Cris Cyborg retained her featherweight title via unanimous decision against Ketlen Vieira at PFL Tampa on August 22, 2026, after a massive weight miss by Vieira turned the main event into a catchweight bout at Benchmark International Arena in Florida.
Ketlen Vieira Weight Miss at Benchmark International Arena
Ketlen Vieira tipped the scales at 152 pounds, missing the 145-pound featherweight limit by a severe seven pounds on Friday. Because of the massive weight discrepancy, Vieira was rendered entirely ineligible to claim the world title.
Cyborg successfully made the championship limit, securing her place in the cage while relinquishing the immediate stakes of defending the belt on the scales.
I believe Pederneiras' team is very professional and I'm not here to judge them, but she fought at 135lb, moved up to 145lb, and fought in May,
Cyborg told ESPN Brasil. “I think they were going to cancel the fight and everything, but there was a conversation to make sure the fight wouldn’t get cancelled, and they reached a catchweight agreement. I’m happy that I made weight. I’m really happy that the fight is going to happen.”
Reacting to the abrupt shift on social media, the champion brushed off the drama with characteristic brevity, writing simply, We don't care. Porrada.
The matchup served as a potential retirement contest for Cyborg, who entered the night following a storied 21-year career spanning Strikeforce, Bellator, the UFC, and the Professional Fighters League.
Unanimous Decision Victory Over Five Rounds
Blake Grice Officiates Main Event Bout
Once the action got underway under referee Blake Grice, Vieira brought forward pressure while Cyborg utilized technical low kicks and movement from the outside. As the rounds progressed, Cyborg (30-2) and Vieira (16-6) battled through high-level exchanges, including the fifth round where Cyborg doubled up on leg kicks before Vieira landed a right hand and pressed forward with punches. Cyborg cleanly changed levels for a takedown, later escaping a late trip takedown by Vieira and kicking her opponent off to return to standing before the final bell.
When the scorecards were read, the judges scored the fight 49-46, 48-47, and 49-46 in favor of Cyborg, confirming her unanimous decision victory to retain the PFL featherweight title.
Additional PFL Tampa Results
The undercard featured several decisive finishes and competitive decisions:
Gadzhi Rabadanov Defeats Tracy Reeder
Gadzhi Rabadanov (28-5-2) defeated Tracy Reeder (12-6) by first-round TKO with punches at lightweight, with the stoppage coming at 4:37 of the round.
Sabrinna de Sousa (7-0) defeated Taila Santos (23-5) by unanimous decision at flyweight, with the judges scoring the contest 29-28, 30-27, and 30-27.
Luke Trainer (11-1) defeated Roland Dunlap (7-1) by second-round TKO with a front kick and punches at light heavyweight, stopping the bout at 2:22 of the round.
Nkosi Ndebele (14-3) defeated Marcirley Alves (15-6) by unanimous decision in their bantamweight clash.
Earlier on the preliminary portion of the card, Eoin Sheridan defeated James Vake via knockout with a knee in the opening round after landing a brutal knee to the head that sent Vake’s mouthpiece flying.
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