For the first time in their professional careers, siblings Daniele
Scatizzi and Valentina
Scatizzi will compete on the same card together.
Coming into
PFL Glasgow, both Daniele (13-7) and sister Valentina (3-2)
share the underdog label as they are taking on tough foes with no
losses between them. Daniele is currently a +425 dog against
unbeaten 2023 PFL Europe lightweight champ Jakub
Kaszuba (12-0), while Valentina (+550) will face undefeated
Shanelle
Dyer (5-0).
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Daniele, a Bellator MMA regular, came over to the PFL ranks after
an unsuccessful outing at against Dmytrii
Hrytsenko at Bellator 291 in 2023. Following the merger of
Bellator and PFL, the Italian was slotted into the PFL Europe’s
lightweight bracket. Daniele introduced himself to PFL brass by
landing a heel hook on the heavily favored Aleksandrs
Chizovs to reach the semifinals.
Valentina made her way to PFL a year earlier than her brother,
reaching the semifinals of the inaugural PFL Europe season at 125
pounds. When taking on Dakota
Ditcheva, she suffered the first knockout loss of her
career—although it was a doctor stoppage. She bounced back this
season by winning over all three judges against Marie
Loiseau to climb into the 2024 semifinals. Both brother and
sister spoke to media ahead of their respective fights, where they
weighed in on their varied experiences and how they plan on
springing upsets.
“I think Shanelle is the same as Dakota, but she’s not Dakota,”
Valentina remarked. “She’s a good fighter but I’m more skillful
than her. I also have good striking like her, I have a good
strategy coming into this. I also have a lot of heart which will
help lead me in this fight.”
Daniele knows the challenge he has in front of him in Kaszuba, but
he’s hoping that no matter how it plays out, the two make it an
entertaining show for the fans.
“I will try, I will try. Of course, he has to do what he has to do
for a win, but his style for me is a bit boring. Resting on the
fence, pushing, it’s boring. I will try to make his fight different
this time,” the 31-year-old lightweight noted.
With expectations among bettors and pundits that Dyer and Kaszuba
will emerge victorious, Daniele and Valentina shared the same
sentiments about that narrative. Namely, they enjoy it. Neither
fighter feels the pressure, and instead are liberated to fight
freely and openly.
“Yes, it’s really good. It’s really good for us. When everyone
thinks you’re going to win and then you win, it’s like, ‘oh okay,
yes, it’s expected,’ but when you’re the underdog and you win, it’s
a much better feeling,” Daniele concluded.