Dakota Ditcheva Returns to the Octagon in Dubai
PFL star Dakota Ditcheva will make her highly anticipated return to the octagon on February 7th in Dubai, facing Denise Kielholtz in a flyweight bout that will not be for the title. This event will mark the start of the 2026 PFL season.
The official announcement was made on Monday, generating great expectation among mixed martial arts fans. The event, called PFL: Road to Dubai, will also feature 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 defeated Sumiko Inaba by decision, although she suffered a hand fracture during the fight. This was the first time Ditcheva went the distance in her career.
After her victory, the Manchester fighter revealed that she had signed a new contract with the PFL.
In 2024, 27-year-old Ditcheva became the champion of the PFL world tournament, surpassing Taila Santos and Jena Bishop on her way to the title.
Kielholtz, with an 8-5 record, 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.
