Taila Santos believes Dakota Ditcheva was given a a lot simpler path to the PFL Playoffs.
Each Santos, who as soon as gave Valentina Shevchenko a run for her cash contained in the Octagon, and Ditcheva are one win away from advancing to the PFL flyweight ultimate. Santos has gone 2-0 since making her Sensible Cage debut earlier this yr, defeating Ilara Joanne and Jena Bishop through the common season.
However regardless of her personal success, the one-time UFC title challenger believes Ditcheva was handed extra favorable matchups to safe her spot within the ultimate 4.
“The fights they have been giving her at first, it’s fairly clear they have been giving her a straightforward run so she may make it to the finals,” Santos instructed MMA Preventing. “That’s why I stated I wish to present her what an actual struggle is all about, a troublesome struggle. I fought powerful fights for the reason that starting and I don’t care. That’s precisely what I would like. I wish to powerful fights to point out I’m the very best.”
Ditcheva scored the No. 1 seed within the playoffs with wins over Lisa Mauldin, a 6-5 fighter from California, and Chelsea Hackett, a 4-3-1 Aussie who made an look on Dana White’s Contender Sequence in 2020. Ditcheva earned her means into this yr’s common season after profitable the PFL Europe Championship in 2023, working via three opponents with a mixed file of 13-10.
In the meantime, Santos has greater than confirmed herself by going 5 rounds with former UFC flyweight titleholder Valentina Shevchenko and incomes wins over the likes of Joanne Wooden, Roxanne Modafferi, Molly McCann, and Gillian Robertson.
Although she’s in no way wanting previous her subsequent opponent, Santos can’t assist however salivate over the thought of assembly Ditcheva within the event ultimate.
“It’s going to be actually to have each of us attending to this ultimate and preventing one another,” Santos stated. “I simply wish to be within the ultimate and face whoever, however it could be fairly fascinating to struggle her. I would like to struggle Dakota as a result of followers would really like this one. Persons are speaking about this struggle, and I wish to present her what an actual struggle is like. It might be thrilling. I’m very excited to face her, actually.”
Taila Santos must undergo girls’s MMA legend liz Carmouche if she desires to fulfill Ditcheva within the flyweight ultimate
However to get there, Taila Santos must get previous two-time UFC title challenger and present Bellator flyweight girls’s champion, Liz Carmouche.
“It’s an unbelievable struggle. All respect to her, an unbelievable athlete as nicely, a veteran, and it’s an honor for me to struggle her,” Santos stated. “I’m very versatile as a fighter, though I grew up coaching Muay Thai earlier than coaching jiu-jitsu and wrestling and all the things else. I really feel tremendous comfy in all areas in the present day. I prefer it rather a lot, and I do know she tries to grapple extra, to again her opponents towards the cage and impose her recreation. It’s going to be a really fascinating recreation.”
As for a way she sees issues taking part in out in Ditcheva’s semi-final scrap with Jena Bishop, Santos isn’t fully satisfied that the Manchester native will get the job performed.
“I believe it’s going to be shut,” Santos stated. “It received’t be a straightforward struggle for both of them. If Jena can shut the space and take her down shortly and never give Dakota area on the ft — Dakota is aware of her to make use of her attain and she or he’s highly effective. Jena stunned me, she’s actually sturdy and I wasn’t anticipating that. She’s very skilled, so she will be able to win this if she will be able to shut the space.”
“I got here right here to win this belt,” Santos added. “I’m able to go to the ultimate and win, irrespective of who I’m preventing there. I’m right here to struggle the very best.”
