Dakota Ditcheva Returns to the Octagon in Dubai
PFL star Dakota Ditcheva will make her long-awaited return to the octagon on February 7th in Dubai, facing Denise Kielholtz in a flyweight bout that will mark the start of the promotion’s 2026 season.
The event, called PFL: Road to Dubai, will be the first on the 2026 calendar and will be headlined by the lightweight title fight between Usman Nurmagomedov and Alfie Davis. The official announcement was made on Monday, generating great anticipation among mixed martial arts fans.
Ditcheva, with an undefeated record of 15-0, hasn’t competed since July, when she defeated Sumiko Inaba by decision, although she suffered a hand fracture during the fight. This victory marked the first time Ditcheva was forced to go the distance in her career.
After her last fight, Ditcheva revealed that she had signed a new contract with the PFL, ensuring her stay in the promotion for several more fights.
In 2024, Ditcheva was crowned champion of the PFL world tournament, proving her worth by defeating opponents of the caliber of Taila Santos and Jena Bishop.
Kielholtz, for her part, is a former professional kickboxer and former Bellator MMA champion. In 2021, she competed for the Bellator title against Juliana Velasquez, losing by split decision.
