Dakota Ditcheva goes head-to-head with UFC contender in battle for Bloody Elbow's 'Breakout Star of the Year' Award
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Dakota Ditcheva asserted herself as the new face of PFL in 2024.
2024 PFL women’s flyweight champion Dakota Ditcheva began the calendar year with a target on her back, and she responded by putting on one of the most dominant runs for a blossoming prospect in recent MMA history.
Ditcheva capped off her remarkable 2024 PFL season with a title win over former UFC title challenger Taila Santos at last month’s championships. She won four fights in 2024 with just one fight making it out of the first round (vs. Santos).
Ditcheva’s dominance at such a young age (26) is rarely seen in modern women’s MMA. Her 2024 drew comparisons to legends like Amanda Nunes, Ronda Rousey, and Kayla Harrison who dismantled most of their competition.
But Ditcheva wasn’t the only breakout star candidate our team needed to consider.
Dakota Ditcheva, Joaquin Buckley headline ‘Breakout Star’ debate
UFC welterweight contender Joaquin Buckley began 2024 as an unranked, relatively unknown figure on the roster. After an up-and-down run at middleweight, Buckley made the full-time move down to welterweight last year and saw his stock soar in 2024.
Buckley won his third consecutive fight by finishing the always-dangerous Vicente Luque at UFC Atlantic City by second-round TKO. He followed it up with a co-main event win over the behemoth Nursulton Ruziboev and earned back-to-back stoppage wins over Stephen Thompson and Colby Covington.
Buckley’s one-punch knockout of Thompson was also in the mix for ‘Knockout of the Year’ after UFC 307. It cemented him as a dark horse candidate in the UFC welterweight title picture.
Ditcheva, Buckley, and others made the ‘Breakout Star’ discussion a lively one.
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Dakota Ditcheva and Joaquin Buckley are Bloody Elbow’s 2024 ‘Breakout Stars of the Year’
Here’s how the Bloody Elbow team voted and analyzed the 2024 ‘Breakout Star of the Year’ debate.
Jordan Ellis: “Dakota Ditcheva is the breakout star of 2024. The flyweight KO artist made it look easy as she ran through PFL’s 125lb tournament and won $1 million. Taila Santos is elite-level, and she looked like she didn’t belong in the cage with Ditcheva when they met in the PFL final.”
Jordan’s Pick:Dakota Ditcheva
Donagh Corby: “PFL’s next big thing appears to be the flyweight queen Dakota Ditcheva. The Brit continues to move through the levels with ease, knocking out Chelsea Hackett and Jena Bishop on route to a finals showdown with Taila Santos. The Brazilian arguably has a claim to the lineal UFC belt after a razor-close split decision loss to Valentina Shevchenko that many feel she won, and Ditcheva made quick work of her in two rounds.”
Donagh’s Pick:Dakota Ditcheva
James Sweetnam: “The featherweight division is rife with talent, and Diego Lopes has proven he’s right up there with the best of them. In 2024, the 29-year-old has looked nothing short of sensational, putting together a run of three terrific performances, most recently beating Brian Ortega in a display that has given him a chair at the top table alongside the very best 145-pounders in the sport. And while this year has been truly magnificent, he’s got fans positively salivating at the prospect of what he’ll achieve in 2025.”
James’s Pick:Diego Lopes
Jamie Theodosi: “Carlos Prates. This one was a toss-up for me between Payton Talbott and Carlos Prates. Ultimately I edged with the Brazilian because of the strength of his opponent up until this point.”
Jamie’s Pick:Carlos Prates
Curtis Calhoun: “After showing promise at middleweight, Joaquin Buckley decided to make the full-time transition to welterweight, and has cemented himself as one of the most dangerous contenders in the division in no time.
“Buckley earned finishes of Stephen Thompson, Colby Covington, and Vicente Luque in 2024. Despite a badly received callout after UFC St. Louis, Buckley’s surge to the welterweight title picture is among the most surprising in recent UFC history.
“As 2025 approaches, Buckley is knocking on the door of title contention. He has the makings of a potential superstar with a fan-friendly style and relentlessness in the Octagon.”
Curtis’s Pick:Joaquin Buckley
Tom Llewellyn: “When Joaquin Buckley stepped into Boardwalk Hall for his first of four fights in 2024, he wasn't even ranked in the welterweight division – Not. Even. Ranked.
“Now, as we sign off another fabulous year of UFC action, 'New Mansa' is sitting pretty at #6 with finishes over several UFC legends, a former interim champion, and a talented future contender.
“This is 'Breakout of the Year', and no one has broken into the Top 15 or even a title conversation quite like Joaquin Buckley.”
Tom’s Pick:Joaquin Buckley
