Ditcheva showed that there were levels to this game after securing the biggest win of her career in Riyadh – knocking out the former UFC title challenger in stunning fashion
A star is born on Riyadh as Dakota Ditcheva announces herself on the big stage following a devastating second round knockout against Tails Santos.
Santos – a former UFC title challenger – famously went toe-to-toe with MMA legend Valentina Shevchenko two years ago for the flyweight title. Before the co-main event in Riyadh, the Brazilian had never been stopped in the cage.
Ditcheva is known for her aggressive style and is always vying to put on an eye-catching display every time she steps foot in the cage. It’s fair to say that the young superstar caught the eyes of many again by becoming the first fighter to ever finish Santos.
The opening five saw the Brit come out guns-blazing and stalking down her pray. Ditcheva was quick to mix up her attacks and keep her Brazilian foe on the backfoot. The smart front-kicks appeared to catch Santos off guard – who just didn’t have an answer. Eventually she resorted to clinching, but Dakota’s defence was on point, dictating the majority of the round. A tidy front-kick up the middle appeared to slightly bother the Brazilian, but was able to reach the five minute mark.
Round two saw Santos gain a little bit of composure, quickly initiating the clinch in an attempt to get a few sneaky shots in. However, as soon as the pair broke, it was all Ditcheva. Once again, quick off the block to press forward establish her attacks.
All night long, the front kicks up the middle had Santos wobbling and unable to respond. A clinch situation saw the young Brit land some nice knees to the body before unleashing a brutal and a sharp left hand which caused the referee to wave off the fight. ‘Dangerous’ by name, dangerous by nature, the 26-year-old made it looks so easy and will no doubt receive a lot of plaudits for her efforts after a scintillating performance in Saudi Arabia.
Speaking after the fight, she said: “I was trying to tell you! People will still moan, but I will continue to prove them wrong. The world is mine!”
It’s fair to say that the 26-year-old world beater will be receiving a lot of calls from rival promotions on Monday morning following her stunning display. While her future remains uncertain, one thing is for sure…. England have themselves another global phenomenon and, without a doubt, the sky is the limit for the Manchester-born wonder.
