Conor McGregor saw a star and didn’t hesitate to say it! When he crossed paths with PFL flyweight queen, Dakota Ditcheva, at BKFC 71 earlier this month, he gave her a warm hug and lit the fuse with a bold proclamation. The Irishman stated, “Great to see you, sweetheart. You’re the next big thing, baby.” Many thought this was a sign of ‘The Notorious’ doing what he does best. Spotting talent, backing it, and hoping UFC CEO Dana White would follow his lead.
But it looks like the PFL and Donn Davis aren’t ready to let go of their star. While Ditcheva recently shared her frustrations about her long hiatus from action, things might be taking a turn. The British phenom just dropped a massive bombshell and made it clear, she’s not heading to the Octagon anytime soon!
Dakota Ditcheva isn’t swayed by Conor McGregor as she reveals timeline for PFL return
Dakota Ditcheva’s path to the top hasn’t been a quiet one. Undefeated in 14 professional fights, with 12 finishes, she’s lived up to her “Dangerous” nickname. Last November, she took out former UFC title challenger Taila Santos with a storm of body shots in round two. Yet somehow, she found herself sidelined while the PFL rolled out a revamped format for 2025. A smaller, eight-woman tournament that didn’t include the reigning flyweight queen.
In an interview with MMA Junkie, Ditcheva had confesed, “I’m gutted that I haven’t had anything just yet I’m just like: Get me anything. Literally I get it’s hard for PFL. They’ve put all the girls in the tournament. Now they have to find someone that’s going to give me a good competition.”
While others like Patricio Pitbull walked away, seeking UFC contracts after months of inactivity, Ditcheva held her ground. But it wasn’t just her who was troubled by the lack of fights. Johnny Eblen, Fabian Edwards, and more have taken to interviews and social media to sound the alarm on the PFL’s scheduling woes.
But now, it looks like things are finally looking up for ‘Dangerous’. According to a recent statement on the PFL Broadcast, Ditcheva confirmed, “I just had a good talk with Donn Davis. I’m coming back, we’re looking at July.”
PFL made it official too, with ‘Verdict MMA’ writing in the caption for the post, “Dakota Ditcheva just confirmed via the PFL Broadcast she’ll make her return in July on the PFL Champions Series card. The only question now is who is she going to face?”
But is that really the only question? Because if Conor McGregor is shouting your name from the rooftops and pointing to Dana White with a wink, why not jump ship? Why stay with Donn Davis and a promotion still trying to find its footing after a rough schedule reset?
The answer may lie in Ditcheva’s roots. She’s built herself in the PFL system, winning the 2023 PFL Europe tournament and then taking gold again in 2024’s full-season flyweight structure. And while she’s clearly been tempted by the idea of new challenges, she’s not ready to burn bridges. Not yet.
So, what about a UFC fighter making their way over to the PFL instead? Because Donn Davis claims the only way for the UFC undisputed heavyweight champion to secure a massive pay-day is to switch sides!
PFL boss makes Jon Jones an astronomical offer to prove his “P4P #1” status
Dakota Ditcheva might be waiting patiently for a worthy challenger, but PFL boss Donn Davis isn’t twiddling his thumbs. He’s taking aim at Jon Jones, the reigning UFC undisputed heavyweight champion. While the MMA world waits for any update about a unification bout between ‘Bones’ and Tom Aspinall, Davis has added another intriguing wrinkle to the discussion.
According to reports, Jones and Aspinall are both set for a massive nine-figure purse if the fight does materialize. And according to Aspinall, the hold up seems to be on ‘Bones’s end, and not the UFC and Dana White. Amidst this chaos, Davis decided to spice things up a bit!
In a post on X, the PFL founder wrote, “I know one way [Jon Jones] earns $50m … [Francis Ngannou], to decide the true MMA Heavyweight Champion and the real P4P #1.”
The prospect of Jones and Ngannou facing off against each other has been on the MMA fandom’s mind ever since ‘The Predator’ left Dana White’s promotion for the PFL. But the issue is, Dana White isn’t on board with the idea of cross-promotion, as he’s often indicated in the past. For now, neither Ngannou nor Jones has responded. But silence doesn’t mean disinterest, or even denial.
So, while Dakota Ditcheva stays loyal and bides her time within the PFL walls, Donn Davis is out here chasing giants. Do you think we’ll ever get to see a clash between Jones and Ngannou? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments below!
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