Ditcheva sustains dual hand fractures in PFL New York victory
British fighter Dakota Ditcheva broke both hands during her bout with Denise Kielholtz, extending her professional unbeaten streak to 16 fights while awaiting surgical advice.
British mixed martial artist Dakota Ditcheva sustained fractures to both hands during her unanimous decision victory over Denise Kielholtz at PFL New York. The 28-year-old competed through the injuries, which included a recurrence of a previous left-hand fracture and a new break in her right hand, extending her professional unbeaten streak to 16 fights. Ditcheva, who has not fought since July 2025 due to the initial injury, stated she has been "crying non-stop" but remains confident in a quicker recovery timeline than her previous layoff. She is currently in splints and awaiting surgical advice.
Ditcheva revealed she felt the injury occur from the start of the second round but did not inform her corner or anyone else until after leaving the cage. She is currently in splints and awaiting surgical advice in the coming days. The injury to her left hand is a result of opting out of surgery last year; she had been warned of the risk of re-injury. The injury to her right hand is described as a "small break on the other finger that didn't hold up so well."
Ditcheva extended her unbeaten start to her professional career to 16 fights. She has won 12 of her 16 fights by knockout. Ditcheva, the 2024 PFL flyweight champion, expects to be in splints for a few days while awaiting surgical advice but remains confident of a quicker return than her previous injury layoff.
Ditcheva won the PFL flyweight tournament in 2024, becoming the first British woman to claim a major MMA world championship and securing a $1 million (£787,000) prize. She had not fought since July 2025 due to a previous left-hand fracture. She suffered a fracture in her other hand five months after the initial injury. This victory marks her first fight in just over a year.
The exact timeline for her return to competition is uncertain, though she expects it to be quicker than her previous layoff. The specific surgical steps and final prognosis are pending review by her surgeon in the "next few days." The source text contains conflicting or unclear dates regarding her previous injury (referencing July 2025 and "five months later" in a context that may imply future dating errors in the source material).
