DAZN News spoke to the 34-year-old ahead of her next fight, as she prepares to contest the fight of her career. A new challenge against Dakota Ditcheva, the 2024 PFL flyweights world tournament champion.

DAZN News: You will be fighting in the co-main event of the PFL Africa. It's the first event of this organization. How does it feel to you to fight in Cape Town, for the first time?

Sumiko Inaba: I'm more than just grateful for this opportunity. It's a big spread of MMA across the world. I'm just more than grateful to have the opportunity to show my skill on such a big platform in a new place. I'm just excited and grateful.

DN: Why did you accept Dakota? Because all of nine fights in the PFL, she won them before the decision. 

SI: I know that this is a huge opportunity for me. Beating her would be a huge jump in my career. I thought, why not test myself? This is the highest level. I will never know my skill unless I test it.

DN: You did all your career in Bellator and the PFL. Do you think that it's the biggest test of your career?

SI: Yes, the most important fight in my career. Just for the fact that where she is in her career as well, I think that it just makes a very big co-main event.

DN: What do you think of her?

SI: She's great. She's a great martial artist. I respect her very much. I love the way she fights. I'm a striker as well, so I like the same style. But on July 19, we're going to see.

DN: Any prediction?

SI: I'm so terrible at that. I just go in there, I fight my fight, and the result comes out.

DN: Why do you think that you can beat her?

SI: I think that striker for striker, no one's really stood toe-to-toe with her. Everybody's tried to take her down and go around her way of fighting. But I'm going to bring my fight to this fight, and I think that that's going to be the difference.

DN: What do you want after that fight?

SI: I don't know. I'm not looking past this fight. I know that it's a huge opportunity for me, and it will open up a lot of doors after this fight. I don't know. I'm excited for what's to come after this.

DN: Any prediction for the main event, Johnny Eblen against Costello van Steenis?

SI: That's going to be fireworks. Johnny Eblen. I think they'll go all five rounds.

DN: She's younger than you. You're 34 years old. She's 26. Do you think that you have more experience than Dakota?

SI: More experience in life, yes, definitely. Experience in fighting? She's been doing it since she was little, for a very long time, but I think I have more experience than her.

DN: How do you look at your career?

SI: I love it. Starting my career off in Bellator, it was great. Now being absorbed by the PFL and just continuing on with a great career.

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