Jena Bishop Defeats Liz Carmouche to Win PFL Flyweight Title

Jena Bishop captured the vacant Professional Fighters League women’s flyweight championship by defeating Liz Carmouche via unanimous decision at Wintrust Arena in Chicago on Friday, October 17, 2026, avenging her previous loss in the 2025 tournament final.

The main event rematch carried immediate stakes for the division at Wintrust Arena, where both fighters battled through five grueling rounds. Carmouche established early dominance by dropping Bishop with a short hook in the opening frame, leaving her opponent hanging on for dear life at the end of the first round. Despite absorbing heavy damage and ground-and-pound that earned Carmouche large margins from early scorecards, Bishop mounted a methodical recovery.

Jena Bishop Grapples Back to Claim the Belt

Bishop turned the momentum in the second and third rounds by securing crucial takedowns and taking Carmouche’s back. Although a positional setback occurred when Bishop landed illegal strikes to the back of the head, her grappling dominance proved pivotal over the middle frames. By the third round, she locked in a tight body lock and hunted for a rear-naked choke.

I thought it was either going to be really easy or it would be really tough, and I was prepared for it either way.

Jena Bishop, via Yahoo Sports

Carmouche rallied in the fourth frame with cleaner strikes as fatigue set in for both athletes. However, the final round saw Bishop secure another decisive scramble, taking Carmouche’s back and threatening with late submission attempts before the final bell. All three judges scored the bout 48-47 for Bishop, securing the unanimous decision and the inaugural belt.

Liz Carmouche Battles the Scales Before the Opening Bell

The championship clash followed a dramatic weigh-in session where the 42-year-old veteran shaved her head with electric clippers to successfully make the 125-pound flyweight limit. Speaking on the physical toll of her career, Carmouche noted that her bone density continues to increase with age, making the 125-pound division an extreme cut.

I think 135 makes a lot more sense. 125 is a crazy cut.

Liz Carmouche, via BBC Sport

Because the promotion does not feature an active women’s bantamweight division, Carmouche has remained at flyweight despite the severe weight-cutting challenges that previously saw her miss weight ahead of her playoff bout against Taila Santos.

Dakota Ditcheva Demands Next Shot at the Championship

Immediately following the main event victory, undefeated contender Dakota Ditcheva entered the SmartCage to confront the newly crowned champion. Ditcheva revealed on the broadcast that she received full-clearance for full-contact training after breaking both hands during her July decision win over Denise Kieholtz.

The faceoff sets up a high-stakes title defense expected to take place early next year between Bishop and Ditcheva.

More on this story: Liz Carmouche Shaves Head to Make Weight for PFL Title Fight