Dakota Ditcheva to Return at PFL New York, Faces Denise Kielholtz on July 31

Dakota Ditcheva PFL New York Denise Kielholtz flyweight division title contention

Undefeated English flyweight Dakota Ditcheva (15‑0) will make her PFL comeback at the UBS Arena in New York on July 31, taking on Dutch striker Denise Kielholtz. The bout was originally scheduled for February but was postponed after Ditcheva broke her hand, forcing a year‑long layoff.

Ditcheva, the 2024 PFL Global Season champion who earned a $1 million prize, said she would fight UFC champion Valentina Shevchenko "right now and win it" and expressed confidence she can defeat Kielholtz. A victory could line her up for a title shot against current PFL flyweight champion Liz Carmouche later in the year. Ditcheva also noted she plans to retire at age 32 to focus on motherhood.

The fight marks her first appearance since a unanimous decision win over Sumiko Inaba at PFL Africa 1 in July 2025 and follows a prolific rise that includes winning the PFL Europe tournament in 2023.

Sources

Ditcheva says she beats Shevchenko, but Kielholtz comes first on July 31 - MMA Underground [mixedmartialarts.com]

about 2 months ago

Dakota Ditcheva on Time Away: "The Division's Kept Moving" [cagesidepress.com]

about 2 months ago