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- What: PFL World Championships
- Who: Dakota Ditcheva vs. Taila Santos
- Date: Friday, November 29, 2024
- Location: King Saud University Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Time: Main Card (3:00 p.m. ET)
- How to Watch: ESPN+
On Friday, November 29, the Professional Fighters League (PFL) will hold its 2024 World Championship event at King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The event will see six champions crowned. Each of those champions will receive $1 million in prize money. One of the most anticipated bouts on the PFL World Championship fight card is the women’s flyweight championship fight between the unbeaten Dakota Ditcheva and former UFC title challenger Taila Santos. Here is some background on the fighters before we discuss the betting breakdown for the 2024 PFL World Championships.
Dakota Ditcheva (13-0) won the 2023 PFL Europe Women’s flyweight tournament. The 26-year-old graduated to the PFL proper in 2024. Ditcheva claimed her spot in the championship fight with three first-round knockouts. She has won 11 fights by KO, one via submission and she has one decision victory.
Taila Santos (22-3) fought Valentina Shevchenko for the UFC women’s flyweight title in June 2022, losing via split decision. She left the promotion in late 2023 following a decision setback to Erin Blanchfield. The Brazilian competitor signed with the PFL in 2024. She went 3-0 on her way to the championship bout, most recently defeating former UFC title challenger Liz Carmouche.
Before we look at the best bets for the Dakota Ditcheva vs. Taila Santos scrap on the PFL World Championships card, check out the best PFL betting sites and where you can find the best bets for UFC fights.
PFL World Championships: Dakota Ditcheva vs. Taila Santos betting picks
| To Win Women's Flyweight Championship |  |  |  |
| Dakota Ditcheva | -265 | -275 | -310 |
| Taila Santos | +225 | +220 | +191 |
Dakota Ditcheva betting breakdown
Dakota Ditcheva has looked the part of a future superstar over the past few years, racking up a perfect 13-0 record with 11 knockouts since leaving kickboxing and muay Thai behind to concentrate on her MMA career. She gets the biggest test of her young career on November 29 when she faces the much more experienced Taila Santos in a world championship bout. Despite the difference in experience, Ditcheva is a noticeable betting favorite heading into the contest.
Ditcheva might be one of the best strikers competing today at 125 pounds. She has power, speed, accuracy, and high output and can employ various techniques. Most of all, Ditcheva is supremely confident. What she has yet to face to date is true competition. All but one of her PFL fights have ended in the first round. With that being said, Ditcheva does not take her opponents lightly and does not look past them. I suspect that she trains and readies herself for each fight as if the bouts will go the distance.
Taila Santos betting breakdown
A pro since 2013, the 31-year-old Taila Santos has faced some of the top competition in women’s MMA, including a five-round scrap with UFC champion Valentina Shevchenko in 2022. Santos has 10 wins by knockout, four via submission, and eight decision victories. She has never been stopped, with all three of her career defeats coming by decision.
Santos likes to strike, but she keeps her guard low and does not have her opponent’s speed in this matchup. The betting underdog, Santos has some grappling skills, but she prefers to use her striking, which will be a problem against a high-level combatant like Ditcheva.
Santos needs to shore up her striking defense in this contest. She must be quick on her feet and move all the way in or all the way out and not allow Ditcheva to figure out her footwork and rhythym. In short, Santos needs to be almost perfect and not provide Ditcheva with an opening. That will be a challenging task to accomplish.
Best bets: PFL World Championships: Dakota Ditcheva vs. Taila Santos
Taila Santos should give Dakota Ditcheva more of a test than her previous opponents, but she does not have the striking skills, offensive or defensive of the younger Ditcheva. I expect the results of this fight to be similar to Ditcheva’s previous work.
The betting pick is for Dakota Ditcheva to defeat Taila Santos by knockout to win the PFL women’s flyweight world championship and $1 million.
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