Liz Carmouche Questions Dakota Ditcheva’s Willingness to Fight Her

Liz Carmouche has a point to prove this weekend as she faces Jena Bishop for the undisputed PFL women's flyweight championship at PFL Chicago 2.

This will be a rematch of their last year's PFL tournament final, when Liz finished Jena in the third round to be crowned the 2025 PFL women's flyweight tournament champion.

Recently, I had the pleasure of talking with the MMA legend on behalf of the Combat Sports Fan Page. Upon asking what winning this PFL women's flyweight belt means to her, she clearly expressed her frustration at being ranked No. 2 in her divisional rankings behind the 2024 tournament winner Dakota Ditcheva and believes that the 28-year-old does not want to fight her.

Carmouche said, "It means a lot. I feel like I won that tournament, and it got overshadowed by a previous winner who hasn't been willing to fight me. So, it is kind of similar to when I achieved the Bellator belt, as I did it and I came out of it feeling like I finally achieved something, and it was overshadowed with questions about the outcome. And I feel like it's the same thing with this is okay, cool- well, you won the tournament, but the person that didn't participate in the tournament, last year's winner, is actually ranked number one. Making no sense whatsoever."

Liz wants to clear all the doubts by winning that PFL belt, she continued, "Especially when she's only fighting people that what we call cans, people that don't have a lot of wins under belt, people that she should be able to walk through as a guarantee. And yet she's still the one that's ranked at number one. So this is that chance to finally put that stamp on there and take those doubts away and be crowned the person that I deserve to be with that championship belt."

Liz Carmouche Is Willing To Fight Dakota Ditcheva: "If She's Healthy."

The Girl-Rilla is open to fighting Ditcheva next, but she also pointed at Dakota's recent injuries that kept her away from competing. 

"If she's healthy. I mean it seems like she keeps breaking her hands and having surgeries. So, if it's a chance to be able to face Dakota and that's the fight that makes sense, I'd love to do that. I think that she's going to come out of her surgery, get healthy, and fight another can. Maybe she doesn't injure herself in that one and I actually have a chance to face her, so I'm hopeful that Dakota comes out healthy and that we don't have to play this game where she gets another welcome-back fight that we just make the fight that makes sense."

Liz Carmouche Talks About Her Advantages Over Dakota Ditcheva

The Ex-Marine also explained why her all-around fight game gives her the edge over the British striker:

"I think I'm an actual MMA fighter. I think she's a good striker. She's a great striker, but as far as seeing her jiu-jitsu, seeing her wrestling, her anti- wrestling, her ability to finish on the ground, she doesn't finish girls on the ground. She finishes girls standing. So, where I offer is that I am even-keel all-around. I'm not just a grappler. I'm not just a striker. I'm a true MMA fighter."  

The fight between Carmouche and Ditcheva is one of the most anticipated fights in PFL. On one side is a highly experienced, multiple-time world champion MMA legend; on the other side is a devastating, undefeated young striker.

But before that, Liz has to go through the jiu-jitsu ace, Jena Bishop, at PFL Chicago 2.