PFL CEO John Martin has indicated Dakota Ditcheva is likely to fight Liz Carmouche next, describing it as the title bout the promotion intends to make following Ditcheva's win at PFL New York. Martin also addressed Usman Nurmagomedov's future, saying the two sides had agreed to hold off on contract discussions until after Friday's event and will now sit down to determine what the undefeated lightweight champion wants to do. The comments come amid the announcement that PFL is set to merge with Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions at the start of 2027.
PFL CEO John Martin has signaled that Dakota Ditcheva is likely heading toward a title fight with Liz Carmouche, describing the matchup as the bout the promotion intends to make following Ditcheva's most recent victory at PFL New York. Martin also spoke to the uncertain future of undefeated lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov, noting that contract talks were deliberately paused until after Friday's event and that the two sides will now meet to work out what direction the champion wants to take. Neither matchup has been officially signed, and both developments should be treated as reported intentions rather than confirmed bookings.
Ditcheva, 27, carries a perfect 14-0-0 record into any future engagement and has established herself as one of the most statistically dominant strikers in women's MMA. She lands an extraordinary 12.75 significant strikes per minute at an 84 percent accuracy rate, figures that rank among the highest in the sport regardless of gender or division. Standing five-foot-eight with a 70-inch reach, she has also averaged 15 takedowns per 15 minutes, suggesting her grappling is every bit as dangerous as her striking.
Carmouche, 42, would bring considerable experience to the opposite corner. The American veteran holds a 13-7-0 record and fights out of The Arena in an orthodox stance. She lands 2.78 significant strikes per minute at 54 percent accuracy and contributes 2.57 takedowns per 15 minutes, making her a well-rounded threat who has competed at the highest levels of women's combat sports for well over a decade.
Nurmagomedov, also 27, sits at 20-0-0 and is ranked among the pound-for-pound top 15 in the sport. The Russian champion's path forward remains genuinely open, with Martin indicating only that discussions will begin now that the timing restriction has lifted.
Why it matters
- A Ditcheva title fight would pit the division's most explosive striker against a seasoned veteran with grappling credentials of her own
- Nurmagomedov's contractual direction could reshape PFL's lightweight landscape at a pivotal moment for the promotion
- Both storylines carry added weight given PFL's reported merger with Most Valuable Promotions, set to take effect at the start of 2027
