Taila Santos feels Dakota Ditcheva was given an easier path to the PFL playoffs.
Santos, a one-time UFC title contender, and Ditcheva are both one win away from the 2024 PFL flyweight final. Santos, who has gone 2-0 since joining PFL this year, told MMA Fighting “it’s pretty clear” that Ditcheva was given favorable matchups during the regular season.
Ditcheva reached the playoffs by beating Lisa Mauldin and Chelsea Hackett, who were 6-3 and 4-2-1 at the time of their fights. The undefeated flyweight entered the season after winning 2023’s PFL Europe tournament, but the combined record of her three opponents in that bracket was 13-10.
“The fights they were giving her in the beginning, it’s pretty clear they were giving her an easy run so she could make it to the finals,” Santos said. “That’s why I said I want to show her what a real fight is all about, a tough fight. I fought tough fights since the beginning and I don’t care. That’s exactly what I want. I want to tough fights to show I’m the best.”
Santos choked out Ilara Joanne in her PFL debut and then won a split decision over Jena Bishop, who faces Ditcheva in her semifinal match Aug. 2 at PFL 7. Santos, who gave Valentina Shevchenko a tough five-round battle in the UFC, and has beaten the likes of Joanne Wood, Roxanne Modafferi, and Molly McCann in the octagon, faces Bellator flyweight champion Liz Carmouche for the other spot in the $1 million PFL final.
“It’s going to be really interested to have both of us getting to this final and fighting each other,” Santos said. “I just want to be in the final and face whoever, but it would be quite interesting to fight her. I would really like to fight Dakota because fans would like this one. People are talking about this fight, and I want to show her what a real fight is like. It would be exciting. I’m very excited to face her, really.”
Santos has to get past Carmouche first, and she’s confident she’ll get the job done.
“It’s an incredible fight. All respect to her, an incredible athlete as well, a veteran, and it’s an honor for me to fight her,” Santos said. “I’m very versatile as a fighter, although I grew up training Muay Thai before training jiu-jitsu and wrestling and everything else. I feel super comfortable in all areas today. I like it a lot, and I know she tries to grapple more, to back her opponents against the cage and impose her game. It’s going to be a very interesting game.”
As for the other semifinal, Santos isn’t confident in picking Ditcheva to beat Bishop.
“I think it’s going to be close,” Santos said. “It won’t be an easy fight for either one of them. If Jena can close the distance and take her down quickly and not give Dakota space on the feet — Dakota knows her to use her reach and she’s powerful. Jena surprised me, she’s really strong and I wasn’t expecting that. She’s very experienced, so she can win this if she can close the distance.”
“I came here to win this belt,” Santos added. “I’m ready to go to the final and win, no matter who I’m fighting there. I’m here to fight the best.”
