divisions. MMA News has the results here!

The promotion held the event at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. In the main event, Denis Goltsov moved to the final of the playoffs in a heavyweight matchup against Tim Johnson.

The Russian took his opponent down within two minutes of the fight and got into full mount. Goltsov landed 22 ground strikes from the top position to get the TKO win.

Elsewhere on the card, Dakota Ditcheva faced Jena Bishop in a women’s flyweight bout in the co-main event. The fight lasted one round, with Ditcheva getting a TKO victory after landing a knee and a few punches to get the referee to step in.

PFL 7: Denis Goltsov vs. Tim Johnson Fight Card Results

Main card (ESPN+ & ESPN):

Heavyweight: Denis Goltsov def. Tim Johnson via TKO: R1, 2:26
Women’s Flyweight: Dakota Ditcheva def. Jena Bishop via TKO: R1, 3:54
Heavyweight: Oleg Popov def. Linton Vassell via Unanimous Decision (30-27×3)
Women’s Flyweight: Taila Santos def. Liz Carmouche via Unanimous Decision (29-27×3)

Preliminary card (ESPN+):

Heavyweight: Sergey Bilostenniy def. Tyrell Fortune via Submission (Heel Hook): R1, 2:00
Featherweight: Alexei Pergande def. Daniel Boehle via Unanimous Decision (30-27×3)
Featherweight: Cody Law def. Zachary Hicks via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke): R1, 3:15
Catchweight(163lbs): Dedrek Sanders def. Sergio Cossio via KO: R1, 2:34
Catchweight(173lbs): Anthony Ivy def. Jaleel Willis via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke): R2, 4:49
Welterweight: Kevin Pease def. Nick Meck via Unanimous Decision (29-28×3)

Main Card Highlights

Denis Goltsov def. Tim Johnson

Dakota Ditcheva def. Jena Bishop

Preliminary Card Highlights

Sergey Bilostenniy def. Tyrell Fortune

Cody Law def. Zachary Hicks

Dedrek Sanders def. Sergio Cossio

Anthony Ivy def. Jaleel Willis

Continue Reading 2024 PFL 7 Playoffs Results & Highlights: Denis Goltsov TKOs Tim Johnson at MMA News.

2024 PFL 7 Playoffs: Denis Goltsov vs. Tim Johnson Results & Highlights (5:30 PM ET)

PFL kicks off its 2024 playoffs with matchups from the heavyweight and women’s flyweight divisions on Friday. MMA News has the results here! The promotion will host tonight’s event at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. In the main event, Denis Goltsov hopes to move to the final of the playoffs in a heavyweight […]

Continue Reading 2024 PFL 7 Playoffs: Denis Goltsov vs. Tim Johnson Results & Highlights (5:30 PM ET) at MMA News.

PFL kicks off its 2024 playoffs with matchups from the heavyweight and women’s flyweight divisions on Friday. MMA News has the results here!

The promotion will host tonight’s event at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. In the main event, Denis Goltsov hopes to move to the final of the playoffs in a heavyweight matchup against Tim Johnson.

The Russian comes into the fight on a two-fight win streak and qualified atop the division standings with 10 points. In his last appearance, he swiftly defeated former UFC light heavyweight title contender Thiago Santos by TKO in the first round at PFL 4 on June 13. That said, Johnson isn’t an easy opponent to get past.

The former Bellator heavyweight contender is also coming into the fight on a winning streak with three straight victories. Johnson earned his spot in the playoffs by defeating Danilo Marques by TKO in the first round at PFL 4. Although Goltsov is favored to win, he’ll have to be mindful of the punching power of Johnson.

Elsewhere on the card, Dakota Ditcheva will take on Jena Bishop in a women’s flyweight bout in the co-main event. Bishop aims to rebound from her last defeat to Taila Santos and give her opponent the first loss of her career. However, she faces an uphill battle as Ditcheva has a significant height and reach advantage. DraftKings currently has the 12-0 women’s flyweight as the favorite to move on to the championship final.

The main card will start at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT, while the preliminary card will kick the event off at 5:30 PM ET/2:30 PM PT.

PFL 7: Denis Goltsov vs. Tim Johnson Fight Card Results

(Fight Card Is Subject To Change)

Main card (ESPN+ & ESPN):

Heavyweight: Denis Goltsov (34-8) vs. Tim Johnson (18-9)
Women’s Flyweight: Dakota Ditcheva (12-0) vs. Jena Bishop (7-1)
Heavyweight: Oleg Popov (18-1) vs. Linton Vassell (25-9)
Women’s Flyweight: Taila Santos (21-3) vs. Liz Carmouche (22-7)

Preliminary card (ESPN+):

Heavyweight: Tyrell Fortune (14-2) vs. Sergey Bilostenniy (12-3)
Featherweight: Alexei Pergande (4-0) vs. Daniel Boehle (4-2)
Featherweight: Cody Law (8-2) vs. Zachary Hicks (9-5)
Catchweight(163lbs): Sergio Cossio (27-9-1) vs. Dedrek Sanders (8-4)
Catchweight(173lbs): Jaleel Willis (16-6) vs. Anthony Ivy (14-7)
Welterweight: Kevin Pease (5-0) vs. Nick Meck (7-1)

Continue Reading 2024 PFL 7 Playoffs: Denis Goltsov vs. Tim Johnson Results & Highlights (5:30 PM ET) at MMA News.