'I have to accept sexualisation of female fighters'

Dakota Ditcheva says nan sexualisation of female fighters is thing she has to “accept”.

The 25-year-old flyweight is 1 of nan brightest prospects successful British MMA, has an awesome 10 finishes successful 11 fights and is in action connected Thursday astatine PFL 4 successful Connecticut.

Some of Ditcheva’s videos connected societal media person millions of views, but her astir viewed video is 1 of her weighing successful earlier a fight.

Traditionally, antheral and female fighters measurement successful connected nan scales successful their underwear.

“It’s benignant of thing you person to judge astatine nan moment. It’s nan measurement it’s ever been, truthful hopefully it will alteration 1 day,” Ditcheva said.

“That point that went nan astir viral connected my Instagram relationship is thing that isn’t really me.

“So it’s like, successful bid to build a marque and a profession and lifestyle, arsenic good arsenic done fighting but extracurricular of it, it’s a shame that that’s nan type of worldly which gets nan astir attention.”

Ditcheva has ever been exposed to nan combat sports world. Her mother, Lisa Howarth, was a multiple kickboxing world champion.

She says she leans connected her mother for support, but nan sexualised attraction is simply a communal taxable among women successful nan gym.

“I talk astir it pinch my mum - I’m fortunate to person personification for illustration her - but different fighters don’t person that. They benignant of person to put up pinch it and spell pinch nan flow,” Ditcheva said.

“The type of questions we get asked sometimes and worldly for illustration that is an rumor arsenic well.

“It’s not conscionable nan posts connected nan internet. It’s sometimes why do group consciousness comfortable asking america definite things?

“Just because I’m a female doesn’t springiness you nan correct to inquire maine things for illustration that.”

Female athletes person often complained astir nan quality of questions directed astatine them.

Tennis subordinate Serena Williams has spoken astir nan rumor and past twelvemonth presenter Chris Hughes apologised and was warned by nan BBC astir "Barbie" comments he made to Australian cricketer Maitlan Brown during an interview.

Ditcheva says she wants to beryllium a unit for bully successful MMA and thief alteration harmful attitudes towards female fighters.

“That’s 1 of nan things I really want to change, and make judge I’m not seen arsenic that type of person,” she said.

“When they spot personification pinch blonde hairsbreadth for illustration maine who’s still rather girly, consecutive distant they alteration to that type of stereotype, which is simply a shame."