Dakota Ditcheva set to face former Bellator title challenger on Usman Nurmagomedov-headlined PFL card

Former PFL women’s flyweight champion Dakota Ditcheva will return to the SmartCage against a dangerous former Bellator standout.

The Professional Fighters League returns to action next month with three intriguing events, including a heavyweight title main event between Vadim Nemkov and Renan Ferreira on December 13th. It was also recently announced that PFL lightweight champ Usman Nurmagomedov will return to the cage in February 2026 against surging contender Alfie Davis in Dubai.

The face of PFL, Dakota Ditcheva, is looking to continue her quick ascent following a women’s flyweight title win last year. Ditcheva hasn’t fought since defeating Sumiko Inaba in July.

Three months away from PFL Dubai, Ditcheva has her next opponent set in a matchup between two dangerous strikers.

Dakota Ditcheva’s PFL return added to Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Alfie Davis card

The PFL announced on Monday that Ditcheva (15-0-0) will face former Bellator title challenger Denise Kielholtz on the February 7th card. The fight marks the 36-year-old Kielholtz’s return after a nearly three-year hiatus from competition.

Kielholtz, winner of back-to-back fights, hasn’t competed since outpointing Inaba in November 2023. She fought for the Bellator women’s flyweight title in July 2021, losing to then-champion Juliana Velasquez by split decision.

It’s another solid challenger for Ditcheva as she continues to be one of the top stars in women’s MMA. Since Kayla Harrison departed for the UFC in 2024, Ditcheva has quickly taken hold as one of the faces of the PFL.

Ditcheva’s win over Inaba marked her first win to come by decision in three years. She recently finished Taila Santos, Jena Bishop, and Chelsea Hackett in the 2024 PFL World Tournament.

Meanwhile, the main event marks Nurmagomedov’s return to the cage after defeating Paul Hughes earlier this year in their highly anticipated rematch. His upcoming opponent, Davis, has won three fights in a row.

The full PFL Dubai card is expected to be finalized in the coming weeks.