Ditcheva On Unexpected Boos After PFL Win
Dakota Ditcheva heard boos from the crowd at PFL New York and admitted the negative reaction stung.
Ditcheva took a decision over Denise Kielholtz at UBS Arena in Belmont, New York, but portions of the audience voiced displeasure during the fight, which went the full three rounds. The Brit had seven first-round finishes in PFL competition entering the bout and came in as the betting favourite, per Sherdog, but could not replicate that finishing rate against Kielholtz.
Ditcheva Addresses Crowd Reaction and Three-Round Performance
"It bothered me… Only because I'm passionate about the work I do and I wanted a stoppage myself," Ditcheva said at the post-fight press conference, according to Sherdog. "But at the same time, words from my brother and my coach will always be, 'We don't care about what anybody else thinks.'"
She said winning takes priority over putting on a show. "I don't want them to boo because I want to be exciting and entertaining for you guys, but at the same time, I'm in there fighting. I'm not in there, like, performing a dance. I have to do what's right for me to get the win and come out on top and that's what I did today."
The fight marked Ditcheva's first appearance in a year following injury. Despite the lack of a finish, she said the cage time served a purpose after the layoff. Her coaches were satisfied with the opportunity to bank 15 minutes of work as she continues developing.
Original reporting:
Get Ringside Updates
Fight announcements, results, and analysis delivered to your inbox. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.