PFL (still) refuses to trade Dakota Ditcheva to UFC, so promotion signs two Octagon veterans – ‘Maximize money!’

Until this week, the Professional Fighters League (PFL) was in dire need of fresh blood for its Women’s Flyweight division, particularly opponents for undefeated champion Dakota Ditcheva. Now, the promotion has bolstered the roster with two significant signings.

PFL has inked deals with former UFC fighters Viviane Araujo and Ariane Da Silva (formerly Ariane Lipski), both of whom bring name value and experience to the weight class.

Araujo (13-7) was a staple of the UFC Flyweight Top 15 for several years and even headlined a card during her Octagon run. The Brazilian standout scored notable wins over Roxanne Modafferi, Andrea Lee, Jennifer Maia, and Karine Silva (who was undefeated at the time). In her last Octagon appearance, Araujo dropped a unanimous decision to Tracy Cortez at UFC 317.

Lipski (17-11) also enjoyed moments of success in UFC, including a three-fight win streak capped by a submission victory over Casey O’Neill. But inconsistency plagued her tenure, as she exited the promotion on a three-fight losing skid.

The timing of the signings is notable given recent chatter about Ditcheva’s value in the MMA marketplace. Earlier this year, UFC analyst Din Thomasfloated the idea of a blockbuster “trade” that would send Ditcheva to UFC in exchange for Magomed Ankalaev. This week, former UFC fighter-turned-analyst Brendan Schaub doubled down, arguing that UFC would profit more from Ditcheva than from its current Light Heavyweight champion, who is set to defend his title this weekend.

“The UFC business model now would make more money with Dakota than with Magomed,” Schaub said in a video on his YouTube channel. “Bar none, it’s a matter of fact, Magomed is actually hurting the UFC, it’s f—ked up to say because if he goes out and beats Alex, who’s a much bigger star than him, it actually hurts the UFC.”

“Now, if you’re a purist, you’re like, ‘The best of the best fight in the UFC, and if he wins, he’s the champ.’ I get that. I’m talking about maximizing money and endorsement deals,” Schaub added. “A pretty girl who is very talented, who’s a 500 fighter, we can get more money out of than this guy from Dagestan, who’s a beast but isn’t good on the mic, his shit talking is a little dicey, and he’s also so good that the stars you want to be the face of the UFC, he beats. That’s an issue.”

Of course, such talk is academic. PFL recently re-signed Ditcheva to a multi-fight deal, ensuring the 27-year-old British star will remain in the Smart Cage for years to come. With the addition of Araujo and Lipski, she may finally have some fresh challengers to face.

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