The 2024 Professional Fighters League (PFL) is fast approaching with the first event taking place on April 4th 2024. This will be the first season since the PFL has purchased Bellator, with many Bellator fighters eager to try out the format the PFL has. This means there is more competition since the PFL now have more fighters on the roster. This has come with greater expectations with many thinking it will be the best season yet. Dakota Ditcheva will have to defeat strong competition but will she be able to get her hands on another championship?
Bellator Taking Over Brings More Competition for Dakota Ditcheva
The PFL will welcome many Bellator fights over to the smart cage this year. Each division has been made from fighters from both brands which creates some unique matchups. While the number of fighters to choose from may have increased, the PFL has stayed with the same number of weight classes and number of fighters in each division. Previously, the PFL has worked with lightweights and featherweights in the women’s division. However, this year they will be focusing on the women’s flyweight division. This will allow a lot more interesting match-ups to be created for the fans.
Bellator fighters in the tournament allows Dakota to be able to fight better competition with current champion and former champions competing this year. Current champion Liz Carmouche and former champion Juliana Velasquez will be entering the tournament and both would be hard competition that Dakota would have to face.
Dakota Ditcheva Time to Shine
Dakota Ditcheva is the PFL Europe women’s flyweight champion but will be taking part in the upcoming PFL 2024 Tournament. If Ditcheva is going to take the crown, she will have some serious competition to get through. This is due to former UFC Fighter Talia Santos, Bellator flyweight champion Liz Carmouche, and former Bellator champion Juliana Velasquez taking part. However, while she may not be the biggest name she may have the edge over them with already taking part in this format last year, taking part in PFL Europe which has the same set-up. Dakota knows how to get the job done and has been able to prove it as well. However, one thing she is looking forward to is being able to go into this tournament without having the biggest target surrounding her.
“This has probably got to be one of the most exciting tournaments they’ve done, I feel like,” Ditcheva told MMA Mania. “The level of girls that are in it and the names that are in it. Obviously, Liz has been around for years. The people she’s fought, she holds the Bellator belt. [Taila] Santos coming over as well and her level. She’s right at the top where she’s been.”
“To see girls like that coming in now, it’s just crazy,” she continued. “There’s a few young people like me that are gonna be coming up so it’ll be interesting to see how it plays out but also how the girls deal with the tournament format. A lot of the fighters have kind of fought once a year, twice a year. They’re not as regular so it’ll be interesting who to see can carry on throughout the whole tournament and who ends up in the final … with me (laughs).”
Quotes via MMAMania
Other Talent in the Competition
Dakota Ditcheva may be a big draw for this season. However, other fighters are coming into this season with a big reputation behind them. Liz Carmouche is one of those fighters. Not only is she the Bellator champion she is also riding a 7 fight win streak with the last 5 wins coming via stoppage.
Juliana Velasquez is another fighter coming into this tournament from the Bellator roster. Velasquez is a former Bellator champion, actually losing the title to Carmouche before losing in the rematch as well. Velasquez may be entering the smart cage off of back of back-to-back defeats, however with a record of 12-2 she knows how to win. The experience of winning the title as well will help her deal with the expectations of the event. However, Dakota will be able to avoid them for the first of the 2 fights as Velasquez will start against Carmouche.
Talia Santos is another fighter who has made the switch over to the PFL. However, this time it’s from the UFC as the former title challenger signed with the company in 2024 and will compete this season.
Dakota Ditcheva Looks to Clinch Another Championship
Dakota Ditcheva will first be looking to try and start with a win to kick off the season. Ditcheva will start against Lisa Mauldin on April 4th. She will be looking to get the finish to start strong. After she has been able to get the victory she will be looking forward to the next match-up. Dakota isn’t concerned about who she will be facing next. This is because it doesn’t matter who is in front of her. Whether it is Carmouche, Velazquez, or Santos, she can face anyone and defeat anyone to become the PFL 2024 Flyweight Champion. Dakota will have only one thing in mind when stepping into that smart cage and that is to clinch another PFL championship.
Featured Image Credit to Embed from Getty Images
