Dakota Ditcheva says Ronda Rousey comment ended her admiration

Dakota Ditcheva no longer looks up to Ronda Rousey after the UFC Hall of Famer made what Ditcheva called a "disgraceful" remark about Khamzat Chimaev.

Rousey attacked Chimaev during her May comeback promotion for MVP MMA, calling him "cleft lip Lincoln" after the Chechen fighter said she should be "grateful" to the UFC for her stardom. The insult targeted Chimaev's cleft palate, a birth defect. Ditcheva, who grew up admiring Rousey as a pioneering figure in women's MMA, publicly denounced the comment and said she was "no longer a fan."

Why Ditcheva Spoke Out Against Rousey

"It did [change my opinion of her]," Ditcheva told MMA Fighting ahead of her own PFL return in July. "I don't want to keep bashing her. I said my point and that's that. But it did disappoint me a little bit. I don't feel like you have to cross any of those personal lines in order to get something good out of this sport."

The PFL flyweight said Rousey already had enough star power to promote her fight without resorting to personal attacks. "I feel like for me, her coming back was massive," Ditcheva said, per MMA Fighting. "I feel like she has enough accolades to just come back and win your fight without having to talk that way."

Ditcheva acknowledged other fighters, including Conor McGregor during his 2021 trilogy with Dustin Poirier, have crossed similar lines. But Rousey was different because of the personal admiration. "Ronda was somebody I looked up to," she said. "As a woman, as well, I felt like I wanted to say something. I feel like she should have stuck where she was. She was high up, she achieved so much, and I don't feel like she needed to come down to their level and be that person."

Rousey is scheduled to fight Gina Carano in her first bout since 2016. Ditcheva returns to the PFL cage next month.

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• MMA Fighting — Dakota Ditcheva explains why her opinion on Ronda Rousey has been forever changed