Ditcheva first British woman to win MMA world title as Loughnane beaten

Taila Santos was stopped by Dakota Ditcheva in the second round, making her the first British woman to win an MMA world title.

Manchester’s Ditcheva, 26, ended the contest with a flurry of body shots to secure the Professional Fighters League (PFL) flyweight title and $1m (£785, 000) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The victory gives her a 14th career start, a run that has resulted in a remarkable 13 stoppages.

“I’ve been telling you, I’ve tried to tell you, I just keep proving them wrong”, said Ditcheva.

“The world is mine. I simply defeated the best person I could find. I’ll create something fantastic again with PFL and me.

In the main event, Timur Khizriev, a Russian fighter, defeated fellow Mancunian Brendan Loughnane to claim his second PFL featherweight title.

After a remarkable start to her MMA career, Ditcheva entered the fight as arguably the biggest female star in the PFL.

She has won nine fights, all of which have come in the first round, since joining the PFL in 2022.

Brazil’s Santos, 31, is a former UFC flyweight title challenger and was tipped to provide the toughest test of Ditcheva’s career, but like many previous opponents, the Briton made it look easy.

Ditcheva successfully won the PFL Europe flyweight title last year, securing three first-round victories to prepare for the showpiece fight against Santos.

Despite the magnitude of the occasion, Ditcheva danced her way to the cage as a group of UK fans cheered the Manchester fighter.

Ditcheva skillfully navigated the grappling exchanges before opening the contest with a trio of leg kicks, setting the tone for a standout performance.

She outclassed Santos on the feet, attacking with an array of kicks, knees, elbows and punches, bringing “oohs” from the crowd, as the Brazilian struggled to defend herself.

The referee intervened to crown Ditcheva Britain’s first female MMA world champion by thudding knee and a string of body shots midway through the second round.

She celebrated by applying lipstick to the area’s center, embracing her team, including her mother, former world champion kickboxer Lisa Howarth, and exuding joy.

“They’ve been talking, ‘ she’s just a Barbie, she should be a model’. Well a model just beat you in round two, so shut up”, said Ditcheva

She then paid tribute to her family, adding: “I honestly could not do this without my team. I nearly cried all day long during this camp.

Ditcheva has also made a dominant move that is uncommon in women’s MMA, breaking Britain’s barren attempt to become a female world champion.

Her 13 finishes, 12 of them knockouts, make for a glittering resume and she has all the attributes to flourish at the very top of the sport.

She is creating viral moments, not only with her world-class striking, but with her ruthless personality, illustrated by her lipstick celebration after defeating Santos.

She would be at home there because winning the title challenger in the promotion in Santos is widely considered the golden standard in MMA.

Ditcheva has already been hailed as one of the best in the world, with the Briton also becoming the youngest player to ever win the PFL at the age of 26.

Bellator featherweight champion Cris Cyborg congratulated Ditcheva, saying: “Spacing, timing, distance. Dakota Ditcheva is a threat, and her performance only improves.

However, Loughnane lacked the fluidity he has shown in previous fights, despite the PFL’s commentary team believing he may be suffering from a leg injury.

Khizriev dominated the grappling, ducking under a Loughnane spinning back kick, and controlling the action on the ground for the duration of the match.

The Russian then demonstrated that he was just as dangerous as a striker, slapping his rival with an uppercut as blood started pouring down his nose from the Briton.

After a takedown from Khizriev as the Briton wore a bemused expression on the canvas, another uppercut would occur, sending Loughnane’s mouthguard flying across the cage.