Unbeaten Ditcheva cleared after double hand surgery, demands PFL flyweight title shot against Bishop

Dakota Ditcheva has been medically cleared to return to training following surgery on both hands and is calling for a PFL women’s flyweight title shot against Jena Bishop, the fighter confirmed in an interview with Ariel Helwani.

Ditcheva, who remains unbeaten at 16-0, broke both hands during her unanimous decision victory over Denise Kielholtz in July. While she recovered, Bishop seized the opportunity to defeat Liz Carmouche at PFL Chicago, claiming the inaugural Professional Fighters League women’s flyweight world championship — a belt Ditcheva considers her own.

“I’m good, I’m all clear,” Ditcheva told Helwani. “I’m back at training now, so yeah, I’m ready to go. I’m just waiting for a date for the belt. I want my belt back. I’ve been grappling for a few weeks now. I just kind of took my time a little bit with the striking. I haven’t got a fight coming up, so I thought, let me just focus on the grappling; now Jena’s the person with the belt. I healed so quickly this time… It was like nine weeks since surgery, which is really quick.”

Ditcheva had eased back into camp by prioritising grappling before reintroducing striking work, a cautious approach informed by a previous hand injury sustained during her win over Sumiko Inaba. She noted that this recovery was significantly faster than that earlier setback.

The rematch would carry considerable weight. Ditcheva already holds a victory over Bishop — a first-round technical knockout in their 2024 meeting — and has finished 13 of her 16 professional opponents in total. Bishop, however, now holds the title that gives her the leverage in any negotiation over a second fight.

No date has been announced for the bout, but Ditcheva made clear she intends to reclaim the championship as soon as a match can be made.