PFL is going for an aggressive 2026. They are going guns blazing for their Road to Dubai event, which is all set to take place on February 7th at the Coca-Cola Arena. So far, the promotion has announced their poster boy, lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov, returning to the cage against Alfie Davis in the main event, followed by a stellar 170 lbs Dagestani derby in Ramazan Kuramagomedov vs Shamil Musaev at the co-main event. Now, it has gotten even better.

After announcing two title fights in a single card, Donn Davis’ promotion decided to push things even further. In a surprising announcement, the promotion has booked the undefeated Dakota Ditcheva against former Bellator kickboxing champion Denise Kielholtz in a highly anticipated flyweight showdown.

PFL announces Dakota Ditcheva vs Denise Kielholtz flyweight championship for Road to Dubai card

Revealing the matchup, MMA Junkie posted on X, “PFL MMA continues to stack its first event of 2026 with Dakota Ditcheva vs. Denise Kielholtz #RoadtoDubai”.

With only a little over a month remaining until we enter the next year, the UFC still hasn’t announced anything for their opening Paramount+ era plans. So, while fans wait for that big reveal, the PFL has been building serious buzz with their stacked card. 

Moreover, this year has been one of the most impressive for Dakota Ditcheva as she rose to prominence with her knockout over ex-UFC fighter Taila Santos in the PFL 2024 Championships. Then, the Brit followed it up with a strong showing against Sumiko Inaba, picking up just the second decision win of her career. All while maintaining her 15-0 unblemished professional MMA record. 

On the flipside, Denise Kielholtz will make her first appearance since her last fight in 2023. Coincidentally, her final opponent was also Sumiko Inaba at Bellator 301, the promotion’s last event under its original banner before merging into PFL. So, their matchup definitely stands out in an already loaded event.

However, it still won’t be a stretch to say that most of the attention will land on the main event as Khabib Nurmagomedov’s undefeated cousin looks to defend the lightweight title once again, and even the company’s CEO feels the rising energy around this matchup.

PFL CEO is  hyped for the Nurmagomedov vs Davis clash 

After Usman Nurmagomedov defeated Paul Hughes for the second time in his career, the Dagestani didn’t hesitate to call out his next challenger. Holding a spotless 20-0 record, Usman said, “Anytime, anywhere, I am waiting for you” to Alfie Davis. Since there’s a title on the line, this matchup carries real stakes, and there’s even a bit of tension forming between the Russian and the British camps.

Just three months ago, ‘The Axe Man’ defeated the Dagestani’s teammate Gadzhi Rabadanov to win the PFL tournament, announcing that he’s ready for the bigger test, which is facing Usman Nurmagomedov for the lightweight crown. Because of this storyline, fans are eager to see how this much-anticipated matchup plays out, and no one seems more fired up than the company’s CEO, John Martton.

According to a BBC article, Martton said about this matchup, “Usman Nurmagomedov is an undefeated and dominant superstar who will mark his third appearance as the headliner in Dubai, but this time a fresh challenge awaits him in the opposite corner. Alfie Davis continually defies the odds and will look to do it once more on the biggest stage.”

And that’s right, Usman Nurmagomedov and Alfie Davis shape up to be one of the most compelling matchups in PFL history, serving as the perfect next chapter for the Dagestani after defeating Paul Hughes in one of his most heated rivalries.