PFL Europe champ Dakota Ditcheva pumps brakes on fight vs. Liz Carmouche: 'I don't think I deserve that yet'
Rising undefeated star Dakota Ditcheva isn't going to rush her journey to a major MMA title.
Despite winning a PFL European title, Dakota Ditcheva says she isn’t quite ready to challenge for a major “world” title yet.
At 2023 PFL Europe 4, the undefeated Ditcheva (10-0) won the PFL Europe women’s flyweight title and a $100K prize by causing massive damage to the eye of Valentina Scatizzi. After the conclusion of Round 1, a cageside doctor assessed the damage to the badly swollen left eye of Scatizzi, and determined the fight could not continue.
Dakota Ditcheva def. Valentina Scatizzi 2023 PFL Europe 4
It was the fifth straight stoppage win for Ditcheva, who says she’s ready for a higher level of competition, but isn’t quite sure if she’s in a position to call out another champion, such as Bellator’s flyweight champ Liz Carmouche.
“I think I would be being a little bit cocky to call out the champ straight away, you know?” Ditchva said during a post-fight media scrum (via Severe MMA). “She’s been around for so long. I have a lot of respect for champions and stuff. A lot of people would say I haven’t earned my spot up there yet, and I probably haven’t. So, as much as I would probably take that fight because I’m like that, I’ll fight anyone, I don’t think that’s the next step for me yet. I don’t think I deserve that yet.
“This is a European title. There’s still more fights that I need to have before I challenge anyone for their belt in the world championship. So, I’m humble enough to say that, but whoever they give me next, like I’ve said, if you want me to stay in Europe, fair enough, I’ll defend it. But, I feel like I need more now. I need to go over to the States. … I need some new faces, some new challenges, and a few fights that will get out of Round 1 as well.”
Ditcheva, 25, believes she’s still a few years away from hitting her prime. While she’s unsure what the future will hold, she’s confident she will continue to level up her game to be “quite scary.”
PFL recently acquired Bellator, and has been hyping up a champion vs. champion event to take place in early 2024. While the women’s flyweight division is not a part of the main PFL season in the US with a $1 million prize, Ditcheva hopes there is a path to challenge for a “world” title in America.
“The journey’s not finished,” Ditcheva said. “We need to go to the world’s first. This belt hasn’t satisfied me. As happy as I am to have it, it’s a European belt. That’s not good enough for me. I need the global one. So hopefully, they’re going to do a tournament.