Dakota Ditcheva didn’t get right here accidentally.
With an ideal 13-0 report together with three straight knockouts to earn her technique to the 2024 PFL Championships on Friday, the 25-year-old flyweight from England would possibly simply be the following huge factor however that appears to rub some folks the flawed means. Whereas her rise to stardom has been quick, Ditcheva is aware of she put within the work and gained the fights to get right here even when a few of her fellow athletes don’t appear all that completely satisfied for her.
“There’s undoubtedly a little bit little bit of jealousy I feel and a little bit of frustration from just a few fighters,” Ditcheva informed MMA Preventing. “I get it. Such as you stated, it’s a enterprise. We’ve got to have the ability to promote these fights as a way to receives a commission. If you wish to receives a commission, do one thing. Make your fights thrilling or get on social media and make an effort. You need to. The those that had been mad at these fighters, sure fighters earning money, however when you take a look at those earning money, it’s the personalities within the sport. Or the fighters which might be doing one thing totally different.
“I don’t know why anyone is getting annoyed simply with me. As a result of I’m identical to getting what I can out of my years on this sport and I really feel like that might be the intelligent factor to do.”
Maybe one of many greatest knocks on Ditcheva throughout the present PFL season was the notion that she was being arrange with winnable fights that might enable her to advance to the finals underneath simpler circumstances than a few of her potential opponents.
Essentially the most notable criticism got here when the playoffs started with Ditcheva drawing Jena Bishop within the semifinals moderately than a extra skilled opponent like UFC veteran Taila Santos or Bellator champion Liz Carmouche. As an alternative, Santos ended up beating Carmouche in a hard-fought determination whereas Ditcheva demolished Bishop inside the primary spherical.
After all, Ditcheva has no management over the opponents she faces as a result of that call falls to the PFL however even because the playoffs bought began, that’s all decided by level totals within the common season.
On Friday, Ditcheva would possibly lastly be capable to silence a minimum of a few of her critics due to the finals coming right down to her and Santos however she knew there have been no ensures as a result of that’s simply how unstable a PFL season will be.
“You’ll be able to’t predict it and to be trustworthy, I wouldn’t say I used to be completely satisfied about it,” Ditcheva defined. “I used to be anticipating something. You don’t know. Jena [Bishop], she misplaced and nonetheless positioned high 4. You don’t know what’s going to occur so that you’ve bought to be prepared for something.
“I bought loads of stink for me going through Jena as a result of Taila and Liz went collectively however that’s simply the way in which the match performs out. It’s not in anybody’s arms. It labored out good as a result of I really feel like that is most likely the most effective fights that might have occurred for the ultimate.”
Ditcheva additionally believes breaking by means of the language barrier in terms of the U.S. viewers makes an enormous distinction in terms of connecting with followers.
“I really feel actually fortunate that I converse English,” Ditcheva stated. “You want to have the ability to converse English on this trade and when you don’t, you get left behind a little bit bit. Nobody needs to learn subtitles. That’s one other factor. I hate to say that as a result of I really feel like I’m a bit spoiled that I do converse English and it is a bonus for me but it surely’s simply the way in which the enterprise goes.
“It’s not one thing I’ve chosen. It’s simply the way in which issues work. It goes over my head when folks moan about it and I simply keep it up getting what I can out of it.”
As a lot consideration as Ditcheva receives — each optimistic and damaging — she’s adamant that none of it actually issues if she’s not successful her fights.
She is aware of there’s no reputation or star energy if she’s dropping and to this point in her profession Ditcheva has been almost untouchable.
“Nobody can be bothered if I couldn’t struggle, proper?” Ditcheva stated. “That all the time has to come back first. As a lot because the cameras and the eye that I get, I nonetheless perceive that my full focus has bought to be the combating as a result of that’s what comes first.”
In terms of the Santos struggle, Ditcheva is making ready for the worst however anticipating the perfect out of herself but once more even with the step up in competitors.
Ditcheva guarantees she’s all the time able to go to struggle however to this point all of her opponents have been utterly outgunned. She will’t predict if Santos goes to be any harder or not however she’s prepared for each potential state of affairs to say the PFL title and the $1 million prize that comes together with it.
“She’s an excellent fighter,” Ditcheva stated about Santos. “I respect her rather a lot. She was a fighter I watched within the UFC. I understand how powerful she is. I do know she’s a harmful individual. I all the time thought her placing was wonderful there. I do know who I’m up towards however on the similar time, I don’t really feel like I’m not displaying something she confirmed. I really feel prefer it’s going to be an excellent struggle and I’m excited for it for certain.
“I do know what I’m able to. Positively [it could be another finish] and that’s what I’ll make occur if the chance’s there on the time, I’ll be certain that I take the end 100%. I’m prepared for a five-round struggle. I practice for that each time however I’m not the kind of fighter to go in there and be glad with a five-round struggle.”
