Dakota Ditcheva (Credit: PFL)
Dakota Ditcheva on surging relationship with PFL: “I need PFL as much as they need me”
Since winning the PFL Europe tournament in 2023, Dakota Ditcheva has been a rising star in the making under the PFL promotional banner. Now in 2024, Ditcheva has done nearly as many rounds in the media as she has in the gym training for the 2024 women’s flyweight tournament. A staple on the PFL global roster, Ditcheva has seen a meteoric rise to stardom under the promotion and in return, she continues to deliver exciting performances in her victories.
The undefeated Ditcheva is coming off a first-round finish of Lisa Mauldin in the first round of the 2024 tournament, earning herself six points in the season, putting her in the driver seat to secure a playoff spot with another impressive performance in the second round. In order to do so, Ditcheva will have to come out victorious in the co-main event feature at PFL 4 against Australia’s Chelsea Hackett.
Speaking to the media before her fight, Ditcheva discussed her strong relationship with the PFL, saying she believes they’re a great team together, and as much as they need her stardom and fantastic performances, she needs them just as much.
“I need the PFL as much as they need me. We work well as a team. I’m super grateful that they’re pushing my face everywhere”
Ahead of her co-main event feature at #PFL4 tonight, Dakota Ditcheva discusses her strong relationship with @PFLMMA pic.twitter.com/2mLWqhvDKk
— Mike Pendleton (@MP2310) June 13, 2024
“I do always say that I need PFL as much as they need me, we work well as a team. They’re the first organization that signed me right from the beginning of my career. This is the first major organization I’ve been with, I’m so happy with them, I feel like we make a really good team. I’m happy that I’m providing good fights for them and turning up on the night every time to give them some exposure. I’m super grateful that they’re pushing my face everywhere, helping me in my career, sponsorships, things like that, I’m looking forward to the future with them, for sure.”
No stranger to the PFL format, Ditcheva, despite all her early and undefeated success, isn’t going to get ahead of herself during the 2024 season. Ignoring the betting odds and the narratives surrounding her fight against Hackett, “Danger” says she is approaching this fight as if it was the $1 million grand prize world title fight.
“I feel like I take each fight as it’s like the most important fight ever. I’m fighting this fight as if this is the million dollar fight, that’s how my mentality goes. Just because it’s only the second round and I’m sat top of the table, people keep saying, that doesn’t make me slack at all. I’m here, fighting on Thursday like this is the world title. That’s kind of the mindset that I’m in.”
That same mindset is what has led to a thriving partnership between company and fighter, as both PFL and Dakota Ditcheva have seen the benefits from one another. She will look to continue her journey to the PFL world title and $1 million grand prize on Thursday, June 13 at the Mohegan Sun Arena.
Fans can watch PFL 4 on ESPN+ starting at 5:30pm ET.
