'Gutted' PFL champion Ditcheva calls for fight
Manchester fighter Dakota Ditcheva says she is "gutted" not to have any fight on the horizon in the PFL.Ditcheva, 26, won the PFL's 2024 flyweight world title, but the PFL have since made sweeping changes to their events including downgrading the tournament status.Ditcheva will compete on the newly created 'PFL Champions Series' in 2025 and can only watch from afar as the PFL's other flyweights begin competing in the tournament this month."I'm gutted that I haven't had anything just yet," Ditcheva told MMA Junkie., external"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."Ditcheva has been told by the PFL she will likely fight at the end of the year against the tournament winner, having last fought in November."What if the champion doesn't end up coming out of the fight clean? What if they're injured?" Ditcheva said."Someone who has fought three times, do they want to fight me at the end of the year?"They might say, 'sorry, I'm injured, or I don't want to fight this year, I'll do it in January'. That's a whole year out for me. It's testing for sure, but something will come."Ditcheva is not the only PFL star to speak out about the scheduling, with several fighters demanding the securing of their release from the MMA promotion including Patricio Pitbull who subsequently signed for the UFC.Former Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen posted on social media in February that he hadn't "heard a peep" about any fight.Briton Fabian Edwards, who lost to Eblen in his last outing in October, will fight in the first round of middleweight tournament on Friday and appealed to the PFL to get their best fighters booked."To see all those guys on the sidelines for a year or over a year, it's craziness. I just hope they can sort out what they need to sort out," Edwards said."I hope they fight all the guys soon. This is how we make our living. This is what we sacrifice everything for. Hopefully, they sort everything out."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Tyson Fury backed for Francis Ngannou rematch with very different rules
The pair first went head-to-head in the boxing ring back in 2023 - but a former boxing world champion has called for the two heavyweights to rematch in a different setting British boxing legend George Groves has backed Tyson Fury to rematch Francis Ngannou - but this time in a cage. Ngannou - a former UFC heavyweight champion - made his professional boxing debut against Fury back in 2023. The 'Predator' shocked the world after scoring a knockdown in the contest - but would ultimately end up losing the dust-up on points. The ex-UFC star has only fought once more in the ring - a knockout loss to Anthony Joshua in March 2024. Ngannou made the return to the MMA cage seven months later and would go on to knock Renan Ferreira out inside the first round. With the 38-year-old eager to get back in the cage soon, there are no real top contenders for the Cameroon native in the PFL. However, Groves has a unique proposition. The former boxing world champion has called for Fury to rematch Ngannou in the cage following their fight in the boxing ring. In an interview with Action Network, when asked about Fury potentially making a return to fighting, he said: "I think he will come back and fight Anthony Joshua if there are guaranteed purses. "If you are going to fight Joshua, then it has to be soon and maybe they will announce that fight straight after Usyk v Dubois and the winner will still dream of becoming world champion again. But I would like to see Tyson Fury do something different and get in the cage. "I heard rumours of him fighting Francis Ngannou in the cage and that sounds brilliant, I would 100% pay for that. I'm all over that. He's a very good athlete who can chop and change, let's see if he can learn some wrestling or Jujitsu and a bit of defence before putting on some 4oz gloves on and see if he can put Ngannou away." He added: "Francis Ngannou stepped into Fury's domain and give him a run for his money and should've won but Fury got away with it. Let's see if Fury can return the favour by jumping in the Octagon and have a scrap with Ngannou, that's what I would like to see. Fury is past his best as a boxer, but he has not been sitting on the couch for six or seven years. He boxed less than a year ago, is a fit athlete and maybe he's already been in the gym with the cage fighters and the MMA guys. I'd love to see him in the cage next." Fury announced his retirement from boxing earlier this year. However, the 36-year-old has teased a potential return to competition over the last few weeks. While Groves' comments may come as a bit of a shock, the 'Gypsy King' does have some slight experience in the world of MMA. In 2021, MMA star Nick Diaz took to social media to show footage of a training session he did with Fury. The Brit responded by noting how much fun he'd had working on the ground game. Diaz and his brother Nate are both jiu-jitsu experts, and he likely showed Fury the ropes during a gym session. In a comment under the elder Diaz brother's post, Fury said: "Nice bit of rolling around the mat." A year later, Fury's close friend and former training partner Tom Aspinall opened up on training with the boxing icon. He told Sky Sports: 'I've grappled with him [Fury] before. He's interested in it. So, I know he's done bits of grappling, bits of kicks, and all that. He was down in our gym training with Darren Till before, doing kicks on the pads and all that stuff. So, he's definitely got interest in it. I don't know. I'd love to see it, though.'
