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The expectations are sky high for PFL star Dakota Ditcheva, which may explain why the crowd turned against her a bit at the end of her women\u2019s flyweight bout against Denise Kielholtz on Friday\u2019s PFL New York card.<\/p>\n
Ditcheva was a stunning -10,000 favorite to win against Kielholtz, and the 27 year old accomplished that with a one-sided 30-27×3 unanimous decision (highlights here). She didn\u2019t hold back either, pushing the pace and landing endless kicks on Kielholtz up to the final bell. But the attendees at UBS Arena expected a finish and some went so far as to boo as the fight went to a decision.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt bothered me,\u201d Ditcheva admitted during the post-fight press conference. \u201cOnly because I\u2019m passionate about the work I do, and I wanted a stoppage myself. But at the same time, words from my brother and my coach will be, always, \u2018We don\u2019t care about what anybody else thinks.\u2019 It\u2019s me in there fighting. I\u2019m the one that\u2019s in there [who\u2019d] think about the boos for one second and get knocked out.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo for me, I don\u2019t want them to boo because I want to be exciting and entertaining for you guys,\u201d she continued. \u201cBut at the same time, I\u2019m in there fighting. I\u2019m not in there performing a dance. So I have to do what\u2019s right for me to get the win and come out on top, and that\u2019s what I did today.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI got a good three rounds out of the fight, I\u2019ve been out for a long time, so it\u2019s good experience for me,\u201d she said. \u201cMy coaches are happy, because it\u2019s valuable time in the cage that I need as an athlete and a fighter in order to keep progressing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFirst round finishes are really good, and what we aim for, but at the same time, those minutes in the cage are what are gonna teach me the most. So we\u2019re taking that from it and moving to the next one.\u201d<\/p>\n
Next up for Ditcheva is a long-awaited fight with Liz Carmouche, widely considered to be the toughest potential opponent for Dakota on the roster. PFL CEO John Martin confirmed that was the fight the league planned to make, and that it would happen sooner rather than later as Ditcheva is eager to get some momentum going.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t have no message for [Carmouche],\u201d Ditcheva said. \u201cAnd I probably won\u2019t when I\u2019m fighting her. I will get in the cage, beat her, and that\u2019ll be that. That\u2019s it.\u201d<\/p>\n