Dakota Ditcheva, a PFL flyweight star, has withdrawn from her scheduled fight against Denise Kielholtz at PFL Dubai due to an undisclosed injury, expressing her disappointment and intent to return soon.
Dakota Ditcheva starts 2026 with a heavy heart. The PFL flyweight star had big plans.
She was set to face Denise Kielholtz on Feb. 7 at PFL Dubai. But, alas, an undisclosed injury forced her to withdraw.
On Wednesday, she took to Instagram to share her feelings. “I’m truly heartbroken I won’t be fighting on PFL Dubai anymore,” she confessed.
Ditcheva described her emotional turmoil. “I cried two days straight when I injured myself,” she admitted. “Then cried again yesterday when it officially got announced.”
Her disappointment is palpable. “Only fighting once last year was a nightmare for me,” she said. “I really wanted to make up for lost time.”
Despite the setback, she remains optimistic. “I live a great life but nothing makes me happier than being in that cage,” she added. “However, that being said, I know it just WASN’T MEANT TO BE.”
She expressed her apologies to everyone involved. “So sorry to [PFL] and my opponent and sorry to my friends, family, and fans,” she wrote. “I am healthy and healing, I will be back before you know it.”
Ditcheva has been a standout since joining PFL in 2022. She dominated the flyweight division, winning a PFL Europe tournament and a $1,000,000 prize in 2024.
Her last fight was a unanimous decision win over Sumiko Inaba at PFL Africa, boosting her record to 14-0.
It’s unclear if Kielholtz will face a new opponent or if the bout will be rescheduled. Fans are left waiting.