Dakota Ditcheva is the prime example of someone who made the most of her PFL opportunities and worked her way up. Ditcheva, a former kickboxing and Muay Thai junior world champion, joined the inaugural PFL Europe season in 2023, winning the inaugural women’s flyweight champion. She then joined the global season in 2024 and defeated Lisa Mauldin, Chelsea Hackett, Jena Bishop and Taila Santos to become the youngest PFL World Champion in history.

 

Sumiko Inaba began training boxing for fitness before her MMA debut in 2020. Inaba, whose grandfather is a fourth-degree black belt in Aikido, enters tonight 8-1 in her career, with five finishes. Inaba fought twice in 2024, scoring a split decision over Saray Orozco and a second-round knockout of Mackenzie Stiller.

 

Will Ditcheva get a win in her return here in the PFL Cape Town co-main event? Or will Inaba pull off the major shock?

 

 

Round 1

 

Small flurry from Inaba. Front kick to the face by Ditcheva. Left hand by Ditcheva, who is trying to hold back the pressuring Inaba. Inaba puts Ditcheva’s back to the fence. Inaba with a couple of elbows in the clinch. Ditcheva with an elbow on the separation. Low kick from Inaba. Left hand by Inaba. Clinch by Ditcheva. Inaba with a left hand, and Ditcheva with a knee. Inaba trying to land to the body. The two trade elbows before the separation. Small flurry by Inaba again.

 

 

Right hand and a knee from Ditcheva, who presses Inaba into the fence now. Inaba with a left hand. Strong combination from Ditcheva on the separation. Another combination from Ditcheva. Combination from Inaba as she presses Ditcheva. Ditcheva gets the clinch and lands some strong knees. She puts Inaba against the fence and starts to mix knees and fists. Inaba reverses the position before a separation. Right hand by Ditcheva. A couple of more knees catch Inaba coming in. Push kick by Ditcheva. Right hand and a knee by Ditcheva. Ditcheva with an overhand right. Ditcheva with more knees.

 

 

Round 2

 

Inaba with another flurry. Low kick by Inaba. Inaba continuing to press. Ditcheva with a combination on the separation. Strong knee by Ditcheva rocks Inaba! Ditcheva with a small flurry now! Another clinch and another knee from Ditcheva. Ditcheva’s back is to the fence now. She reverses the position. Another strong knee to the body. A couple of more knees and another combination from Ditcheva.

 

Low kick from Inaba. Another clinch by Ditcheva. Ditcheva works the body before a right hand to the head. This has become a Muay Thai clinic courtesy of Ditcheva. One-two by Ditcheva. Ditcheva with another clinch and landing more inside shots. Left hand by Ditcheva. Another kick to the face. Strong exchange between the two, but Ditcheva gets another clinch and another series of knees. Another couple of knees. Left hand by Ditcheva.

 

 

 

Round 3

 

Low kick by Ditcheva. Inaba trying to come forward. Another low kick. Inaba comes forward, but Ditcheva side steps her. Left hand by Ditcheva. Ditcheva lands well on Inaba again. One-two by Ditcheva. Low kick by Ditcheva. Right hand by Inaba. Front kick by Ditcheva. Left hand by Ditcheva. Another couple of combinations by Ditcheva. Ditcheva with a push kick.

 

Inaba pressing Ditcheva into the fence. Inaba tries to work inside. Inaba pressing her again. Elbow by Ditcheva. One-two by Ditcheva. Left hand and a kick from Ditcheva. Front kick by Inaba. Inaba tries for a level change, but Ditcheva easily shoves her off. Spinning back kick attempt by Ditcheva. Kick to the side by Ditcheva. Complete dominant performance.

 

 

OFFICIAL RESULT

 

Dakota Ditcheva def. Sumiko Inaba via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)