Dakota Ditcheva: It Took a Lot for Me to Come Back!

Dakota Ditcheva made her return to action on Saturday morning, getting back to her winning ways. In the co-main event of PFL New York, Ditcheva (16-0) defeated Denise Kielholtz (9-6) by unanimous decision. The event took place at the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York.

This marked Ditcheva's first fight since July 2025, when she overcame Sumiko Inaba, also by unanimous decision. In the three-round flyweight bout, Ditcheva controlled the proceedings from start to finish, steadily asserting her dominance. Despite being a significant underdog, Kielholtz held her own early on. However, the initiative decisively shifted to Ditcheva after she escaped a brief submission attempt from the Dutch fighter.

As the fight progressed, boos began to echo from the Long Island crowd. Ditcheva won all three judges' scorecards but did not give a post-fight interview on the television broadcast. The 28-year-old British-Bulgarian remains undefeated. One of PFL's biggest stars now boasts a record of 11 wins and no losses within the organization. The victory snapped Kielholtz's three-fight winning streak.

Since she wasn't interviewed after her victory for some reason, Ditcheva briefly shared her emotions on social media:

“16-0!

First and foremost, I want to thank my team. My family, friends, training partners, coaches, and everyone else who was part of the process of getting me back in the cage. I couldn't have done it without all of you.

Miss Dynamite (Kielholtz's nickname) – it was an honor to share the cage with you. From watching her as a young fighter with big dreams to facing her years later. Regardless of what's said online, I never underestimated what she would bring to the fight. Tough as nails. It's no coincidence she's a multiple-time world champion.

I have a lot more to say, but for now, I'm spending time with the people who mean the most to me. Thank you to everyone showing me their love and support. It took a lot for me to come back, and all the positive messages and comments did not go unnoticed. I promise you,” Ditcheva wrote on Instagram.