2024 PFL Championships faceoff off between Dakota Ditcheva vs Taila Santos through the ceremonial weigh-ins at King Saud College in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (Matt Ferris / PFL)
Dakota Ditcheva, an undefeated flyweight expertise who debuted with the PFL in 2022, was being checked out as the brand new feminine face of the promotion by many – however on Friday on the PFL Championship 2024 card, she was paired up with a harmful foe in former UFC star Taila Santos.
Santos, who took Valentina Shevchenko the space and misplaced an in depth cut up determination in 2022, had stormed out of the gate within the PFL and defeated Bellator champ Liz Carmouche to land within the ladies’s flyweight finale reverse Ditcheva in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Forgoing a glove contact, Ditcheva and Santos received proper to work in Friday’s co-main occasion, leg kicks flowing early from each fighters. Ditcheva switched stances, and added a entrance kick, in addition to a crisp proper hand that precipitated Santos to pursue a takedown a couple of minute in.
Ditcheva, again to the fence, displayed spectacular steadiness nevertheless, and after they did go down it was Ditcheva on prime, although she rapidly backed off, permitting Santos up and taking the motion again to her consolation zone. Ditcheva then clinched up, touchdown an elbow solely to search out herself backed as much as the fence once more. She would hand over her again, preventing palms, however finally broke free and spun out of the place. Going again on the assault, Ditcheva landed a proper hand, and adopted up with a couple of leg kicks. Santos fired again, urgent ahead, however fell quick on most of her punches. A entrance kick to the face landed for Ditcheva a second later, forcing Santos again. A mixture, proper palms trailed by an elbow, adopted that.
Santos made a weak play for a takedown, however as a substitute noticed Dakota battered her with elbows, then ripped the physique with a left hook. Doubled over, Santos took one or two extra photographs to the aspect, with the ref then waving off the affair.
Taila Santos, believed by many to be Dakota Ditcheva’s hardest check but, proved to be simply one other title, en path to Ditcheva’s first PFL World title. She provides that to her PFL Europe title, earned final yr, and seems to have arrived as a bonafide star for the corporate.
Official Consequence: Dakota Ditcheva def. Taila Santos by TKO (physique photographs), Spherical 2, 4:41
