Ditcheva reveals she broke both hands in July 31 victory

Dakota Ditcheva has revealed she broke both of her hands during her unanimous decision victory over Denise Kielholtz at PFL New York on July 31, 2026, an injury that will sideline the unbeaten fighter once again. The 27-year-old disclosed the news in a video posted to her YouTube channel on August 10, 2026, explaining that she felt the injury early in the second round but chose not to inform her corner.

Ditcheva, who improved her professional record to 16-0 with the win, said she only whispered about the pain to her cut man, Paul, after exiting the cage. "I could feel it from the second I started the second round. I didn't tell my corner. I didn't tell anybody. I didn't show it this time," Ditcheva stated in the video. She suggested the undisclosed injury may have been the reason she did not receive a post-fight interview, a point that had generated some discussion among fans.

The injury is a recurrence of a previous issue. Ditcheva broke her left hand in July 2025 while fighting Sumiko Inaba, an injury that kept her out for a year. Doctors had advised surgery at that time to prevent a future break, but Ditcheva opted against the procedure. She explained that the current damage...