Dakota Ditcheva Returns to the Octagon in Dubai
PFL star Dakota Ditcheva will make her long-awaited return to the octagon on February 7 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.
Ditcheva, with an undefeated record of 15-0, hasn’t competed since July, when she suffered a hand fracture after her decision victory over Sumiko Inaba. In that fight, the former world tournament champion was forced to go the distance for the first time in her career.
After her last fight, Ditcheva signed a new multi-fight contract with the PFL.
In 2024, 27-year-old Ditcheva became the champion of the PFL world tournament, surpassing veterans like Taila Santos and Jena Bishop.
For her part, Kielholtz (8-5) is a former professional kickboxing champion and former Bellator MMA title contender. In 2021, she competed for the Bellator title against Juliana Velasquez, losing by split decision.