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
Jake Paul calls on UFC to make stunning ‘winner-takes-all' MMA fight between Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou
JAKE PAUL has challenged the UFC to accept a "winner-takes-all" fight between Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou. Jones is currently the UFC heavyweight champion but appears uninterested in facing No1 contender Tom Aspinall. 3 Francis Ngannou with Jake Paul Credit: X 3 Jon Jones called to fight Ngannou Credit: Getty Ngannou walked out on the UFC in 2022 to sign with rivals the Professional Fighters League and pursue boxing. But Jones, 36, posted: "I'm hearing Francis Ngannou is still interested… now we're talking. That's a real super fight. "A clash of champions, not just hype. He held the UFC belt, I've defended mine for over a decade. Two kings from different roads. "Not just one legend facing a mouth that's hot right now, but two real legacies colliding. READ MORE IN MMA JON GONE? Jon Jones trolls Dana White and UFC fans as he finally reveals fight plans "That's the kind of fight that actually adds something special to my story. At least from my point of view." Ngannou, 38, responded: "You take care of the UFC, I'll take care of the PFL, and we'll finally find out who's the KING OF THE HEAVYWEIGHT." PFL founder Donn Davis said: "PROPOSAL … WINNER TAKE ALL MMA best heavyweight of all time. @francis_ngannou vs @JonnyBones "Francis Wins … @PFLMMA and Francis split 100% of the event profits Jon Wins … @UFC and Jon split 100% of the event profits." CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul - signed to the PFL - chimed in: "The perfect final dance for the two greatest MMA heavyweights of all time. "Jon Jones wants it. Francis Ngannou wants it. Big fight for the sport. Big fight for the fans and Big business. Who doesn't want it?" Jake Paul reveals 'hefty' six-man hit-list of opponents for next fight including Anthony Joshua and world champ Ngannou left the UFC as champion to box Tyson Fury, 36, in 2023 even scoring a knockdown before losing a controversial split-decision. He was then knocked out by Anthony Joshua, 35, in 2024 and returned to MMA the same year to beat PFL's Renan Ferreira, 35. Jones meanwhile is yet to fight since beating UFC legend Stipe Miocic, 42, last November. But UFC boss Dana White talked down the chance of working with Ngannou again despite the allure of a super-fight with Jones. White said: 'It's Aspinall's fight. I mean, we've been talking to this kid about it forever and it's his fight. 'Listen, you can't make people fight, if Jon doesn't want to fight, you can't make him fight. "We can try to make him fight, we can throw things at him that inspire him to want to fight, but we'll figure it out. "I don't have Ngannou under contract and Aspinall is the guy!'
The Sun
a day ago
- The Sun
Jake Paul calls on UFC to make stunning ‘winner-takes-all' MMA fight between Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou
JAKE PAUL has challenged the UFC to accept a "winner-takes-all" fight between Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou. Jones is currently the UFC heavyweight champion but appears uninterested in facing No1 contender Tom Aspinall. 3 Ngannou walked out on the UFC in 2022 to sign with rivals the Professional Fighters League and pursue boxing. But Jones, 36, posted: "I'm hearing Francis Ngannou is still interested… now we're talking. That's a real super fight. "A clash of champions, not just hype. He held the UFC belt, I've defended mine for over a decade. Two kings from different roads. "Not just one legend facing a mouth that's hot right now, but two real legacies colliding. "That's the kind of fight that actually adds something special to my story. At least from my point of view." Ngannou, 38, responded: "You take care of the UFC, I'll take care of the PFL, and we'll finally find out who's the KING OF THE HEAVYWEIGHT." PFL founder Donn Davis said: "PROPOSAL … WINNER TAKE ALL MMA best heavyweight of all time. @francis_ngannou vs @JonnyBones "Francis Wins … @PFLMMA and Francis split 100% of the event profits Jon Wins … @UFC and Jon split 100% of the event profits." YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul - signed to the PFL - chimed in: "The perfect final dance for the two greatest MMA heavyweights of all time. "Jon Jones wants it. Francis Ngannou wants it. Big fight for the sport. Big fight for the fans and Big business. Who doesn't want it?" Jake Paul reveals 'hefty' six-man hit-list of opponents for next fight including Anthony Joshua and world champ Ngannou left the UFC as champion to box Tyson Fury, 36, in 2023 even scoring a knockdown before losing a controversial split-decision. He was then knocked out by Anthony Joshua, 35, in 2024 and returned to MMA the same year to beat PFL's Renan Ferreira, 35. Jones meanwhile is yet to fight since beating UFC legend Stipe Miocic, 42, last November. But UFC boss Dana White talked down the chance of working with Ngannou again despite the allure of a super-fight with Jones. White said: 'It's Aspinall's fight. I mean, we've been talking to this kid about it forever and it's his fight. 'Listen, you can't make people fight, if Jon doesn't want to fight, you can't make him fight. "We can try to make him fight, we can throw things at him that inspire him to want to fight, but we'll figure it out. "I don't have Ngannou under contract and Aspinall is the guy!' 3
